Page 16 of The Sicilian Brotherhood I

“Please,” I huffed, “Just leave me alone.”

She shrugged, “Okay. I only wanted to warn you to be careful. Not everybody is happy with what Giacomo has done.”

I sniffed and ignored her as she left my room, turning the key in the lock on the other side. I sighed and flopped back on the bed again. I had nothing in the room but my own thoughts and they were starting to tear away at me again. I couldn’t imagine when I’d get another chance to escape, but I knew I’d have to find one.

Another pair of boots walking up the stairs sent my heart racing again. This time, the steps were heavier and slower — so not Elena. When the door opened, I knew who to expect. He thrust it open slowly, with a grin on my face as if to say, “Aha, I’ve finally got you.”

“Good morning, Dahlia.”

I didn’t look at him and kept staring out the window.

“I said good morning,” he repeated.

He walked across the room, right up to my bed where I sat, clutching my knees close and staring out the window.

“Dahlia, answer me,” he growled.

Raimondo pressed his finger under my chin and turned my gaze towards his. I stared him dead in the eyes, unflinching as he attempted to threaten me into showing him respect. It would never work. I was done cowering to men like him, men like my ex, Franco.

“I said, answer me,” he growled.

“Good morning,” I mumbled, continuing to stare at him.

“That’s all you can muster up?”

He dragged his finger along the length of a deep scar on his cheek.

“Giacomo is out,” he said.

I didn’t respond again.

He chuckled.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“Locked up alone in a house like this with three Sicilian men.”

“And one woman,” I added, emphasizing how little I feared him.

He snickered.

“You think Elena can save you?”

“Save me from what?”

I snapped my chin away from his grasp, which set him off. He grabbed my jaw, squeezing it between his fingers as I struggled to get away.

“I don’t like your attitude.”

I formed a wad of spit in my mouth and launched it at him.

Ptttht!

He groaned and wiped the spit from his chest where it landed.

“You’ve made a huge mistake,” he growled, throwing the wad of spit onto the floor.

---