Page 103 of Driftwood Daffodil

That’s when Memphis stepped in to make introductions. “Nova, this is Kendall. Kendall, Nova.”

“Oh,” Kendall’s brow arched. “You’re the infamous, Nova.”

She knew who I was? Can’t say I was surprised, given who her brother was, but I was a little flattered. Plus infamous Nova was better than the girl with a sock on her ass, so I’d take it as a win.

“It would’ve been smarter if your brother left Atlas alone.”

Oh, she did not just go there. “Maybe Atlas shouldn’t have raped my sister.”

“You think your sister was the only one?” She coughed out a snicker. “You’re not as smart as I thought.”

The question came out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Did he rape you?”

“Please,” she snorted. “My father would’ve killed him.”

“Just like my brother,” I pointed out.

“Fair enough,” her shoulder lifted in a small shrug. “But that doesn’t get you off of Gio’s radar. You do know they’re following you, right?”

Well, yeah. They kind of sucked at stalking.

Kendall’s lids narrowed a bit as she turned her attention back to her brother and his friends. “Gio’s mother is a soft spot. Feel free to pull on that thread.”

Okay, now I was confused, “Why are you telling me this?”

Shouldn’t she be on their side?

“I hate them,” she sang and walked away.

If anyone could understand that, it was me. My blood boiled just looking at Gio, but it was the voice that got louder with every step he took that made my fists ball.

‘I just got out of the infirmary.’

My brother had to join a group of bikers so he wouldn’t get constantly beat up. And even then he would still end up with bruises and broken bones. Because as he said, nothing would stop it. Kato shouldn’t even be in prison. Atlas was the criminal, not him.

The whole Mancini family were nothing but high paid criminals. They got away with everything. Beating up helpless guys in prison and kissing girls out of the blue. Well, no more. I’d had enough.

“Nova,” Memphis gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Are you okay?”

“I will be.” I growled, then stormed away with my eyes locked on my target.

There was a brief moment where Gio raised his brow, but that was all he got before my fist cracked off his jaw. Every ounce of anger I had went into that strike. I hit him so hard that his head twisted to the side and pain radiated up my arm. But I didn’t stop there.

I snarled, “That’s for my brother,” then swung my fists again, this time in his groin while adding, “this one’s for me.”

There was a moment people had when they realize they fucked up. Where the ground would drop out from under them and cold spike would shoot up their spine. Well, when Gio’s dark glare locked on mine, I was in that moment.

He didn’t buckle like most guys would when they were hit in the nuts. He just looked really, really pissed off. All I could hear as his fingers gripped my arm, was a tiny voice in the back of head whisper, “uh oh.”

Chaos erupted. Memphis lunged, Atlee and Darry intercepted, and people yelled and ran to get out of the way while I was pulled through a door into a dark room.

GIOVANNI

Every emotion had a distinctive scent, but rage… that one had an unyielding beast that demanded to be fed. Oh, and I was going to feed it. I was going to give it all the pain it craved.

That was all I could think when I kicked the door to my left open. I didn’t care about anything else. Not the ache in my balls, or the spark of excitement in Atlee’s eyes when he knocked Nova’s blonde friend to the ground. I didn’t even give a shit about the knife Darry pulled out. All I could smell was the coppery tinge of the blood I was going to spill.

Nova jerked back, but I dug my fingers into her flesh until I could feel the muscle underneath and yanked into the dark.

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