“Gio – “
I put a hand up and shook my head. “Don’t.”
She sighed, and I felt her slump in the seat. I couldn’t trust her to not start slapping her lips and pissing me off even further. I loved this car too much to have it covered in blood and flesh fragments. Dante pulled into the underground garage to my building, and I was out the door walking to the elevator before he had the car in park. I wasn’t waiting for anyone, but I knew that all three of them were following behind me. Dante and Angelou knew me well enough to know what I was thinking and feeling.
In hindsight, I found my actions slightly amusing. It wasn’t long ago that I’d told Julie that it was stupid as fuck to bring someone to my home just to off them. I wasn’t an amateur. But, I hadn’t been thinking that. I was keeping myself contained just enough that I didn’t do anything hasty, but the door was still wide open. When that gun went off, I thought is she ok, then oh shit, followed by I’m fucked, then what was she thinking? She took it too far, and it was shocking because I took her to be a tad bit smarter than that shit. All I’d been thinking of when I got out of there was getting somewhere to sort this out where I had total privacy.
I walked to the bar as soon as I was inside and bypassed my glasses going straight for the bottle of bourbon. I took a healthy gulp before banging it down onto the counter causing Julie to flinch. I was surprised the bottle was still intact.
I looked over at Julie and narrowed my eyes. She was standing there, looking ready to piss her pants as she fiddled with the hem of my sweater. The longer I stared at her, the paler she got under my murderous gaze.
“WHAT. THE. FUCK?!” I roared.
She yelped at my tone. I advanced on her, and her eyes skirted the room like a trapped animal. “Did you lose your fucking mind tonight?” I asked continuing to advance on her. Once I had her back against the wall and nowhere for her to go I caught her eyes to make sure that I wouldn’t misread her when she answered me. “What the fuck was that?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean to shoot him.”
I sighed. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? That’s your brilliant answer?” I pushed.
“I didn’t, I swear.” She argued.
She had no tells that would give me the indication that she was lying to me which only confused me further. Somewhere in the back of my head, I thought that she’d done it because he touched her. I guess you can call me a hypocrite because I wanted to put one between his eyes for doing the same… but that shit was, messy. And had the potential to bring issues my way.
I wrapped my hand around her throat and gave it a squeeze. I felt her swallow harshly around my hand and I smiled. “Let’s try this again.” I began and stepped closer leaving her with no personal space. “What the fuck happened in there?”
She growled, and I smiled. There it was, that anger from earlier. Something I learned a long time ago was that you had to have a handle on that shit. If you didn’t, you lose focus. You get reckless… say and do shit that you didn’t intend to. She was going to spill, that much I knew. I’d just have to get her pissed the fuck off. Julie was a hothead, it wouldn’t take long or much. She seemed like she was just about there as it was.
“Don’t you dare try to blame me for any of this. This is all your fault you know.” She stated knowingly.
My eyebrow rose, interesting. “And how’s that?” I asked crossing my arms.
She scowled at me and mirrored my stance. “First off, what were you thinking?” she started off, and I knew she was ready to tear into me. I just needed answers, for some reason the thought of having to hurt her caused my stomach to turn in knots. I wasn’t going to examine that too much either. “Alex? Alex?” she shook her head in disgust. “Fucking A, Gio, I thought you had more sense than to give that man a loaded gun.”
Huh? The fuck? I caught Dante trying to hide a smile at her proclamation, and I scowled at him. “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?” I asked.
She looked at me like I was dense. “I was mad at you. Surely I won't be shedding any tears from accidentally popping the fucker after what he did to me, but it wasn’t my intent. I was trying to piss you off, and I went to take Alex’s gun to taunt you more. I was so damn mad at you.”
Her shoulders dropped forward, and she let out a deep breath. Her hands clenched into fists at her side, and when she looked back to me, her eyes were glistening with barely there tears. Holy fuck. I couldn’t handle it if she started the waterworks. I’m honest enough with myself to admit I’m not man enough to handle a woman’s tears. That shit leaves me feeling hopeless and usually scared as fuck. Women are emotional, I would know growing up with some. That shit can get real fucking ugly.
