Chapter 22
GIO
I walk into Red’s place about thirty minutes late, parking my car beside a bunch of others. The only reason I even knew what time this party was going to take place is because Fionn told me. He knew I was invited and offered the information easily.
When I arrive, her house is packed with people, drinks in hand, the place dimmed, music blasting. This doesn’t seem like Red at all. Holding a small box in one hand, I shove past a group of guys, wanting to find her so that I can hand her the gift I bought her. I even wrapped the damn thing.
But as I move past more bodies, my eyes greeting the curves of her figure, hugged beneath a deep blue dress, blood rushes to my head. Hard and fast like I’ve been struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat.
My feet are moving quickly, my pulse filling my ears.
I squeeze the box in my fist, not caring if I’m destroying it. Because seeing her with another man is destroying me.
His arm is wrapped around the small of her back, and neither of them see me. Not yet. But they will, and whoever he is, he’s about to have his hand permanently detached from his wrist.
“Get the fuck off of her,” I snap through gritted teeth and that has them both turning, and when I see the man beside her, rage fills my veins.
The weapon at my waist burns with the need to wrap my palm around it and put a bullet into Adriano Scutari, the son of the boss of the Grazia family.
Iseult doesn’t glance away from me, her features indifferent, as though she’s doing nothing wrong standing beside a man who isn’t me, letting his fingers stay settled on her hip.
“Gio.” Adriano nods, while my glare shoots between the two of them. “What seems to be the problem?”
He pulls her in closer, and my chest rises with one quick inhale. And before he can blink, my hand whips out the gun and I’m pointing it at him.
But just as quickly, he snatches his from his waistband and points it at me.
I don’t know who’s catching wind of this besides Kora, who’s near Iseult, and a few guys on my right who are talking in hushed tones, but we’re about to have a party of our own if this asshole doesn’t stop touching her.
“The problem is you have your hands on her,” I tell him, fury and readiness slamming into my chest. “You need to leave. Now.”
“And why is that?” His tone is taunting, dark eyes narrowing. “I was invited.”
Iseult places her palms on each of our weapons. “Drop your fucking guns before I take out mine and shoot you both dead.”
I fix her with a piercing gaze, and she doesn’t even attempt to look away.
Adriano chuckles, shaking his head as she widens an angry stare at me. But he starts to lower his weapon, and I quickly follow.
I have nothing against him or the Grazias. But right now, I’d kill my own flesh and blood for touching what’s mine.
If I kill him, I will start a whole new war. But I wouldn’t be the only man on this planet who’s gotten his hands bloody over a woman. And she’s not just a woman. She’s my Red.
“We need to talk. Now,” she seethes, grabbing my forearm and dragging me away toward the kitchen on the opposite side of the floor.
She shoots me a venomous look filled with unmitigated fury. “What the fuck was that?”
She shoves at my chest, while I remain still, taking slow deep breaths.
“Were you trying to let everyone in there know we’re fucking?” she whisper-shouts.
She throws another palm at the center of my chest, while anger spirals from the pit of my stomach. And when she attempts that again, I grab her wrist, spin her body around against the counter, and press myself up into her.
With a curled fist at one side, the other hand reaches for her throat, wrapping my fingers around her delicate flesh. She swallows hard, the vibrations rolling down my hand.
“We haven’t fucked in a year, Red,” I remind her.
My lips drop close, stroking her soft trembling mouth.
“Believe me, I remember exactly how long it’s been. And don’t you fucking dare…” I nip her bottom lip with my teeth. “…diminish us to just fucking. I’ve fucked plenty of women before. None of them meant a damn, because none of them were you.”
“Gio…” she breathes.
Grabbing a fistful of her hair, I say, “Don’t you fucking Gio me, baby.” I kiss her once, hard and fast, groaning when I pull away. “Go out there and be a good girl and get rid of him.”
“That’d be rude,” she whimpers when my fingers cinch tighter around her throat, her eyes turning heated and aroused.
“Get rid of him, or I will walk back out there and kill him in front of all your guests. What would Daddy say then?”
My eyes fall to her mouth, while hers fall to mine. Desire unfurls between us as it always does when we’re this close to one another, consequences be damned.
“You’re insane,” she whispers, her breath hitching.
“You have no idea how right you are. And you, my little bambina? You will pay for this. How much, depends on how quickly you make him leave.”
“He’s my date, Gio.” She grabs my wrist to try to yank me off, but with those words, I squeeze my grasp around her throat even tighter so she feels how badly those words just hurt.
“Date, huh?” I laugh coldly before my face twists into something dark.
I force her body to bend backward until she’s pinned to the counter and mine’s looming over hers.
“Let me clarify something, baby, because I don’t think we’ve established the rules.
” I brush her mouth with my thumb while her eyes narrow into slits.
“The only man you’ll ever date is me. The only man who’ll ever get to kiss you, and fuck you, and love you, is me.
” I fall in close to her ear. “Do we understand each other? Because if we don’t, I’ll drag you back into that room, bend you over that couch, and fuck the shit out of your pretty pink pussy while they watch you take it.
Because we both know how good you can take it. ”
She groans.
I grind my throbbing cock into her. “Is that what you need? For everyone to know that you’re my whore? My everything?”
“You need to let me go,” she utters breathlessly, her eyes boring into mine. “We have to stop. Your marriage to Eriu isn’t just going to disappear. I won’t hurt my sister, no matter how good this feels…”
The last few words strangle in her throat the harder I grind into her.
“My feelings for you won’t disappear either. So why don’t you go and tell that asshole there was a misunderstanding. That he’s no longer invited.”
