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“With the teeth to prove it,” Russel says, laughing and flashing a smile.
“You shouldn’t have admitted it,” Elio says, walking slowly around the table. He’s got purpose in his gait. His intense eyes are focused, ready for violence. “Luca, get Dad and the women out of here.”
Russel stands quickly, pushing his chair back and raising his hands. “You need to wait.”
“I don’t need to do a goddamn thing.” Elio raises his hands in a fighting stance when he’s almost at Russel. For a man his size, he looks incredibly light on his feet, bouncing back and forth subtly. “Except break your nose. Maybe shatter your jaw, too. Then put you in the ground. You broke into my girlfriend’s home. You threatened her.”
Russel backs up against the wall.
“You don’t want to be here for this bit,” Luca says, leaning close to me. “Please, Scarlet, Mom, you need to leave.”
Russel yells when Elio darts forward, grabs his wrist, and throws him on the floor like a child. Elio falls on top of him, driving his knee into Russel’s chest. Veins bulge in Elio’s neck. He’s got a wild look in his eye, yet he keeps himself calm. It’s a cold, ready aggression.
“Mom?” Luca says.
I look over to find Alessia with her head in her hands. She suddenly stands up, waving a hand at Elio. “Stop, Elio! Stopright now!You can’t hurt him!”
CHAPTER22
Elio
I’m just barely keeping myself restrained. The second this piece of filth admitted what he did, I almost went full berserker. The moment Luca clears the room, Iwilldo just that. Snap his limbs. Smash his face with my fist until he’s a bloody, broken mess. Then I’ll finish the job with a steak knife right in his goddam throat.
Russel stares up at me, a coward’s look of complete fear on his face. Fighting a big, angry man is much harder than a short, scared woman.
“Elio,” Mom says, walking up beside us. “Please. You have to stop.”
“Give me one good reason,” I snarl. “This bastard deserves it.”
“Please.”
“Listen to your mommy, Elio—”
I drive my fist into Russel’s face. Hard. My knuckle catches his nose, and it erupts with blood. He gasps and starts screaming right away, proper bitch stuff. Proper cowardly stuff. He’s like a little sniveling baby.
“Elio…” Mom touches my arm. “Please. No more. Not now.”
“Then explain,” I yell, glaring at her, something I can’t ever remember doing. Yelling at my mother makes me feel so small. “Why are we in business with this freak? This was your choice, Mom. Dad hasn’t said a goddamn thing since his stroke. I know it. You know it. Luca knows it. You’ve been lying this whole time.”
Mom blinks, tears sliding down her cheeks. Behind her, I can see Luca frowning at me. Even if I said it in the wrong way, it’s a fact. There’s no way around it.
Finally, Mom nods. “Just let him up. Then I’ll explain.”
“What if I don’t feel like letting him up?” I snarl.
“Then you’ll sacrifice our entire Family,” she replies.
“What? How?How?”
“Elio, please.”
“He broke into my woman’s apartment.”
“It’s okay,” Scarlet says. I glance over and see her standing, her hands clasped in front of her, her features flushed. “Your mom clearly needs to tell you this, whatever it is. It’s not like Russel is going anywhere, is he?”
“You should thank her,” I tell Russel, standing and keeping my gaze on him, praying for him to try something else.
He struggles to his feet, groaning as his nose continues to piss blood.
