Page 58 of Hostile Rival
“But I feel like I know you already.”
“I’m not interested. I have a girlfriend. You know that.”
She pushes me sideways, changing direction so we end up stopping next to a towering pillar. “Sì…but I know you’re not serious about your girlfriend because you were up to no good a few minutes ago with another woman.” Her hands settle on my lapels, stepping in closer.
My brows snap together. “You were spying on me?”
“No! I was looking for you. There’s a difference. Anyway, you should know she threatened to kill me.”
I freeze. “The woman I was with threatened you. What the fuck did you say to her?”
Giana balks. “Didn’t you hear me, Matheus?La puttanasaid no one would find my body parts.”
My temper fires to nuclear, confused and lacking patience. “I heard you loud and fucking clear and now I want to know what you said to her?” I bite out. “People don’t throw empty threats for no reason.”
“It wasn’t empty,” Giana hisses. “She got jealous when I told her you rescued me in Naples. For some reason, she said, that puts your life at risk. La puttana clearly has no idea whose dick she was sucking or how powerful your family is. I know exactly who you are and what you guys do to get the job done.”
My blood runs cold. “Call her that name once more and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” I warn on a snarl. “You have no clue who you’re fucking with.” Breaking eye contact, I search the room again, my heart beat panicky and my nerves jumpy. “Where is she?”
Giana fidgets. “For someone who has a girlfriend, you seem awfully concerned about a stranger. Maybe she means something to you after all––”
My jaw clenches. “Be very careful what you say next. If anyone messes with her…if they as much as lay a finger on her…your whole family will pay the price.”
When Giana mindlessly shrugs, my mind goes black and my hand jumps to her throat. “You have five seconds to tell me where she is.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me…” she hisses. “Not in front of everyone. One wrong move andyourfamily would pay the price, Matheus. We have security everywhere.”
“You’d be dead before anyone figured out it was me.” I squeeze tighter. “I’m not the hero you want me to be, Giana, and no one messes with myfamilia.Comprendes?”
From my left, Hunter approaches and Oistin moves into position seconds later. Both of them discreetly shield us fromonlookers, neither of them making eye contact with me. No one would suspect we’re part of a team.
Meeting Giana’s wide eyes, I do my best to control the impossible. The violence darkening my impulses.
“You didn’t think the Souzas would come to your home unarmed and unprotected, did you? We have undercover soldiers in position everywhere and with one nod from me, they’ll execute your parents first. This ballroom would be a bloodbath in minutes if you don’t start talking.”
A tear rolls down her cheek. “The new protocol is to interrogate first, then eliminate all threats.” Giana swallows against my hand. Her nails dig into my wrist, doing her best to pull me off her. “If she’s not a real threat, they’ll throw her out the gates. If she is, they’ll dispose of her. They probably took her underground to Papà’s wine cellar.”
A violent shiver rattles my bones. Dani’s a fighter, one of the best. But that doesn’t mean she’s invincible.
“How do I get down there?”
Giana stares over my shoulder, her gaze falling to the opposite end of the room. “Through the far doors. Take the elevator.”
I shove Giana away and spin on my heels, putting my back to the wall and her.
“Buffy?” I ask out loud, not looking directly at Hunter or Oistin, but aware of their curt head shakes. “Keep this one and her family in here. No one leaves until I say so.”
Pushing into the crowd, I head straight for my mother’s bodyguard. “Get her out of here. Now.”
Always alert and perceptive, he doesn’t ask any questions. If the urgency in my voice wasn’t enough to get him moving, the weapon I’ve drawn would signal the war I’m about to start.
I watch him usher my mother to the nearest exit and back up, aware of the Souza soldiers closing in behind me. Nudgingmy way through the unsuspecting crowd, I prowl in André’s direction.
“What the fuck’s going on, Mat?” He frowns, instinctively reaching for the gun under his jacket. “Your face is like thunder.”
Leaning into him, I put my hand on his shoulder and bump my chest with his. “I need you to go home with Mama. I have a personal score to settle.”
André’s brows pop skyward. “Who’s fucked with you, brother?” His voice hardens. “Nico?”
