Chapter 4
From his place leaning against the far wall, Maddox grunts a response I don’t make out. It’s pretty damn obvious their fight last night wasn’t fake, his face marked by stitches and deep bruising. I resist the urge to sprint toward him, the magnetic pull I have to him almost impossible to ignore. I’m craving his strong protective arms wrapped around me, telling me it’s all going to be okay. But that would only be accepting more lies. So, I stay where I am, waiting for answers.
Geovani pats the seat beside him, his own face mirroring Maddox’s with purple swelling that looks mighty painful. “Come sit with us, Red,” he suggests.
I look around the cozy space, wondering what I should do. A platter filled with pastries and fresh fruit sits in the center of the coffee table, half-finished mugs of coffee scattered around. I’m utterly starving and would die for some food, but at the same time, I’m too anxious to actually eat anything; it would probably come straight back up if I tried. I cross one arm over the other and stare them down.
Marco and Dani sit together, smiling warmly, trying to encourage me to join them. I’m confused by my brother most of all; how did he jump sides so easily?
“Not until one of you tells me what the fuck that madness was last night and why I’m here.” I glare at them. Why in God’s name would this group of people all be sitting round together having a cute little breakfast? It doesn’t make any sense. Especially after what I saw last night. They looked like they were going to kill each other.
“I couldn’t let you go through with the wedding,” Maddox admits, his voice heavy with regret. I wonder if that’s exactly what he said the first time.
My heart constricts as I meet his desolate gaze. What did he and Marco do for me? “But when they find out it was you who took me…”
“Enzo will make sure we suffer for betraying the family,” Marco ends my sentence for me, our eyes locked in a moment of silent connection. He no longer appears fearful or lost like he did under Enzo’s thumb. Instead, he has a new sense of determination. Even though he’s sitting, his posture is powerful, holding a scary-as-fuck edge to him. He’s not the big brother I remember at all. “But not if we deal with him first,” he utters with a nod toward Geovani, like this was their plan all along.
The two of them are conspiring against Enzo, interesting. He’s the don, a well-respected and adored leader, you can’t just deal with him. But Marco doesn’t look fearful. Maybe my brother has had the same realization I’ve come to. Enzo needs to be taken down a few pegs.
I move to sit on the free armchair, keeping my distance from the lot of them until they have explained. I run my hand through my tangled curls, trying to wrap my head around what my brother is proposing. “I feel like I’ve woken up in the twilight zone,” I mutter to myself, but in truth, I’m pretty sure I went to sleep in another dimension completely, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
Dani moves to take the seat beside me, casually propping her ass on the armrest of the armchair as she places a fresh coffee down on a glass coffee table. “You have, girl. This is all nuts.” I can see she’s trying to reconnect with me, the uncomfortable silence between us obviously getting to her. But she sold me out. She smiles sweetly at me. I sigh heavily, hoping to God I’m missing something. She was my friend, or so I thought. Geovani’s words come back to me from last night. We can’t afford friends in this world. I’m so na?ve, they must have been rubbing their hands together when they saw me coming. I stupidly fell for their lies.
“Just the way you like it.” She motions toward the hot beverage.
As I gaze into the frothy mug, the rich aroma fills my senses, tempting me to take a sip. I wonder why she thinks I would take a drink from her ever again after she drugged me. They fooled me once, but I won’t let that happen again. I might be na?ve, but I’m not stupid. “No, thank you,” I mutter, my tone just as bitchy as I intend it to be.
Geovani swirls something in his mug then downs it, his eyes not leaving me. He’s been watching me since I entered the room, the heat from his gaze constantly on me. “Red, I would like you to officially meet my business associate, Danielle Brambilla. She’s here to help you in any way you might need over the coming months.” Geovani waves a hand in Dani’s direction. She beams at him like they’re old friends.
I look her over in fresh light. She’s not some bimbo who works in a dingy diner. A laugh escapes me. Of course she’s not. “Here to help me?” I mutter, glancing back to Maddox. His face is impassive, but I want to know what he makes of all this bullshit. What is his role here? But as usual, he doesn’t give a lot away, leaving me with more questions than answers.
“Yeah, girl, we’re going to get your life back. I’m a whiz with computers. Who do you think sorted out your fake identity last time? I can do it again if that’s what you want.” She wiggles her eyebrows, trying to entice me.
“Is this a game to you?” I snap, feeling disgusted. This is my fucking life.
“No, it’s not. I was just trying to lighten the mood, girl. Sorry,” she sasses back, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. She sulks back to her place on the sofa with Marco.
