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Is she here to kill me? Or is her plan bigger than anything we’d expect?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gianna

I spend a few minutes battling the two voices in my head—my father, telling me I look like a whore, and Colten, telling me he’d rip off any other dress I put on.

And the one voice who doesn’t seem to get heard is my own, in my own damn head. Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a huff. I want to scream sometimes. Just go deep into a forest and drop to my knees and let the universe hear it.

Instead, I hurt people. I scheme. I kill. All because ten-year-old Gianna decided to beg her father to treat her like a son. To let her rule the empire one day.

If only I’d have known what that meant.

I tug the hem of my dress down a little, and hold my head high as I stomp back into the bar. I’m not letting a man tell me on my wedding day what to wear, or what not to. The dress is staying on.

Ignoring the screeching that’s coming from the karaoke, which appears to be Jett and his brother, I don’t even acknowledge Colten as I breeze past him. I feel him watching me. Romeo is in my seat next to Dom, so I tap him on the back. He turns to face me, tequila shot in hand, which I pluck right from his fingers.

“You’re in my seat,” I say.

He doesn’t move. So, I finish his shot and slam it down on the bar.

“Move. I’d like to speak to my brother.”

Smugly, he slides off the barstool, giving one last glance at Dom. Interesting. But, right now, I have bigger fish to fry. So, I take my rightful place next to my brother.

“Well, did you find out who Rosie is?” I ask.

“Uh. No. Bigger problem, G, Dad went home; they all did. He looked furious after Colten followed you guys out.”

I freeze.

Colten must have heard what my father said. But how much did he hear? Slowly, I turn my head to Colt at the other end of the bar, arms folded.

“Yeah, Dad called me a whore and told me to change my dress.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Dom mutters under his breath.

“You know what he’s like, Dom. I shouldn’t have worn it. Not in front of our uncles.”

He blows out a breath. “You know what I think of them.”

Our uncles run the business in Italy, except they always have their damn nose in ours.

I order another round of drinks and sit back, surveying the room. Romeo still has his eyes on my brother.

Now that my family is gone, I can relax. Not completely, though. I know I’m currently in the lion's den, surrounded by men who can’t quite work me out.

And that’s exactly where I want to be. I don’t need anyone working out who or what I am. That’s something perhaps I don’t even understand.

Ace and Harper are dancing away, smiling at each other, and for a split second I almost regret telling him that love is a man's greatest weakness. I could be wrong about him specifically, though. Those two are enough to make me believe that the ridiculous concept of soulmates exists.

Colten is dragged on the dance floor by a pretty blonde girl. She couldn’t be more opposite to me in every way. A sweet country-girl smile. Porcelain skin without a single trace of ink. Natural makeup, cowgirl boots, and a tied-up shirt.

Colt pulls her closer, their hips in sync. I squeeze my hand around the glass tighter. It nearly shatters when he looks directly at me with a smug grin. His hand on her ass, whispering something in her ear.

“I want a divorce,” I mutter, making Dom nearly spit out his drink.

“You’ve been married a few hours, G.”