I back off while she fixes the hem of her dress and shakes her head in frustration.
“You can’t do this again,” she says in a whisper. “Not when there are people all around us.”
I gnaw my jaw.
“I will not tell you again, Red. Get. Rid. Of. Him.” Every word is a growl.
Her chest lurches with quick inhales, my eyes scanning her breasts, practically spilling out of the V-cut. When she doesn’t say anything, I go on.
“And if I find out you let him touch you or kiss you…” I curl and uncurl a fist. “He’s as good as dead, and you? Oh, Red, you’ll be in so much fucking trouble. The kind that even your feisty temper won’t save you from.”
“He didn’t…” Her words trail.
“Lucky him. You just saved his life.”
“Is everything okay?” Eriu’s voice causes us both to sharply turn toward her.
“Of course.” Iseult plasters on a fake smile and rushes toward her sister. “Let’s go dance.”
“Uh, you hate to dance.” Eriu peers questioningly at her.
“I don’t right now,” she mutters.
“Red,” I warn, and she glances behind her shoulder right at me and nods.
“Let me do one thing before we dance though,” she tells Eriu, dragging her away, leaving me there with my demons.
ISEULT
The party has long wound down, and my sister and Kora are cleaning up before heading to their respective homes.
Kora enjoyed the show Gio put on, saying he must really care about me to risk his life like that.
Because if my father had found out about us, he’d definitely not react kindly.
He may not have been at the party, but he’s got spies everywhere, and it could very well be any of the instructors who were at the party.
I admit cozying up to Adriano wasn’t the most brilliant plan I’ve ever had. But once I saw Gio park his car, I started talking to Adriano, thinking if I could get Gio to think I wasn’t interested, maybe he’d back away.
But, of course, it’s Gio, and I should’ve known better.
Mafia men are really not my type. Except one, apparently.
And though Adriano is a handsome man—six-three with a chiseled jaw that definitely has women drooling, especially when paired with his black hair and dove-gray eyes—I have zero interest. It’s why he was the perfect date of sorts.
Because no matter how badly I try, the only man I’m interested in is the one I shouldn’t have.
“So, why was Gio so mad at you?” Eriu asks, picking up the empty charcuterie board and bringing it to the sink.
“Yeah, Iz, why was he so mad?” Kora tightens her lips beside me as we follow my sister, throwing some empty beer bottles into the garbage.
Shut up, I mouth, giving her a deathly glare.
She stifles a laugh.
“I don’t know,” I tell Eriu as she glances over her shoulder, scrubbing the board before drying it.
“I thought maybe you were fighting about me,” she sighs. “I didn’t even get a chance to speak to him.”
“Did you want to speak to him?” My heart races, wanting more than anything for her to say no.
“Well…” She shrugs. “If he’s going to be my husband, I think I’m supposed to at some point, right?” She laughs nervously, leaning back against the counter.
“Right.” My smile is tense; I’m not sure what else I can say. “Well, thanks for a great party, but I’m tired.” I force a yawn, making a big show about it.
“Oh, right, of course.” Eriu starts moving out of the kitchen, grabbing her handbag from the table.
Kora rolls her eyes and throws an arm around my sister. “Come on, let’s leave the old lady to her sleep.”
“I’m not old.” We march toward my door, and Eriu opens it.
“At twenty-seven, you may as well be ancient,” Kora teases, her eyes narrowing as she examines my scalp. “Is that a gray hair?” She pulls on a single strand.
I scoff, slapping her hand away as both she and my sister laugh hysterically at my very unamused expression.
They both start to head out, and I shove Kora out the door. “Goodbye, and don’t come back.”
“Have fun with Mr. Tongue,” she quips back, a glint in her eyes as she whirls back around.
“Who’s Mr. Tongue?” My sister’s eyes bounce between us.
“Oh…” A mischievous grin slinks to Kora’s treacherous face. “That’s your sister’s vibrator.”
Eriu’s gaze pops wide. “Wha—”
I shut the door in their faces, locking it before I lean against it, hearing Kora’s laughter falling further away.
Once I don’t hear them any longer, I start thinking about him all over again, wondering if he got home safe.
He was so angry when he left, I was worried about him driving all the way back to New York. I wanted to text, but I didn’t want to distract him while he was behind the wheel.
He should be back by now, though. I take out my phone and find his name… Well, not his name exactly.
Iseult
Are you home?
Gripping the cell in my palm, I stare at the screen, hoping he returns my text, or I won’t be able to sleep. If I caused him to have an accident, I’ll never forgive myself. Minutes fall into the distance and he still hasn’t replied.
Iseult
I don’t care if you’re still pissed. Just tell me you’re okay.
Future Husband
Pissed? Oh, Red, pissed is a fucking understatement.
Instant relief washes over me.
He’s okay.
Iseult
Well, I’m glad you’re not dead. So…goodnight.
I gawk at the phone like a damn teenager, hoping he says something back. Which of course is crazy, since I’m trying not to have him want me. Damn well that’s going, considering how badly I wish he were here.
He’s probably shirtless, lying in his bed, hating me. I wish I was in his arms right now. I kinda like it there.
With a rough exhale, I start for the stairs, needing out of this dress and shoes. Maybe I will use Mr. Tongue tonight while thinking of him. I love Mr. Tongue so much, I have two of him.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I shuffle toward my bedroom, the upstairs immersed in darkness. I get to the second door on my right, turn the knob, and strut inside.
Switching on the light, I suddenly gasp, my pulse slamming into my ears.
Fingers clutch my chest, my heartbeats hammering against them as I come face-to-face with the one person I didn’t expect staring back at me.