AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I move my gaze back up to the top she’s chosen, taking in the bright pink t-shirt. It’s loose and flows over her upper half, but stops just short of her waistband giving a hint of her stomach and ribs when she shifts. I want to walk over to her, move the top out of the way, and move my hands all over her soft, warm skin. Instead, I just stand there and watch her.
It’s fascinating how much people give away when they think no one is watching. Like how she worries her lip or how she mutters and scowls when she gets impatient. Or how she shifts every so often, wincing from what I can only assume is the pain in her stomach or ribs. Though I notice that no matter how frustrated she gets, she never once throws a book but sets it down carefully on the pile. And when she finishes, she moves on to the next one. And never once does she look my way. Completely oblivious to anything but the task she’s working on.
Finally, I’m tired of waiting and step into the room. “What are you doing?” I demand.
She jumps slightly but handles being startled remarkably well. She slowly turns her head and stares at me, eyes dark and emotionless when they connect with mine. “I’m looking for a book,” she replies simply, then turns her gaze away and back to the shelf in front of her.
I walk toward her and stop a few short inches away. Close enough to crowd her and see the fluttering of her pulse in her neck, but still not touching her. “And you look for books by pulling them off the shelves and putting them in neat little piles?” I mock her softly. “Care to try again,topolina?”
She stiffens at the use of the pet name, but she doesn’t turn back to me, just grabs another book and leafs through it quickly. “Maybe I’m doing it to annoy you,” she says finally after another moment of silence. “Give you something to do with your time once I’m gone.”
The thought of her leaving makes me incredibly angry, but I know she’s trying to get a rise out of me. Perhaps, she still hasn’t gotten the hint that she shouldn’t bait the man who holds her life in his hands. Quickly, I reach out and wrap my hand around her braid once again, making her gasp as I pull on it sharply, yanking her head back so that she’s staring into my face. I give her a slow smile as I lean down further and murmur, “That’s the thing, Ms. De Luca. Your little attempt earlier has given you confidence you shouldn’t have. Because you won’t be leaving here unless I allow it. Or have you not heard about my reputation?” I loosen my grip on her hair just enough for me to move her head slightly so I can whisper in her ear, “And I don’t plan on letting you go until I’m good and ready, Ms. De Luca.”
I feel the slight tremor that works through her, but her voice is strong as she turns her head towards me, despite my grip on her hair. Our mouths almost brush, but she doesn’t pull away. No, she looks me dead in the eye and says, “Well, I don’t feel like staying, Mr. Armani, so I guess we’re in a stalemate.”
What a brave little mouse. Irritation wars with amusement at her words, but I know better than to let her get under my skin any further than she already is. And I won’t let her distract me. I give her a dark smile and point out, “You can feel however you like,topolina, but the sooner you accept your position here, the happier you’ll be.” She gives a delicate scoff, and I give her hair a sharp tug for her insolence, making her gasp. “Watch yourself, Giulia,” I warn her. “I will only tolerate so much sass from you. And you and I have something to discuss”
Her eyes flash her defiance. “It doesn’t matter what you do to me, I’ll always try to get out of here,” she whispers. “I’m going to finally be free.” There’s a fierceness in her words, and I know she means every damn word. If I was a good man, I might realize she’s never been free and I could be the one to let her go; but I’ve never been a good man, and I’m never going to let her go.
I let go of her hair, step back and announce, “We’re having dinner, so let’s go.” Time to get things back on track.
Of course, being the damn stubborn woman she is turning out to be, she doesn’t move an inch. Instead, she just turns back to the books, grabbing another from the shelf. Aggravation is the only emotion I feel as I reach out, yank the book from her hands, and toss it to the floor. She glares at me, but before she can say another word, I reach out, haul her up and over my shoulder and then head out of the room and toward the stairs.
She doesn’t kick, fight, or scream. She just lays there limply, but I know she’s not pleased. Again, if I was a good man, I’d be conscious of the fact this probably hurts her ribs, but instead I ignore the small voice of reason and don’t stop moving until we reach the small sitting area at the bottom of the steps, depositing her on the couch, just as there is a knock on the door. I give her a hard look and warn her, “Try anything, and you will not have the freedom you have now,topolina. And my hospitality towards you will get far less comfortable.”
