AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Romero held Paulie still as I hauled my arm back and punched him in the face. Blood leaked from his nose when I went for the second hit.
When Romero threw Paulie to the ground, he held up his hands in defeat. “I don’t mean any disrespect. I’m just telling you she has an agenda. Maybe she’s trying to make you jealous. I don’t know, man.”
“Consider this your only warning,” I said. “You do not want the Bilotti family as your enemy.”
“Especially when you don’t have your own organization to stand behind.” Romero extended his hand for him, helped him up, and then shoved him in the direction of our men. “So there’s no more confusion in the future, it’s in your best interest to stay out of this club.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Paulie said. “I could be an asset.”
“We don’t need any more of those.” I looked at the guards. “Get him back to his guys and escort them out of here.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Paulie repeated. “I know things.”
When Romero and I entered the club, the rage that coursed through me after hitting Paulie hadn’t subsided. He may have been inappropriate, but Cinzia played a part in this too. If she had stayed home like I had asked her to, we wouldn't be in this situation.
“Gio,” Romero said when we got to the bar where I had left Cin. “This can’t get worse.”
“I get it.”
“Do you?”
“What the fuck do you want from me?” I asked.
“I want you to get her under control or I will.” He stared at me with anger in his eyes. “None of us want that.”
Chapter Eight
Cinzia
“I can’t serve you without Gio here,” the annoying bartender said. “I’ve told you this several times.”
“Let her have the drink.” Gio took a seat at the bar next to me and nodded to the server. “I’ll take my usual.”
“Of course, Mr. Bilotti,” he said.
“Where’s Conti and Alberto?” I looked over my shoulder. “They’ve been watching me like two hawks.”
“Alberto is off duty for the rest of the night. I don’t care what he’s doing. Conti is doing exactly what he’s supposed to be doing.”
“I told Alberto it was okay to take me here.” Alberto had been resistant, but when I turned on the charm, he agreed. “This isn’t his fault.”
“You don’t have to worry about Alberto.”
“Why not?”
“Because I said so.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Do you really have to ask?”
“Then it’s a good thing I didn’t wear a dress with straps.”
He tapped his fingers on the bar, gazing straight ahead. “Thank you,” he said to the bartender who seemed less annoying now that he had a glass of white wine for me.
“How did your conversation with Paulie go?” I took a sip of my wine, trying to calm my nerves, because if his mean tone and tense facial muscles were any indication of the mood he was in, I was in trouble, and not the good kind.
“You don’t need to be concerned with that.” He pressed his glass to his lips, reminding me how much I liked when they were close to mine. “You do, however, need to be concerned with your future.”
