by Erin Trejo
“You don’t mean that,” I growl.
“Oh, but I do mean it. You have played with my heart for far too long. You don’t deserve me, not anymore. You lost that right the first time you ran and left me behind. I was stupid to play into your little games. That’s all over now, but I do thank you.”
“Thank me?”
“Yes, I thank you, Gio. You opened my eyes to a reality that I didn’t think was possible. You coming here today has flipped a switch in me, and do you know what I plan to do with that?” she asks, her tone near deadly. My cock hardens in my jeans as I watch the look in her eyes. It mimics my own and I can’t tear my gaze away.
“What is that?” I ask, cocking my head to the side and studying her.
“I’m going to bring all of you bastards to your knees for ruining me.”
“Is that a threat, bambina?” Her eyes tear up when I use her pet name. I can see the emotion in them.
“You can take it how you want it,” she says stepping toward me. Her hands come to my cheeks and she kisses me roughly. I close my eyes and savor the one thing that has kept me going only to feel it slipping away.
“Goodbye, Giovanni.”
Chapter 22
“The Columbians have been cut off by all the bosses we’re in contact with. Not one drop of their powder will come through the states,” Aidan assures me.
“That sounds heavy. How did that go over?” I ask, taking a drink from my glass before setting it back on the table in front of me.
“Not bad, actually. Popov handled a majority of it and we discussed moving product to Ireland. It seems our truce is falling into order as we speak.”
“That’s good to know. I have secured many alliances while I was away that I think will prove to be useful in your future.”
“What about your future, Giovanni? How is that coming along?”
“It’s only been a year, Walsh. It’s a little too soon to tell,” I inform him. One year. One year of pain and anguish. One year that Asia has shut me out and that pain runs deeper than anything I’ve ever felt in my life. I’d bear the pain of the beatings once more if it meant I could have her back in my world.
“We all think it is in your best interest to stay on the inside when this all over,” Popov chimes in. I glance around the table and the men and shake my head with a smirk on my face.
“We made a deal,” I growl.
“We did and we shall honor it, but this is just our thinking, Giovanni. You are what you were made after all.”
I close my eyes, shove out of my chair and pull my shirt over my head. Slamming my hands onto the table in front of me, I slowly drag my gaze to each of the men as I speak. “There are many reasons that I want out. Maybe they are selfish reasons but look at me!” I stand tall and let the room see every scar, every painful memory of my past since the day I was born that linger on my body. Their eyes move over my body, intrigue in some eyes, hurt in others.
“Giovanni,” Aidan begins but I shake my head, effectively cutting him off.
“I want no sympathy. I want no ‘I’m sorry’ bullshit. What I want is out. I want to end my father and move on to a life where I don’t have to worry about who is after me or where my next kill lies. I’m an evil animal, and I know it. I can never be changed but maybe somewhere deep down, I can be healed. The future for me has never looked bright, and to this day all I see is darkness, but I would like the chance to at least live in my darkness for once in my life. I made the deal with you and I will honor it so long as you honor your end. I’m closer to my father than ever before now and this isn’t a place I want to be.”
“I, for one, feel sorry for you, Giovanni. You have lived in a world that is full of evil, much like all the men at this table, but what your father forced you to endure is borderline animalistic. I understand none of us are the good guys, but when it comes to family, we hold them in a higher regard than yours has done with you. For this, I am sorry for you,” Popov says, drawing my attention to him.
“I regret many things in this life but being who I am isn’t one of them. Without being me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My fate was damned from the day I was born and that hasn’t wavered over the years, although I do appreciate the sentiment. Family has never mattered more to me than it does in this moment. My loyalty to my father was severed when I was a child and he deemed me more animal than human. Everything I did up until this point was merely to stay alive. I do hope that one day this will all be just a memory and we can all move forward.” The men nod as I grab my shirt and pull it back over my head. Aidan ends the meeting but Popov asks me to stick around. I watch the others leave with their body guards when he once again has my attention. Scrubbing my hand over my tired face, I pull out the small vile that has become my sanity and snort it.
“I hope that isn’t Columbian,” he chuckles nodding toward the vile.
“Not a chance in hell.” I smirk in return.
“We have a situation that I didn’t want to bring to the table in front of everyone since it solely pertains to me at the moment. I did however want to get your thoughts on the situation.”
Now I’m intrigued. What could this be about?
“Do tell.”
“Someone in your father’s camp has been prying into my personal information. I take pride in my security so as you know when a threat comes through, I address it in a timely manner.”
“I don’t know anything about that. My father hasn’t shared any interest in you with me,” I inform him as I try to piece things together.
“I didn’t figure so. That is why I didn’t want to discuss it as a group. Do you think you can do some digging and see what you can find? I have my men on it but you are a DeLuca on the inside. I would pay you handsomely.”
“Would that change the outcome?” I ask, needing to know the answer.
“No, of course not. As long as I’m not brought down before we have our plan in motion, we will be on track. I just need to know what it is he is after with me so I can eliminate the problem.”
I understand his concern. When you find a rat sniffing around your personal life, you want to take care of it. End the problem, but we have to look at the bigger picture here. The overall scheme of our plan is already falling into place.
