Beast I Can’t Tame by L.K. Shaw

Chapter 11

Francesca

“Okay,you need to spill what’s been going on with Gio,” Brenna nearly demands as she passes me another glass of cabernet.

She, Mila, Anya, and I are gathered in her living room while Jacob and Pierce are at yet another meeting. We’ve been trying to have a girl’s night once a week with pizza and wine where we can catch up on everything. I’m glad Mila was able to talk Anya into coming, although from what I understand, it was a challenge.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” I say, hesitant to talk about him. Us. That kiss.

“Stop being coy,” Brenna scolds. “You know exactly what I’m referring to. Caitlín overhead Da and Jack talking the other day about a big meeting at Empire. Where Jacob made some cryptic announcement that seemed to involve Gio. You know…the announcement.”

Oh, she wasn’t asking about him and me. Was the announcement them being brothers? I take a sip of wine to prolong answering. Would he want me to tell them? If the news was shared at a meeting, then it wouldn’t stay a secret long.

“It all started at Uncle Sal’s funeral,” I begin.

“When his mother showed up?” Mila asks.

I nod and take another drink. “Yes. I guess she wasn’t just spouting nonsense about Gio and Jacob being related.”

“What?” Mila screeches, her eyes bugged.

Anya, who’s kept to herself on the other end of the couch, jumps at the shriek. Her gaze darts toward us and she shrinks back a bit and hugs the pillow tighter to her chest. A wave a sympathy rushes over me.

“Wait,” Mila says, her expression scrunched. “Are you telling us that they really are half-brothers?”

“It would seem so. They did a DNA test and everything to make sure.”

“Jacob told me that Sal was Gio’s father, but I had to drag the information out of him. It’s all he would say, though. He changes the subject anytime I bring it up,” Brenna pouts.

“Honestly, I don’t know much more than that, either. He just said that the results came back confirming it,” I tell them.

Brenna collapses back against the couch. “All this time, Sal kept the secret. He and Jacob were never close. Not like with his mother. But to keep the fact from him that he had a brother? He won’t show it, but I know Jacob’s hurt. He’s lost years with Gio because of this. I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but I was never a fan of Sal.”

I can understand her position. “Uncle Sal wasn’t the easiest man to get along with. He was certainly brusque, and a little old-school.”

“How are things between you and Gio?” Brenna asks.

She and Mila have become my best friends. I’m sure Anya, despite her age, will grow into our friendship as well. For some reason, though, I’m hesitant to share my budding relationship with them. It seems so new and fresh. I also don’t want to jinx things. But they’re staring expectantly at me, waiting for an answer.

“Gio kissed me,” I blurt out and then take a huge gulp of wine, emptying my glass.

“What?” Brenna and Mila scream as they both jolt upright to stare at me, the previous discussion put on hold. Even Anya perks up.

“We met at the park a couple days ago to hang out, and on our way to get ice cream he kissed me. Or, more accurately, I kissed him. We kissed each other,” I stutter.

“Oh my god, Francesca. That is wonderful.” Mila leans over the scattered pillows on the floor and hugs me.

“Tell us how it was,” Brenna demands, her eyes lit with excitement.

My cheeks heat and not just from all the wine I’ve consumed. “It was nice.”

Her nose wrinkles.

“Nice? That’s it?” Mila exclaims and covers her mouth. “Please don’t tell me he’s a bad kisser? Was it wet and sloppy? Because I had a couple of those before I met Pierce.”

“What? No! What?” I shake my head and throw my hands over my ears. All three women giggle. “I don’t want to hear about you and my brother kissing or doing anything else.”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Brenna laughs. “Seriously though, how was it? It better have been better than just ‘nice’.”

She scoots forward to the edge of the cushion and props her chin on folded hands with a look of giddy anticipation.

I sigh in defeat. They aren’t going to let this go. “Fine. It was almost perfect.”

“Almost?” she asks, disappointment in her tone.

“I was the one who did most of the work. He said he wanted me to be the one in control, so he let me lead.” I pause, unsure if I should continue. With a quick glance in Anya’s direction, I plunge ahead. “It’s been over seven years since I’ve kissed anyone. I was afraid I’d forgotten how to, you know?”

“He didn’t push you for more?” a quiet voice asks from nearby.

My gaze darts back to Anya, whose expression is skeptical.

