Page 48 of Psycho

Continuing to stare at her in bewilderment, I stand waiting for clarity. I have no idea what has my mother so upset, and how it involves my girlfriend of a year.

She shakes her head in disgust.

“I told you she was using you. Your father told you, but you would not listen. Her name is not even Julia!” She all but screams.

I wait for her to tell me more, and when she does, my world implodes.

“Danielle Mindar is her name. Her father works for the FBI, in the Organized Crime division. And now, your father is in jail. Charged with serious crimes, figlio. Do you see what you’ve done?”

I rub at the spot on my chest; the burning is intense and immediate. My father is in jail, and it’s because of me. Maybe not directly my doing, but my fault, just the same.

Hanging my head down, I place my face in my hands, as the devastation devours me.

“Oh, figlio. We have attorneys. He’ll likely be home for dinner. This is why we do not trust outside of our famiglia. Not until it has been proven that someone is worthy.”

My mother’s words hit me hard that day, and they’ve stayed with me for every day since. I cannot risk my family for her. And I cannot bring myself to kill her. Why don’t I have my brother kill her? Reaper would do it without batting an eye. I’ve considered it, but then I’d never see him the same way again. I don’t love her, but this girl has gotten under my skin.

Again, I want to tell her everything will be okay, and that I’ll protect her. I clench my jaw at my own thoughts. I fucking want to, but I can’t.

“You should take a shower before he gets here, Anastasia,” I say softly.

She climbs off me and stands naked beside the bed, as stunning as ever, fists clenched, eyes radiating fire, as she screams.

“You’re really going to do this to me?”

I nod wordlessly.

“When you hear that I’m dead, I want you to remember, you killed me. It was your choice. You did not have to do this. You chose it. Loving you is a cruel fucking joke, Massimo. I thought Carlo was the worst man I had ever met, and he was...”

She hangs her head down, and her voice comes out broken.

“Until you.”

I clear my throat and get dressed, feeling her hot gaze scorching my back.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to yourself, and meet you downstairs.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

PSYCHO

Jimmy enters my home, flanked by four of my guards. He is the kind of man you watch from all angles, because even if you think he’s a friend, I promise you, he’s not.

“Bonetti,” he says with a slimy grin.

I shake off the war currently going on in my head. Like there’s an angel on my right shoulder, saying to not do this, and the devil on my left, is screaming that she can’t be trusted, and this is my only option.

“She ready? After seeing that picture, I can’t wait to fuck her. Is she a screamer?”

Clenching my jaw, I tighten my hands into fists at my sides. I want to kill him. How dare he talk about my little lamb like that? I want to reach into his chest, grab his beating heart, and stuff it down his throat. Instead, I take a deep breath, because this is my doing. My guards stand staring at him, not really listening to his vile words, but ready for any threat.

“Anastasia is in the shower. She’ll be down in a few minutes. Do you want me to grab her suitcase while you wait?”

He laughs, like someone told a hilarious joke, before shaking his head.

“No. She won’t need any of it.”

Images of him, torturing her, flash through my mind. Jimmy, fucking what belongs to me, and my chest aches with regret, before it has even happened.

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