Page 49 of Unrelenting
“I’m going to kill every last one of them.” Taking Damiano’s spare gun, a Glock 47, from the desk drawer. I go to tuck it into the back of my pants and realize I’m still in my underwear.
“You’re not killing anyone.” Damiano holds a hand out for the gun. To avoid argument, I give it to him. It’s not like I don’t have my own armory at home. “Not until we have proof it’s them.”
I stew over that for a minute and then nod.
“Yeah, okay.”
As much as I hate to admit it, Damiano is right. I need to be sure the Rossinis are the ones trying to buy Lucia out before I act against them. I barge past Damiano and head along the hallway toward the door to the garage.
“Where are you going?” he calls after me.
“To see Lucia, and I’m taking one of your cars.”
“You don’t want to have a shower first?” he asks. “Maybe put on some clothes?”
Damn it. I hate my fucking brother sometimes because once again he has a point. After being in bed for so long, I smell kind of ripe.
Changing course, I head for the stairs instead. Damiano’s amused laughter follows me as I make my way to my room.
If I didn’t have places to be, I’d go back and punch the asshole in the face.
For today, he gets a reprieve. The most important thing right now is Lucia. I have to see her and set her straight.
FOURTEEN
Lucia
By eleven o’clock,the last of our customers has left. It’s unusual to get finished this early, but I’m not complaining. Service was hectic, and although there were few problems, I’m glad we’re closed for the next couple of days.
Daniele is waiting at the bar for me, as usual. I tried to send him away, but he insisted that until Lorenzo relieves him of this duty, he’ll be here at closing time each night. I don’t know why he hasn’t been assigned to some other task.
Perhaps he’s spying on me for Lorenzo, looking for something he can use to put further pressure on me to sell. If he is, he’s wasting his time. I will never give in to bullying tactics.
When Daniele arrived, I let everyone go while I finished cleaning the kitchen. I felt like being alone for a while. There’s something therapeutic about wiping down the surfaces and emptying the dishwasher.
I’m just about done when the door from the dining room flies open and Lorenzo storms into the room. Unusually, he’s wearing black dress pants and a black shirt that’s a little loose around hisshoulders. With a fierce scowl on his face, he looks like the angel of death, come to claim his victim.
Startled as he steps toward me, I grab something to protect myself with. The nearest object just happens to be a knife. God knows what I intend to do with it.
Lorenzo snorts derisively, motioning toward the knife. “What are you planning to do with that,gattina?”
Something about him calling me kitten enrages me. “What I’d like to do with it is stab you through the eye.”
Lorenzo flashes me his arrogant smirk. “I’d like to see you try.”
He takes another step in my direction, and I drop the knife onto the table next to me. I could never wield it against a person.
“Pity,” Lorenzo says. “I’d have enjoyed wrestling that off you.”
Oh, I’ll bet he would have. “What do you want, Lorenzo? I’m tired and in no mood for games.”
“I’m here to set the record straight. Whatever you think I did, you’re wrong. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“So you didn’t send a lawyer to threaten me.”
Anger flares in Lorenzo’s eyes. “He threatened you?”
“Not overtly, but yes.”