I shake my head. “Not at all. He was really gentle with me. Almost too gentle, actually. But, it’s probably a good thing. I was able to be in control. To make the decision to keep kissing him or not. I felt safe.”

She doesn’t say anything. Just nods and sits back with a contemplative look on her face. I watch her a second longer, but her focus is elsewhere. Instead, I turn back to Brenna and Mila who’d both gone quiet.

“I’m really happy for you,” Brenna says, her excitement a bit subdued, but no less sincere. “What happens next? I mean, Gio is Jacob’s brother. His position in the organization has to change right? What does that mean for the two of you?”

My shoulder lifts. “We didn’t get into it, really. I guess there are some things that he and Jacob need to work out. Especially with Giovanni’s mom. He’s worried she might be a problem.”

“What do you mean?” Mila asks.

“According to him, she seems pretty focused on him running the organization, which he has zero interest in. All he wants is to be more than just a bodyguard. Being Jacob’s brother is a pretty powerful position in and of itself,” I say.

“I hope she realizes that my husband isn’t going to just let someone come in and take control away from him. Not even Giovanni,” Brenna warns.

“I guess she’s pretty manipulative. That’s what Gio says, anyway. Who knows what she thinks or what she might do.”

“She almost sounds like my mother. I saw the way she manipulated Mik—,” she shoots a glance at her sister and pauses—“men over the years.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated my mother more than now,” Brenna says and takes a drink.

“You’re definitely lucky. I’ve only met her a few times, but she reminds me of Aunt Rosalie.”

The lock on the door clicks, and then it opens. Jacob steps through with Pierce behind him. To my surprise, Giovanni is right on their heels. The three of them seem frustrated. I study Gio. His mouth is tight and despite him trying to hide it, there’s pain in his eyes. Stubborn man.

Brenna rises to meet her husband. She reaches up and brushes a lock of hair off his forehead before rising up on tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his lips. Pierce has already pulled Mila to her feet and tugs her close into a hug.

I shift awkwardly from my position on the floor. A pair of shoes appear in my line of vision. My head tips back, and I stare up at Giovanni. I reach for the hand he’s holding out, and let him pull me to my feet. He’s standing so close his chest almost touches me.

“Hi,” I greet him quietly.

“Hi,” he parrots back. “Did you guys have a nice time tonight?”

“We did. How about you?”

Gio chuckles. “I don’t think what we did would be considered nice. But I think it was productive.”

“That’s good,” I say. “You’ve been gone all night. Did you eat?”

His lips turn up. “Always looking out for me.”

“I have to,” I reply with indignation. “Who else will?”

His thumb rubs along the back of the hand he hasn’t let go of. “It kind of annoyed me at first, since I’ve been looking out for myself for a long time, but I have to admit it’s growing on me.”

A throat clears, and we both startle . Jacob stares at us in annoyance, while Brenna has a syrupy grin on her face. My gaze darts around the living room. Pierce, Mila, and Anya have already left. How did I not hear them leave?

“If the two of you don’t mind, my wife and I would like to go to bed now,” Jacob says with a brow raised.

“Sorry about that,” I rush out. “We’ll get out of your hair.”

Brenna and I hug goodbye and Gio and my cousin shake hands. He leads me out the door which closes behind us with a sharp snap right before the lock clicks into place.

“Come on, let’s get you into your car so you can get home and get some rest as well,” he says looping his hand around my arm and guiding us to the elevator.

“Now who’s being all bossy?” I say with a smirk.

Giovanni only winks at me. The ride down to the lobby is quiet. We step out and the lone security guard at the desk greets us with a nod.

“Have a good evening,” he says.

We stop at the curb next to the town car where Soren stands nearby. Sudden nerves hit me.

“Would you like to come over to my house for a drink?” I ask him.

Gio reaches up and pushes my hair over my shoulder, his fingers brushing along the exposed skin of my neck. A shiver dances across my skin and gooseflesh pebbles my arm.

“As much as I would like to, we both know you’re not ready for that yet. Not judging by the uncertainty I heard in that question.”

He’s right. I’m not sure what compelled me to even ask. Maybe because I thought I should. Gio brushes a kiss across my forehead, and my eyes drift shut until he pulls back.

“Have a good night, Francesca. Sleep well.” He turns and walks down the street.

I stand there, staring, until the darkness swallows him. Only then do I enter the backseat of the town car, my heart dancing in my chest.