Page 94 of Maddest Temptation

“Pretend? I’m not pretending anything,” I snapped at him.

I picked up my clutch and opened it, and because my hands were still shaking, I let the Ziplock fall on the ground. Before I could pick it up, Gianluca did, and when I thought he was going to give it back to me, he pulled it away.

“I know you want me, Francesca, that night at Vitelli’s, I knew you wanted me.”

“Wake up, Gianluca.” I tried to get it back from him.

“Stop being a bitch, Francesca,” he snapped, pulling me toward him.

My hand connected with his face.

My reaction was so fast that both of us were surprised. My jaw dropped, and he stepped back putting his hand over his cheek. I was horrified by my reaction, but I didn’t regret it. Gianluca, on the other hand, was fuming. His eyes blazed with anger.

“Your father was right, you’re nothing but a cheap whore.” He moved to hit me. I flinched. But the impact never came.

I opened my eyes to find Gianluca’s hand inches from my face. Cassio held onto Gianluca’s hand holding it tight. I followed the extent of his arm up to his eyes to find them burning. Cassio vibrated with anger.

“You were lucky your hand didn’t touch her,” Cassio spoke, his tone laced with the promise of pain and death.

Calmly, Cassio pulled him away from me, but I didn’t dare move. He hadn’t yet looked at me, but I didn’t need to know what would happen if he did.

“Do you remember what I told you the last time we met?” Gianluca, who was usually so high up on his horse, swallowed hard. “Answer me.” Cassio was acting scarily calm.

“Y-you’d kill me.”

“Correct,” Cassio deadpanned. “Apologize to her.”

“Sorry,” Gianluca mumbled.

“She didn’t hear it.”

“Cassio,” I pleaded, scared of what his intentions were.

“I’m sorry,” Gianluca said with more enthusiasm. When it seemed Cassio would let go of Gianluca’s hand, he did.

Crack.

Gianluca screamed, and I jumped back holding a hand to my mouth, keeping me from crying out. Holy fuck. The sickening sound of bone cracking echoed in my ear. The movement was so fast that I didn’t have time to process it, and neither did Gianluca. Cassio’s head snapped in my direction.

“Go wait in my car.” He offered me his car keys and turned his attention to Gianluca. “Go,” he roared.

I did.

27

CASSIO

The loud engine of my car vibrated as it came to life. I remained there in the parking lot unsure what to do. I gripped the steering wheel with enough force to make my busted knuckles ache again. I had almost killed Gianluca…almost. I had wanted to, but if it weren’t for Vitelli putting some sense into my head, he would have been dead.

“Fuck.” I hit the stirring wheel.

Francesca, who sat beside me on the passenger seat flinched but remained looking out her window as if her life depended on it. That was the only reaction I got from her. She refused to acknowledge my presence. She kept on bobbing her legs and her nails dug into the palm of her hands. Her sapphire eyes were wide and wild, reflected on the glass window. I had seen her like this before.

“Did you kill him?” Her voice was low enough that I almost didn’t hear.

I laughed dryly. “Are you worried I killed your supplier?”

Her head snapped to the side, and she looked at me. “You saw it?”

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