cold with your bullshit. You guys lied and kept secrets as easily as you brushed your teeth in the morning.”
“Frank-”
“What kind of family does that, huh?” I asked, ignoring him. “You, Ciro, and Luca are a family. I’m nothing.”
He was in front of me in a flash. His hand wrapped around my arm, toying with the bruises that were already forming from earlier. “That’s not true,” he seethed.
“Of course, it’s true,” I argued, refusing to believe him. “You three went into this together, never once including me.”
“We were trying to protect you!” he yelled.
“Bullshit!” I yelled back. “You were trying to protect yourselves! You were hoping to ask for forgiveness instead of permission.”
“What did you expect?” he exploded, his grip tightening. “We knew how you felt about Luca’s family’s lifestyle.”
“So what?” I said, still yelling in his face. “It didn’t change how I felt about Luca. I always knew there was a chance you guys would end up with the Benettis.”
“Then why did you leave?” he asked, yelling just as loud as I was. “If you already knew where we were headed, why in the fuck did you run off?”
“Because you guys hid it from me,” I said, finally explaining my pain. “You guys made this huge life decision and you hid it from me. I’m not mad because you work for the Benettis. I’m mad because you guys lied to me. You lied and, after years of holding me close, you guys left me out in the cold, making me feel less than what I thought I meant to you guys.”
“Frankie-”
“I don’t have room in my life for liars, Phoenix,” I announced, unable to stop the purging of six years of resentment. “There’s no way I’m moving back to Morgan City.”
“It’s already been decided,” he stated, releasing my arm.
Fury was burning bright in my gut. “Even if that’s the case, coming back doesn’t mean I’m coming back to you,” I pointed out.
Phoenix’s back straightened, and he stood there, every inch of his six-foot-two-inch frame vibrating with rage. “You think so?” he finally asked.
“I know so.”
I couldn’t stop the cry that escaped as he grabbed me by my hair and drug me behind him. When we finally reached his bedroom, where he threw me on the bed, he snarled, “We’ll see about that.”
Chapter 11
Phoenix~
Fury had me blind to everything else but the woman on my bed currently shooting daggers at me.
I knew this was going to get ugly, but she was out of her fucking mind if she thought she could come back to Morgan City and not be with me.
Out. Of. Her. Fucking. Mind.
“You don’t get to manhandle me, Phoenix,” she raged from the center of our bed.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I informed her as I started removing my suit jacket. “I get to do whatever the fuck I want to you, Francesca.”
She came flying off the bed and stood there like a beautiful, raging storm. And the more anger she displayed, the more she cemented the fact that she was born to walk next to Luca, Ciro, and me. Not just anyone could end up with Luca, Ciro, or me. Though many women have tried over the years, it took someone special to stand by our sides. Especially, Luca. One day, soon, he was going to take over this entire fucking city and the woman who ended up with him was going to have to be made of some strong motherfucking shit.
Like Frankie.
“You lost those rights to me six years ago, Phoenix,” she raged. “Once upon a time you might have had that privilege, but that time has come and gone.”
My tie came flying off next. “That’s doubtful, seeing as how I’ve been taking care of you for the past six fucking years, Frankie,” I bit out. “I’d say that gives me all and every right to you and that delectable body of yours.”
Her eyes rounded in shock, now whether from my statement or my undressing, I wasn’t sure. “What the hell are you talking about?” she screeched. “How in the hell have you been taking care of me?”
I smirked. “Do you really believe you were so lucky that there just happened to be an apartment available to you that included all utilities for less than a grand a month, Frankie?” The second Luca’s henchman had mentioned the apartment he saw Frankie looking at, Luca had called me and I had gotten in touch with the rental manager and told him to rent it to Frankie for eight-hundred