Page 13 of Luca

When Giada sees me, her eyes grow wide at what I’m sure is an absolutely murderous expression on my face.

“You drink it,” I say to Tyler as I come to stand next to Giada.

He looks at me then back to a confused girl at my side.

The little shit gives me a withering look as though I’m the hired help and shouldn’t deign myself important enough for him to respond to.

“It’s for Giada, not me. Here, babe.”

“Why do you want me to drink it so bad, Tyler?” she asks the boy, suspiciously looking from him to the cup.

I feel her eyes on me as I stare at the side of Tyler’s face. She’s a smart girl. She knows something isn’t right. This isn’t the first time tonight someone has offered her a drink, but it is the first time I’ve intervened.

“Forget it,” Tyler says. “Bianca, you want a beer?” He holds the cup to Giada’s best friend, who stands silently watching the scene.

“How old is Tyler?” I ask Giada.

“Just turned eighteen.”

As soon as the words are out of her mouth, I knock the cup from his hand and send it flying into the grass several feet from us. Before Tyler has a chance to react, my fist flies into his stomach and he doubles over.

I don’t know if his being underage would have stopped me from teaching this kid a lesson, but it seems reasonable that I could potentially find myself in less trouble if he’s an adult.

With him hunched over in pain, I take the opportunity to smash my fist into his jaw, which sends him flying back and landing with a thud on the ground. I don’t waste a second and grab him by the front of his shirt as I rain blow after blow to his face. Screams and cheers barely register as blood flies from the punk’s face with every punch I land.

When I stop, Tyler’s face is a mess of blood, snot and tears, but he’s still conscious. Barely.

“Listen to me, you little fucker. If you ever try that shit on another girl, I’ll find you and finish the job. And believe me, I will find out. You’ve just landed on my radar, Tyler. Lucky you.”

“My father will have your job for this,” he groans out.

Kid’s got balls; I’ll give him that. Too bad he’s so fucking stupid.

I pull him closer to my face, and with deadly calm, I tell him, “You just tried to drug Francesco Cataldi’s daughter. Do you honestly think your father can do anything about it? If he finds out, not only will you never be heard from again, but neither will your parents. You want to risk that?”

The last thing I need is Francesco or Carlo finding out I was here with Giada. She said she’d take the blame, but I’d rather not have to deal with figuring out how to smooth anything over, especially if they find out this wasn’t the first time she’s snuck out.

“I’m willing to show you mercy and let you live. Francesco Cataldi will not.”

All bravado drains from his eyes with that last statement. I’d like to think the idea of losing his parents would be a factor, but I have a feeling he’s the type of asshole who doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself. Hell, he could very well be hoping his parents are out of the picture soon so he can inherit everything. Nothing surprises me about these fucking rich kids anymore. But when I told him Francesco would make sure he dies a bloody and painful death, well, that changed things for him.

“I won’t do it again, I swear,” he coughs out.

I slap his face a few times and smile like a psychopath. “I knew you’d make the right decision. Take care, Tyler.”

When I release my grip on his shirt, everyone is staring between me and the boy on the ground, groaning in pain.

I find Giada’s eyes, and what I see there startles me. It’s not hate, far from it. It’s the same way she used to look at me before her brother read me her diary, and I laughed in her face with him. Shit. I sure as hell don’t need this kind of complication inside the family.

“Let’s go.” I turn, expecting her and Bianca to follow, which, thankfully, they do. When we make it back to the car, Bianca silently gets in the back, and I drive us to the edge of the property, where she’d picked us up.

Turning to face Bianca, I pin her with a stare. “No more fucking parties in the middle of the woods. You two are prime targets for assholes like that one back there, and I won’t be there to protect you next time.”

Bianca’s smile makes me uneasy. She’s looking at me like I’m some knight in shining fucking armor. Jesus Christ, if watching someone beat a person to bloody hell does it for her, she’s in serious trouble. Neither of these girls should find anyone in this violent life appealing. Least of all, someone like me.

Giada opens the door, and I get out as well, allowing Bianca to get in the front so she can get the hell home.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Bianca calls before taking off.

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