Page 67 of Ruthless Royalty

“He killed his own son because he couldn’t be as ruthless as him?” I ask, incredulously and shaking my head. “That’s fucked up.”

Nikolai’s jaw clenches. “Vito’s done a lot that’s kept Giovanni in check for a long time. He’s been trying to live up to the impossible standard his father set, and now he’s stuck in this cycle of proving himself.”

That … kind of explains why Gio is the way he is.

“Gio mentioned that his father was dangerous, that hewouldn’t let it go easily. What does that mean, Nikolai? What kind of danger are we talking about?”

“This is why I fucking asked if you knew what you were signing up for, Chiara,” Nikolai says, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. “Vito is used to getting what he wants, no matter who gets hurt in the process, and he’s not above using violence to get his way.”

I feel a cold chill run down my spine. I knew Giovanni had a powerful name, but this … this is something else entirely.

“That’s why he’s so angry,” I murmur. “He’s been fighting against it all his life.”

“Exactly,” Nikolai says, crossing his arms over his chest. “But here’s the thing, Chiara —Gio’s good at playing the game. He’s learned how to walk that world with knives in his back and he knows how to survive in it. But he’s never wanted to be a part of it, and now that you’re in the picture…”

He trails off, but I can see where he’s going with this. “His father sees me as a threat to his little kingdom.”

Nikolai nods. “Yeah. Gio’s father is all about control. He’s not going to let anyone—or anything—stand in the way of his plans for Giovanni. And if that means taking you out of the equation, he’ll do it.”

My heart sinks. I knew being with Giovanni wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t realize just how deep this went. “How do I help him?”

Nikolai sighs, running a hand through his hair. “The best thing you can do is stay by his side. Don’t let him push you away, no matter how hard he tries. G’s stubborn as hell, but he needs you. He won’t admit it, but he does. And if his father tries to pull some shit, we’ll deal with it together.”

I swallow hard, trying to keep the fear at bay. “Can someone like him be stopped?”

Nikolai looks at me, his eyes hard. “You can’t stop him, Chiara. You can only stay out of his way.”

“Bullshit,” I snap, my anger flaring. “I’m not going to sit back and let that bastard hurt Gio. There has to be something we can do.”

Nikolai studies me for a moment, and I can tell he’s weighing his options. Finally, he sighs and leans back against the wall, running a hand through his hair.

“I’ll talk to my father,” he says reluctantly. “Maybe he can get through to Vito before this gets out of hand.”

“Would Dmitri do something about this? For someone like me?”

Nikolai raises an eyebrow. “Someone like you? You’re his stepdaughter, Chiara,” he says, amusement dancing in his eyes. “My father has some influence over Vito, or at least enough to make him think twice before doing something stupid. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s better than nothing.”

I nod, feeling a little more grounded now that I have some clarity. “Thank you, Nikolai,” I say, meaning it. “I know we haven’t exactly been on the best terms lately, but I appreciate you telling me all this.”

He gives me a half-smile, the kind that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Gio’s a pain in the ass, but he’s like a brother to me, Chiara.”

We sit there in silence for a moment, the weight of everything we’ve discussed replaying in my head like a stuck record.

It’s no wonder Gio is the way he is—cold, ruthless, always in control. He had to be, just to survive.

“You know, despite everything, Giovanni never broke,” Nikolai says, a note of pride in his voice. “He did what he had to do, but he never lost himself completely. And now, with you … I think he’s starting to see a way out. A way to be something more than just his father’s puppet.”

Tears sting my eyes, and I blink them back, not wanting to break down in front of Nikolai. But it’s hard, knowing what Gio’sbeen through, and knowing that I’m a part of the reason he’s in danger now.

When I get back to my Suite, I realize that I didn’t even ask him about Cat. I sit down on my bed, my mind racing. I think about everything Nikolai told me, about the darkness Giovanni has been carrying with him for so long. I think about the pressure, the expectations, the constant threat of violence.

I think about the look in Giovanni’s eyes when he told me he wouldn’t share me with anyone. The possessiveness, the raw need—it’s all part of the man he’s been forced to become.

But beneath all of that, I see the vulnerability, the part of him that just wants to be free. And I know that I want to be the one to help him find that freedom.

I grab my phone and send Giovanni a text.

We need to talk.

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