Page 50 of Unrelenting
Lorenzo shakes his head. “And you think I sent someone to do that?”
I believe it less than I did before. Lorenzo’s outrage seems genuine.
“Who else would it be?”
“I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to find out.”
As I stare at Lorenzo, I can’t find any hint that he’s playing with me. I feel bad for rushing to judgement. I’m about to apologize when I notice the line of stitches on his forehead.
“What happened to you?”
He raises his hand to his head. “This?”
I nod.
“I was shot.”
My jaw drops. “You were shot in the head?”
“Yes, well, grazed really. It happened at my cousin’s wedding.”
My knees threaten to buckle under me. I grab at the edge of the table to steady myself. When I heard the rumors of a shooting at a wedding, it crossed my mind that Lorenzo might be involved, but seeing the evidence of it shocks me to the core.
“So it’s true what everyone’s saying? The wedding was attacked? People were killed?”
“A few.” His response is so nonchalant I want to scream.
“A few? Lorenzo, do you hear yourself?”
He shrugs. “What do you want me to say, Lucia? Men attacked my cousin’s wedding. We defended ourselves.”
“So you’re an entirely innocent party?”
Lorenzo screws his nose up. “Not entirely innocent.”
Unable to deal with this, I shake my head in despair. I knew what Lorenzo is, the things he’s capable of, but I chose to ignore it.
This, however, is impossible to overlook. Mafia men never have clean hands, but somehow hearing him talk about people dying in such an offhand manner is just too much.
“I can’t do this, Lorenzo.” Panic swells inside me. Though I desperately want to be with him, there are things I can’t turn a blind eye to. “I can’t be with a man like you.”
“A man like me?” He stalks toward me. “You mean a criminal, a killer?”
“Yes.” I try not to let my fear show as he comes closer, invading my space, filling my senses with his masculine scent. “I can’t be around you, Lorenzo. This is over.”
He tilts his head to one side, studying me. All he’s doing is looking, but an icy slither of dread slips through my veins, making me shudder.
“Oh, Lucia, don’t you realize yet you’re mine? This isn’t over until I say it is.”
Before I can refute that, he lunges at me. I don’t have a chance to get out of his way. He moves faster than I’d have thought possible, sweeping me up over his shoulder.
As he carries me into the dining room, I kick my feet and hammer on his back with my fists, making absolutely no impact.
“Settle down!” Lorenzo slaps my ass hard. “Daniele, get the door.”
Heat flares in my cheeks as I remember his lackey is here to witness my humiliation.
“Lock up before you leave,” Lorenzo tells him.
