Chapter 7

NOVALEE

T his son of a…

He barged his way in, all smug and demanding, and dared me to pull the trigger – as if I wouldn’t. This was my house and my rifle. Well, it was Maw Maw’s rifle, but she was my Maw Maw.

“I’m waiting, Gattina .”

There was that stupid Italian pet name again. That word was really starting to annoy me. Gattina, pfft. I just knew that was some small minded bullcrap meant to demean me. Gio wasn’t the only one who knew other languages.

“You better back off, salope .”

Ha!

Gio’s brow arched and for a second I thought I had him.

“ Je vais te baiser comme une chienne .”

My face dropped.

Seriously? Gio spoke French too? Of course he did. Gio Mancini had to be better at everything. With his voulez-vous’ and bonjours. He could’ve at least spoken it in the backwoods broken French that I knew a word or two of, instead of the smooth, classic I’m going to fuck you with my tongue kind.

“Don’t try to out French me.”

I’d like to see him spend the night with a family of raccoons without getting bitten.

He tipped his head and eyed me for a split second. “You have no idea what I said, do you?”

That was beside the point. Sure, I could’ve learned more words or full sentences if I wanted too, but that would require effort on my part. And effort was exhausting. Know what didn’t take effort? Shooting a gun.

“See this rifle.” I pushed my hands forward, jabbing the barrel into his chest. “It means I’m in control.”

“Awe. Ty milyy .”

My eyes narrowed on his condescending smirk. “That didn’t sound French.”

So much for him being fluent.

“That’s because it was Russian.”

Russian really? Show off. “Why don’t you tell me to fuck off in Portuguese?”

“ Vá se foder .”

My face once again dropped. “I hate you.”

Gio shrugged. “So, shoot me.”

Did he think I wouldn’t do it, because I would? If I could shoot my own brother in the foot, then I could easily shoot him. Mind you what happened with Kato was an accident, and this would be murder, but was there really any other way this fucked up relationship would end? We could barely stand being around each other, let alone spend a lifetime together.

I figured we’d make it to like thirty before one of us snapped. And by that time I would have that fur trimmed skimpy bathrobe all rich ladies had, to answer the door in when the cops came to tell me that my husband died under suspicious circumstances.

“If you’re gonna do it,” Gio jerked on the rifle, jarring my arms. “Then fucking do it.”

The impatient prick needed to give me a minute. I wasn’t ready for this kind of seriousness in my life. The only bathrobe I had was terrycloth.

“Come on,” Gio yelled. “What are you waiting for?”

“Fur and sheer fabric.” I yelled back.

I already had to give up my future plans for beer cans on the front lawn while my third husband sat in a broken lawn chair. He was not going to make me give up this dream as well.

Confusion pulled Gio’s brows together. “What?”

“Is there something wrong with wanting the right bathrobe?”

One should always dress appropriately, and what kind of murderous widow answered the door in a terrycloth bathrobe? I had some standards. Clearly not when it came to men, but that was a different conversation for another time.

Gio stared at me.

I stared at him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Was he really asking me that? “I’m sorry, but which one of us is holding the gun over their heart?”

Pretty sure I was the sane one in this scenario.

Gio lifted his chin and narrowed his gaze. “You don’t have the balls to pull the trigger.”

Tightening my grip on the handle, I glared back up at him, “oh, I’ve got all the balls.”

Yeah, I probably could have worded that better.

“You’ve got all the balls, do you?”

“That’s right. Big brass ones.” They were sitting on the top shelf of my closet next to the red shoes I stole from Gio.

“Then shoot me.” He hissed while stepping in, forcing my back to smack off the wall behind me.

“Maybe I will.” Though, my arms were getting tired. This thing was heavy.

“Do it.” Gio growled, making my finger twitch against the trigger.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. The world would be a better place without Gio Mancini in it. Poor Marty. But if I did shoot him, then I’d have to deal with the mess. Blood was hard to get out, and it would get everywhere. Maw Maw would bitch about for weeks. Not to mention the little pieces of bone and flesh. And how the hell was I going to move his body?

