8

Giovanni

The limo sits idling outside The Russian Lady, its graphite contours highlighted by the vulgar red neon sign. I watch the two women out the front, huddled together and intoxicated, waiting for their cab ride home. Only unbeknownst to them, I canceled it as soon as it was booked. I wait impatiently for her to emerge from this hell hole, my intolerance for being kept lingering getting the better of me.

“I’ll be back,” I inform my driver as I step out of the vehicle.

The crisp air bites and I can only imagine how these underdressed women must be feeling standing out here in the cold. I stalk towards the entrance and set my eyes on the doorman, to hell with the fucking line, when my eyes lock with hers.

A look of sheer horror halts her in her tracks when she realizes her nightmare is staring back at her. Of course, her sidekick is attached to her, as always. Do these two ever do anything apart? I stand just outside the door and watch them approach.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Her rosebud of a mouth sneers at me.

“Rescuing you.”

She juts her chin out defiantly. “We don’t need rescuing.”

“I decide that. Get your friends and get in the car.”

“You can’t order me around.”

Summer stands gripping Valentina tightly as though she’s afraid Valentina might slap me.

“Care to take that bet?” I step closer and chuck Valentina under her chin, forcing her to gaze up at me. I can’t help but stare at her dark eyes, ones full of anger and hatred. What leads such a beautiful woman to have such a hateful heart?

She glares daggers back at me. “I’ll take that bet and raise you.”

“Tell your friends to get in the fucking car before I make a scene and carry your ass in there myself,” I say icily.

Summer gets the hint and leaves Valentina and me to our simmering crossfire, before collecting the other two women to lead them into the limo.

“Get in the fucking car, Valentina.” I grit my teeth in frustration.

“No.” She crosses her arms and her nostrils flare in a way that tells me her temper is kicking up a notch.

I lean towards her, but she stands her ground. Our faces are mere inches apart. “The men you killed in there worked for my father. So, if you don’t get in that car with your friends right now, I will carry you and dump you in the trunk.”

She tries to hide the surprise in her eyes before reluctantly sauntering over to the car. Just before climbing in, she turns around to face me. “You can ride shotgun.” She flips me the finger, climbs in, and slams the door so hard the entire car shakes like it’s on hydraulics.

I take in a steadying breath to calm myself before killing the distance to the passenger door and grip the handle. What the fuck have I allowed myself to get involved in? Surely, the merging of our territories cannot be this important. This arrangement is going to kill one of us in the end.

The full moon’s glow drenches the horizon, and the lights of Hartford soon disappear behind us. The long drive back to Providence is noisy, like a bunch of cackling hens have taken up residence in the back of the car. I locked the divider screen as soon as I got in the front, so my future wife couldn’t close it, and because I like to be a bastard like that. I spend the whole hour and a half sending emails to my business partners and associates back in Montana. We left the tarmac as soon as we landed, not even departing the private jet. Hearing Valentina was in Hartford had made my blood turn to ice. Knowing it’s just on the outer edge of both Russo and Mancini territory had me questioning the motives of her actions.

My questions were answered in spilled blood.

“Drop these three off at the Russo place,” I order my driver, Alfred, giving him a glance. He’s been employed by me for the last year and is probably the most loyal out of all my staff. He never questions anything and is happy to go along with what I ask. Just how I like people to be. Obedient.

I turn in my seat and lock eyes with Valentina. She scowls at me as I survey the four of them. If Russo knew his little blond bombshell was out playing assassin tonight, I think he would most probably lock her up and throw away the key. My gaze finds hers again, only this time she gives me the finger. I don’t acknowledge her immature behavior and instead simply turn back around.

The driver pulls up outside the young Russo’s dorm room. Not one of them has spoken a word to me until now.

“Thanks for the lift home,” Summer’s voice fills the momentary silence.

“Not a problem,” I reply, keeping my eyes to the front.

“Are we home?” The one in the thigh-high boots whines.

