wants some kind of reaction from me, but I have zero desire to give him one.
“Sexy, young, beautiful. Sad that you’ve been tangled up with a guy like that. Why don’t you get yourself a real man, one that can protect you?”
Biting the inside of my cheek, my heart races at his words. Protect me? They sound like a threat, or maybe I’ve been around too many of those gangsters he’s talking about.
“You assume that I cannot protect myself,” I say, squaring my shoulders.
He chuckles, pushing off of the wall, but thankfully makes no move closer toward me. He tilts his head to the side, his eyes roaming over my body. Then his lips twitch before they curve up into a smile, a slithering snake-like smile.
“I think you would certainly put up a fight and that would be glorious. But no, you can’t protect yourself. You want someone to show you what a real man can offer you, just let me know. I assume you’ll be back?”
Smirking, my eyes skirt up and down his body. He’s fit but holding on to about fifteen pounds more than necessary. He’s handsome, in a clean-cut kind of way, but he’s not Massimo. His eyes do not hold that guarded vulnerability, in fact, they hold nothing except anger and resentment.
“Yes, I’ll be back to see my husband.”
Without another word, I walk away from him. Whoever he is, his agenda is more than showing me a real man. He gave off something very ugly and I want no part of it. Absolutely none of it.
MASSIMO
Another week passes, but instead of being able to look and talk to my wife, I have to meet with Gavino. He sits across the table from me, his gaze flicking behind me, then landing on mine.
“You got a cop shooting daggers,” he rumbles.
I nod my head once. “Yeah, he’s said some things about Pippa. She told me that he approached her after she and I had a visit last week.”
“He a problem?”
I shrug my shoulder. “Possibly. Not sure, maybe you check him out, double check.”
“It’s done. If Pippa is in danger, I’ll put a man on her.”
I dip my chin, still pissed off that he doesn’t have a permanent guard on her, but I don’t have a fucking choice in the matter, not right now at least. Gavino shifts his gaze back to meet my own.
“You know anyone in there named Mazza?”
I smirk, knowing exactly what he’s asking me. “A favor?”
“Possibly.”
“You take care of that bitch of an aunt for me?” I ask.
Gavino leans back in his seat, his lips twitching as he shakes his head. “You want that?”
Leaning forward, I lift my hand and press my index finger on to the table. “I need that. Pippa has never been treated right by her. Pippa’s trying to do right by her sister and if that bitch succeeds in court to take Rosana from her, she’ll never forgive herself for whatever fucked up treatment Irene will met out to Rosana,” I grind out.
Gavino dips his chin in a slow nod. “You have it. Was hoping you’d ask me for that, I was already prepared to get rid of her. You know she asked me if I would take the girl off her hands, and how much I’d pay for her. Fucking cunt is what she is.”
“She won’t get Rosana and she won’t hurt Pippa ever again,” I state.
Gavino’s lips turn up into a grin. “She certainly won’t. I think it’s about time she goes and visits her brother and sister-in-law.”
“Sounds good to me,” I snort.
“You got Mazza?” Vino asks.
Nodding my head, my eyes find his. “It’ll be easy, consider it done. I’ll call you with a confirmation.”
“Good. Don’t get caught. We miss you out here, cugino,” he rasps.
Smirking, I jerk my chin toward him. “I won’t. Ready to get the fuck out of here.”
Gavino and I both stand to our feet, our meeting over. Aunt Irene will be taken care of as will the man that Vino needs me to get rid of in here.
This is my job now, the only one that I can do from the inside, meting out the will of my boss. All in hopes that he’ll always keep his eye on my wife and keep her safe.
I have to trust him, trust my other famiglia to take care of her when I can’t. It’s the worst goddamn feeling on the fucking planet.
Chapter Twenty-Six
PIPPA
Sitting next to Salvatore, I twist my fingers in my lap, my head tipped