If I stood on my tiptoes, I’d still have to lift my chin to see over his shoulder. Meaning I would have to cut him up, which I’d have to borrow Mr. Garibaldi’s saw for, and that would cause another mess to clean up. All that sounded like a lot of work.

“Maybe you’d prefer to use a tire iron instead, like your brother.”

Then again, it might be worth the mess.

Curling my lips, I gave Gio a sweet smile. “Only if you cry like a little girl, like your brother did?”

That was when our stand-off ended. Gio’s hand shot out while his arm knocked the rifle to the side a second before my finger clamped down on the trigger.

Gio swore, and the rifle slipped from hands as the crack of the bullet rolled through the air in a wave that echoed around my skull.

Everything suddenly became surreal.

The kitchen I’d been in a hundred times, the gun now on the floor, and the picture of Kato on the wall that rattled with the noise. It was all there but hidden under a curtain of fog that only the ringing in my ears could penetrate.

That lasted about ten seconds before reality slapped me in the face and the world came back in full HD version. My mind, however, did not return as quickly. It must’ve gotten rattled around because I hadn’t been this confused since Vince Yates showed me his package in second grade.

This time, instead of wondering how Vince’s vagina got turned inside out, I wondered if I was always pushed back against the wall? Was that scowl on Gio’s face a minute ago, and when did he grab my neck? Not that any of that was out of the ordinary.

It was all fairly normal actions. Just another day in my life. Gio was kind of going light on the choking though, and was a little suspicious. I should be gagging for oxygen by now. Maybe his brain got knocked around too?

“F… cun… har…”

Hang on.

I focused in on Gio’s moving lips. It looked like he was trying to say something, but I couldn’t be sure. The ringing in my ears consumed all my hearing ability. Firing a gun inside was loud.

His grip on my neck tightened as he leaned in closer to my face. “He… sh… No…”

That was my name. Maybe? I couldn’t be sure.

“WHAT?”

When Gio spoke again I concentrated on his lip movements. I didn’t have any lip reading skills, but I was pretty sure there were a few fucks in there.

“You’re gonna have to speak up.” I stuck my finger in my ear and shook it. This was really annoying. I could barely hear myself.

How was this not affecting him? We were in the same room. Was he just used to it? Had he fired more guns in enclosed spaces than I had? Not sure I wanted to know the answer to that.

“Are you fucking crazy!”

Wait… I heard that. Or did I? It was possible that my imagination had taken over.

“I’ve seen some dumb shit in my life….”

That was definitely on par with what someone would say to me. Memphis said those exact words to me just yesterday. Guess my hearing was back. Damnit. Now I would have to listen to Maw Maw lecture me about the hole in the cupboard.

I shifted my gaze over to the small wooden door hanging on by one hinge and sighed.

Gio shook me. “Hey.”

My eyes snapped back to his. “What?”

I had bigger problems than him right now. Maw Maw’s favorite mixing bowls were in that cupboard.

“You tried to fucking shoot me.”

Well… “Yeah.”

Was he really surprised? He dared me to do it, and my Maw Maw didn’t raise no quitter.

Gio’s mouth snapped shut, and in that moment I was pretty sure I was about to meet my maker.

I could see the reaper in the reflection of his green eyes. Death was coming for me, creeping closer with every twitch his fingers made on my neck. On the upside I wouldn’t have to explain anything to Maw Maw if I was dead. Then again, she might follow me in the afterlife, so she could beat me with her slipper.

“You actually pulled the trigger.”

Didn’t we already cover this? And why did he sound different when he said that?

I opened my mouth to speak, just as Gio’s lips slammed down on mine. My words were swallowed. Though I wasn’t sure by who? Him or me?

His tongue swirled around mine, and I forgot about everything else. The broken cupboard, rifle on the floor and ringing in my ears were all replaced with the hunger of his kiss. I was so lost in the way his mouth moved against mine that I didn’t even notice that he had let go of my neck to push my shorts over my hips, until the fabric pooled at my feet.

Cool air brushed across my now bare hip as I tore my mouth off his. “What are you…”

That was all I got out before he grabbed my ass and hoisted me in the air so high that I may have panicked a bit.