I find my brother’s eyes, waiting for him to tell me this is all some big joke; how could Dani be working alongside Geovani? But his face is deadly serious, and I know it’s not. “So, you weren’t some poor server?” I ask, appalled that another person lied to me.
“Sorry, girl, I was doing that job to watch over you. Boss’s orders.” She winks at Geovani, and his lips turn up in a sly smile. He’s not even going to deny he paid her as a spy to watch over me. He’s even shadier than the Moretti brothers, and that’s saying something.
I can see they’re close. I’m not sure how I feel about it. Actually, I know. I don’t fucking like it. What, were they having cute coffee catchups to compare notes on me? Was she telling him all the things I said about my hot trainer? Oh my God, all the things I told her about him. My cheeks heat at the thought, totally mortified. I was crushing on him majorly, and she was my closest friend. She knew it all except for the fact we slept together, but he had probably already filled her in on that. I’m a fucking idiot. The two of them were in it together all along. So much makes sense, how I landed that job so conveniently from a girl who I thought I just bumped into at the grocery store. Dani was sent to find me and make sure I took that job alongside her so he could watch over me all along.
I turn to Geovani. “Carlo, you said it was him I was supposed to marry in that contract. You’re not here to force me to marry him?” The words cause bile to rise in my throat again. I cover my mouth, hoping it won’t escape this time.
“Fuck no, Red. You’re free. No one in this room will force you to marry anyone.” His words say one thing, but the way he shifts his eyes toward Maddox says another. I don’t like it. It feels like they’re all having silent conversations about me while I’m sitting right here.
“But your pa…” I question, knowing how scary he is. It’s not all as simple as Geovani is making it out to be, there is no way it could be.
“No one has seen him since the night he attempted to take you.”
He’s not in this place. That’s something. “But he’s out there somewhere.” I suck in deep measured breaths, because I know I’m about to have a fucking panic attack. I quickly stand and move over to the picture window, looking out over the city. Sinners’ Paradise, the Morettis’ casino, is in full view of this place. It’s an eyesore of a building. Opulent and showy just like the Morettis, covered in gold, with a sign so big you couldn’t miss it from space. I wonder if Enzo’s in there right now plotting my brother’s and my demise.
I’m curious to know if the other boys are lurking nearby, eagerly anticipating Maddox’s return to hear all about my activities. Alessandro would be furious by now that things didn’t go his way, and Ricky, well, I’m still mad with him for chaining me up against my will yesterday and not helping me to get out of there. He deserves to feel shitty today. I thought he cared about me, but when push came to shove, he chose the family over me.
“I have Carlo under control, he won’t be a threat for long.”
I am acutely aware everyone is watching me, waiting for me to take action or speak up, but I don’t care. I need time to process what they’re saying. To make sense of this. They can all fucking wait for me for once. “So, if I wanted, I could just walk right out the front door and none of you would bat an eyelid?” I mutter, not facing them. I can’t face them. Any of them. They have all betrayed me at one time or another, and now I don’t know who I can trust.
“We would strongly advise against it,” Maddox’s voice comes from right behind me. He lightly touches my shoulder, making me flinch in response, not expecting him to be so close. “You and your brother made some enemies yesterday. Probably best to lie low until Alessandro gets Enzo under control and Geovani finds Carlo, but we won’t force you to stay if you choose to leave.” He says the last part through clenched teeth, making it very obvious how he really feels about it.
“Lana, until we take back our family legacy, we have to be careful. You understand what I mean, right? You’re not going to do anything silly.” My brother backs Maddox up, coming to stand by his side, his massive arms crossed tightly over his chest. I can hear the concern in his voice. He knows our lives are on the line here.
“How stupid do you think I am? Of course I understand how serious this all is. That fucking family just had me locked up. I was about to be forced to marry one of them. What I don’t understand is, why still now, none of you will come out and actually tell me what the fuck is going on and what happened last night? Is it because you all think I’m too stupid to understand?”
Geovani has moved now to join the two of them. My attention flicks between the three of them, a building rage tightening every muscle in my body.
“Stop treating me like a useless fucking child and let me be a part of whatever this is. I may not have grown up in this world, but I’m starting to understand it, and I know for far too long, Enzo has held way too much power over all of you. It’s time to stop it.”
Marco’s hand comes to my back, making me stiffen. “Lana…”
“Don’t you fucking dare Lana me, patting me like a fucking kitten having a hissy fit. I’m deadly serious, Marco. I want details. Every last fucking thing our papa was up to. What you’ve been doing all this time and how screwed you really are now. What in the living hell was last night?” I seethe, every word I utter getting louder and angrier by the second. I’m done with playing nice. These assholes can’t control me anymore.
He stares back at me, his eyes narrowing, but his lips don’t move. I know he’s not going to tell me shit.
