Chapter 11

GIOVANNI

N ova made me laugh today. I didn’t laugh. Not for my friends, not for my family and certainly not for her. Atlee had been trying for years to crack my stony exterior, but I had that shit down to a science. No one took jokers seriously.

Atlee for example. He could have the most brilliant idea in the world and my father wouldn’t listen to him. He wouldn’t even give him the time of day. Which was too bad because Atlee was an intelligent man, but no one would ever know. Even his vehicle choices said flashy playboy. Who wanted to drive around in a corvette? This shit was small and cramped. How the hell was I supposed to stretch my legs in this bullshit?

“Get a better fucking car.”

“Whoa.” Atlee roiled his eyes my way. “Someone’s in a bad mood.”

Novalee Ford tended to do that. Years of control went out the window with a mouthful of chocolate and questions about anal sex. The look on Sister Anne’s face was kind of funny though.

“Are you smiling?”

“What? No.”

Atlee’s brow arched. “You know I can see your face, right.”

“How about you concentrate on seeing the road.” I’d prefer not to die in his stupid sports car.

He looked down at his speedometer then back at me. “I’m going thirty.”

“Just shut up and drive.” Okay, so he wasn’t going that fast, but he also wasn’t watching the road. The windshield was in front of him. Not where I was sitting.

“Do we need to have one of those talks girls do?”

“What?”

“You know, where they get all gushy and talk about their feelings and shit.”

What the hell was wrong with him? “Why the fuck would we do that?”

“I don’t know.” Atlee shrugged. “Kendall says it helps.”

“You’re kidding, right.”

“Maybe we should try it? Kendall has a good relationship with her friends.”

“You mean those two faced backstabbing bitches who talk shit about each other?” The devil didn’t have shit when it came to the evil of popular girls.

Atlee stopped and thought for a second before nodding. “Fair enough. But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. Wouldn’t it be nice to unload on someone?”

“I’ll unload on your face.”

“Why so violent?”

This time it was my brow that arched. “Didn’t you beat the crap out of some guy yesterday for laughing the wrong way?”

“Hey, that prick was up to no good.”

“He was serving ice cream to children.”

“Exactly. What kind of perv drives an ice cream truck?”

And he wanted me to talk to him about my feelings.

“So…”

“So what?”

“Come on buddy,” Atlee pulled the car to a stop in front of my house and looked over at me. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Did I start with the afternoon detention Nova got us for a week, the fact that I had to ride with him today because Romeo needed my car for some reason, or that my uncle was now in town.

“I’ll tell you what, the day I wake up with a pussy, I’ll tell you all about my feelings.” If that should ever happen the only feelings I would have would be where the fuck is my dick, but at least Atlee could sympathize with that.

“Deal. But just so you know, if you ever woke up female, I’d pop that cherry so fast.”

And this was why women were winning the gender war.

“Stay the fuck away from my pussy.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”

I snorted, “who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

Gentle wasn’t in Atlee’s vocabulary.

“Better me than Aldo. That sick fuck would probably enjoy raping his niece.”

That one I’d give to him. Family meant shit to my uncle. The only thing he cared about was himself. I was pretty sure he hated every other Mancini. Me in particular, but I had no problem snubbing him. Respect was earned not given, and Aldo hadn’t earned shit. Even Romeo blew him off, which pissed Aldo off because he couldn’t do shit about it.

My brother was next in line for the throne, and therefore had a higher position in the food chain than my uncle. He was probably not impressed that I was taking the oath this weekend.

That would knock him down a peg in the line of succession, to right under me. A fact that both amused me and made me cautious. If Aldo wanted to make a play for power, I’d be the first person he took out.

Atlee leaned forward to look out the windshield. “I don’t see any of Aldo’s goons lurking around.”

“They’re probably on the Olive.”

Aldo liked to spend his first night in town gambling and whoring on my dad’s riverboat. I used to wonder why he didn’t go to the casino, there was more underground entertainment there. Now I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a silent stab at my father. The riverboat was named after my mother.

“At least you won’t have to put up with him today.”

There was a bonus. I was not looking forward to playing nice, but I would have to. At least until I could find evidence that Aldo couldn’t argue and that my father would believe. Of course there was always the chance that my mind was playing tricks on me, but something in my gut told me that wasn’t the case.

