Chapter 6 Raven
RAVEN
"This piece," I gesture to the large canvas before us, "was actually discovered in the attic of an old villa outside Rome. The restoration process took nearly eight months to—"
"Get out."
The deep, commanding voice cuts through the gallery like a knife. I freeze, holding my breath as my heartbeat starts to race.
I know that voice.
Slowly, I turn to see Gio striding in, flanked by two men in black suits who look like trained killers. My stomach drops. He's pointing at a couple near the entrance, who scramble to gather their things.
No. Not here. Not now.
"We're closed," he announces, his cold, hard eyes scanning the floor. I watch, paralyzed, unsure what the hell is going on.
Mr. Robertson, the potential buyer I've spent the last hour with, shifts uncomfortably beside me. Gio's gaze locks onto him.
"You." Gio points at Mr. Robertson. "Out. We're closed."
My face now burns with anger and embarrassment. "Excuse me," I say to Robertson before turning to Gio. "We are not closed."
Gio approaches, towering over both of us, his presence suffocating. The two men with him position themselves near the exits and turn to look at us.
"We are," Gio says, looking directly at my client. "You can leave freely, or my men can help."
The threat in his words is unmistakable. Mr. Robertson, clearly intimidated, mumbles an apology and practically runs for the door, leaving me alone with Gio and his men.
I watch him go, and I start to see red, anger rising up inside me.
"Hey," I snap, my voice trembling with rage. "Hey! Turn around," I say to Gio, who does. "You can't just walk in here and do this."
Gio looks around the gallery, his movements slow and deliberate. His tattoos peek out from his collar as he turns his head, reminding me of exactly who—and what—he is.
"Why?" he asks, green eyes settling back on me. "Who's going to stop me?"
I open my mouth to answer, but he cuts me off.
"No one," he says, taking a step closer.
My heart pounds in my chest, a mixture of fear and fury coursing through my veins. I clench my fists at my sides, ready and willing to stand my ground.
"Cut the shit and tell me what the hell you think you're doing," I hiss, glancing nervously at the two men. Their expressions are blank, but their eyes are alert, watching my every move.
Gio takes a step closer, leaving little room between us. I can smell his cologne again, that spicy, expensive scent that seems to cling to every inch of him.
I stand there, rage boiling inside me as Gio stands in the gallery.
My gallery. The one thing I've been working so hard to salvage, to keep my mom's vision going, and he's treating it like his personal playground.
I feel a strong urge to swing at him, unleash every ounce of anger I've been holding back.
"You seem confused, Raven," he says, his voice condescending. "Let me make it simple for you."
I cross my arms, trying to create some barrier between us. "Oh, please, enlighten me."
"From today onward, you're under my protection," he says, his voice low and firm.
I blink, not sure I heard him correctly. "What the hell are you talking about?"
His green eyes darken. "Exactly what I said."
Protection? From what? And why the hell would I need it from him of all people?
Heat rises to my face. Who does he think he is? First, he ruins my sale, and now this?
"Like hell I am." I spit the words at him.
Just then, Steven approaches us cautiously. Gio's men move in closer. "Is everything alright?" he asks, his eyes darting nervously between us.
Gio's head snaps toward Steven, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Fuck off," he growls, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Steven pales and retreats, leaving me alone with this monster.
Before I can reassure him or tell Gio to back off, I feel a strong hand grip my upper arm.
Not painfully, but with enough force to make his ownership of the moment clear.
He steers me toward a corner, away from the prying eyes and ears of Steven and his men.
"Let go of me," I demand, trying to break free. His grip only tightens.
"Stop fighting me, Raven."
He doesn't release me until we're in the corner, partially hidden by a large sculpture. I rub my arm where he held me, more out of annoyance than pain.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I demand as I feel tears of frustration burning behind my eyes. The memory of Johnny floods my mind, and suddenly, I can't hold back anymore. "You killed my brother. Haven't you caused enough turmoil in my life?"
My heart pounds as Gio reaches into his jacket. For a split second, I think he's going for a weapon, but instead, he pulls out a folded piece of paper. He unfolds it and holds it out to me.
"Because of this," he says, his voice low and firm.
My hands shake as I take it. The moment I see the messy scrawl, my heart stops. I'd know that handwriting anywhere. The way the y's curl, how the t's are barely crossed. Johnny's handwriting. The words blur as tears threaten to fall, but I blink them back, forcing myself to focus.
"This was on your brother's body." Gio's voice seems distant, like I'm underwater. "Why?"