With a stomp of my foot, I turn and stride from the room, stomping all the way back up the stairs before slamming the door to the room I slept in last night. Fuck this shit. Fuck it all. I need a plan; I need fucking internet access. If they won’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to fucking find out myself, because there is no way I’m going to let them all push me around anymore.
The door flies open, and Maddox stands in the doorway. “Your brother sacrificed a lot to save you from a life owned by the Morettis,” comes his stern voice. I’ve pissed him off, but I don’t give a flying fuck.
I rotate my body to meet Maddox’s gaze, looking up at him, his hazel eyes haunted in a new way. What’s his part in all of this? “I get that. But Alessandro can track me. Won’t he work out where I am pretty damn quickly and come take me back anyway?”
He motions to my arm where the fresh bandage is wrapped tightly around. “I removed the tracking device,” he grunts out, like it pained him to do it.
My stomach churns thinking about how he did that, but maybe I don’t want to know, so I don’t ask. He took it out so they couldn’t find me. He did it all for me. I want to ask him why he’s helping me, but part of me is too scared to know the real reason. Because deep down in my heart I know it already.
I walk to him slowly. “So, what, you’re willing to turn on your brothers?” I ask, my voice low. Something inside of me that still believes in fairy tales and hopes for a hero to come save me, ignites in a flutter. Maddox could be my dark twisted hero. I would be up for that fantasy.
As his eyes meet mine, I can see a deep darkness consuming them. There is so much more at play here, I can tell. “Not them. Only Enzo.”
I nod, understanding his meaning; he would never do anything to go against his brothers. But a week ago, I would have said the same about Enzo. Something has changed for him. Something big. “You’re all going to take down the king of the underworld?” I chuckle sarcastically, unable to contain my disbelief. He has to be kidding, right?
His gentle touch sends shivers down my spine as he traces a path up my arm, his hand weaving through my hair. “Are you ready to take back your life?” Oh, fuck, the way he looks at me melts me into a puddle on the floor. I can’t keep up my bitchy attitude toward him. He came through for me when I needed him the most.
“I have no power here,” I seethe, blinking back at him, waiting for him to tell me how we do this. I want someone to sweep in and save me, tell me how I can fix this mess and get out alive.
“Don’t you want control over your life again? A future of your own choosing. I know I do.” I can see he’s in immense pain, not just physically, but there is something else torturing him today as well. I can’t help but recall what Valentina mentioned about him and Marco being compelled to work in Italy for the foreseeable future. Enzo’s demands were spiraling out of control, wreaking havoc on all our lives. They had to save themselves as well. I’m sure that’s what this is.
I reach out, grabbing his T-shirt, craving to be nearer to him, yearning to sense his heat and breathe in his manly aroma, mixed with a subtle whiff of cigarettes. I wrote them all off, but maybe I was wrong. “Of course I do,” I whisper.
“Enzo has been allowed to rule over this town for way too long, he’s become so arrogant, so pigheaded, he can’t even see the destruction he’s causing all around him. It’s only a matter of time before his people start to see the cracks in his armor, and when they do, he will lose it all.”
I take a deliberate step back from Maddox. My heart races like crazy because I know what he’s saying is true. He’s finally seeing his cruel leader for the dictator he is. Not only that, but he’s opening up to me.
“What happened while I was out of it? What was that fight all about at the basketball arena?” I ask, needing to know exactly what they did.
“Insurance.”
I angle my head to the side, my eyes locking with his. “I’m not into the cryptic bullshit. Insurance?”
“To make sure Enzo doesn’t work out we’re working together.”
A bitter laugh escapes me. “He’s pretty fucking smart, I’m sure he already knows.”
His eyes lock with mine. “All he knows is you disappeared, so the wedding couldn’t go ahead. He thinks Marco helped you, so he’s in lockdown in this apartment with you as well. He has no idea I was involved, that underground fight had been planned for months. We just had a little more to fight over.” He scowls. I can see that even though right now he’s standing in Geovani’s territory and they’re working together for me, there is no love between them.
I flick my gaze over his bruised face, the only proof I need to know what I witnessed last night wasn’t an illusion. I know the pure violence of it wasn’t for show, they were fighting over me. “The masked men with guns?” I ask.
He takes my hand, pulling me back into him. “Alessandro and Ricky had their own agenda last night. Enzo wanted a couple of outstanding debts paid.”
I tilt my head back, craning my neck to meet his dark gaze. “Ivan Venality,” I mutter, my stomach rolling at the memory of him lying there all bloody and lifeless.