“We could still call in a hit.”

Tempting, but… “If Aldo is taken out, then I want to watch him die.”

Atlee tipped his head. “What are you not telling me?”

“You’ll know when you need to.” I couldn’t tell Atlee or Darry about my memory. They wouldn’t wait for proof.

I opened the door and stepped out. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Oh, about tomorrow.” Atlee called out through the open window as I closed the door. “I won’t be in school.”

“Why not?” As far as I knew his dad sent someone to pick up Alex from Wayward. Antonio Fiore liked to show his children off. Especially the ones he had yet to arrange a marriage for.

“Oh, I’m taking your girlfriend to see her brother.”

“WHAT!”

“See ya.” Atlee waved and took off before I grabbed the door handle.

Motherfucker.

I was going to kill both Atlee and Nova. Not that they knew that. Atlee didn’t answer his phone and Nova’s was still in the goddamn lake. So I couldn’t even cuss them out. I was tempted to go down to Nova’s house and beat her ass, but then I got to thinking. If she wanted to see her brother, that was fine. I wouldn’t even let her know I knew she was going. Nova could have her little secret family reunion. And when she left, I’d come in, and Kato and I would have our own reunion.

So what if she asked Atlee instead of me. And who cares if that motherfucker only agreed because it would piss me off. It wasn’t like people already thought they were together. I wasn’t pissed that they would be alone in a car for hours. I’d be right behind them. I could deal with all of that, because by the time tomorrow was done, everyone would know who Novalee Ford belonged to. Including her piece of shit brother.

In the meantime I’d beat the shit out of this punching bag and imagine it was Atlee’s face.

“Motherfucker…”

Punch .

“Think you can drive my girl…”

Punch, punch .

“I’ll show you smug.”

Punch .

“Looks like I came at the perfect time.” Carissa strutted in, making my eyes roll.

Great, just what I fucking needed.

“I’m not in the mood for your shit today.” I grumbled while continuing to hit the bag.

“Well,” she shrugged her coat off, revealing the white lace teddy she was wearing underneath. “Maybe I can cheer you up.”

“Not interested.” Attempting to ignore her fluttering lashes, I headed over to a rack on the left, picked up two dumbbells, and started doing bicep curls.

There were certain skills men in my world needed to have. Lying, the art of distraction, and keeping your mouth shut were among the most important. The family came before everything else. If you said or did the wrong thing, you would be taken out. Snitches get stitches and all that. Someone may think they were safe, but there was no such thing as safe.

My father had people everywhere. Cops, feds, politicians, even the waiter at your favorite restaurant could be on his payroll. When I was in third grade the janitor ratted me out for stealing from a teacher. I never knew who was watching.

Maybe that was why I continued this shit with Carissa for so long? It was one thing my father had no control over. At the time it was freeing. Now…

“You seem a little stressed. Do you want to talk about it?”

I arched a brow her way. “You didn’t come here to talk.”

Women didn’t waltz into a guy’s home gym in lingerie and high heels for a friendly chat.

“I was worried about you.” Carissa ran her finger along the handrail of a treadmill. “You haven’t responded to any of my messages.”

“I blocked your number.” I didn’t trust myself not to fall back into her web.

“So, it’s like that is it?”

What did she expect? “We’re done, Carissa.”

“You’ve said that before.”

That was true. Over the years I’d tried to break it off countless times and I always went back. “This time I mean it.”

She stopped a few feet from me and dipped her face in that sultry look that made my dick twitch. “You sure about that?”

“Go home, Carissa.” I was not playing this game with her.

“I could…” She sat down on my weight lifting bench and propped her left leg up on the weights beside it. “But I don’t think you want me to.”

As much as I hated it, there was still a part of me that saw her as that woman who was there when no one else was.

When I didn’t respond, she smiled, “see.”

“My silence is not an invitation to stay.”

“Isn’t it?”

For fuck sakes. I did not need this shit today. Nova and her big mouth landed us in detention for a week, then I found out she asked Atlee to take her to see her brother. Fucking Atlee, not me. The fact that I hadn’t strangled her yet was a miracle. And that was all before adding in all my uncle’s shit.

