Page 41 of Game of Love
It was ten. I knew he’d have his business meetings at this time with some of his knights. Sometimes he’d have clients.
Armand and Vinny were the closest to him so they were usually present. They were likecaposto the boss in a traditional setting.
Not caring, I barged into his office and the door flew open, slamming against the wall.
It was a stupid thing to do because it made them reach for their guns.
All of them. Pa, Armand, Vinny, and Freddo.
They reached for their guns and aimed right at me.
“Hold your fucking fire!” Pa yelled. He stood up and marched over to me ready for war. “What the hell is the matter with you? You know not to do shit like that.”
“What’s wrong with me? Really, Papa? What’s wrong with you? My car, where is it?” I would never, ever, speak to him like that in front of people, wouldn’t dream of it.
That didn’t come from an acknowledgment of who he was. It was respect because he was my father. Today, I didn’t care one way or the other. Father or mafia boss.
Darkness filled his gaze as he stared at me. It almost made him look unrecognizable.
“Jia, that is the result of your little plan to leave,” he informed me.
How the hell would he know that? Anya would never say anything to him. Never. She wouldn’t do that to me, but, so far she was the only person I’d told.
“Leave?”
“Don’t even try to deny it. I’ve been tracking your internet searches and it’s enough to give me a heads up. Whatever plan you have up your sleeve ends now. No car, no money. No route to escape.”
Jesus Christ.My heart caught in my chest and it just caved.
When I was sixteen he locked me away because he thought I would run away and get myself killed.
It was the worst time in my life and straight after Ma’s death.
This was worse. It was tying me down and cutting off my free will.
Tears spilled down my cheeks.
“How can you do this?How? I’m leaving and there’s nothing you can do to stop me,” I screamed.
It was fine, I didn’t need his dirty money. That was what it was - dirty. Received from blood and deceit. I could find my way, get a job waitressing or God, even stripping. Anything to get away.
I moved away from him. Just one step and he grabbed me. He grabbed me in a similar fashion to the way Frankie had, but worse. When Frankie grabbed me, he might have talked big like he was going to put me in my place but he still had that fear of Pa in his eyes. This was Pa and he didn’t have anyone to be afraid of.
“Let go of me,” I snapped and he answered with the back of his hand.
The impact of his heavy hand knocked me straight to the floor in a helpless heap.
I was twenty six years old and in all my life no one had ever raised a hand to me. No one would dare because he was always there to protect me. It was so ironic that he would be the one to deal the first blow.
I looked up at him as the tears came. My eyes glued to his. The storm of emotion in his eyes was remorse mingled with fear.
Out the corner of my eyes I could even see that Armand and Vinny looked shocked. Of course they would from what they just witnessed.
“You…” Pa warned, pointing at me. “You have had it too good and easy. You will listen to me or end up in a cage if you want to behave like a fucking animal.”
Footsteps sounded against the marble floor and he stopped talking. He looked up and I followed his gaze to Xander. I didn’t know how long he’d been in the room or what he saw. Whatever he’d seen hardened his face.
Of everybody, he was the only one to come to me.
