Page 40 of Savage Proposal

I couldn’t help myself: I laughed. Immediately, I knew it was a mistake, but there was no taking it back now. “I’m sorry,” I said, not sincere in the slightest. “I just wonder if you’re putting the cart before the horse a little.”

Gia’s brow wrinkled, confused. “What?”

“I haven’t seen Lorenzo say more than a handful of words to you,” I said. “Why would you think for a second that he intended to marry you?”

It took a moment for my words to sink in, and then her face sank into a bitter, angry expression. “My father will arrange my marriage to Lorenzo,” she said, and she sounded absolutely sure in that regard. Like she had no doubts that her father would be able to convince a grown, nearly forty-year-old man to take a wife that he didn’t want.

I nodded. “I wish you luck with that,” I said and grabbed my plate. I had only eaten half of my breakfast, but I couldn’t stomach anymore.

Gia followed me, clutching her own plate in her hands. “When I do become Lorenzo’s wife, I promise to find you a place better suited to your talents.” She handed her plate to me. “I think we can put you somewhere out of sight,” she mused. “No one really wants to look at Quasimodo, after all.”

Her words slipped down my body like ice water. Besides Lorenzo, no one had ever dared to bring up my scars…and shehad only seen the ones on my face. She didn’t know the worst of it was hiding beneath my shirt.

Even when my face looked worse, back when the scars were new and red and even uglier than they were now, no one ever said it outright. I didn’t get second dates, and some of my friends didn’t invite me out as often, dropping our interactions to text and social media, but no one insulted me to my face.

I put the two plates down in the sink, and then I turned, almost calmly, and slapped her across the face. My palm smarted from how hard it had connected with her cheek. Gia yelped and grabbed at her face. “Howdareyou?” she squalled before running from the kitchen.

I knew where she was going, so I didn’t bother following after her. Lorenzo would come find me soon enough, I was sure. Instead of worrying over it, I started washing the breakfast dishes. After a few moments, Amalia joined me. “I was wondering when you were going to find your balls,” she said, nudging my shoulder.

“She’s going to tattle on me.”

Amalia hummed in agreement. “You know that he doesn’t care for her.”

“He doesn’t hate the attention either,” I countered.

She chuckled humorlessly. “What man hates being flirted with by pretty women? Elio would sooner cut off his own arm than give another woman the time of day, but I still have to deal with the looks when we’re out together.” She nudged me again. “If you’re going to be with Lorenzo?—”

“I’mnotwith Lorenzo.” My throat felt tight, and I willed the feeling away. “We have a deal, that’s all.”

Her expression softened, but before she could say whatever comforting bullshit that was on the tip of her tongue, Lorenzo came into the kitchen like a thunderstorm. His presence filled the space with almost crackling, dangerous energy. “Amalia,” he barked. “Out.”

She went without even a glance my way. I didn’t blame her. I would have done the same if I had been in her place. “I won’t apologize to her,” I said, not bothering to turn around.

His fingers gripped the back of my neck and wheeled me around to face him. I swallowed hard. He looked two steps away from murder. “I won’t put up with squabbling like this. I have no patience for pettiness. You’re not my girlfriend,” he said flatly. “You’re not my wife. You’re a warm body in my bed, understand? You have no standing in this house.”

Numbed, I nodded. “Yes.”

He put a hand on my cheek, almost shockingly gentle in comparison to the fire in his eyes. “If you can’t find a way to behave while you’re here, I’ll put you to work somewhere else until your debt is paid off. I’m sure you’d be well-liked by some of our clients at the casino.”

I shivered. I knew that Lorenzo’s casino was steeped in illegal activity, but so far, I hadn’t seen it, and he didn’t talk about it around me. To be threatened so blatantly, it made my stomach roll.

I heard a scoff from somewhere behind Lorenzo. “I can’t see anyone who would possiblypayfor her,” Gia said. Her voice was bitter and mean. It was probably the closest she had been to herauthentic self since coming here. “Make sure you give them a good discount…or give them a bag to put over her face.”

Lorenzo let go of me, turning to her with a snarl. “Let me remind you, Ms. Gallo, that you are only welcome here because I owe your father a favor. If you continue to berate my people, I will send you back to him a piece at a time.”

He left the room without another word, leaving Gia and I shivering in his wake.

CHAPTER 25

Isabella

Gia avoided me for the rest of the day—surprise, surprise—but she did help Amalia with dinner that night. I watched with a kind of savage joy when Lorenzo picked at her precious salad with a sour look on his face.

Afterward, she fled to her room with tears in her eyes, and pity stabbed at me.She’s so young, I told myself. She might be a bitch, but it was in that high school, mean girl kind of way. She still had time to grow out of it. Maybe. Hopefully.

After dinner, Lorenzo disappeared back into his office with Damian and Elio, and I started moving my things back down the hall into the blue room. I was putting my clothes back into the cherry wood dresser when Lorenzo filled the doorway.

“What the hell are you doing?”

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