Page 15 of Hostile Secret
That natural style gives him an effortless appearance, making my pulse stutter, even now. Except he’s about to desert me in a haunted manor house and my hands are stupidly trembling.
A shiver shudders through me when he angles toward the door, ready to leave. I hate how desperate I’ve become. Not for Giovanni’s attention, but for human interaction.
For my lost brother's reassurance, the security he’d offered, and most of all his company.
With Daenis downstairs and Giovanni ready to walk away, a lump forms in my throat. I could cry, but that wouldn’t help. Out of everything Reno had taught me, courage takes precedent.
That’s why he had sent me to Jiu Jitsu from a young age and put a gun in my hand when I was old enough to understand that self-defense meant killing anyone who came for me.
I’ve grown up in the presence of ruthless gangsters for as long as I can remember, which means I won’t shed a tear in front of Giovanni––not that he would care.
A man of his ruthless caliber would only think of me as weak. Anyone with a right mind would steer clear of this place given it’s the perfect setting for a horror show. Yet this is the very place he calls home. A formidable gothic manor house harboring a dangerous man.
My throat thickens. “Gio…” I say quickly. He continues toward the exit and stops at the door, turning to face me. “Where is your room?”
“Why do you ask?” His voice is dark and velvety, his black clothes camouflaged in the shadows he’s about to slip into.
“No reason. I’m just wondering if the other rooms on this floor are occupied.”
He leans against the door jamb and crosses his arms. “They aren’t.”
My heart starts to thump so hard I think it could crack a rib. Still, I won’t give him the pleasure of seeing me scared.
“Okay.” I sigh loudly for show and move across the room, going from one window to the next, only finding the long driveway outside nestled amidst thick trees. “So it’s just me, you, and Blackwater’s ghosts.”
After a long pause, a thick grunt breaks his contemplation. The sexy sound could almost be considered a laugh, except he doesn’t smile. “Are you afraid of ghosts, niñita?”
“Not at all. In fact, I hope they join me so I can participate in some worthy chit-chat,” I mutter sarcastically, stopping at the foot of the bed, exhausted and annoyed at his attempt to belittle me. “I’m sure they’d be a lot more welcoming than you.”
The right side of his mouth hitches ever so slightly. I glare at him, my pulse pounding in my throat, trying hard not to reveal my unbalanced emotions.
“I told Dré I would take care of you. That doesn’t mean we have to spend time together. You’ve landed yourself in my private residence, which is something none of my family has ever achieved. Not even my mother.”
“However, I’m not interested in hearing how your day was or finding out if the new mattress is to your liking.” His Spanish accent is a touch more refined than André’s, but every bit as low and raspy. The husky tone rolls over me in tingly waves. “The only thing I expect from you is obedience. Eat the meals set down in front of you, do your schoolwork, don’t snoop, and definitely do not poke your pretty little nose into my business.”
“I’m a person, Gio.” I roll my eyes. “Not a Bloodhound.”
He arches a brow at me. “You wouldn’t want to be my dog, niñita. They always end up dead.”
I storm across the room and stop in front of him, eyeing his scarred cheek. How could a facial wound be so incredibly sexy?
“If you hurt Daenis, I’ll kill you while you’re sleeping.” I bravely warn him.
“You’d have to find me first.” Something unreadable flickers in his expression. “This evening you’ll eat in your room.”
“Fine with me. I’d prefer not to eat with you, anyway.” I pull back my shoulders for extra confidence and fix my armor back in place. We are not friends, and this fleeting fascination will die by the morning. “Now get out of my room.”
In a heartbeat, his stealth movements kill what's left of my personal space. Large hands clamp my shoulders and I’m driven backward until my ass hits the wall.
Warm breath heats my cheek as he presses his pelvis tight to my hip, securing me in place.
“You’re in my home now, niñita. Do I need to teach you how respect works?”
My scalp prickles, aware of his tone dropping to a rumble. Illicit seduction taints his words, even though his body language warns me of pain.
“Fuck off, Gio.” I wriggle against him. “I’m not scared of you.”
“You will be if you tell me to fuck off one more time,” he growls into the side of my face, slowly pulls back and stares right at me. “I’m the monster under your bed and hiding in every shadow. If I decide to keep you here permanently, no one will know where to start looking for you.”
