Page 50 of Game of Love
I answered.
“Is she okay?” he asked. His voice seemed calmer now than earlier when he was barking at me.
“No,” I replied.
“You’ve been gone all day. Did something happen between you two?”
I had to laugh. This guy was something else. He really was. “You strike her down so hard it leaves a mark and you’re worried I defiled your daughter.Really?”
“Did you?” he asked, ignoring the rest of my comment.
“No,” I answered flat and held off saying that I wanted to and enjoyed the good feel I had of her breasts.
That fucking asshole. I nearly blew this mission out of the water when I saw him hit her. If so much hadn’t been at stake I would have. If I’d had some damn idea about where he was keeping the fucking prints I would have given him a taste of his own medicine and knocked him back. No matter that the man was twenty years older than me and I was twice his size, he would have deserved it.
“What did she say about me?” he asked. “She upset with me?”
“Look Giovanni, you haven’t exactly shared much with me but asking me if your daughter is upset with you because you hit her is very stupid. What do you think the answer is?”
“Fuck, Xander, I know what the fucking answer is. Of course she’d be upset with me, but I was hoping you’d share more of what she might have said.”
“There is nothing to share. I suggest you ask her yourself if you want to talk.”
He sighed. “There are things I need to be mindful of and Jia needs to know I live in a dangerous world. I rule with a heavy hand but be assured it’s with love.”
Now it was my turn to assert my authority. “Giovanni, I don’t give a shit what type of hand you rule with, if you use that hand on her again I’ll cut it off.”
I actually meant that.
He gave me a crude laugh. “You know what kid, you have some balls, but I’m gonna tell you I’d allow you to cut my hand off because I should never have hit her.”
Good for him to come to that conclusion without me having to guide him to it.
“No you shouldn’t have.”
“Goodnight Mr. Cage. Make sure you’re not late for work tomorrow.”
He hung up and I sped up down the road, pushing my car twenty miles faster than the speed limit. I wanted to get back as quickly as I could.
Wes was waiting for me. He looked worried.
“Man where the fuck were you?” he asked.
“Don’t ask.” I just wanted to roll into bed.
However when Ethan stepped out from the sitting room, I knew bed might be a long way away.
“Jesus Ethan. It’s been a long day. I can’t tonight.”
Ethan held up his hands. “Just come to check in. This is an off the record visit. I won’t even stay long.”
I nodded. That seemed okay.
“I ordered pizza,” Wes chimed in with a smile. “It should be here in about ten minutes.”
Since I hadn’t eaten all day pizza sounded good.
It would help to get the taste of temptation out of my mouth. The taste of Jia.
