Chapter 35 Giselle
GISELLE
“All done?” I asked Thayer and Kason, trying to act normal when my mind was reeling.
“Just waiting on you,” Kason said, his eyes locked on Gino. Oh, they definitely heard.
Before I knew what was happening, Thayer flew across the room, his forearm jamming into Gino’s neck as they crashed into the living room wall.
“Thayer!” I screeched.
“You did this,” he seethed into Gino’s face. “You brought your shit to Giselle, you motherfucker.”
“Get off of me,” Gino fought to get loose, but Thayer held him against the wall.
I tried to move toward them, but Kason—my hot-headed and impulsive brother—did the unthinkable. He wrapped his arm around me and said, “He’s got this.”
“You will do whatever it takes to make sure she never has to deal with your shit again,” Thayer ordered.
“This was never meant to touch her,” Gino squeaked out.
“Well, it did, in a big fucking way,” Thayer said through gritted teeth.
“What do you want me to do?” Gino asked, his voice strained with Thayer’s arm cutting off his air.
“You’ll sever ties with her in every way possible. You’ll make it known that you don’t see her. You don’t speak to her. You’re nothing to each other. Do you hear me?”
Gino’s eyes flashed down. “I can try.”
Thayer slammed his knee into Gino’s crotch. Gino curled into himself and probably would’ve keeled over had Thayer’s arm not been holding him to the wall. “You’ll do better than that, asshole,” Thayer ordered.
I winced. The grimace on Gino’s face conveyed the hurt Thayer’s knee had inflicted.
“Kase?” Thayer said, looking over his shoulder at him. “You want a turn?”
Kason shook his head. “I think you’ve got it covered.”
“G?” Thayer asked.
My eyes rounded, unsure what he thought I’d do.
“I think Gino owes you an apology,” he explained.
My eyes shifted to Gino’s. I could see the sadness and regret brimming in them.
“I’m so sorry this touched you, Giselle,” Gino said.
“I’m not sure I buy it,” Thayer said, pressing his arm harder into Gino’s neck.
“Fuck, Thayer. I loved her. I’d never knowingly let someone hurt her,” Gino breathed out.
“Well, I love her now,” Thayer said with much certainty. “And, I assure you, no one will ever hurt her on my watch.”
Tears welled in my eyes. Not only was he defending me, but he was letting me know I’d forever be safe with him. And, even though I knew he couldn’t possibly ensure my safety at all times, I one hundred percent believed he believed he could. And that was enough for me.
Thayer
The sun had set as Giselle, and I sat on the back of the U-Haul with our legs dangling off. My arm was wrapped tightly around her, and her head was tucked into my side. We hadn’t left her condo yet.
“Can we make a deal?” she asked quietly.
“Anything.”
“Can it be smooth sailing moving forward? Because I feel like life has been out of control lately, and I’m not sure how much more I can take.”
I pressed my lips to the top of her head. “I sure hope so.”
My father walked out of the building with Gino. Giselle sprang up and looked to me. “You know, you didn’t have to do this.”
“It’s the only way to keep you safe,” I said. “Would you mind staying here for a second?”
She eyed me, as if to warn me about putting my hands on Gino again, but then she nodded. I pressed a quick kiss to her lips, hopped down from the truck, and made my way over to my father and Gino. They stopped beside my father’s car when I approached.
“Gino’s cooperating,” my father said.
“Of course he is,” I said, my narrowed eyes moving to Gino. “He’d never want anything else to happen to Giselle.”
“I never meant for any of this to happen,” Gino reiterated.
“He’s making some life-altering moves to ensure that she’s safe,” my father informed me.
I assumed he meant relocation or witness protection.
“You promised to keep her safe,” Gino said.
“I do what I say I’m going to do,” I assured him.
He nodded. “You were always going to be the better guy for her. Treat her right.”
I blinked hard. That was definitely unexpected.
He glanced at Giselle sitting on the back of the truck. “Do you mind?” he asked me.
My jaw ticked, and my face remained emotionless. The last thing I wanted was for him to be “alone” with her.
“Of course, you can,” my father said.
Gino walked over and stood in front of her, making no attempt to touch her. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but she was listening and nodding.
“He’s not a bad guy,” my father said. “He just got wrapped up in things he couldn’t handle.”
I grunted.
“He admitted some other stuff, too,” my father continued.
My eyes cut away from them, and I looked to my father. “What other stuff?”
“This wasn’t the first time they hit one of his businesses.”
“But you said your guy didn’t find similar crimes,” I challenged.
“Because none of them were reported. He’s got salons and other small businesses that deal in cash. All owned by young beautiful women.”
“No,” I said, realizing what this meant. Giselle was one of many women in Gino’s life. Fuck me.
“He talked them out of getting the police involved. Giselle was the only one Carlo got rough with. So, police involvement couldn’t be avoided.”
“Jesus Christ,” I said, unsure how I felt about the unraveling information.
“What are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Are you going to tell her?” my father asked.
I thought about it. She’d been through so much. What good would come from telling her?
She’d hate him and wouldn’t talk to him again, for sure. But I was pretty confident, with the deal he was making, that he wouldn’t be allowed to contact her anyway. “Nah,” I finally said. “She already loves me.”
My father nodded. “Well, rest assured, he’s doing right by her now.”
“He should’ve done right by her before,” I clipped.
“We can’t all be perfect,” he said.
A million snide remarks sat at the ready, but he’d shown up to help. What kind of dick would I have been to shove all his imperfections in his face right now?
Gino moved closer, like he intended to hug her—or worse, kiss her. I tensed, my blood simmering.
“Down, boy,” my father said under his breath. “He’s just saying goodbye.”
“Forever, I hope.”
“Definitely forever,” my father concurred.