Page 69 of Red Retaliation
Oh, I get his game. That bastard needs Arianna to believe he’s the hero - the one with her best interests at heart. And she does. But for how long?
Meanwhile, I’m the villain...
“He’s not listening to you, Liam,” Oscar growls. “We both know that we don’t figure anymore!”
“Yeah, everything’s changed since that bitch turned up!”
I slam my fist on my desk, gratified by the slight jump it provokesfrom my brothers. “I hear every fucking word!” I center my attention on Liam. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you to pull your head in with insulting Arianna, yet you still do it. I’m warning you now, it stops or fuck off!”
“Jesus Christ!” Liam hisses. “Now he’s putting her above us as well! What’s happened to you, Red?”
Oscar folds his arms across his chest. “This is getting ridiculous! What the fuck were you doing agreeing to Galvatore’s demands?”
I stub out my cigarette in the ashtray, choosing my words carefully. If I say what I want, I’ll tell my brothers to get out of my life and never come back. I’m sick of fighting them. “Just because that’s what I’ve allowed Galvatore to believe doesn’t mean I’ve agreed to anything, so quit with this shit!”
“Is that so? Well, if we’d been there, we’d have gleaned that ourselves, but... oh yes, neither me nor Oscar were told fuck all and learned about it from that bint on reception!”
“You invited Arianna to see her darling daddy while leaving us out of the loop though, didn’t you!” Oscar fixes me with a glare even harsher than Liam’s. “Just ‘cos you’ve got the world’s worst guilt trip because of Lorna doesn’t mean you have to chuck everything we’ve worked for down the fucking toilet! How many more times, Red? Arianna is aGalvatore, and you marrying it, doesn’t mean we should become involved with her bastard family!”
“Leave Lorna out of it!” I jump from the seat, my temper blown. “You know fuck all!”God, I’m so close to telling them what really went down.“Did you not hear me? I said I’m not involving us with Galvatore - I’m forcing the bastard away from Bristoni. That way, we’ll know exactly who’s pulling stunts. And as for Arianna being a Galvatore, she’s not. Not anymore. She’s aBatemannow.”
Liam’s eyes spark with rage. “Over my dead body.”
“That can also be arranged...” I shrug on my suit jacket.It’s been a long day.
“Oh, so you’re threatening me again? Your own brother?”
Halfway out of my office door, I turn around. “What I’m saying is that if you can’t accept my decisions and can’t act in an acceptable manner, then find a firm more suited to your mindset!”
Leaving the office, I slam the door behind me. Liam and Oscar can stew for as long as they wish, but I’m going to bed.
I storm around the corner, only to meet Del coming the other way.
“Ah! I was just coming to see you. Is it true that Galva...”
“Not now,” I growl, continuing down the corridor. “Whatever you want to know can wait until morning.”
All I want is peace, yet now I’ve got to deal with Arianna being in my bed. No matter how much she infuriates me, she still intrigues and excites me more than she should.
But the mood I’m in, if she eventhinksabout continuing her rant, I’ll be forced to throw in the towel and fuck her hard until she shuts the hell up.
CHAPTER
49
Arianna
MY EMOTIONS HAVE lurched between anger and hurt since leaving Red’s office. Or should I say afterhewalked out, leaving me fuming.
Being summoned there, believing for all of ten seconds that everything was fine and a truce agreed with Papà, when it was all part of a sick, twisted plan.
Sure, he’d honored the part that Papà would be safe from reprisals he and his band of thugs might offer - because that’s what the Batemans are - thugs, but what he failed to mention was he’d make out Ichoseto marry him. He forgot to tell me he planned it to look like we have agenuinerelationship.
I pull the bed sheet higher around myself, glowering at the closed door of the en-suite where water still cascades from the shower inside.
Red Bateman can wash away the day’s grime, but it won’t be so easy to remove the knowledge that he’s purposely and cruelly split a family up for no reason, other than spite.
Not that I suspect that’s crossed his mind, the devious, evil bastard.
