Chapter 21

NOVALEE

T he eye for an eye philosophy was one I could get behind. If you hit someone you should get hit back and so on. What I didn’t agree with were the extreme measures some people took. Like say shooting someone for slapping me.

That was going too far. The same went for Atlas. He should’ve been punished for what he did to Veda. That didn’t mean he deserved to die. However, I could now understand why Kato snapped.

I wanted to tear Carissa’s eyes out and make her pay for every vile thing she’d done to Gio. Murder was never the solution, but when it came to that bitch, I’d feed her to the gators myself. And don’t even get me started on Romeo.

Why didn’t he protect his brother, he obviously knew what was going on. Gio was an impressionable, vulnerable fourteen year old boy, and Romeo let him fall into Carissa’s clutches. If it was one of those a woman can’t abuse a teenage guy scenarios, I swear I would stab him with the first sharp object I found.

Seeing Romeo walk out of here with her, pissed me off so much that I screamed and whipped my shoe.

Unfortunately, my shoe throwing skills were nowhere near Maw Maw’s. It didn’t even make it to the door before it closed. Gio’s large body blocking my way probably had something to do with it.

“Get out of my way.” I tried to go after them, darting to the right then swerving left. But Gio kept stepping in my way. Not only was the bastard strong, but he was quick too.

Didn’t he understand what was going on here? Of course he didn’t. Carissa probably manipulated him into thinking he was some lucky teenager that got to bang an older woman.

I reached up and slapped Gio across the face.

“What was that for?”

“For being stupid.” Regret rolled through my chest with a heavy cloud of guilt. “I’m sorry, you’re not stupid.”

He was preyed on by a predator and he shouldn’t feel bad about that. She was in the wrong, not him.

Gio’s brow lifted. “Did you just apologize?”

“Don’t read too much into it.” Balling my hands I glared past him at the closed door. “I just hate her so much.”

“Is that because I’m yours?”

My lip curled in a grimace. What the hell was that? “Listen, don’t confuse my need for vengeance as affection. I still hate you.”

“But I’m yours.”

“What’s wrong with you?” And why did he have that goofy grin on his face?

“You said I was yours.”

“What? No I didn’t.” Did I?

“Yes you did.” Gio insisted.

“I think you’re hearing things.” I would never say something like that. “See, I’m not a possessive asshole like you.”

That stupid grin spread across his face when he tipped his head and asked, “is that why you kicked Carissa’s ass?”

“Um, I kicked her ass because she’s a predator.”

“So, you were protecting me?”

“Yes.” Wait…

Damnit. I was protecting him. Did that mean I cared about him? No. Any decent person would’ve done the same. His brother didn’t, but Romeo wasn’t a decent person. Someone should beat his ass too. What kind of brother lets something like that go on? For four years! Poor Gio had no one looking out for him…

Oh crap, I did care.

Well, there was only one thing to do.

I raised my fist and threw it into one of his pecks.

That was not one of my smartest idea. In fact I was pretty sure I hurt myself more than him. Pain radiated up my arm making me bounce from one foot to the other.

“Goddamnit.” I cried while shaking my hand.

Amusement tugged at Gio’s brow, “you feel better now?”

“No, I do not feel better.”

Hitting him was like hitting the wall. No, hold on. I’d actually punched the wall. That was where that hole came from and my hand didn’t hurt this much when I did that.

“What are you, made of stone?”

“You’re adorable.”

I found that statement incredibly insulting. “I’ll hit you?—”

Gio’s lips slammed down on mine, taking my mouth in a kiss that made my knees weak. One swirl of his tongue around mine and I forgot about Carissa, the fight and everything else. I was completely consumed by all things Gio Mancini. The sweet taste of wine on his lips tingled on my tongue while his scent filled the air around me. And I fought none of it.

Not the hand sliding up and around my thigh to grab my ass, or the feel of his hard body pressing against mine. My core clenched as his fingers dug into my ass while somewhere in the back of my mind, something told me to push him away. But I could barely hear it over my need to pull him closer.