“Look, he wasn’t innocent. Nothing’s black and white in this life. He crossed the family, plain and simple. Every guy who signs up knows the rules—and what happens when you break ’em,” Maddox explains. His expression is serious, and I know it’s because of what he and my brother did for me. They went against the family to save me.
My thoughts flick to my brother, a terrible sinking feeling settling in. “Marco fucked over the family! So did you.”
“Your brother would do anything for you, and so would I.”
I drop my gaze, feeling shy all of a sudden. Maddox isn’t the declaration type, but to know I have him on my side means everything to me.
“Your brother and you are both safe here. Top-notch security system, and this is the penthouse, no one is getting in or out of this place without Geovani’s say so.”
“We’re safe while we’re locked up in this tower,” I say, unimpressed. I knew I wasn’t free. Free to get killed as soon as I step foot outside the door, that’s what they meant.
Maddox’s hand moves up my arm, and I feel the tension in his muscles. “For once in your life, temptress, do what you’re told so we can all keep you safe.” His face moves closer to mine, a flutter running through me at our proximity.
“Maddox,” I say his name in warning, tilting my head up toward him defiantly, “I’m sick of being told what to do, you all treat me like a child.”
His hand slides into my hair, tilting my head back further, the air buzzing with the same erratic energy it always does when we’re close. “Not a child, more like a pretty princess who needs to be saved from herself.”
Irritation crawls under my skin. “Fuck you. I’m not some princess who needs protecting. I see what you all did for me. I owe you so much for it. But if you keep treating me like a piece of fine fucking porcelain, I’m going to snap, and none of you will ever see me again. I’m fucking serious, Maddox. I’ll stay in this place because I realize how dangerous it is out there for me right now. But I won’t sit quietly here forever while you all go on living your lives. I want revenge for the life that’s been taken from me,” I snip, my tone extra bitchy. I need him to know how deadly serious I am about this. My attitude only seems to up the intensity between us.
His lips turn up at the sides. “You’re so much fucking trouble.” In one swift movement, he shoves me up against the closed door, his lips covering mine in a possessive kiss as he forces his tongue inside my mouth. I let out a breathy groan, heat pulsing through me. His large hands roam up, under my oversized hoodie, before he lifts me at the waist, pressing my back into the door.
My legs wrap around him, locking at the ankles, my hands roaming under his shirt, feeling his muscular torso. Every delicious flick of his tongue steals the breath from my lungs. I kiss him back with so much desperation. Out of fear that Enzo will work out what he’s doing to help me, out of gratitude for everything he’s sacrificing for me, and mostly because I was just as desperate to have his lips on mine after not tasting him for too long. He wraps his arms around me, holding me so close to him I can feel his erratic heart racing in his chest. Even after we stop kissing, his forehead drops to mine and we hold each other close, sucking in ragged breaths as we try to calm ourselves down.
“Fuck you,” I say to him again just so he knows I’m not over my hissy fit.
“I fucking wish, temptress.” His nose nestles in my hair, and I can feel him breathing in deeply, as if trying to capture the scent. “Cherries? That’s not going to work,” he complains.
I can’t help but laugh. “That was the only option I had last night.” I smirk back at him. He’s obsessed with my hair. I was half waiting for him to tell me I smell like sunshine or something like that. But of course, he noticed it was different from normal.
Eventually he pulls back from me, letting my legs slide to the ground, leaving me staring up at him wanting more. “I have to get going,” he tells me, producing a gold chain from the back pocket of his black jeans, then motions for me to turn around so he can put it on for me. He slips it around my neck and does up the clasp. “Geovani is helping us for now, but never for one second think he doesn’t have his own agenda. If you’re in trouble, press the panic button on the necklace, I’ll come for you.”
I quickly turn around, my eyes fixated on him towering above me. “Did you really remove my tracker?”
He nods. “I need you to trust me, temptress, and with that fucking thing in your arm you were never going to. Don’t fucking get killed while me and the boys are sorting out Enzo.”
“Okay.” I nod, not sure how I feel about that. I push up onto my toes once more, kissing his lips, trying to get everything I need before he has to leave. “Do you really have to go?” I complain. Things were just getting good between us.
“If we don’t want Enzo to know what we’re up to. Not even Ricky or Alessandro know where you are, they have no idea I’m here. For your safety, I had to keep them in the dark.”
I raise a brow, knowing how serious this is then. When they find out, they’re going to be pissed. I intertwine my fingers with his. “Please be careful, big guy.”
“You too, temptress.” He places a kiss to my forehead, then he’s gone. Leaving me alone with my brother, the chick who lied to me for six months then drugged me, and the son of one of the most feared and brutal men in Ravens Hollow. Trapped in a tower with nothing to do but plan my revenge.