AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I don’t think, I pounce from my chair and grab his tie hanging above the desk. I pull with all my strength, my broken thumb begging me to stop.
“I’m going to kill you,” I seethe. “Watch my lips, Mateo, you’re going to die from my hands. I promise you.”
Nate grabs me and pulls me back softly enough to not hurt me. He’s not trying to get in a fight with me, just stop me from getting in trouble.
“Jake, stop,” he whispers calmly to me.
How? How can he be so calm when the bastard is threatening Jamie, when he’s taunting us with all the ways he must have hurt our sister. This is my own personal hell and I need to get out of here. I’m not able to stop it, but I need to at least delay it as much as possible.
I want to go back home to Jamie and keep her safe from all this.
Over my fast-beating heart, I hear my brother saying that Jamie is innocent in all of this and that the two of us were just fueling our long-time feud when we fought over her.
Mateo doesn’t change his mind, though. Even when Nate says that we just had built-up anger. Even when he says that we’ll stay in line from now on. No more fighting over Jamie, no more involving her in anything. He promises him to keep her away from any business-related topic, anything involving Bianco.
I’m shocked at how much my brother is fighting for this. I’m furious that he loves her so much, but I don’t stop him.
“That’s enough, Nate,” Bianco stops him in his rant with a voice of steel. “I hear you, she’s a great girl. Do you know what I do with good girls like her? Do you know how much my customers would pay for her at the club? Some tiny thing like her? So sweet, so innocent, so breakable?”
Mateo sits back down slowly, rearranges his tie, and rests an arm on the chair. “A fortune. I apologize if I didn’t spell it out correctly for you.” He leans towards the both of us standing, watching him, desperately needing him to tell us he’ll leave her alone and perfectly knowing he won’t. “I amnotabove kidnapping. I amnotabove selling. I amnotabove pimping out little sluts just to keep you two in check.”
My ears are ringing so hard I might pass out. I think I’m having a panic attack. Is this what it’s like? I don’t remember, the last one I had was too long ago. My legs are shaking, I doubt they can hold me much longer.
“I seem to recall this is not my first warning to you, Nate,” Bianco threatens.
My mouth feels like cotton, but I still manage to cut off my brother just before he replies to his boss.
“I’ll break up with her.”
Nate turns to me in shock, his face hardened. I think I can feel some energy coming back to my limbs. I have to end this. I have to protect her.
I don’t know why I thought this could ever work. Especially now that we signed the papers. I should have known the second Sam found us that my life would be turned upside down. Being in love is not part of who I am anymore. It can’t be.
I push away any emotions from my face, I build back the walls, I cement them and bulletproof them against everything and everyone again. No more feelings, no more risking anyone’s life just because I thought I could escape the past.
“She might be important to Nate but she’s not all that to me. She can be replaced by another bitch tomorrow.”
The smile that spreads on Bianco’s lips is highly punchable but I don’t move. No more emotions, no more reactions.
“Replaceable, huh?” he insists.
He probably knows I’m acting, but at least his threats got him the response intended. First, I shut down myself when he threatens my loved ones, then he can mold me back into whatever he wants. It’s only the beginning of real fun.
“Yeah, replaceable,” I confirm. I look around to find Bianco’s assistant still sitting on the couch against the wall, right behind me. “Here, she’ll do. What’s your name again, sweetheart?” I smile at her and it must be freaking horrible seeing the state my body is in.
Her eyes widen and her gaze flickers to Bianco, Nate, then back to me.
“Uh…” she starts.
“Anne,” Nate cuts off, “is four years your elder, Jake. Be good and stay in the kids’ section.”
“Four years?” I scoff. “That’s funny, it didn’t seem to bother you when you were trying to fuck my girl.”
Our staring contest is cut off by Bianco. “Break up with the bitch. It won’t be too hard since you’re going to California anyway.”
“I’m what?” My heart stops.Did I hear this right?
“This is where most of my fights happen now. I don’t want none of this business on this side of the country, it’s too easy to link it to me. Except the Death Cage, but you’re not being put in there. I love you too much for that.”