“How could you?” she asked accusingly.
Again, huh? “How could I what?” Beginning to feel lost.
“Use me!” she said as if she was in pain.
Yea, she was losing me… I needed to get her back on track. “Ok, wait. Can we get back to Alex?” I asked.
She let out a humorless laugh. She was definitely going through something in her head. Poor chick, if she survived this night, I was definitely going to call in a favor with a hospital or doctor. She tipped her head back and looked up towards the ceiling. I watched as she struggled to get her emotions under control. When she looked back at me, she had a sad smile on her face and shook her head. When she spoke again, her words were soft, and she looked defeated. I don’t think she’s ever scared me more than that moment. It was really very unlike her and reminded me of the day she didn’t want to go home. I didn’t like it anymore then.
“I thought that Alex had it for show. I don’t know how to even handle a gun – which should be more than obvious to you now – I mean, he’s totally dense and a wild card. You remember how he handled me or tried to when I first met him. I was mad and not thinking completely clear and just figured…” she shrugged. “That you wouldn’t trust him with a loaded gun.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose to try to ease the pounding in my head, but it was no use. This girl was going to inadvertently kill me. “You're telling me…” I paused to take a deep breath and calm the racing in my head. “That you shot a man because you were mad at me?” I asked.
She frowned. “It was an accident!” she argued again.
I shook my head. “That was fucking stupid Julie, and you know it.” I pointed out.
She huffed but gave me a stiff nod. “I know that, and I’m sorry. But I’m not sorry for pissing you off.”
Right, we’re back to that. “What the fuck did I do to you that you felt the need to act like a crazed bitch off her meds?” I snapped.
Her head jerked back like I slapped her. “I’m leaving.” She announced as she stormed off to the living room towards her bookbag.
I caught up to her and yanked her back to me and slammed her back against the wall. “Don’t walk away from me,” I warned. “You need to explain this shit.” She turned her head away from me, and I gripped her chin turning her attention back to me. “Right the fuck now, Julie. I’m not fucking with you.”
I was at a loss, and I had a feeling that I didn’t know everything. She’d been fucking floating when we go to the club. Blissfully sexually satisfied, and then this? My gut was telling me something was going on and it didn’t bode well for anyone at the moment if I continued to be left in the dark. Had something else happened on the floor?
“You slept with her!” Julie finally snapped.
I frowned. “What the fuck are you talking about? Who did I sleep with?” I asked confused, but I was starting to get the hint. She must’ve seen Rebecca come to my office and assumed something happened.
“Becca.” She snarled and tried to get away from me.
“Jul – “ I started, but she cut me off.
“Did you or did you not ever fuck Becca?” she asked.
I wasn’t one to lie. “Yea I’ve fucked her,” I admitted with a shrug. What the fuck did that have to do with the price of orange
s in Florida?
She let out a strangled cry. “You fucker.” She accused and tried to fight me off again. I released her reluctantly as she stormed to grab her stuff and I got pissed off.
“What the fuck does it matter Julie? I’ve fucked tons of bitches before. What the fuck is your problem?” I asked.
She looked at me incredulously. “You’re kidding me right?” she asked, and I shook my head, I was dead serious.
“Who I’ve fucked isn’t really your business Julie. I don’t owe you shit where I have to disclose all of my sexual exploits to you.”
I guess that was the wrong thing to say. She let out a warrior cry just as I saw Angelou wince at my words and was on me in a second. Right before I heard a muttered, ‘oh shit’ from Dante. She began beating on my chest angrily, and I was having a tough time keeping up with her wild movements. I looked over to the fucks who called themselves my security.
“You guys thinking about helping?” I asked sarcastically as I continued to try to restrain Julie. Dante looked like he was stuck in a permanent cringe and Angelou shook his head.
“You fucking did that to yourself.” He shook his head. “What were you thinking?” he asked.
