Gone - Anna Brooks Page 0,56
and I’m pleased to see he has some bruising on his jaw. “You had no right.” I shove him back a step, and he goes easily. Not because I’m that strong, but because he’s allowing it. “No freaking right! None!”
He closes the door behind me and takes hold of my arm. “Lower your voice and calm down.”
“Fuck calm and fuck you.”
His brows rise almost to his hairline. “Excuse me?”
I’ve never said anything so disrespectful and mean to any of my siblings ever, and I hate myself a little that I just did to him. But my love for Damien means more to me than Gio’s feelings right now. “I said, fuck calm and fuck you.”
“Not cool, Bella.”
“No. What’s not cool is you, walking away from me and not having a conversation about it. It’s not cool that you were fighting my boyfriend because you were mad, which you have no reason to be. It’s not cool that my entire life you’ve chased off practically every boyfriend I’ve ever had. And then when I find one who is perfect for me… absolutely perfect, you beat him up. That’s not cool.”
His breaths are choppy as he tries to rein in his temper. “If it makes you feel better, it wasn’t me beating him up. He had something to prove, and he damn sure did that.” He grasps the back of his neck with one hand. “I like Damien. He’s a solid guy, dependable, and loyal. I trust him. I even get that he found you and changed his ways. I’m proof that finding the right woman does that to a man. But you’re wrong. I had a right to be mad because you lied to me. That’s why I was pissed. Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“Because I knew that”—I motion to his bruises—“would happen. And I didn’t want it to. I didn’t want anyone to jeopardize what we were building. I didn’t want to ask Damien to keep it from you because you guys are friends, and I didn’t want to ask him to lie to you.”
“I hear you, and I get it.” He drops his head. “It kills me that you don’t trust me, Bella.”
Sighing, I take a seat on the couch. “I trust you, but I also know you. I appreciate you looking out for me all these years, but it’s time to cut the cord. There will be times when Damien and I fight, but I don’t want you threatening him to make it right. There will be ups and downs, but they’re for us to deal with. Not you.”
“How do you know there will be ups and downs?”
“Because he’s it for me. And anyone in a healthy relationship will fight from time to time.”
He tilts his head. “He’s it for you?”
“Yes.”
The harsh edge on his face softens a little bit. Maybe he finally realized just how serious I am. “I’m sorry for whatever I did to make you not trust me with the Danny thing, which we will talk about one day, but Damien gave me a run down so I know you’re good now, and I’m sorry that D and I fought, but I promise from now on, I’ll respect your boundaries.”
“Okay.”
He holds his arms out. “Would you feel better if you hit me?”
My body reacts before my brain can catch up, and I stand immediately. “Yes.” Normally, I’m not a violent person, but he hurt my man, so I’m going to hurt him.
He swallows, and I see him clench his muscles as he looks down, probably in disbelief. Without hesitation, I rear back and swing, but in the blink of an eye, Gio lifts his head, and in the process my fist strays from the course I was going and collides with his chin at an awkward angle. A searing pain shocks my knuckles, and my nerves are on fire all the way down to my wrist. “Fuck.” He reaches for me and holds my hand out in front of him, tugging me to the kitchen.
“Why did you move?” I cry, the throbbing intensifying by the minute.
He jerks the faucet to cold and shoves my hand beneath it. “You were going for my ribs. Damien fucked them up today, and I didn’t want you making them worse. I didn’t really think you were going to hit me. Dammit, your fist swung high. Shit, Bella.”
His lip is split open and I gasp at not only the blood leaking down his chin but the pain in my