There was a war going on inside me. A battle of what I should do versus what my body asked for. One part told me to run and the other begged for more. I didn’t want to give in or like what he did to me. But when my fingers threaded through Gio’s thick black hair, I knew which side won. The internal struggle I’d been fighting for weeks was over.

I wanted Gio Mancini.

At least I did until the door flew open and slammed against the wall. Whatever spell Gio had me trapped in was broken when Atlee walked in.

Gio tore his lips off mine and looked back at his friend, who pointed at us.

“You need to get her the fuck out of here, Dom is freaking the fuck out.”

“Goddamnit,” Gio sighed. “What did Romeo tell him?”

“Oh relax,” Atlee waved his hand. “He didn’t say anything about you.”

Wait a minute, did Atlee know about Carissa?

“He told Dom that his wife propositioned him, so he slapped her around. Now Dom is slapping her around. But if he sees her…” Atlee pointed at me. “He’s gonna know something is up.”

Son of a bitch, he did know.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snarled at Atlee. “How could you let that woman hurt Gio like that? What kind of friend are you?”

Atlee cocked a brow at Gio who cocked a brow at me.

“I don’t think she was hurting him, Small Fry.”

Yes she was. Atlee was just too wrapped up in pussy to see it. “I’m gonna throw my other shoe at you.”

Gio rolled his eyes. “Throw your shoe at him later. Right now we have to get you out of here.”

He grabbed my hand and took a step, but I yanked my hand out of his grip.

“Why should I go anywhere?” I wanted people to see me so everyone would know exactly what that woman was. If Gio didn’t want to get justice, then I would.

“I don’t have time for this.”

When Gio went to grab my hand, I pulled away. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

“I don’t think I am.” I placed my hands on my hips. “I think I’m the only one who sees this for what it is.”

Exasperated Gio pinched the bridge of his nose.

That’s when Atlee stepped in. “Listen, you know what it feels like to lose a parent, right? Do you want Darry to have the same experience? Because she won’t go to jail. Cesare will kill her. Probably in front of Darry.”

As much as I wanted to argue, Atlee was right. Gio’s dad didn’t do anything when Gio shot poor Marty. I could picture him pulling out a gun and shooting Carissa at the table in front of everyone. That would scar Darry for the rest of his life. I couldn’t do that to him. Some nights I could see the dead look in my mother’s eyes when she was laying in that morgue.

Glop…

Glop…

Glop…

“Nova… Nova… Kato, what's wrong with her?”

I shook away the eerie sense crawling up my spine and huffed, “fine. But if she comes near you again?—”

Gio cut me off. “She won’t.”

Yes she would. She wasn’t going to let him go. Carissa was obsessed with him. No one else saw that, but I did. I sensed the threat in her.

That’s when it dawned on me. How Gio and I had always been drawn to each other. I felt it that day in court. The intense longing and desire burning in the eyes of a forgotten child who wanted nothing more than to be seen.

Well, I saw him. And the next time Carissa tried to pull him into her web, I would be there. Standing right beside him.

“Okay,” I slipped my hand in Gio’s. “Let’s go.”

When we left the house, I didn’t think we would pass the time at a restaurant or someplace like that. So, I wasn’t surprised when Gio drove down the road behind his house. If I looked like him, I wouldn’t want to be seen with me either. He looked really good in that suit. Whereas, I was a complete mess.

Half my hair had fallen out of my updo and was hanging in limp curls around my face. My dress was torn in more than one place, I was missing an earring, my knuckles were bloody, there were scratches on my arms and legs, and I only had one shoe. The only thing that wasn’t messed up was my make-up. I’d never argue the cost of Chadwick Cosmetics with Veda again. This stuff was worth its weight in gold.

Despite my appearance I was still a little iffy when Gio turned his Range Rover into the swamp. A lot of my childhood was spent exploring those murky waters, but being taken in there by Giovanni Mancini made the Spanish moss covered cypress trees seem darker. And the further we drove into the bayou, the more uneasy I got.

“We should go have coffee somewhere?” I suggested. “I think the diner is open.”