I grunted at him as I was finally able to restrain one of her arms behind her back. When I finally got the other one behind her as well, I shook her a bit. “Would you calm the fuck down?” I hissed.
She looked at me like she wanted to murder me before she headbutted the shit out of me.
I did not see that shit coming. Nor was I expecting the stars that seemed to float around behind my eyelids. The metallic taste of blood hit my mouth, and I released her to wipe my face and figure out the damage. I expected her to attack me again, but she didn’t. She walked off grabbed her stuff and walked up to Dante.
“Can you take me home please?” she asked.
He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder looking at her in pity, and I lost my shit. The sight of him touching her, soothing and comforting her pissed off the caveman in me that seemed to be a bit obsessed with her.
I stalked over to them, snatched her bookbag from her and launched it down the hall. “You’re not fucking leaving,” I informed her before cutting my eyes to Dante. “If you don’t move that hand, I’m going to cut off every fucking finger on it,” I promised him.
He immediately removed his hand and held them up in the air in front of him as if he was trying to reassure me that he’d done what I said.
Julie shook her head. “No. I can’t. I’m not a whore Giovanni.” She said as she wrapped her arms around herself. “You don’t get to sleep with me then turn around a couple of hours later and sleep with another woman. Someone that I know. I work with her, I have to see her and talk to her. That’s fucked up.” She started to turn, but I grabbed her arm.
I looked from Dante to Angelou. “Leave,” I demanded.
Julie gave a firm nod, and I saw she was barely holding in her tears. “Good.”
I gave her a murderous smile. “I already told you that you’re not leaving.” I looked over her head. “You two fucks can leave. NOW!” At my bark, they both got their asses in motion and out of the door. I looked down at Julie who looked close to a breakdown and sighed.
Chapter 10
Julie
What the fuck was I doing? This was borderline kidnapping and fucking asinine. I felt my gut twist at the thought of me leaving, and that made no sense. I had every reason to get the fuck out of this place as soon as possible. This man… he didn’t deserve my tears or hurt. I tried to cover it up as much as possible, but I’m only human. I have a heart, and I have emotions and fuck me if they don’t listen to me and do I what I need them to.
I listened to the door close behind his two bodyguards as they left they took my only escape with them. I closed my eyes and silently told myself that I would be able to make it through this while keeping my dignity then I would allow myself to be consumed with ice cream and self-pity when I got home.
“Julie.” My name came from Gio like a demand.
I looked at him and sighed. “What are you doing?” I asked.
His hand landed on my shoulder, and he slowly slid it down my arm to my hand, and he grasped it. “Let’s go in the room and talk.” He suggested.
“No. if you want to talk, we can do that right here.” No way was I ever going back to his bedroom again.
He sighed. “Ok, then let’s go in the living room.”
I looked at the front door longingly before giving him a small nod and walking over. I knew there was no way I was going to be leaving here unless he allowed it. We’ll talk and go through whatever bullshit he wanted to because it wasn’t going to change anything. He was a fucking dog. Plain and simple.
He followed quietly behind me and wisely took a seat across from me instead of next to me. He blew out a frustrated breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “Look, Julie, I think we may have had a little confusion.” He started.
I scoffed unable to stop myself. “Confused?” I asked. “I’m not confused. I understood you perfectly fine when you confirmed that you slept with Rebecca and proceeded to tell me that I had no right to give a fuck about it.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t have the patience for this shit. I’m going to lay it all out for you right now – then I have questions.” He waited for a beat for me to say anything and when I remained silent, he continued. “I did fuck Rebecca… more than once. It was mostly when I was drunk out my ass – “
I opened my mouth to call him the piece of shit he was, but he sent me a dangerous glare telling me not to dare interrupt. “She would come onto me. I honestly don’t even remember anything about when with her those times. One day, I was having a shit day, and she came looking for a quickie. I gave in and immediately regretted it.” He cringed. What the hell was that about? “It wasn’t good. Like at all and I knew that was never gonna happen again. It’s not in my nature to talk shit about people like that, but I need you to see the picture. That was ages ago, never touched her since even though that hasn’t exactly detoured her from showing an interest.” He shook his head. “I’m assuming this is all because you saw her come to my office. She asked me for a fuck, and I told her to scram. It didn’t have anything to do with you. My rejections to her have always solely been because I have zero interest.” His head cocked to the side. “But if separately, if that had been anyone else… even someone who I’ve had in the past that I wouldn’t have minded having again before I still would’ve told them no. Julie, I was just inside you. I was planning on being right back inside you tonight. I haven’t even thought about another broad since you somehow landed in my lap with all your crazy.”