I shake my head, confusion and grief warring inside me. "I don't… I don't know…"
Gio snatches the paper back. "Yeah, well, this mixed with your father suddenly disappearing doesn't sit right. And who knows what you're not telling me."
"I don't know anything!" I snap, fear and frustration making my voice crack. "Jesus, how many times do I have to say it?"
"Whatever." Gio holds up his hand when I try to move, effectively caging me against the wall. "And for the record," his voice drops lower, "I didn't go looking to kill your brother. He came there that night trying to kill mine. Shot him three times before I could take him down."
The world tilts sideways. My fingers find the small raven tattoo on my wrist, rubbing it frantically.
Even though I know what happened, I just can't take it. Johnny actually tried to kill someone? My wild, reckless brother who couldn't even kill the spiders in my room when we were kids?
But then I remember the changes in him in those last few years before I left. The nervous energy. The distance. The way he wouldn't meet my eyes or talk to me much.
"My family is everything to me. Do you understand?" Gio asks.
The intensity in his eyes is almost manic, and I can't look away. His arm is still braced against the wall beside my head, caging me in with his body. His scent fills my lungs with each breath, making it harder to think clearly.
"Then why are you watching the sister of the man who tried to kill your brother?" I manage to keep my voice steady, even as my fingers continue to rub my tattoo.
His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think I've pushed too far. But then he leans in closer, his breath hot on my face. "Because if there's even an ounce of me that thinks you're lying, hiding things from me," he pauses, his eyes boring into mine, "then I'm going fucking punish you."
My heart pounds against my ribs like it's trying to break free. The wall is cold against my back, and I'm overly aware of how trapped I am between it and him. But I refuse to cower. I've spent too many years rebuilding myself to break now.
I push his arm down from the wall, knowing full well he's allowing it, and step away from him. "Just leave me alone."
The words come out softer than I intended, more pleading than commanding, and I hate myself for it. I hate how vulnerable I sound, how the tears are still threatening to fall, how my whole body trembles with a mixture of every emotion possible.
But Gio doesn't move. He stands there, a wall of muscle and intimidation. "You don't get it, do you?" he says, his voice a low tone. "This isn't a game, Raven. This is life and death. My brother's life."
I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly feeling cold. "And what about my life?" I snap back. "You think I want any part of this? You think I asked for my brother to get mixed up in whatever the hell he was into? For my father to disappear?"
Gio's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his cheek. "I don't know. Maybe. Either way, here you are. In the middle of it all."
I laugh sarcastically. "Yeah, here I am. Trying to keep this place afloat, dealing with entitled assholes, missing shipments, and now you." I gesture at him with air quotes. "You and your 'protection.'"
He takes a step back, finally giving me some room. "You may need it more than you know."
"I don't need anything from you," I yell out. But even as I say it, I feel like it may not be true, because deep down, a part of me is scared. Scared of what Johnny might have been involved in, scared of where my father might be, scared of the unknown dangers that seem to be circling me.
Gio must see something in my eyes because his expression softens just a fraction. "Look, if you're not hiding anything, this will all be over soon. And I get it. You're stubborn, independent. But this—"
"You don't know shit about me," I say, interrupting him.
"I know enough," he says. "I know you're in over your head. I know you're scared, even if you won't admit it."
The way he says those words makes my blood boil. How dare he stand here and pretend to know what I'm feeling?
"You want to know what I know?" I step closer, jabbing a finger at his chest. His muscles tense under my touch, but I'm too angry to care.
"I know you're a rude fucking person. I know you're probably the reason my father is missing.
And I know that whatever game you're playing, I want no part of it. "
His hand shoots out, catching my wrist before I can pull back. His grip is like iron, hot against my skin. "Careful, Raven. You don't want to test me."
"Or what?" I twist my wrist, trying to break free. "You'll kill me too?"
Something dark flashes in his eyes. He yanks me closer, our faces inches apart. "If I wanted you dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
My heart feels like it's going to explode in my chest, but I refuse to look away from those dangerous green eyes.
"Let. Go." I demand.
To my surprise, he does, and I jerk away from his touch like it burns.
A little smile paints his face. "Such fire," he murmurs. "I kind of like it when you're angry. You look—"
"Fuck you," I say and turn away.
"Remember what I said, Raven," Gio calls out.
I don't turn back. "Go to hell."
I head to the front door security system and type in the code. The alarm starts beeping.
"Sixty seconds and then it's active. Move, and the bars come down, and you're trapped until police arrive." I turn and look at Gio and his men before walking to the side exit.
"Bye, assholes."