Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
GIO
Ished my jacket as soon as I walk through the door to my place, my shirt following suit. Being so close to her and not being able to touch her fucked with my head. If I wouldn’t have left her apartment, I would have done something that gave Matteo no other choice but to cut my balls off.
Her space is small, making the smell of her swirl around me constantly.
Even when she was across the apartment. It was damn near intoxicating.
I’ve never been under the trance of a woman.
I’ve watched my brother, and a few of the Dirty Devil members, go down on their knees for their women and never once did I think that would be me.
There are too many beautiful women out there to worship only one for the rest of my life.
But now… I’m starting to see why they took that knee.
She’s fucking captivating. One look at her face, standing shocked with a little bit of fear sprinkled in turned me on, and made me want to know everything about her all at the same time.
Because she didn’t run. She didn’t even fucking move.
She stood there and took it like she’s been a mafia wife for most of her life.
And I liked that.
I liked it a lot.
I pull the dirty thong I swiped from her place out of my back pocket and bring it to my nose as I inhale deeply. My dick twitches at the smell of her, aching to have the real thing.
I wonder if it still tastes like her.
“Fuck,” I groan as I adjust myself. This doesn’t bode well for my future.
My phone vibrates in my back pocket. I already know who’s calling me before checking the caller ID.
“Yeah?”
“How did it go?” Matteo’s voice sounds through the phone.
“She accepted.”
“Good. I’ll arrange a set day every two weeks with Enzo to drop off the money to her so you don’t have to worry about it.”
My gut clenches at the thought of Enzo being in her space. That’s not fucking happening.
“I got it. It’s not out of my way. I’m at the pizzeria the most, anyway.”
I’m met with silence. I grow uneasy with each moment that passes. So much so that I take the phone away from my ear to look at the screen to make sure he didn’t hang up.
“You sure?” Matteo asks. There’s something in his voice I don’t like.
“Not sure I like your tone.”
“I wouldn’t have this tone if I didn’t know you as well as I do.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I ask defensively through clenched teeth, already knowing what direction this is heading in.
“You want her.”
It’s not a question.
“Never said that,” I tell him. I’m lying through my fucking teeth.
“You didn’t need to. Enzo told me you stocked her fridge. That’s all I needed to know.”
Fucking Enzo and his loud-ass mouth. He couldn’t keep something to himself if his life depended on it.
“I was trying to make sure she didn’t talk.”
“That’s what the money is for. No more special favors, Gio. I mean it. If I find out something more is going on past the drops, you and I will be having words.”
“Got it, boss,” I bite out before Matteo hangs up.
I throw my phone down on the couch as I walk over to the bar cart I have up against the wall. I flip the rocks glass over as I grab a blue umbrella out of the container, ironically the same color as Bronwyn’s eyes, before I fill it full of whiskey.
Any other night, a whiskey with an umbrella would take the edge off, but not tonight.
Tonight, I have a war going on inside my head.
And the head downstairs is the one that wants to win.
But I can’t do that to my family. Loyalty is what keeps us tight and going.
Mixing business with pleasure is never a good idea, especially when said business saw me with a goddamn severed hand.
Using my finger to push the umbrella up against the side of the glass, I down the brown liquid, welcoming the burn it brings, hoping it will numb the ache in my cock.
I sigh heavily and lick my lips as I set the glass down.
I’m fucked.
I pull my Maybach into my spot right outside the pizzeria as I watch the car that’s been following me for the last six or so blocks pull in behind me.
After the first few blocks, I thought it was a coincidence, but after the fourth, I knew it was anything but.
They’re not here for pizza considering it doesn’t open for another hour.
I adjust my rearview mirror, angling it so I can get a good look at who is in the car. He’s not someone I recognize, and no one in my circle would roll around without windows tinted so dark you can’t even see the outline of whoever is inside.
Never been one not to face shit head-on, I throw open my door. By the time I have one foot on the sidewalk, they’re stepping out as well.
“You an Adduci?” the guy asks as he adjusts his suit jacket that he’s swimming in.
Who in this city doesn’t know who the fuck I am?
I already know this guy has no idea what he’s walking into.
The ones who know what’s going on are dressed for the part, new in this life or not.
And having a suit that looks like it used to be your old man’s, who was four sizes bigger than you, doesn’t give I have authority here.
