Sinful Kisses by Emily Bowie

CHAPTER 21

When I open the door, I expect to see Gia in front of the tiny screen I allowed her to watch from. My feet halt when she’s not there. My hand instinctively flies up, catching her hand that has a metal bar in it. My other hand pulls her to me. She’s breathing hard, her eyes red, and she has an angry scowl on her face.

There’s a constant strum beating in her wrist. My fingers tighten against it. I could crush her right now. Have her fall to her knees in front of me. I don’t. I like when she fights.

“Now you fight me? Choose your actions wisely,” I mock her.

“I didn’t realize you were using me against my family.”

“Why else would a Mancini ever want anything from a Rossi?” That used to be true. My hands twitch to reach out, to hold her, cradle her into my broad chest. To protect her. I can’t show her that she’s become my one weakness.

She flinches at my words as if I was the one throwing a metal bar at her. “What are you getting because of me?”

“Some decent pussy.” Her free hand slaps me across the face. “Don’t forget you like this side of me.” I lean over her to whisper. “And right now, your feistiness is making me hard as hell.”

She holds my stare, her gray eyes determined to fight back if she needs to.

“I guess both of our little games are over,” I spit out, hating how I have to be mean to her. The vulnerability in her eyes cries out for respect. For someone to recognize the pain she’s feeling. I see it, because I feel it too.

“I’ll never let you use me against my family.” She sneers. Her look is wild, wanting a fight.

My pants strain as my cock decides it wants to jump her. A fire burns within my veins, wanting to steal every last kiss she will ever give. It wants to snuff out thoughts of anyone else. I would love nothing more than for her to be on her knees, begging for me.

A deep chuckle escapes my lips. I watch as she visibly shivers, but a soft smile lingers on her face. When she steps closer, I welcome it. My hands loosen their grip on her. Eventually, she was going to come to her senses. I’m a little disappointed she didn’t put up more of a fight.

Her hands wrap around me, and I’m too distracted by the way her scent clings to me—before she swipes my gun from behind my back and holds it to her temple.

“I said I won’t let you use me.” She’s not bluffing.

My heart shakes like the aftershock of an earthquake. I glare back at her, not moving a muscle, trying not to give myself away. Keeping my voice steady, I try to give her a reason to stay around. “Katrina’s alive.”

I’m ready to pounce to steal the gun. I would more than welcome another bullet wound if it means saving her. My world is too dark without her. I need her. More than for some ploy to rise from the ashes. She’s my obsession that I can’t lose. If I lose her, I lose everything.

Watching tears stream down her face, I only care about her.

“What?” she asks, her face falling. Her grip becomes weak on the gun, and I rip it away. Relief floors me, the adrenaline in my body having every nerve firing, making my hands shake.

Gripping her hair, I tug, making her step closer to me. She yells out, her hands trying to claw at mine. With rough force, I bring her face right up to mine. “Never fucking do that again. If you want to be treated like your life is worthless, let me know, and I will start.” Venom lights my body, my spit hitting her in the face, but she can’t pull away.

Now she has a reason for the fear shining through her eyes. Her body shakes as I refuse to loosen my grip.

“Tell me, is your life worthless?”

She shakes her head, even though she has little room to move. “Words, Gia.”

“No,” scrapes past her lips, and I have to move my ear closer to her mouth to hear her.

“No, what?”

“My life isn’t worthless.”

“You, my beautiful girl, are worth a hell of a lot to me.” My finger gently slides down the side of her face. “If anyone gets to hurt you, it’s me. You are mine to do whatever the hell I want with. Don’t forget that.”

My fingers would love to squeeze her neck. The urge flowing as violently as the rage I’m feeling. I let her go, and she falls to the ground.

Tears run down her cheeks as she realizes the situation she’s truly in.

“Tell me what you want. I’ll do it,” she says softly.

If only it were that easy. I lower myself so I’m crouched in front of her. “I’m in no rush. I think I’ll keep you around for a bit longer. I want to be sure your father will trade himself for you.”

She gasps.

“Want to know how to take down a kingdom?” I don’t want her to answer. “You murder the king. After all, I’m learning from the best.” I wink.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t. Get up.”

She refuses.

“I will make you.”

Max pops his head in, gaining our attention. “I got bodies to dismantle. Let’s go, children.”

Gia stands, irritating me. She willingly listens to Max and refuses me. “Don’t think I won’t kill my brother. Next time you refuse me but listen to him, I’m going to make you watch me cut off a body part.”

She narrows her eyes but walks without a fuss. My heart is still pounding. My hands want to hurt whoever made her cry. But that fucker is me. I want to make it better but don’t know how. Not without giving up what I’ve been working for. It would be my suicide, and I’m too selfish for that.

Resentment crawls throughmy skin like hundreds of spiders. I scratch at my neck, feeling the invisible little feet. I’m a stupid girl. My selfishness placed me in this situation. If I had just gone home and faced my family, I wouldn’t be held at gunpoint by a fucking Mancini. Who gets kidnapped and doesn’t even realize it? I’m that girl. You could make a TV show out of it, like the I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant one.

Romeo’s glare burns against the crawling on my skin. Both are uncomfortable and unwanted. His hand lands on my back, and he opens the door for me to go into the back of the car. I can only imagine he’s laughing at me with all of his buddies, that Nicoli Rossi’s daughter let him fuck her. Every nerve in my body fights the hurt and betrayal of it. Rationally, I have no right to these feelings. I was using him to forget, but the crush of the truth is still lying deep in my heart.

I was starting to like Romeo. The realization slams into me.

The movement of Romeo’s shoulders has me wanting to turn my head. Out the corner of my eye, his hardened gaze is on me. He looks terrifying. This must be the son of Pierre Mancini. The legacy of the underworld that everyone has forgotten. If they remembered, he wouldn’t be using me to rise back into the power he’s used to having.

“What is your plan for me now?”

“That all depends on you and your behavior.”

A scream wants to rip from my throat, but I lock it away. It’s what I’m used to doing anyway. The knowledge unsettles me. I don’t want to go back to being the old Gia. I no longer want to be silent or have tantrums to get my way.

I move my eyes back to the window as if he didn’t speak at all. An amused chuckle vibrates toward me as he turns back around.