“I assure you I will look into it,” I tell him when my phone rings.
“Don’t let me keep you. I appreciate what you do for us, Giovanni,” he adds before standing and walking away.
“Hello?” I answer when Popov is out of range.
“Giovanni. We have a situation that needs attended to.” My father’s voice comes through the line.
“Which is?”
“I don’t want to discuss this over the phone, I’m much rather it be in person. Come to dinner tonight and after we will discuss it.”
“What time?” I ask, knowing there is no point in fighting the inevitable.
“Six. We have many things to discuss and I’m not sure how you are going to take them.”
That’s never a good sign. Many possibilities run wild in my head. Did he find out about what we’re planning? Does he realize that the Columbians will no longer be working for him? Does he know that I’m in the middle of all of this?
“What is it pertaining to? Do I need reinforcements?” I ask trying to discern the extent of what he knows. My mind is on a reel of information, none of which end in my favor. My father chuckles into the line.
“Not at all. This is personal on some levels and I want it dealt with as such. I will see you at six.” The line goes dead and I quickly dial Roberto needing to know what he may know.
“Giovanni, good to hear from you. How are things?”
“What do you know of this meeting my father is calling tonight?”
“I don’t know anything. I was asked to dinner as well, but that was the extent of it,” he says not so calmly. He knows that if I don’t have any idea what the meeting is about, no one does, and that is never a good sign for us.
“Make
sure to be armed. I don’t want any surprises tonight, Roberto.”
“Noted. I will see you at dinner.”
Chapter 23
We sit in our usual seats, much the same as we have our whole lives. Mario in his place next to my father, Asia across from me. She refuses to look my way and hasn’t spoken a word to me since I’ve returned. It’s for the best.
“You look lovely, Asia,” my father says getting a soft smile in return. It doesn’t meet her eyes and that bothers me. She turns her head and looks up at Matteo with a look I’ve never seen before. The awkward exchange between them unnerves me, but when she leans in and presses her lips to his, I have to maintain control. The cage around the beast inside of me is being rattled and that is never a good sign. I wonder if this is a test of sorts, as I can feel my father’s gaze on the side of my head like a wild fire burning everything in its path.
“Dominic Varetti spoke highly of you yesterday,” my father says as I turn to look at him.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. He wanted to congratulate me on a job well done raising such a strong man. You pulled off his jobs in less time than he thought he would need you. You are making a name for yourself in this world, Giovanni.”
“Am I? I seem to be at the bottom of totem pole when it comes to this family,” I sneer, watching his reaction.
“Are you still going on about that little issue with Angelo? That was many years ago, Giovanni. One would think you should be over that.” He waves his hand through the air as my eyes slowly move to Matteo. He looks away quickly and that pisses me off.
“I’m here for a meeting. Is that happening soon? I do have things to take care of back in California,” I snap trying to get my point across. I want out of this house, out of her presence. It’s lingering and consuming me.
“Back to Rosa?”
I exhale through my nose trying to control myself. The thought of pulling my knife and slicing through his throat has occurred to me multiple times over the course of this dinner.
“Back to work,” I grunt.
“Is Rosa part of that work?” I know what he’s doing. He’s driving that wedge between me and Asia even deeper. Little does he know it’s been deep enough for a long time now.
“I’m here for a meeting, Father. Are we going to get to that or not?” My voice thunders through the room causing Asia to jolt from the force.
“You are growing impatient in your old age,” he smarts off.
“No, Father. I’m growing tired of games when there are jobs to be done.” Grabbing my glass of bourbon, I swallow it down quickly. I need to numb this feeling inside of me.
“Very well. Come with me.”
I watch him stand and head toward the door when my eyes fall on Matteo’s. He shrugs not knowing what’s going on. I stand and push my chair in, ignoring any and all looks I may be getting from Asia and head down the hallway to his office. Once inside, he motions to the chair in front of him. When I’m seated he passes me another glass of bourbon.
“I have noticed things lately that make me uneasy. People lurking in rooms that they have no business lurking in. People pulling personal information on associates as well as rivals,” he states, clasping his hands in front of him. Shit, is this what Popov was talking about? Does my father know something?
“Who and what are we talking about here?” I ask as if I’m interested.
“Your history with Asia is honorable, Giovanni, but lately she has been doing questionable things.”
“Like what?”
“Getting closer to Matteo, for one.”
“Isn’t that what a husband and wife should do?” I ask raising an eyebrow.
“In normal circumstances, yes. None of this is normal as you very well know. She has been using his credentials to look into things that are none of her concern.”
“As in what?”
He waves his hand through the air not wanting to give me any more information than he already has but why would Asia give a damn?
“The problem lies here. Using his credentials looks very bad on him.”
“How do you know it’s her and not him?” That seems like the obvious question to me. Maybe Matteo has finally had enough.
“I’ve been watching her. Now I need you to do the same. I have far too much going on to hire more security to follow her around when she leaves the house, but I can feel it, something is off,” he says surely.
“She’s leaving the house?” He nods his head. “News to me.”
“She has been different lately. Keeping to herself as much as possible but also trying to worm her way into Matteo’s heart.”
