Page 81 of Little Rabbit

“I just don’t want him to think that he’s made a mistake, because he’ll break me if he does,” I admit.

“That won’t happen,” Gia says confidently. “Alessio, even in the small amount of time I’ve known him, has a singular focus on a lot of things, and nothing changes that about him. So I don’t think you have to worry about that with him. Ever.”

“Wish I could be so certain,” I groan, staring at the ceiling in frustration. “I mean, I love him, and he told me he loves me, so shouldn’t that be enough?”

“You’re obsessing too much over what you think should happen, or what could happen,” Rori replies patiently. “Maybe if you were in a relationship with a normal man I would agree with you, but that’s not this. This is so completely off the spectrum that either of us thought would happen, but that’s okay. Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you just have to go with it. So stop worrying about it and enjoy it. I mean, don’t you think I would tell you if I thought you were making a mistake? Like that time you were going to sleep with Joey and I told you that he was a creep? And wasn’t I right? He spread STDs around the campus like wildfire, and I saved you from that fate.”

“This is a bit different,” I retort sarcastically.

“Fine. How about the time you were thinking about marrying that guy who turned out to be after your connections to your father? You dated for six months and were telling me that you felt a great connection with him. And didn’t I tell you that he was shady as hell and to watch yourself? Then what happened? You caught him trying to hack into your shit and take it for himself.”

I hate that she’s right. Gia is listening to all of this wide-eyed. “That seriously happened?” she gasps.

I nod. “Yeah, I kicked his ass out and my father fired him for trying to hack into my stuff. I caught him, got it on video, and sent it to my Dad and HR.” Gia’s eyes widen even further. “It was a whole thing. And yes, I see your point,” I add irritably to Rori. “Clearly my taste in men can be questionable, and you’re in full support Alessio. But I’m still allowed to be unsure.”

“Of course you are,” Rori nods. “But you also need to get the hell out of your head or you are going to make the both of you miserable. Leave behind whatever notions you’ve been cooking up in that head of yours, and pay attention to only the ones that matter. Namely, being happy, enjoying getting to know the man you clearly love, and staying alive to enjoy all the perks of it all. Not to mention, once the other sister/cousins get here, we’re going to have to help them get settled in, and you’ll be one of the perfect ones to do that, being what you’ve now been through, right?”

I sigh. “I hate when you’re right.”

She grins. “Of course I am. I’m always right, remember? Now, enough with the serious shit. I want to know what you’re working with under that sexy suit of his. And on a scale of one to ten, you know, so I can decide if I need to take a full on dunk in the pool, or send him some videos to watch so he can learn what to do.”

I splash her, making her laugh. “Trust me, he knows what he’s doing,” I assure her with a wicked grin. “And there is no scale for him.” I think back to the time in the bedroom at Branson’s home with the knife, and shiver. Yeah, I might need to recreate that soon because that was so hot.

“And you? I have to assume that your man is just as incredible?” Rori asks Gia.

Gia gives a sappy smile. “He’s my first, so I don’t have much to go on, but he’s amazing. And the things he can do with his tongue.” She shivers.

“Damn, I’m missing out,” Rori pouts. “You said Alessio has brothers?” she asks me with a hopeful look.

“He does,” I grin. I hear a low growl near the door and my grin widens even further. Oh, is someone jealous? “I’ll introduce you,” I continue, seeing Rori’s heated gaze slide toward Alonzo. We can’t see him, but I can feel his stare, though it’s definitely not pointed my way.

I don’t know what to think about my best friend and Sofia’s brother, but she’s a big girl and she can figure it out herself. Right now, I have plans to form for my own man.

We’ll just see if he’s ready for them.

36

ALESSIO

I fire the final bullet between the eyes of the pleading soldier and watch dispassionately as his body slumps to the ground. Nico and Dante look at me expressionlessly and I just shrug. “We’ve heard the same pleas for hours now, and I for one have no interest in hearing any more. You’re welcome.” After interviewing and dealing with more than a hundred different soldiers, twenty are dead, including one that I was sure was a plant by Leonardo, considering his reaction when we announced Tommaso was dead. Lazaro is always excellent at sussing out the traitors and moles, but I’m a very close second.

Dante barks orders to have the bodies disposed of, then we head out of the soldiers quarters and back for the main house, leaving Davide in charge. I’m not entirely convinced the man is up to the task, considering the majority of the events that happened were under his watch, but it’s not my call, so I make a mental note to have our men keep an eye on him and anyone else he’s closely linked with. Because where there’s one traitor, there’s normally far more.

We reach a door that leads into a private hallway in the rear of the house, but just as we walk inside, Nico’s phone rings. He pulls it out and stops, glancing at me and then Dante as he says, “It’s Giovanni.” I lean against the wall, waiting to see how this conversation will go. Dante mirrors me and we wait as Nico answers the call. “Giovanni, you’re the third De Luca to call me today,” he says calmly.

“Your whore killed my son,” Giovanni seethes.

“The fact that you call your own niece a whore shows me how much you have clearly fallen, Giovanni,” I tell him calmly. “Because it wasn’t Gia who killed him. Still, one less De Luca male in this world isn’t a problem as far as I’m concerned.”

“Caruso,” Giovanni says coldly, despite the rage simmering through the line. “Then I take it it was your whore, my new niece that killed him. You need a woman to do your dirty work now? The mighty Caruso underboss is too much a coward to kill a man.”

I ignore his dig. With the number of years he has under his belt, you would think he would come up with some better material. “Are you calling to be all pissy about your worthless son, Giovanni, or do you have a point?” I ask him, sounding bored. “From what I hear, you have more of them anyway, so what does it matter?”

“You have no idea what’s coming, Caruso. You either, Armani,” Giovanni spits. “I’m going to kill those worthless whores while I’m at it. When my own dear daughters get here, I’m going to make sure they learn their places quickly. You wanted a war, Nico, and now you’re going to get one.”

“Yes, well, your nephew and brother have already threatened the same thing, so just like always, you’re late to the party, Giovanni,” Nico replies smoothly. “It’s no wonder that you’ve always been at the bottom of the totem pole.”

“I’m going to enjoy it when I finally get to kill you, Nico,” Giovanni seethed. “You’re worthless, like your father was, and you think you’re untouchable.”

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