37. Afraid of the Truth
CHAPTER 37
AFRAID OF THE TRUTH
A ntonio
Chomping down on the apple, I tear the soft pulp to shreds before forcing it down my throat. I’m not the least bit hungry but Serena insisted I eat. Lingering anger still pulses through my veins knowing Serena was nearly captured while I lay here like a useless stronzo . Dio , if something had happened to her when she went into the city alone… I grit my teeth to overpower the ache in my chest. And this ache isn’t from the healing wound, no it’s far deeper than that and ten times more frightening.
I watch her from the lounge chair as she upends the shopping bag and my sweatsuit along with my gun crashes onto the floor. I was right, she had taken it. Smart girl. “I’ll hold onto this for now.” She places the gun on the counter and in my current state I’m pretty useless to do a damned thing about it.
“As if I could stop you.”
Serena tosses me a grin before she begins to rifle through the grocery bag, plucking out ripe peaches and a container of strawberries. Instantly, I’m hard again as the sweet scent of the berries fills my nostrils, reminding me of her tempting taste. And with only the towel slung across my hips, it’s painfully obvious. Willing my stupid dick down, I focus on the canoe hanging from the opposite wall, the pills thrown on the lounger, anything but those lips closing around the ripe red fruit and the soft moans spilling out.
“Serena,” I finally hiss as my dick thickens to uncomfortable lengths.
“What?” She glances up at me, all blue-eyed innocence as she pops yet another strawberry into that perfect mouth. That mouth that’s just begging to be fucked again. I squeeze my eyes closed and chase away the torturous images.
“Can’t you eat in silence?” I growl, shifting so the tent across my lap isn’t quite so obvious.
A wicked grin curls her lips as she takes another bite, this one excruciatingly slowly before she runs her tongue across her bottom lip. “Oh, does this bother you?” She teases the tip of the berry with her tongue before she unlocks her jaw, and it disappears into that tempting mouth. She’s torturing me now, and I’m well aware of it. She’s still angry I didn’t let her finish earlier. It was the least punishment she deserved after risking her life by going into town to save me.
“Yes,” I hiss.
Putting aside the bag of fruit, she crawls over on her hands and knees, mischievous blue orbs staring up at me. She’s only wearing that new blouse and those tiny panties she bought. Her back is arched, and she moves closer, perky ass in the air. Dio , it would be so easy to pick back up where we left off.
Serena finally stops just a hairsbreadth before she reaches me and rises onto her knees, placing a hand on each one of my legs. Sweet strawberry juice still coats her lips, glistening beneath the dim lighting. Her thumbs trail my inner thigh as her gaze latches onto my blatant erection. “You did say we could finish after I told you…”
“No,” I rasp out, my rough voice betraying me.
“Seriously?” She cants her head to the side.
“Think of it as your punishment for disobeying me.”
She releases my knees, slamming her hands on her bare hips. “How did I disobey you? You never told me not to leave the boathouse.”
“I told you to leave me !”
“And I clearly told you to fuck off.”
“It was a poor decision.”
“You’re a poor decision,” she bites back, and she couldn’t be more correct on that count.
“You’re right, so leave.”
“An hour ago you promised to get me to my cousin in Milano.”
“I’ve reconsidered. I think you’d be safer without me.” I hiss out a breath and lean back on the sunbed. She’s got my head so twisted I don’t know what to do anymore. “I’m nothing more than a liability. And anyway, I don’t know that I’ll be well enough to travel by tomorrow.”
She glances at my cock again, narrowing her eyes. “You seem just fine to me.”
“It’s just a physical reaction I have no control over.” It’s a lame excuse, and I’m not surprised she sees right through it. Clearly, if I’m well enough to fuck her, I can manage to get my ass on that boat and get us across the lake. From there, it would be easy enough to steal a car and drive to Milano in a few hours.
Her lips screw into a pout as she continues to regard me while I remain stubbornly mute. “And besides, Elena said you’d be okay in a few days.”
I wasn’t certain I would ever be okay again. But Serena was right, we—no, I—couldn’t stay here forever. With the phone Serena purchased, I could easily call Pietro and have him come for us, but I can’t risk the shade of a chance that she’s right, and it is someone within my organization who’s behind this. If those men found her because they’d pinged my credit card, then my every move is being watched. Until I know for certain who that person is, I won’t risk it.
“Well? Are you going to keep your word or not?” Her light brows furrow, and the disappointment in that gaze is worse than the one my father used to shoot me.
“Yes,” I finally mutter. “I may not have much anymore, but at least my word should still mean something.”