“Goddamnit, put me down.” I squealed while hooking my legs over his shoulders so I wouldn’t fall.

The wall behind gave me some sense of stability, but there were somethings a person my height was never meant to see. Like the lost items on the fridge, the dust on the ceiling, or the top of a six foot – who the fuck knows – asshole’s head.

I didn’t know how many inches tall he was because I was not meant to see the world from up here. Not to mention the strength one would need to lift someone this high. Stupid Gio and his stupid muscles.

“Hang on Gattina .” Gio shifted his shoulders, making me brace one hand on the wall beside me while I slapped the other down on the top of his head.

“Stop moving.”

His hands dug into my ass as he pulled my hips forward and buried his face between my legs. His tongue laved over my delicate flesh, stealing my breath, then his mouth latched onto my clit, causing a spark of pleasure to twist my fingers in his hair.

Maybe it’s alright if he moves a little.

I had no choice but to hang on while Gio continued to suck and work that bundle of nerves like an expert. The growl he let out sent a vibration up my pussy that had my back bowing off the wall behind. And like a wanton whore, I moved my hips closer, begging for more which was a movement that apparently amused him.

Gio snickered. “I told you this pussy was mine.”

“Shut up.” I snarled and yanked on his hair.

Why did he have to be so good at everything? God, I hated him and his ego, which I apparently gave a boost. I could feel his lips curl in a smirk before his tongue thrust in my opening. My eyes rolled in the back of my head, as he snaked it across that spot inside that made my toes curl.

This was so fucked up. A minute ago I was debating on blowing his heart out of his chest, and now I couldn’t grind my hips close enough. And Gio wasn’t helping. He alternated between using his tongue and working my clit, driving me to the edge of oblivion without pushing me over. An act that I was sure he was doing on purpose.

Who cared if Gio was an asshole who shot people in the hand?. So what if he had held me up at dangerous heights. I didn’t need to brace myself on the wall. I could get closer to his devious mouth with both my palms on the ceiling. Fuck falling. My body had given into him. My mouth was another story.

“Only you would get turned on by getting shot.”

I moaned as he pulled my clit through his teeth. “It was so fucking hot seeing you pull that trigger.”

Ugh, sick bastard.

“I’m gonna fuck you so hard.” Gio let out a growl so feral it twisted my insides, as he teeth dug into my inner thigh. Hard.

Pain shot up my leg, causing me to fall back against the wall with a shirked, “ouch.”

But he didn’t stop. Gio continued to bite into my flesh while I tugged on his hair.

It hurt, but in a strange way that spread a warmth across my core. By the time he let go I was ready to tear his scalp off. I wasn’t sure if it was out of anger, or something else. But I did know I wanted to stick my thumb in his eye. Especially when he smirked up at me, and licked a drop of blood off his lips.

“You bit me!”

“You liked it.”

I did not. At least that’s what I was going to say before Gio shrugged and dropped me down. Falling became a fear again at that point. I slapped my hands down on his shoulders in an attempt to stop my body from landing on the floor. Turns out, I didn’t need to worry about that because Gio stopped me halfway and wrapped my legs around his waist.

I took a second to re-swallow my heart before glaring at him. “Don’t do that.”

“I think we’ve established that I’ll do what I want.”

“We’ve also established that I have no problem shooting you.”

His brow arched. “You didn’t shoot me.”

Technicality.

“You can put me down now.”

“Why the fuck would I do that?” One of his hands let go of my ass long enough to give it a firm smack. “I’m not done with you yet.”

“Yeah,” I sang in my best sweet tone. “Are you going to fuck me against the wall?”

“Oh, you’re going to get my cock.”

Why didn’t I like the sound of that?

When he started to unbuckle his belt, I got momentarily distracted by something glinting on the floor. Was that Maw Maw’s good paring knife? What the hell was that doing there?

Gio’s mouth grazed over the shell of my ear. “Your brother’s watching us.”

What?

My eyes lifted up to the picture on the wall as Gio dropped his pants and I felt his hardness line up with my opening.

“Let’s give him a show.”