“We are. Here, let me help you,” Valentina says quietly.

“The others can go, but you’re staying,” I command, my voice dripping with authority.

I can feel her eyes against my skin as the silence fills the air. I know she’s about to mouth off and get out anyway, so I beat her to it. I open my door and peel out of my seat, to stand outside her door in a matter of seconds.

“The rest of you leave. Me and my soon-to-be fiancé have some matters to discuss.” I wait until the three have stepped out of the back.

“I’m not discussing anything with you.” Valentina extends her tanned leg to try to get out.

I reach down, grab a hold of her ankle, just above a tattoo of a delicate honey bee, and push her back in. Holding back a smirk, I seat myself next to her and slam the door shut. “You’re not going anywhere.”

She scoots as far away from me as humanly possible in the small space. Her anger brews behind her dark eyes, like a hurricane roaring in from the sea. I hear the doors lock. Thank you, Alfred. He takes off, leaving the others on the curb with their mouths hanging open.

“Are you for real?” Valentina looks out the back window as the silhouettes of her friends become smaller and smaller.

“What were you hoping to achieve with murdering the two men at The Russian Lady?” I stare at her, knowing all too well she won’t answer my questions. I press the button to close the divider to give us some privacy.

“I only planned on killing one of them. Summer shot the other one.” She shrugs her shoulder with zero care in the world. She knows no one can touch her so it doesn’t matter if she confesses to me or not.

“Why?”

Her eyes widen. “Why not?”

I cast my gaze over her, taking note of the tattoos on show, that peek out from under her slinky dress, which has ridden up to show off her slender tanned legs. Her dark hair cascades in loose waves over her shoulder to her waist. She is a sight to behold. Pity that her foul mouth doesn’t match her beauty.

“Hasn’t your papa told you it’s rude to stare?” She throws my words back in my face.

“I do as I please.” I rub my chin, contemplating how I’m going to deal with her.

“News flash, so do I.” Defiant as ever.

“Not anymore, Principessa. You’re on my watch now. I say jump. you say how high.”

That has got her tongue-tied. She stares at me, her hostility rolling off her and crashing into my black heart like a tidal wave. Good. I’m glad I make her mad. Better she’s mad at me than anything else.

“I don’t just jump for anyone, Giovanni.” She spits my name like it has left a bad taste in her mouth.

“About that. Your little fuck buddy,” I pause, taking in her shocked expression at my knowledge of their silly escapade. “How attached to him are you?” I stretch my arm out across the backrest so it comes in contact with her shoulder. She doesn’t move away from my touch, and I feel a buzz of admiration. We may just be a match yet.

“What about him?” She shoots me a look I cannot decode.

My jaw clenches. “You’re not to fuck him until our engagement night.”

“Excuse me?” She twists in her seat to get a better look at the devil sitting next to her.

“Do not fuck him until our engagement night,” I say it slowly to let it sink in better this time.

“You can’t tell me who I can and can’t fuck.”

“I just did. If you touch him between now and next Saturday, I will mince him up and feed him to your beloved dogs.”

“What happens after our engagement night?” She shoots me an amused look, obviously thinking I’m bluffing.

“You can only fuck him while I watch.”

From her expression, that was not the answer she had been expecting. I don’t hide my desires, but I certainly do not make them public knowledge. And I know from the lick of her lips she is churning over my words and mentally picturing them.

“You’re serious?” She swallows.

“Deadly.”

She pauses and contemplates my orders.

“We’re at your dorm rooms.” The doors unlock and she is free to escape me. Never did I think I could make Valentina Mancini uncomfortable. “Not up for the challenge, babycakes?” I use the pet name I overheard while her fuckbuddy rammed his dick in her ass.

“Good night, Giovanni.” She throws me one last death glare before folding herself elegantly out of the car.

I watch her saunter up the path, a little sway with each step, and wonder what the fuck I have got myself into.