“Good.” Grabbing my knees, she pulls herself up to stand, practically shoving her cleavage in my face. Now, I’m the one being punished. And I deserve it. “I’m going to try Papà again.”
Those words shouldn’t sting as much as they do. Still, my head snaps back as if she’d slapped me. Of course she’d want to speak to her father, to assure him she’s okay. I don’t dare consider what Dante and the Kings will do to me once this is over, once I’ve safely delivered Serena to her cousin.
Which of course I will do, despite my comments to the contrary.
I’m so damned torn. A part of me wishes she would simply leave me, but the other half can’t bear to see her go.
I watch her from the corner of my eye as she unwraps the pre-paid phone and fires it up. Raw emotions wage a war in my gut as she brings the phone to her ear and waits. By now, Isabella must have informed her father and her uncle of the situation. I can practically see my time on this earth slowly dwindling.
Serena better keep her word and make my death a quick one. No doubt Dante would like to drag it out to agonizing lengths. And I can’t even blame him. If Serena were my daughter, I would do the same.
“Pa?” Her voice is so filled with hope its piercing. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
Dante’s shouts blare through the phone in a stormy symphony, but I can’t make out the exact words. He’s probably cursing me and everyone I’ve ever met.
Serena marches to the door, then slips on her jeans, waving a hand in my direction as if I would stop her. She knows I would never use my gun on her, or at least I hope she does. Once the door slams behind her, I stretch out on the lounger, awaiting my sentence.
I must doze off while she’s gone because I’m awakened minutes later by the sharp crack of the door smashing against the wall. My lids snap open, and I attempt to sit up, but a streak of pain has me laying back down like a pathetic idiot. Serena marches in, irritation carved into her jaw.
“What’s wrong?” I mutter.
“Nothing, my dad is just a domineering, overprotective, stubborn asshole.”
A grin starts to form, but I thin out my lips when her expression turns murderous. She flops down onto the sunbed beside me and exhales a frustrated breath.
“What did he say exactly?” I hedge.
“Mostly that I’m no more than a na?ve child incapable of making my own decisions or handling myself.”
“Let me guess, he wanted to come get you and you told him to fuck off.”
“Exactly.” A glimmer of amusement sparks within those brilliant sapphire orbs. “Alessandro will be here the day after tomorrow, there’s no need for him to launch a full scale attack?—”
“On me?”
She nods.
“Serena, I don’t need you to protect me?—”
“This isn’t about you,” she snaps. “He wouldn’t even consider the possibility that this Sartori guy could have double-crossed him. The great Dante Valentino is too untouchable for that, and no one in their right mind would ever dare mess with his daughter. He’s convinced this is all your fault.”
“He’s not wrong,” I murmur, eyes cast down to the slight space between us. I hadn’t even noticed that her legs were now between mine, her outer thighs pressed against the insides of mine. “Did you at least assure him I would get you to Milano safely?”
“Yes,” she snaps. “He didn’t buy it. He thinks you’re just playing me, and I’m too trusting to see it.”
“You, trusting?” I barely suppress a laugh.
“I know, right?” She shakes her head. “I already told him you were half dead, and I had your gun.”
I eye the sleek weapon sitting on the counter by the door. I could have taken possession of it when she walked out, but instead, I’d fallen asleep like a baby. Obviously, I’m the one that’s too trusting.
“So what excuse did you give him for choosing to remain?”
“It wasn’t an excuse,” she grits out. “Ale is almost here so there was no point in Papà coming or knowing anything about my cousin’s involvement. Besides, the town is still crawling with mafia goons, and I’m hoping another day will buy us some time.”
“Us?” That one word brings more satisfaction than an orgasm. Which reminds me if I don’t get a release soon, it’s very likely my balls will explode.
“Yes, bastardo , me and the mouse in my pocket.”
“I’m sure your papà loves that you’ve stayed with me despite giving you every chance to escape.”
“Yeah, well, he’ll just have to deal with it.” She lifts her hand before I can respond. “And don’t you dare ask me why I stayed with you again.”
I lean in, dropping my hands to the back of her thighs. “Because you’re afraid of the truth?”
“Because I want to punch you in the face every time you ask.” She smiles sweetly before prying my fingers off her legs and freeing the phone from her pocket. “Anyone you want to call?”
I pause to consider for a moment before shaking my head. “No, but I would like to find out who the hell burned down my mother’s house.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“I have an old college friend, not in the business, who can hack anything. If he can get into the security system at the villa, he’ll be able to provide faces to our arsonists. Once we have that, it’s only a matter of time until we find out with certainty who was behind it.”