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“Are you fucking kidding me, Elenora! You won’t tell me where you are. Why? Because you want to stay as his fucking hostage as he rips this family apart? As he tears down everything I have worked my entire life for? Do you not want me to fucking save you?”
“Gio, please just calm down and listen to me—”
“Are you fucking him?” he roared, standing up straight. His intimidating, cold mask had firmly fixed on his face and my eyes darted towards Olivia in the hope that she could salvage this.
“Gio!” Liv shouted in fury, stepping towards him, but he put his hand up to stop her.
“What?” Elle hissed into the phone.
“Are you fucking that monster? The man that is out to destroy me? ARE YOU FUCKING HIM?” Gio slammed his hand down on the table and we all jumped, silence echoing around the room. When Elle didn’t speak, Gio started laughing. A cold, vindictive laugh as he shook his head and looked at Max.
“Fucking hell, well that didn’t take long. I always knew you had your head in the fucking clouds, but I thought you had more self-respect and common sense than this! He is fucking using you, Elenora. Whatever you think this is, it is not! I know men like him. He is going to drop you at the first chance he gets and you will have no one to blame but yourself. And in doing so, you will destroy this family. I hope it will be fucking worth it!”
“You don’t know him!” she screamed, her voice shaking with emotion.
“And you do?” Gio laughed sadistically. “Do you know how pathetic you sound? Don’t fucking come crying to me when he breaks your heart because I won’t be here to pick up the pieces! I will be too busy dealing with the destruction his family has caused ours!” Gio hissed, his anger taking control of his mouth.
Liv dived forward and grabbed the phone off the table, glaring at Gio. She took it off the loudspeaker and pressed it to her ear, “Elle?” She dropped it on the table with anger. “She hung up. Are you happy now? What the hell was that?”
“Don’t!” Gio turned around, running his hand through his hair, complete stress and regret taking over his features.
“You didn’t even let her talk, Gio! You didn’t even try to listen! I know you are stressed right now but—”
“Stressed?” he interrupted; his eyes wild with carnage. He stormed towards the table, which I was only now realising was covered with maps of different territories of the North. So many red crosses covered Venice, Trieste, Verona and Milan. He pointed towards them.
“Every red cross on these maps shows Leone’s influence or I should say the Barbieris! They are spreading across the North like the fucking plague and I have to just sit here and let it fucking happen! I can’t retaliate because they have Elle. I only have three families in the North who have sworn allegiance to us and are willing to fight back to hold their own territories and support mine. Three! All the others are too fucking scared to stand against the Barbieris or are sitting back and waiting to see what happens. So yes. Yes, I am fucking stressed, Liv! And what is she doing? Riding Barbieri dick!”
“You don’t know that Gio! And even if she is, you don’t know the situation. You don’t know what he has been saying to her. He could be blackmailing her to sleep with him for all we know! And you just acted like that!” Liv shouted back. Max widened his eyes at me as we both remained quiet.
Gio sighed, holding his hand over his face as he started to calm down. “You’re right. I lost my shit and I should have listened to her. Fuck!”
“I really believe she is okay,” I added and they all snapped their heads to me as if they suddenly remembered I was in the room.
“How can you believe that after what they did to you?” Max asked, folding his arms across his chest.
“Because I know Elle. I have spent every day with her for the last nine years and I know when she is telling the truth. Whatever is happening, she feels safe and she sounds good,” I said as Gio rubbed his chin. Liv gave me a small smile of gratitude and I avoided her gaze. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep this up. The guilt. The betrayal. I liked these people, but I loved Elle and Alessio. If she was asking for a few more days, I had no idea what that meant, but I had to try and buy her some time.
“I think we should trust her. Give her a few more days and see what happens. She obviously knows something we don’t.”
“That’s true,” Max agreed with a nod. “But I also think it is time to call Cecilia.”
Gio groaned and Liv started chewing her lip with worry. I kept quiet knowing this was a family matter and I couldn’t get involved.
“Maybe we should,” Liv whispered, glancing over at Gio. “Cecilia has a right to know that her daughter was kidnapped and is being kept hostage in the South. Now we at least know Elle is okay, I think we should tell her.”
Gio nodded. “I’ll call her once I’ve calmed down.”
I stood up awkwardly on my good leg and grabbed my crutches to give them some privacy. After years of working for this family, I knew when I was expected to leave. I made my way out to the front of the house, leaned my body back against the wall of the mansion in the shade of the blasting sunlight and pulled out my phone.
I sent a text to Alessio.
Did you know Elle just called Liv and Gio?
I dropped my hand and leaned my head back against the wall, closing my eyes. I inhaled deeply and exhaled, trying to rid my body and mind of tension.
“Should you be out of bed?”
I opened my eyes when I heard that smooth voice laced with concern. I quickly closed them again and rested my head back as if his presence was of no importance to me whatsoever.
