Page 26 of Merciless & Mated

I turned briefly back to Elio. “Keep me posted.”

He clapped a hand down onto my shoulder. “I will, and don’t think I’ll forget about this. I’ll collect eventually.”

I shook off the vaguely ominous promise and slipped past the guards and into the kitchen.

Joe Mancini stood sharply, looking from me to his daughter and back again. “My daughter tells me you’ve taken care of her.”

“Is that what she said?” I surveyed her, taking in the tension around her mouth and eyes, the stiffness of her posture. “Have you been behaving yourself?”

“As well as can be expected,” she replied.

“You need to rest. Say your goodbyes.”

Relief slipped through the bond. Gianna hugged her father before stepping up next to me.

“I’ll see you soon,” she told him.

I guided Gianna out of the kitchen with a firm hand on her lower back, and once we were out of earshot, I asked simply, “Is something wrong besides what you witnessed?”

“I feel like I should be asking you that, considering what came through the bond after you were with Bianca. What happened?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

“So that’s how it’s going to be?”

“How are you expecting it to be?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Forget it.”

Once we were secured in the suite, I pulled her to me, gratified when she relaxed almost instantly. “I paid a small price. Not anywhere near as costly as it could have been. If you concern yourself with every price I’m going to have to pay when it comes to you, you’re never going to stop worrying.”

“Bold of you to assume I was worried.” She chuckled quietly against my chest but I still gave her a swat on the ass for her sassing. Gianna lifted her head and those blue eyes froze me in place.

“Do you want to tell me why you were so tense with your father?”

“I can love him and be pissed at him at the same time,” she replied. “I know I would’ve been completely fucked if he hadn’t gone to Bianca for help finding me, but he’s been waiting for an opportunity. He tried once before.”

“Tried what?”

“To give me to her. He made a bad gamble around when I turned eighteen, and he tried to give me to her then. I’m just kind of coming to terms with the fact that I can love him and have no respect for him. He got what he wanted in the end, I guess.”

“Well, for one, Bianca’s an idiot for not wanting you, but I’m glad she didn’t because then I never would’ve gotten you.”

“That’s weirdly sweet.” She nestled closer and was quiet for a few beats before asking, “Can we trust Elio?”

I shrugged. “I like to think so. Did he do something to make you think we shouldn’t?”

Gianna shook her head and tucked back against me. “No, I was just curious. I don’t know anyone here. How am I supposed to know who you consider an ally or enemy if I don’t ask?”

“Enzo and Elio are about as safe as you can get in this place. Anyone beneath us will listen, but their loyalty is to Bianca and would take the chance to replace us in a heartbeat. The only one above us besides Bianca herself is Santo, and he’s her current favorite, so I wouldn’t take any risks there.”

“That’s a short fucking list, Marco.”

“Were you expecting the list to be long in the viper’s nest?”

“Less expecting, more hoping.”

“The people here have a chance to rise from nothing under Bianca. They owe her a lot. Most wouldn’t get that elsewhere.”

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