Spending more time at work was not my idea of fun, but there were no body disposal sites there. Except for maybe the fryer. Who knows what was lost in that old ass oil?

“We’re not going to the diner.”

“Why not.” We already ate so it wasn’t like we would order food.

His green eyes slid my way. “Do you want me to fuck you in front of your coworkers?”

Nope, definitely didn’t want that. I didn’t want to get fucked in the swamp either, but apparently that wasn’t an option.

“Did you at least bring a blanket?”

“Got one in the back.”

Well shit, there went that argument.

“I once heard this story about a couple who were making out and a gator ate them.”

I don’t know what kind of argument that was. It wasn’t even a good story, and judging by the brow Gio cocked my way, I’d say he agreed.

“A gator ate them?”

“Yeah, that wasn’t a very good excuse, was it?”

“No, and aren’t you supposed to be playing good girl?”

Damnit, I forgot all about that. Stupid Atlee.

“In fact…” He crooked his finger. “Come here.”

“I can’t. the console,” I tapped my hand on the center console, “is in the way.”

“I didn’t say sit there, I said come here.” He pointed at his lap.

Okay, that was just dangerous. “You’re driving.”

I don’t know about Gio but I didn’t want to die in a fiery car crash.

“I’ll be fine.”

Ugh, he wasn’t going to let me get out of this, was he? I was so going to murder Atlee tomorrow.

Huffing out a sigh, I slid over, climbed across the console and sat sideways Gio’s lap, with my legs out on the center console. “Happy?”

A smirk played at the corner of his mouth. “You didn’t really think I just wanted you to sit on my lap, did you?”

No, but one could hope.

“I want you to put your foot on the console and move your dress. I want to see your pussy.”

He couldn’t be serious? “What?”

“You heard me.”

If I told him to go fuck himself then I risked losing the bet. But if I did what Gio said then he won. Neither outcome was appealing. Therefore, I need to find a workaround. And there was only one I could think of.

Looking up at Gio, I batted my eyelashes, “haven’t I been through enough tonight?”

“Don’t try and play me with your puppy dog eyes. That shit doesn’t work on me. Now get a foot up there.”

“Fine.” I hissed. “But I hope my come stains your pants.”

I would laugh while he wasted money at the dry cleaners.

Gio dipped his head down and growled in my ear, “so do I.”

Son of a bitch.

How did I get in these situations? Oh right, I had no sense of self-preservation.

I lifted my foot and slammed my heel down on the console so Gio would know I wasn’t happy about it. After that I pushed the fabric covering me out of the way. I’d never felt more exposed in my life. The really humiliating part came when Gio’s eyes fell down and my walls pulsed, causing my delicate pink flesh to glisten with arousal.

“Fuck,” Gio groaned. “I’ve never seen a prettier pussy. And it’s all mine.”

The things he was saying should not turn me on, but they did. That’s when I got an idea. Fight fire with fire.

“You like that?” I sang while lightly inching my fingers down my thigh.

There was no sexier sound in the world then the way Gio’s breath hitch when my finger slipped between my folds. My intent was to tease him, and maybe give him a taste of his own medicine. But the way he watched me with desire flaring in his jade eyes, caused me to take things further. I swirled my finger around my clit and dipped in my opening, fucking myself while he watched.

I’d masturbated before, unsuccessfully mind you. I was never able to find the right spot or motion. Don’t get me wrong, it felt good. Just not awesome. Doing it in front of Gio was much different. It was thrilling, humiliating, and almost enough to throw me over the edge. No matter what I did, I couldn’t reach that pinnacle. So what started out as a punishment for him, frustrated me. And he knew it too.

“What’s wrong, Baby,” Gio purred. “Can’t come?”

I didn’t like this game anymore.

Gio pulled the Range Rover to a stop and growled in my ear, “Do you know why?”

Because there was an asshole watching me?

“It’s because this pussy belongs to me.”

One touch. That was all it took. Gio pinched my clit and I threw my head back into the blissful euphoria of my orgasm.