Page 27 of The Last Vendetta

He shrugged. “A man can only hope.”

“Hope for what?” Stop talking in fucking riddles.

“That you’re not as worthless as you’ve always been. That when I ask you to avenge your brother, you will.”

I didn’t reply, leaving him and wishing I could punch that smug sneer right off his face. It wasn’t my fault that he had this low opinion of me. He'd made sure to dismiss me my whole life, and now I had to redefine myself on the spot.

At the club where I was supposed to meet with the man who’d have intel for me, I grabbed a drink and waited for twenty minutes. The man texted, saying he was on the trail of that guy again, and I sighed, realizing I’d been sitting here for no reason all this time.

It wasn’t wasted, though. I killed the time by looking up news about Rocco’s death, unsurprised when I didn’t find much. Like anyone else in the Mafia world, Isabella knew how to manipulate the news. And it seemed she had.

I left, still looking at my phone as I overheard Nickolas Romano entering the club. It was on neutral ground, not a Bernardi or Romano establishment, but I perked up when he mentioned Giulia’s name.

“Now that Rocco’s out of the way, I could,” he said to another man walking into the club with him.

Can what? I ducked to the side of the hall, sticking with the shadows to listen in.

“You’d do that?” the other man asked.

Nickolas huffed a laugh. “Yeah. I could take over the Acardi Family by marrying Giulia.”

They headed in while I left, and as I walked to my car, I mulled over that idea.

Nickolas Romano marrying Giulia Acardi. It left a nasty taste in my mouth. I hated the thought of that fucker claiming her virginity. Of taking her like I now wanted to. I’d always been aware of her beauty, but it was only since we’d both snapped to the attraction between us that I became obsessed with having her.

“Forget about it,” I mumbled to myself.

Nickolas would marry her if he saw a benefit to it. And what could I do about it? Not a single fucking thing. She’d be arranged in a marriage someday, and it wouldn’t be to me. We were all subject to being married off, pawns for alliances, and there was no way in hell my father would suggest I marry Isabella’s daughter.

I got into my car and came face to face with her. Or rather, face to reflection. I held my breath and narrowed my eyes at Giulia sitting in the backseat of my car.

“What the…?” I looked at her, worried. “How the fuck did you get in here?”

“I taught myself to pick locks when I was six years old.”

Impressive. She must have been a bored child.

“Why are you here?”

She sighed, sinking against the seat. I didn’t have to be a genius to see that she needed a moment. Hell, I did too. Hearing Nickolas make plans to conquer her and have her as his wife didn’t sit well with me. Knowing she’d sought me out mattered.

But what do you want?

I’d parked in the corner. No one could see in here with the tinted windows, and I marveled at the fact that she knew which car was mine.

She’d been aware of me all this time too, and it sucked that we were crashing too close together now when there was no chance of anything happening.

When she sighed, glancing out the window, I bit my lip and got out.

Was she sad? Mad? Lost and confused? She wasn’t supposed to matter. I wasn’t supposed to care. But I did. I got out of the driver’s seat and got into the back with her, facing her profile.

“Aren’t you supposed to be all important now, taking Luka’s position and having a driver to take you everywhere?”

I scooted in closer. “That’s why you broke into my car to talk to me?” Her scent hit me hard, enticing me to grab her and hold her close. Her bold gaze threatened to make me lose my mind.

All I wanted was her, a chance to be alone with her, but I knew it was wrong. Now that we were in this private bubble, shrouded and hidden in my car, I wasn’t sure how to approach. Or whether I should.

Her silent stare unnerved me, and that damn worry crept back in. She looked so confused, so troubled, and I wanted to smooth away every worry in her mind. Never had I wanted to take care of a woman so badly, and she was the last one on earth I should be staring at and fighting back this possessive, protective streak over.

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