me. “I’m here for Massimo,” she replied. “I’m here for Massimo and only Massimo. There’s no reason I can’t stay at a nearby hotel.”
“There are plenty of reasons,” I argued. “Mainly, your safety.” Her face went from angry to confused, so I decided to enlighten her. “You’re Francesca Mancini, and although we’ve done our best to keep your return a secret, we can’t guarantee that word hasn’t gotten out that you’re back.”
“So?” she sassed. “Who cares if I’m back?”
“A lot has changed since you’ve been gone, Frankie,” I told her. “The fact that you’re Ciro’s sister, Luca’s best friend, and my…” I trailed off because she looked down at the floor at the mention that she was still Luca’s best friend.
She shook her head before lifting her gaze to mine. “Whatever,” she said dismissively. “Then I can stay with my brother if there’s a chance I’m in danger.”
“You’re not your brother’s responsibility,” I snapped, losing my patience. It’s been six years, and all I wanted was to get Frankie home, so we could fight it out before fucking her unconscious.
“I’m not yours either,” she said, stressing each word like I was stupid or something.
I’ve spent the last six years honing my craft. I’ve developed a very intimate relationship with patience, but, right now, that relationship was becoming nonexistent. “That’s where you’re wrong,” I said as I grabbed her by her arm and yanked her forward. “You’ve always been my responsibility. You were my responsibility when you were five and you’re my responsibility now.”
Frankie tried to shake me loose, but it was no use. The grip I had on her arm was sure to leave some bruising, but I didn’t care. She was going to be covered in bruises come morning after I got her naked anyway. Frankie always liked her sex rough and dirty and, knowing her legs have been closed for the past six years, I imagined she still liked it that way.
“I am not leaving here with you, Phoenix,” she almost yelled.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
My free hand snaked out and I tangled my fingers in the intricate layers of her braid and tightened it into a fist. “Then dragging you by your fucking hair it is,” I threatened.
Her eyes widened. “Ciro! Luca! Are you guys going to just stand there and let him do this to me?”
“Yes,” came Luca’s easy reply.
“Frankie, it’s not my place,” Ciro answered.
Frankie knew Luca was a lost cause, so she focused on her brother. “Ciro, you’re my brother! Of course, it’s your place,” she insisted. “You’re just going to let some man put his hands on your sister?!”
Ciro’s words were clear, direct, and unwavering. “Phoenix’s not just some man, Francesca.”
“So, that gives him the okay to mistreat me?!”
“He’s not mistreating you, Frankie,” Ciro said, softening. “He’s doing what he should have done six years ago.”
That set her a-fucking-blaze. “Fuck you, Ciro!” she lashed out, and I thanked God the hospital floor was bought out for privacy. “Fuck you, too, Luca!” Her eyes were like daggers dripped in poison, vengeful and lethal. “Fuck you, most of all, Phoenix!”
“That’s enough!” I roared. “We’re going to do this, Frankie, but we’re not going to do it here!” I started to step with every intention of dragging here behind me when her fist came flying high. I released her just in time to catch it before hitting me straight in my jaw. I held her trapped and no amount of wiggling around was going to free her. “You want to fight? Because I do,” I growled.
I saw the second she knew she wasn’t going to win this round. Her fury was so palpable, I was certain the entire floor could feel it radiating from her soul. I also knew that, while she might concede in losing the round, she was gearing up to win the war.
Frankie wasn’t a quitter.
“I’ll walk,” she rushed out, furious as all get out.
I stared down at the beautiful spitfire in my arms, and wondered for the first time if I should have checked for weapons. She had her purse hanging over her shoulder and I was certain she was probably cataloging what was in there that she could use as a weapon to use on me. Yeah, Ciro, Luca, and I taught her well, indeed.
I dropped her hands, but when she went to step around me, I grabbed her left hand and laced her fingers through mine. Her head shot up. “Wh…what are you doing?”
Ciro had already walked around us to