12. Chapter Twelve #2
“What game are you playing now, Sasha?” he asks in my ear.
“No game.” I pick up a piece of bread, pretending to be innocent.
“Well, whatever it is, I’ll find out and I’ll spank you for it.” He grabs my ass, making me gasp, and drop the piece of bread. Then he lets me go and leaves the kitchen.
I shove the bread away. I’m not hungry at all.
I try to sleep that night but all I can think about is Nico next to me. Nico touching me. Nico’s mouth between my legs.
I toss and I turn so much that Nico sits up and turns the light and asks me what’s wrong.
“Nothing,” I lie right away. He can’t know I called Denis. Well, I guess he will find out when Denis eventually arrives. I’m not even sure what I’m fully hoping for when Denis shows up. He’s not going to kill Nico and honestly, I don’t want Nico dead anymore.
I just want to get Denis away from my sisters, even for a few days.
“I know you well enough now, Sasha, to know when you’re lying to me.” He gently grabs my face. “Tell me.”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
I huff, wrenching my face away from his hand. “I’m just thinking of what Giovanni said. What he wanted. It makes me nervous that he wants me.”
“Trust me, if I had known, I never would have let him into this house. I never would have left you alone with him.”
“Strangely enough… I do trust you on that.”
Nico’s eyes widen a little at my admission. “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”
“First time for anything. And… I don’t want to hate you.”
“So why do you continue to act like you do?”
I sigh. “I’m just conflicted over what you do. How you kill with so much ease. It still scares me. And yet, I also know that you will fight for me. It’s a hard thing to wrap my head around.”
He trails his fingers along my temple. “Get out of your head. I told you: we could have so much fun together if you just let yourself relax. I will keep you safe from Giovanni. That I can promise you.”
“I know.”
“Good. Now go to sleep. Your tossing and turning is getting on my nerves.” He turns the light off and settles back into bed.
I settle my hands over my stomach, feeling the nerves grow. When Denis shows up, it’s going to change everything.
Denis arrives the following day. It’s a lot sooner than I expected.
Nico stares at Denis in shock on his front doorstep. “What in the ever loving fuck are you doing here? And how did you find this place?”
His eyes dart to me behind Nico. “Your wife called me.”
Nico slowly turns around and stares me down until I can’t take it anymore and duck my chin to my chest. “Did she now?”
“She told me that you’re trying to make a deal with Giovanni Ricci,” Denis says, storming into the house like he owns the place. He’s always had that ability I hated so much.
“I was trying but it fell through. Don’t worry, Denis. I’m not making a deal with Giovanni.”
“But the fact that you tried without telling me is worrying. We’re partners now, Nico. Act like it.”
Nico stands up taller, towering over Denis. “You don’t get to come into my home and snap at me, old man.”
“Old man? I’m only a decade older than you are.”
I scoff. “Try two decades.”
Denis levels a glare in my direction. “When my niece called me, I knew I had to get here as soon as possible. We’re business partners but I feel like all you wanted was to steal one of my nieces out from under me and turn on me.
Is that what you’re doing? You take Sasha from me and then you don’t even stay true to our deal? ”
“It’s not true,” Nico says, shooting me a look as well.
“I never had any plans to turn on you. I wanted to hear Giovanni out and the deal didn’t go through.
There wasn’t anything to report. And I don’t have to tell you all of my business plans, Denis.
I’m still the Mafia. I don’t have to play by your Bratva rules. ”
“You fucker,” Denis says. “You’re trying to gain even more power and ice me out.”
“You’re paranoid. Just return to New York and we can forget this ever happened. I’ll forgive you.”
“You’ll forgive me? What if I don’t forgive you?”
“What’s there to forgive?” Nico asks. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Whatever Sasha told you was wrong. I know what she’s doing. Can’t you see it?”
Denis huffs, looking between me and Nico. “What is she doing?”
“She’s trying to get you away from her sister so… let me guess… Mikhail can save them?” Nico sets his dark eyes onto me. “Is that right, sweetheart?”
I don’t say a word. The reality is, Mikhail might not even know Denis is out of town to try and save my sisters. I never got the chance to call Natalya.
“Damn it,” Denis growls, running a hand over his face. “I need to get back to New York.” He points his fat finger in my face. “You did this. You brought me here as a trick? You’re going to regret this, Sasha. I’ll make your sisters suffer even more for this.”
“They had no part in this,” I say in a rush. “They don’t know. I just wanted…”
“What did you want?” Denis sneers.
Nico crosses his arms, gazing down at me with curiosity. “Yeah, what did you expect was going to happen?”
“I just wanted to give my sisters a chance for a moment’s peace away from you ,” I snap at Denis. “You’re horrible to them. Were horrible to me. That was all. And…”
“And?” Nico prompts.
“Maybe I was hoping to turn you two against one another.”
“Why the fuck would you do that?” Denis asks.