She stares at me, unresponsive.
I walk to the door, unlocking and opening it to allow Sofia and Dante into the room. They are the only two I’ll allow in this room, though I don’t miss the curious, and sympathetic glance Sofia gives Giulia, before moving to set the tray of food and drinks on the small round table that Dante has brought in with him. Big enough that we can eat somewhat comfortably. Once Sofia has the food and drinks set up, Dante moves and grabs the two chairs from the hallway. Before they leave, Dante gives me a knowing look and then walks out, his hand on the small of Sofia’s back, leaving me to lock the door behind them.
When I turn around, I’m pleased to see that Giulia hasn’t moved from her seat on the couch, though I’m not stupid enough to think she’s not trying to figure out a way out of this room. I have to wonder if she’ll approach Dante or Sofia for help if she gets the chance. My initial guess is Sofia, but then again, she hasn’t done a normal damn thing since I brought her here.
I move and sit at the small table, facing her from the opposite side. “Join me,” I order, indicating the seat across from me.
“I’m not hungry,” she replies immediately.
I narrow my eyes at her. While I seem to have more patience for her than most, it’s quickly running thin. “It wasn’t a request, Ms. De Luca,” I inform her. “I don’t give a damn if you don’t eat, but you will join me. Now.” I pour steel into that final word, and it seems to do the trick.
She slowly gets to her feet, walking toward me, her chin lifted and her shoulders back. She sits stiffly in the chair across from me, but she doesn’t reach for her food or wine. Instead, she crosses her arms over her chest, glares at me, and asks, “Did you really kill your parents?”
I don’t react to her question, but it is a surprising one. And one I’ve heard rumored around through my men. So I give her a direct answer back. “I did. And I’d do it again.”
CHAPTER12
Gia
I manageto not outwardly react to his statement, but inside, I’m reeling. He seriously just admitted to that? What kind of monster is sitting across from me? I mean, I know my father and brothers aren’t good men, and even with all the things they’ve done to me in the past, murdering them in cold blood has never entered my mind. I’d rather die myself. Because it would be a suicide mission. Which begs the question…
“Why?” I ask. A loaded question, and one I should not be asking, but I suppose if he was going to kill me, he’d have done it by now.
He eyes me for a moment, gaze dark and assessing. Finally, he says in a calm, almost reasonable voice, “Because my father was in my way, and my mother thought it would be a smart thing to sleep with one of my enemies to get her dirty little secret through my territory without my knowing.”
I can’t help the small frown that pulls at my lips. “Secret?” I repeat. Shit, I need to stop asking questions. But, how can I just let something like that go?
“It seemed my mother was very good at hiding her own little enterprise right under my father’s nose. You see, she spent most of the time drugged or drunk enough that she was a zombie. My father rarely gave her any attention, but that also meant that unless she was playing the social scene how he expected, he left her to her own devices. And in that time, she took a lover. One she helped run his sex trafficking ring through our territory. For years. Men, women, and children have gone through our territory without so much of a whisper of it happening because no one thought she was capable of such a thing.”
I’m no stranger to the things that the mafia does. All branches have some sort of operation, and I’m also aware my father is one of the top suppliers through one of the ports. It still horrifies and disgusts me. And my horror at the thought of him killing his mother quickly lowers. “She was shipping people through your territory and you didn’t know about it?” I question carefully. “That seems hard to believe.”
He takes a sip of his wine, his gaze never leaving mine. “Her mistake was forgetting about me,” he tells me as he sets his glass back down and reaches for his fork. “She thought I was only focusing on my father, trying to figure out how to take over, but I’m the suspicious kind, and I followed her. Once I found out about her treachery, I made sure the pipeline was stopped, and I took care of her. I would have taken care of her lover, but, well, things aren’t always simple in this world.” He gives me an assessing look. “Something I’m sure you would understand, Ms. De Luca.”