I was hanging on by a thread. That’s why I came down here to burn off some of my anger. Not have fucking Carissa flash me her pussy.

“Leave.” Before I did something stupid like smash one of these dumbbells in her face, or fuck her with it.

“Stop playing around, Gio.” She tipped her head to the side and lazily rolled her eyes down my frame. “We both know you don’t want me to leave.”

Jesus Christ.

I dropped the dumbbells back in their rack and growled, “get the fuck out.”

“You sure you want me to leave?” Carissa slipped her hand between her thighs and began fingering herself through the lacy fabric.

Her breathy moans followed me as I turned my back, walked a few steps, and wrapped my hands around the bar bolted to the roof to do some chin ups.

Carissa continued to try and entice me, but not being able to see her helped me focus on other things. Like the refreshing burn radiating up my arms and sweat dripping down my brow. Some people watched movies or went out to relax. I exercised. I could keep this up for hours, unlike Nova.

That girl was so out of shape, someone needed to make her workout. Throw her ass on the treadmill and make her run until she collapsed. Now, that sounded like fun.

I gave it five minutes before she was begging to stop, then another minute before the tears came. Little Miss I have a comeback for everything wouldn’t be so smart then. She’d just be out of breath, sweaty, and completely vulnerable.

My dick twitched at the thought of her exhausted and panting. I could do whatever I wanted to her and all she could do was whimper. And I fucking loved the way she whimpered. That shit was more erotic than any moan I’d ever heard. Don’t get me wrong, the way Nova looked when she moaned, all sweet and hating herself was beautiful. But the spark in her eyes when she knew she was beat and gave in, that was my crack.

“How long are you going to pretend you don’t hear me, Gio?”

Fuck, she was still here.

Sighing, I let go of the bar and turned around. “Give it up, Carissa. I’m not interested.”

“Oh really.” A sly smirk curled her lips as her eyes dropped down to the tent in my shorts. “Because it looks like a part of you is interested.”

“That’s not for you.”

It was all for Nova and that spark of defeat in her eyes. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when I gave her a ring. She couldn’t deny who owned her then. Nor could anyone else. Not with my mother’s ring on her finger.

Wait…

Nova was a Ford. I didn’t want to see my mother’s jewelry on her, did I?

Fuck, I did.

“There’s no one else here Gio. You don’t have to pretend.”

Suddenly the sight of Carissa’s wet pussy disgusted me. “Why don’t you go home to your husband and pretend to be a good wife?”

The smile on Carissa’s face died as the seduction in her eyes blazed into an inferno of venom I could taste in the air. And yet, she still had sweetness in her tone.

“Do you think your little fiancé will be any better?”

“I know she will.” The odd thing was, I actually believed that statement.

“You poor, sweet boy.” She sighed and stood up. “Take a good look Gio, because in five years your precious Novalee will be just as bored as I am.” She walked up to me, stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, “and guys like Atlee are a lot of fun.”

I heard the crack before I felt my palm strike her face.

Carissa spun to the side, fell down on the floor in a heap, and not a single part of me was sorry for it.

“Get the fuck out.”

A snide chuckle shook her body before she glanced back at me with a trickle of blood running from her lip. “Is that a hint of jealousy I detect? Do you have a reason to be jealous, Gio?.”

“I will fucking kill you!”

“No you won’t. You wouldn’t hurt Darius.”

No I wouldn’t. I already had enough to atone for in our friendship. Being the cause of his mother’s death was not something I wanted to add to that list. That didn’t mean I had to put up with her.

“Get out.” I ordered one last time.

“Fine.” Carissa grumbled and pulled herself off the floor.

Even after being slapped, she maintained her composure. She straightened her shoulders, wiped the blood off her face, and waltzed for the door. Where she stopped and looked back at me.

“Will Novalee be attending dinner tomorrow?”

I knew a silent threat when I heard one. Women were evil bitches, but Carissa had a special talent when it came to vindictiveness.

“If you go anywhere near her, I will gut you myself.”

Something flashed in Carissa’s eyes. “You love her.”

“No I don’t.” I snorted.

That was ridiculous. I could never love Novalee.

I didn’t know what was worse. The voice in the back of my head calling me a liar, or how Carissa didn’t say a single word. She just gave me an evil smile and walked away.