It takes Nico a moment to realize before he starts laughing. “She was hoping I’d kill you, Denis. Then her sisters would be free of you. It’s not a bad plan, I’ll give her that. But I don’t want you dead. We’re still working together. I promise you that, Denis.”
My uncle shoots me a glare before he turns back to Nico and extends his hand. Nico returns the handshake. “And I promise that you still have me as an ally. But no more deals behind my back.”
“Understood.”
“When are you going to return to New York? I could use your power and influence there.”
“In time. Sasha and I are still enjoying our honeymoon.”
Denis turns back to me. “You don’t get to play me or your husband for a fool. Nico, you better punish her.” With those final words, Denis storms out of the house in just as much anger as he did when he entered.
Nico shuts the door behind him and leans against the door, crossing his arms. His stance is casual but I can feel the anger radiating within him. “You are being reckless, Sasha.”
“I’m just trying to save my sisters still and if you actually cared for me, you’d help get them out. Natalya wasn’t able to save me from you but I can try to save Irina and Ana from having to marry bad men.”
“Is that what I am? A bad man?”
“Wouldn’t you agree?”
Nico smirks. “You’re not wrong. I am a bad man. Which is why I’ll always put the deal I have with Denis above saving your sisters. You can’t reach the soft parts within me, Sasha. I wanted you and now you’re mine. I have no desire to save your sisters.”
“If you want me to ever care for you – if you want me to ever give my body to you – then you’ll consider killing my uncle and saving my sisters. You’ve killed men before without even blinking. This shouldn’t be any different.”
“You’re right. I could easily kill Denis. But I’m not going to, mostly to keep you in your place. I can’t be giving you too much power, now can I? Now, you’re lucky I’m late for a meeting with Adrien or I’d spank you right here, right now in the middle of this foyer for anyone to see.”
“Looking forward to it,” I snap.
Nico gives me an extravagant bow before he leaves the house.
So much for my plan. All I can hope for is that Irina and Ana with our mom might have found a way to escape with Denis gone.
Otherwise, we’re all just as trapped as we’ve always been.
One of Nico’s guards – Aldo – lets me know that someone is at the door and they want to talk to me.
“Who is it?” I ask.
“Giovanni Ricci. I know Nico is out right now. I can tell him to leave.”
I want that but I also want to tell Giovanni off for even thinking he could be with me. “I’ll talk to him. Just… stay nearby.”
“Of course.”
Aldo remains in the foyer with me as I open the door. Giovanni gives me a large smile like he didn’t just try to make me uncomfortable a few nights ago. Like he didn’t ask Nico if he could have sex with me.
“What do you want?” I ask flatly. “Nico’s not here.”
“It’s not Nico I want to see.”
“He doesn’t want to work with you. And I don’t want you, so go.”
“If you really are a virgin, then you don’t know what you’re missing.”
My spine straightens as my skin prickles. “You’re not the man I want to have sex with. How dare you ask Nico if you could have me for one night. Who does that? You’re disgusting.”
“A man who isn’t afraid to go after what he wants. And don’t you want a man like that? Nico is weak. If he hasn’t fucked you yet, then he’s no man. You need a strong man for a husband.”
“So, first you want to fuck me for one night and now you want to be my husband? Which is it?”
“You have a mouth on you,” he says flatly, his smile disappearing. “I don’t like that. That will have to change.”
“Why? You’re not my husband and you’ll never be. I only agreed to talk with you because I wanted to tell you off. I’m glad Nico isn’t working with you. You would only bring him down. He’s twice the man you’ll ever be.”
“Isn’t that interesting?”
I flinch. “What is?”
“That you think I would be intimidated by that. I’ve come here because I want you, Sasha. And I want you now.”
Aldo steps forward. “I think it’s time you leave.”
“If you want.” In one quick motion, Giovanni pulls a small dagger out of his jacket pocket and slams it into Aldo’s neck.
Before I can scream, Giovanni pushes his way into the house and slams the door behind him, locking it before any other guards can come in. His hand clamps over my mouth.
“I said I want you,” he growls. “And I’m going to get you.”
My eyes flick to Aldo, who’s lying on the ground, bleeding out from his neck. There’s no way he’ll be able to survive that. I have to watch him die right before my eyes.
Giovanni backs me up against the stairs. “It’s Nico’s fault that he hasn’t claimed you yet. I’m going to rectify that situation.”
“No!” I scream behind his hand. Then I bite down on his skin. It tastes slightly salty. Giovanni yelps and pulls his hand away before he smacks me across the face. I slam against the stairs so hard, all the breath leaves my body.
Giovanni slams his body against mine, crushing me against the stairs. “This is going to be fun.”
I can’t let this happen. I’ll die before I let this happen.
My eyes flick over to Aldo on the ground. His blood is seeping across the white marble floors.
Fear seizes my body and I freeze.