Page 40 of Undeniable

His jaw ticks before he takes a step closer to me. I quickly take a step away to make sure I keep my distance. If he touches me, I know that I will accept whatever it is he is about to say, and I can’t let that happen. I won’t.

He watches as I step back, hurt flashing across his face for a moment before it fades away and he gives me an impassive look.

“I am the Underboss for the Mariano Family. I am a made man.”

The world stills and my stomach flips. I think I am going to be sick. This cannot be happening. No, no, no, no. How have I never fully pieced this together? How have I gone this long without even knowing Ashlynn or Luca’s last name, since I am now assuming he is the Boss. The Mariano family is a name that most everyone in the city knows. It is a name to be feared and respected, or else. I have to get out of here. I can’t breathe.

Giovanni reaches out for me, but I dodge his arms and dart for the door. I throw it open and take off, running down the driveway. Rain dumps from the night sky and I am soaked to the bone in a second, but that doesn’t slow me down.Run, run, run.

Just when I reach the end of the driveway, a hard body collides with me as a strong pair of arms wrap around me, binding me to a solid chest.

“Let me go!” I wail as I struggle to break free. My anxiety is clawing up my throat with such ferocity it feels like I am physically suffocating.

“No,” Gio grunts as I elbow him in the stomach. He doesn’t release me though, instead tightening his grip. “Calm down and tell me what the fuck is going on. Where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here!” I shout as I continue to thrash against him like a caged animal desperate for freedom.

“Look, just calm down and let’s go inside and talk. I promise it isn’t as bad as you think it is.”

“I don’t care, Gio. I need to get away. Away from here, away from you just…away.”

In a lightning fast move he spins me around to face him, while never letting his grip on me loosen. His eyes are dark and intense but the line in between his brow tells me that he is concerned, maybe a little hurt?

“Is that what you really want?” He asks so quietly that the current downpour almost drowns him out.

I open my mouth to lie, it would be all too easy. But nothing comes out. I stand there unable to tell him what I need to in order to get away, in order to survive. I knew Giovanni was going to be trouble, but I didn’t know he was the life-threatening kind.

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” I say softly as I look down at where his arms are holding me tight. “I have to stay hidden.”

“From what?” He asks. I shake my head as I look down at my feet. He tilts my chin up to look at him, his eyes begging me to talk to him. “Fromwho?” He amends.

“People. Bad people. If they find me, I am as a good as dead.” My hands begin to tremble as tears blur my vision. “Let me go, Gio. I need to get somewhere safe.”

His eyes narrow as his jaw clenches. For the first time since I have known him, a dangerous edge flashes in his sharp eyes that sends chills down my back. This is the Giovanni that I always knew lurked underneath, the one that commands power and respect just from entering the room, the one that could kill you and not think twice about it, the one that could tear someone apart with his bare hands. The Underboss to the fucking Mafia.

“You don’t think that you are safe with me? You don’t think that I would do everything in my fucking power to protect you?” He asks, indignation coating his words.

“He will kill you if you try! He will kill Alessandro! He will hurt anyone and everyone to get to me. Just let me go, for all of our sakes.”

Instead of letting me go, accepting the fact that I need to run and letting us go our separate ways, he does the opposite. He takes another step towards me until our bodies are completely flush and removes one hand from my waist to cup my jaw.

“Let him try. You are mine, Tasha, and I protect what is mine. I promise there is no safer place for you than right here. Stay, and I will burn down the fucking world for you.”

Before I can respond, his mouth dives down to crush against mine and that seems to be all that it takes. My knees buckle as Gio reaches down to scoop me up into his arms, never breaking the kiss. I wrap my legs around his back as he walks us over to the side of his driveway where the forest surrounding his property begins.

He quickly pushes me up against a tree as he continues to ravage my mouth with his. I claw at his back, letting all of the fear and anxiety rise inside of me but instead of letting it control me, I am letting it fuel me. He groans as he makes quick work of stripping my pants off and springing his already rock-solid cock free before lining up to me and driving inside of me.

I let out a surprised yelp, but it quickly turns to a satisfied moan. As he begins to thrust into me, he pulls back to look me in the eyes, determination sparking behind those piercing silver eyes.

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You don’t get to run away. You don’t get to decide what you think is best for me. You are mine. You will always be safe in my arms, I swear it.”

I want to believe him, so bad, and for the most part I do. But I can’t ignore this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me that might be a promise he simply can’t keep.

Chapter Fifteen

Giovanni

I made Tasha spend the night. I was too worried that if I let her go home, then I would never see her again. I don’t know why she freaked out like she did, I mean I am sure there are plenty of women who would be a little freaked out or put off at being associated with the Mafia, but her reaction? It was violent and petrified. She acted like someone was about to come out of the woodwork in that moment and kill her.

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