In fact, it doesn’t give anything at all except I know I’m probably going to wipe the floor with you.
“I think you already know the answer to that, or else you wouldn’t have followed me here,” I answer, my voice even as I shut my car door and lean up against it as I tuck my hands in my pockets.
I take him in. His fists are balled at his waist and his neck is strained.
Every time he swallows, the tiny tendon on the side of his neck gives me a tease as it bulges, just begging for me to do something about it.
I know it would be a beauty to slice open and watch him bleed out all over the sidewalk.
Too bad we’re in front of the pizzeria. The last thing I need is for Bronwyn to witness something else at my hands.
“Was it you?” he asks, his tone demanding. His fists are clenched so tight they’re turning white as he tries to disguise the trembling.
Fucking pussy.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific than that.
A lot could be me, but also a lot could not be.
” I shrug as I pull a tiny drink umbrella out of my pocket, popping it open and sticking the toothpick end in my mouth, spinning it around with my tongue as I watch him work up the courage to say what he came here to say.
“Cut the crap,” he says, trying to sound tough, but it comes out shaky.
I raise an eyebrow at him as the corner of my lip tips up in an amused smile. “And what crap am I cutting out?”
“You know.”
I flick my tongue around the tip of the toothpick, letting the umbrella twirl as I push off my car.
“Well, sorry you went through the trouble of following me here, but unfortunately I got shit to do today. You know where to find me when you figure it out.” I tip my hand up in a wave as I move to head into the pizzeria.
“His fucking hand that was mailed to me in a goddamn box!” the guy yells, making me spin around on my heel, facing him once again. “You’re a sick fucking animal to do that to a man. A real man wouldn’t do that! They face their problems head on!”
My jaw clenches as I feel attention on us from people passing by. There’s nothing I hate more than drawing the attention of a crowd.
I prowl toward him. A small spike of adrenaline shoots through me as I watch him step back.
He’s not quick enough.
My hand is around his throat before he can make it to his car, dragging him to the other side of the sidewalk and shoving him up against the brick building. Another thrill of adrenaline shoots through me as I feel the tendon in his neck jump.
“I’ve had just about enough of you,” I growl lowly.
“I don’t know who the fuck you are, and I don’t care to know who the fuck you are.
It’s obvious you have half a ball because you had the audacity to follow me here, but the rest is missing because your follow through disgusts me.
” A gurgling noise leaves his lips as he tries to talk, his hands frantically grabbing at mine around his throat.
I press my thumb in harder. “No. Don’t speak.
You’ve said enough. The hand was a warning.
A warning that clearly went over your head.
Your guy was Eric, yeah?” He gives a little nod in confirmation.
“Eric owed a lot of money. He was given more warnings than we usually give for repayment. Eric must have gotten his brains from the same place you got yours from because neither of you seems to be very smart. He tried to pull a fast one and pay his repayment with counterfeit bills. It takes a special kind of idiot to repay a hundred grand gambling debt in fake bills and think we wouldn’t notice, don’t you think? ”
The tendon under my hand jumps again. I can feel his pulse beating rapidly as his eyes widen.
“Oh,” I tsk. “Did you not know?” He tries to shake his head.
“He begged and pleaded on his knees to make it right, but what he did was done. He even offered up his wife as payment to wipe the slate clean. His fucking wife,” I bite out.
“What kind of man does that? A weak one, that’s who.
And Eric was a weak man. Now, I sent his hand as a warning because I know your other brother owes money too, and let me fill you in, in case you didn’t know, he’s racking up quite the debt.
And if he tries to pull what Eric did, you’re going to get more than a hand in a box.
Got me?” He nods his head. “Now get the fuck out of my sight.” I release the grip I have on his neck and shove him toward his car.
I watch through narrowed eyes as he stumbles over his feet and falls against the hood of his car.
His hands darting out and catching his weight before he opens his door and scrambles inside.
I wait until he drives away and out of sight before I move to head into the pizzeria.
But not before looking up at the window I know belongs to Bronwyn.
A small part of me hoped to see her face in it, watching the exchange that just happened so I would have an excuse to pay her a visit sooner, but luck's never been on my side. At least not in that department.
With one last lingering glance, I head into the pizzeria to install security cameras while in the back of my mind I wonder what Bronwyn is doing.