AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I reply.
Me: Don’t you have a day job to go to? Besides being a murderer?
Unknown Number: Well, we all make time for hobbies, don’t we, my little stalker?
I throw my phone across the counter. “I fucking hate this guy so much!” I growl out, furious. I’m immediately remorseful to my poor phone as I go to collect it, I hesitate.
I’m just playing right into his hand.
He wants me to reply, I suddenly realize. He wants my attention.
Another message.
Unknown number: By the way, I’d highly recommend you don’t go out with the girls Friday night.
Mother fucker. I don’t even want to ask how he knows about that.
Seething, I rip open my grocery bag, grateful, for some reason, I thought it was a great idea to buy another box of Twinkies while they were on sale. I rip open the packet with my teeth and take a giant bite while I salute the middle finger and take a photo.
Send.
We can play games. That doesn’t mean he owns me entirely. Or ever.
If I die because of it, then so fucking be it.
16
LUCA
Ichuckle at the photo she sends through. So defiant—even when it does cloud her judgement. I want to break her down in every way in order to fully submit to me.
Classical music plays in the background as I look through the photos taken of Ara over the past few days. There are photos of when she met with friends for breakfast this morning. I know the faces, and it makes no sense for her to be associated with them. She’s integrated into her role and the city well. I wonder why she bothers with the friend circle and Daddy’s business when she’s clearly here for something else? Is it all a cover up for her shady little side hustle?
The mansion’s office space is vast, consuming my brother, Dario, who nervously sits across from me. I can’t recall the last time my brother and I shared the same room. I prefer my personal apartment, whereas Dario prefers to stay in the family mansion. That suits us both. I only come here when it’s necessary.
Lorenzo stands behind me, and Dario is restless in my presence, fidgeting in his chair. He doesn’t seem interested in the photos, nor does he seem to recognize her from the first night she stepped foot into our mansion by using him. My jaw clenches at the thought of Dario touching her. Especially when those poisonous little lips were clearly made for my cock.
“When will Ivan be returning? I’m sure you have more pressing matters to attend to in Italy, don’t you?” Dario finally asks. He’s never been someone who can sit in silence.
I light a cigar, leaning back and blowing it in his direction thoughtfully.
“Do you recognize this woman?” I ask, throwing a photo at him. His eyebrows knit in confusion, but he takes the photo and looks at it and then me, brows raised.
He rakes his hand through his hair. It’s an image of Ara leaving her apartment complex.
“No. I mean anything’s possible, but you know I like blondes.”
I blow more smoke, trying to suppress the immediate rage surfacing from his casual reply. Dario seems to pick up on the shift.
“No, I don’t know her. Why, who is she?” Dario asks.
I stare at him long enough that he looks like he’s about to apologize for something despite not knowing why. We might share blood, but I have no respect or fondness for my brother. He’s already used that brotherly love card once, and it left me with a big fucking mess to clean up afterward. In every sense, he owes me. But time and time again, he lets his substance and alcohol consumption change him. No matter how many attempts at some kind of rehabilitation, he’s always failed. He’s nothing but a fucking liability, which is why I never let him handle business matters.
However, with Ara it’s personal. She’s an obvious candidate who might be a part of the scheme to steal my shipment, considering the timing of finding her in my family mansion. I don’t believe Alexander Barone has the balls to cross us. It’s obvious his daughter is no puppet either. I confirmed as much last night while watching the two interact. The father-daughter duo had their own tensions to shift through.
“I’ve come here to clean up a mess. Until I’m at the bottom of it, Ivan will remain in Italy to deal with matters there.” The only reason why he wants Ivan back is because he lets my brother do whatever he pleases. Had my brother not been so incompetent at trade, negotiation, and deals, I wouldn’t have to rely on my father’s former second in command. Not that he’s alive anymore; he can no longer disapprove of Dario’s lack of contribution toward the family name, so I just removed him almost entirely.
“Mess?” He seems confused. “Does it have something to do with this woman?”