I frowned. “I – I don’t believe you.” I was really confused.
“Why the fuck not?” He asked harshly, and I could see him withdrawing from me through his eyes.
“I mean... yea I did see Becca go to your office.” I shook my head trying to clear it. “But it was before that. When I first started my shift, she’d told me she slept with you before and was going to again at her break. She made it seem like what we did… what we were doing was normal with all the female employees.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I held up a hand to stop him. I needed to say this while I had the courage and my eyes were still dry. “I didn’t delude myself into thinking that this was more than it was. But, I didn’t feel ashamed of what we did or… or cheap. I didn’t hear wedding bells and see rings here, but I thought it was more than a fucking initiation into the job.”
“That’s bullshit!” He roared as he stood up and began pacing. “One, I don’t fuck my employees. It’s not a habit that I’ve made. I might’ve made a mistake here or there, but that’s it. And it was always something that’s happened at work… usually, with me fucked up or letting shit go once in a while. And I have a shit ton of establishments, Julie. I could count the number of girls on one fucking hand. Two, I don’t bring anyone here to my home. Ever. Only my family and those two
fuckers. No woman I’ve ever been with would be able to tell you where I really live.” He shook his head in disgust. “Rebecca is a lying bitch, and she probably tried to make you fucking jealous with her bullshit. You want me to confront her so you can get the picture? Then call it fucking done. I’m not into these bullshit childish fucking games.”
I just stared at him because what can I say about that? I definitely got the catty vibes from her when I’d asked her if he was there, but I didn’t expect this. This was the type of shit my sister got into, not me. “I – I …” I licked my lips my mouth suddenly dry. I couldn’t help but believe him, and that made me feel like a super asshole. I’d stirred shit up, shot a guy in his office, had the fight of my life with him all for what? Because Becca got in my head and she fucking knew what she was doing. Did that mean she knew about us? But how?
I sighed and groaned. The words already tasting bitter in my mouth before I spoke them. “I’m sorry. Really… but in my defense, I’m not used to this shit. I didn’t get the briefing on dealing with backstabbing jealous bitches growing up. I didn’t have boyfriends really.” I blushed. “Just the one, so excuse me if I’m new to this.”
He watched me for a bit before his mean façade cracked. “Would this happen to be the same boyfriend that took your virginity?” he asked.
Oh, my. I blushed harder and nodded. “He was an asshole.”
He nodded. “I’m sure he was.”
Before I could help myself, I was having word vomit. “The fucker slept with my sister the same night. He’d had sex with me then ditched me after getting a text. I go home to find them having hot and heavy sex in our room. Apparently, he and Taylor had been screwing since we hit a month of dating and I didn’t give it up.” I told him.
He frowned. “That’s fucked, babe.” I nodded in agreement. “I’m almost scared to ask… but what did you do?” he asked.
I grinned evilly as the night came back to me. I shrugged casually. “Oh you know, what any other woman who felt betrayed and totally fucked over would.” I laughed darkly. “After I punched him in the neck, I cracked him over the head with a lamp knocking his ass out cold. Then, I punched my sister in the nose.” I sighed as the rest came to me. “Unfortunately, my mom was home and heard the commotion and broke it up before I could kill them both. It was highly disappointing.”
Taken by the Boss: The Ruzzo Family Page 11
