Page 11 of Bought By the Mafia

“You took my job away, because it was for my own good. Now you’ve taken my liberty to move around in the city, which, according to you, is for my own good. But I’m sorry, this sounds like obsessive-possessive behavior to me.” He growled. I wasn’t going to be threatened. I folded my arms in defiance. He could growl all day for all I care, but he wasn’t going to scare me. The only people I worried about were Johnny and Mickey, who I had accidentally roped into this feud.

Instead of responding, he turned his attention away from me and took out his phone from his pocket, glanced at it and put it back. “You and I should be leaving. We have an event to attend.”

“Not until you answer me.”

“Will you agree if I agree to tell you on the way?”

“And what if I don’t want to go?”

“You won’t get your answer. Simple as that.”

“And Johnny and Mickey?”

“You seem to care a lot about those two men.” Did I detect jealousy? No. His curt reply probably had to do with him being angry at me than anything else. Besides, he seemed to give them the same attention he gave his furniture.

“I care you won’t do anything to them because of what I did.”

“I promise no harm will come to them. But they’re going to have to learn a lesson.”

Visions of Giovanni’s men whipping Johnny and Mickey, pulling their nails with pincers and electrocuting their balls, came to mind. He didn’t seem like he could be that ruthless, but his family was well known to be capable of harsh violence toward people they deemed enemies. “You’re not going to torture them, are you?”

Gio chuckled. “I meant docking their pay. God, you must think I’m some ruthless maniac.”

“Well, aren’t you?”

Gio stalked over to me until there was little space between us. It felt difficult to breathe when he was this close. My gaze went to his lips, remembering the way they had played against mine yesterday. I had struggled the entire day to get those erotic thoughts out of my mind, but having him this close made it impossible. They flooded in. His grip on my waist. The way he had played my body like fiddle and gave me an orgasm that I hadn’t gotten from anyone else but me in a long time. Coupled with the eroticism, however, was the edge to him. That danger that effortlessly emanated from his being.

If I was as bad as you think, you wouldn’t be disobeying me. If anyone is the villain here, it’s you.”

“Me?”

“Some would consider stealing money from people as evil.”

Ah. That. Should tell him the truth? I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to see me in a good light. Maybe if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t treat me as terrible as he did, but I stopped myself just in time. He was likely to remain as hateful and become even more vengeful, not just to me, but to someone else I love, and I couldn’t let that happen. Being the only person to receive his wrath was better than the alternative. “I’m sorry, I stole your money, but really? It was a long time ago, and I am sure a man as proficient in the arts of finance has since made it back many times over.”

“It’s not just about that and you know it.”

“What else could it be?” I asked. I doubt he was bothered by the lies I had told him all those years ago about coming back with him to New York and becoming his girlfriend. It’s not as if he didn’t lie. He had told me he wanted to continue our relationship beyond our Greek vacation, but I doubt he wanted someone like me, a party slut, as he had called me, as a girlfriend. The words hurt then, and they still do now, but that’s how I had deliberately painted myself as.

He shook his head as if dismissing some thought that came to mind, and suddenly his mood shifted and he changed the topic. “We need to get ready.”

I wanted to get into it with him more. I wanted to know what this other thing could be, but I let him change the subject. “Where are we going?”

“A gallery opening.”

“One of your money laundering schemes?”

“We need to be seen out together at a few locations if we want people to think this as a genuine relationship.”

“Why would anyone care?”

“Wanna know? I’ll tell you on the way.” He checked his phone again and then glanced back at me with eyes clouded with passion. “Or maybe you want us to spend tonight the same way we spent last night.” His eyes lowered to my chest. “I have a hankering to see them bounce up and down as I fuck you against the window.”

I instinctively clutched my chest. “I’ll get ready,” I said and made my way to my bedroom. How was he able to turn it on and off like that, leaving me with a jumble of emotions? I ran out, not because I want to go through this gallery opening, but because the thought of getting fucked against his wall to ceiling windows had me flushing red. It was embarrassing to go from being angry at him to wanting to fuck him in a matter of seconds.

I quickly searched for something that would look good at a gallery opening, added some jewelry, and made my way back downstairs. Gio was waiting for me and he too had changed as well. The gray pants and light-blue shirt paired with a dark navy blazer made him exude the energy of a modern-day god. My stomach fluttered the moment I laid eyes on him. This man is my husband, I thought.

Gio’s gaze scanned me up and down as I descended the staircase. “Will I do?” I asked.

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