I internally cringe when he says that. I don’t want nor need to hear about that part of her life.
“Isn’t that the point of having them get married?” Although I know the real reason, I want to hear it from him. I’m anxiously awaiting the moment that he reveals his real intentions to me.
“One might think so but there is more at stake, Giovanni.” There it is. The subtle hint of what he will never reveal to me. “I want you to watch her. There is an underlying feeling that she has been speaking to the FBI.”
What the hell? No way, no fucking way would my Asia be doing that. If she did, that means she would implicate me as well. Is that her plan? To take her revenge by turning us all in?
“I see the thoughts in your eyes, Giovanni, and I can honestly say that it is encouraging. I have no doubts that you will do the job thoroughly.” My father stands from his chair signaling the meeting is over but the ache in my chest is ever present. I stand and turn on my heel before he adds, “I can see the look in your eyes.”
“Which is what look?”
“That animal that I created is lurking, thirsting for blood.” He’s right, it is, but it isn’t for who I thought I would want to watch bleed.
It’s for Asia’s blood.
I storm from the office and straight down to her room, my anger unhinged. Of course I will watch her closely now, but that betrayal runs deeper than I thought it would inside of me. I don’t knock, I shove her door open, rush past Matteo, and grab Asia around the throat, pinning her to the wall.
“What are you doing, little girl?” I hiss between my teeth.
“Giovanni! What the hell?” Matteo steps up next to us, reaching for me when he sees the look in my eyes. Slowly I drag my eyes back to Asia’s and smirk.
“Playing with caged animals is wrong, there are warning signs everywhere for your protection, Asia. Why do you want to poke the fucking bear?” Her eyes are wide, slight fear dancing in them. I’ve never been this rough with her, never had the urge until now.
“What’s happening?” Matteo asks but doesn’t make a move to intervene again.
“Tell me, Asia. Is this what you pictured for you future?” I lean in brushing my nose over hers softly. Her lips part but when I squeeze her throat harder, she sobs. “Answer me.”
“You told me to live, Giovanni, and I’m trying to do just that.” Her little gasps as she fights for air make my cock hard. I want to climb inside of her and live there, never having to know what she is doing and how she is betraying me. Yet I can’t.
“Matteo, you need to leave before you see things you don’t want to,” I warn him. Asia’s eyes flicker to his, begging him to stay but he doesn’t. I hear the door click shut behind me when I drag her off the wall and toss her onto the bed. I pull my jeans down my legs with my boxers as I watch her do the same. Tugging the shirt over my head, I discard it to the floor with the rest of my clothing before stalking toward her. Murder and malice running through my veins, spurring me on like I’ve never felt before.
“Turn around,” I huff when I’m standing in front of her. Asia stands and turns to face away from me when I shove her down roughly. Grabbing my cock, I sink into her with one thrust as she cries out for me. With her hips in my hands, I pump into her wetness, taking out every single bit of hatred I feel weighing heavily in my chest right now.
“Gio,”
she moans, but it pisses me off.
“You think you can fuck me over, Asia? You think you can tear me apart piece by fucking piece?” I roar before slapping her ass hard. My hand print forms in the perfect shade of red on her ass as she screams louder. Harder and harder, I tear her body apart the same way she’s ripping my heart apart. They say a good hate fuck should cure it all, but the more I fuck her, the more I hate her.
“You’re hurting me, Gio,” she whines but she likes it. Such a fucking contradiction.
“I hate you,” I growl as her pussy clenches around me. “I hate you!” Asia pants and moans the harder I take her. I want her to hurt; I want her to cry for me, for what she’s doing to me.
“Gio!” she screams as her orgasm rips through her. I come behind her, filling her with a memory of me that she can keep forever. When I’m empty and even more pissed than before, I pull out of her and grab my clothes, putting them back on quickly. Asia pulls her blanket over her naked body, hiding it from me and my prying eyes. When I have my clothes back in place, I run my hand through my hair.
“Whatever you’re doing I will ask you once and only once to reconsider it.” My voice has calmed slightly, thinking that maybe she will listen to me for once in her life.
“You told me to look at the future, Gio. I am doing that just not in the way you’d expect me to. I’m doing what’s right for me. You don’t know what I’ve gone through,” she admits, hammering another nail in my fucking coffin. She’s right; I don’t.
“You better know what you’re doing because this time, I can’t save you. Not even if I wanted to, and at this point, I don’t.” I turn on my heel and head out of the room not missing the gasp that escaped her. Welcome to my hell.
Chapter 24
They say from the deepest desires comes the strongest of hate. I can feel it every time I look at her. Love and hate are two of the strongest words and both of them can cause so much pain. Hate is a strong emotion to waste on someone that you love. I don’t know where my head is, or what my heart wants anymore. What I do know is that everything has changed. Over the past year I’ve watched Asia. I’ve done my job like I was told to do but something inside of me wants to deny what she’s doing. Her long hair blows in the breeze as I sit back in my truck and watch her sit on the bench with that man. It isn’t obvious to others but it is to me. She’s a liar. My phone rings on the seat next to me and I grab it quickly.
