Page 53 of Caruso
Where Matteo is more polished–refined even, Giorgio is rougher, more streetwise and wears his brutality like a badge of honor. His cruel dark eyes match his slightly shaven head, his rough jaw smooth but bearing battle scars.
He moves like a black panther, every well-crafted muscle working in unison, flowing like a beautiful living sculpture. His fingers adorned with silver rings, the expensive watch on his wrist daring a thief to even try.
Brutal beauty and all man with a deadly attraction. The rougher side of life—dark and deliciously fucked.
His eyes burn into me as I enter the room, taking in the black velvet ski pants and black camisole I’m wearing. I pulled on ankle boots with a low heel for once, for which my feet are extremely grateful. A light, black baseball jacket made of silk is enough to disguise my figure under it, and for once I tied my hair back into a sleek ponytail.
His eyes signal their approval, and he holds out his hand.
“Are you ready, little one?”
“Of course.”
I reach for his hand as natural as breathing, and as we head back down the hallway, my heart beats with excitement.
Giorgio’s playroom is unconventional but suits the man perfectly. There is a chill in the air as he opens the door; the low moan of his guest greeting us as we step inside.
It’s dark in here, almost black, and yet there is one single spotlight trained on the man hanging from the wall. My breath hitches as I regard him covered in blood, the word ‘thief’ spelled out across his bare chest.
He groans as we approach, and Giorgio laughs softly. “Ah, he’s awake at last.”
He turns to me and says almost casually. “Meet Oscar Duran, baby. He decided to try his luck in a different way. It didn’t work out well for him, as you can tell.”
“Please.” A low moan comes from the man as he begs for his freedom. “I’ve paid back the money. I can get more, just please let me go.”
“Go?” Giorgio shakes his head. “Of course I will let you go.”
“Thank God.”
Oscar heaves a huge sigh of relief, and then Giorgio says casually, “But the fact remains you tried to steal from us. The Carusos and I must now send a message to any other thief who believes they have that right.”
He grasps the man’s hand and turns to me. “I am a man of my word, and this man will walk free, but at a cost, a warning if you like.”
My eyes widen in shock as Giorgio snaps the man’s wrist as if it’s a twig, causing him to scream in pain. Giorgio holds my eyes with his the entire time, and it’s strangely erotic. The spotlight is trained on his manic eyes, and my heart rate spikes as he casually lifts the other one and does the same, Oscar’s cries heart wrenchingly beautiful as he pays for his sin.
Giorgio‘s velvet eyes drag along my body, causing me delicious shivers, and he whispers, “You want your freedom, Oscar. It will be yours, but not now. I have a priorengagement I can’t be late for, so I will leave you to enjoy your pain for a little longer with a promise.”
He grips one broken hand and twists it hard, causing Oscar to scream in pain, and Giorgio adds, “You will leave with only one hand today. I am keeping one as a souvenir in a jar as a warning to the next thief who walks through my door and decides to take from me. Think about how that will hurt when I saw the bone from your skin and your blood drips from your body. How weak you will be, unable to do the simplest tasks anymore, even drive. You will be maimed, scarred and rue the day you walked into this hotel and decided stealing was a good idea.”
Oscar is sobbing, broken mentally as much as he is physically, and Giorgio shrugs, turning away, angling his head toward the door.
“Shall we leave him to process his new life angel?”
I nod, my mind shifting between forgiveness and revenge, and as we leave Oscar sobbing through his pain, I decide to plead on his behalf.
“Will you carry out your threat?”
“Of course.”
“But it’s so barbaric.”
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
I’m shocked when Giorgio spins me up against the wall and I witness the madness burning in his eyes as he hisses, “That man deserves to lose more than just his hand.”
“For stealing?”
