Chapter 29 Rafael #3
Benito's fist came fast, and I blocked the first one, but the second slammed into my cheekbone.
I grunted and turned with the punch. His fingers curled into my hair and everything around me stopped existing.
There was only one man allowed to grab my hair.
I punched Benito in the abdomen before moving closer and bringing my elbow up.
Harlow was there before I could make contact with Benito’s face. His knife was pressed firmly against my throat.
"Touch him, and I'll slit your throat."
My breathing was calm as all the blood in me rushed to a deafening speed. "You're going to kill me anyway."
Benito had dropped his hold on my hair and had a gun pointed at me instead. "Why shouldn't we?"
Because I can't die without loving him for a little while longer.
"You still need me."
Benito tossed his head back, letting out the same cruel laugh Cesare did. "No, I don't, you're worthless to me." He rolled his head from side to side. "And you think talking will work. I don't know what bullshit he's feeding you, but we are beyond that point."
Fuck. Like father, like son. Why were they so stupidly stubborn?
"And the shit you pulled means you deserve a painful death," Harlow added. The smile on his face was one of a madman. Psychotic bastard.
"I didn't do anything." I met Benito's eyes, mentally pleading for him to believe me. "I don't know what you're talking about."
There was a long pause before Benito lowered his gun. "What did I expect of a whore? You're nothing more than a napkin to Cesare, something to wipe his cum up with." He turned and kicked the chair. He did it again until there was a resounding crack from the wood.
"Benito," Harlow called out.
"I know."
"We can't let it happen again. We almost lost Emica." Harlow's words were laced with a rage that sent tendrils of fear spiking through my limbs. "Enzo almost d—"
"I know!" Benito shoved his fingers through his hair.
Their daughter? What happened to her? First Paolo's kids and now this. And the thing with Enzo, what happened to him? What the fuck was happening?
There were more questions than answers. “Cesare would never.”
“You don’t know him like we do,” Benito stressed.
“I—”
“Shut up.”
I knew him better than all of them. Cesare was a monster, there was no denying the way he could easily take life, but I knew what his family meant to him.
He’d sacrifice his life for them. He was fighting them for power, but if it came down to it, I was certain that Cesare would take a bullet for any one of his kids.
Benito wasn’t going to listen to any of it. I needed to buy time.
"I can find ou—"
A punch to my abdomen had me bending over and clutching onto my waist. My breathing was labored as I squinted up at Harlow as he moved closer to his husband.
"Your services are no longer needed. We will handle this how it should have always been handled," Benito finally said.
What did that mean? "Wait, I—"
"I believe you had no clue about anything. I put too much faith in something that wasn't ever going to work out. I will be a man of my word. The remaining amount of your money will be transferred."
Hold on, what? I stood up straight, and my mouth opened.
"Get the fuck out," Benito said.
The way he glared at me let me know this was my only chance to leave alive. A part of me wanted to argue to get some kind of explanation, but the logical side of me knew they'd kill me first before giving me any answers.
I turned and headed toward the door. I left without another word. Quincy and Tony both looked shocked to see I was still alive. For a second there, I was certain I was going to be leaving in various trash bags.
I headed back to the gym, not bothering to run. My thoughts were a tornado of chaos. I'd planned on backing out of the deal. I'd give them what I had left over of the money with the promise of making up the rest later. But instead, I was fired and given the rest of my money.
This isn't right.
My stomach turned and clenched the more I replayed everything in my head. I slipped back into the pool area and into the locker room. I grabbed my bag and headed over to the front door.
"Hey."
I nearly forgot I hadn't come alone. Andrew jogged over to me, matching my fast pace.
"It’s only been forty minutes."
There was no lie waiting on the back of my tongue. I had nothing to say. What could I say? I shook my head and stopped as we made it to the car. Andrew was all smiles as he moved in front of me. It dropped the moment he looked at me.
"Shit. Mr. Vitale is going to kill me."
For what?
His eyes were glued to my face and touched my cheek. Right, Benito had punched me. I waved off Andrew's concern. "I'm fine. Some light sparring the bruising isn't that bad."
"Any bruising is bad. Fuck, I can't die right now."
"He won't kill you."
Andrew looked at me like I was stupid. "Ah, you have no idea what he's capable of." A visible shudder raced over Andrew. "Especially when it's someone he cares about."
I paused. "He cares about me?"
"No offense, but most people in your line of work don't get more than a day or two of attention from the boss."
Was what he said true? Was I more to Cesare?
I wanted so badly for that to be the truth. Right now, I could use some good news.