Page 43 of Twisted Obsession

‘That’s not fair.’

‘I don’t play fair, Gi. As your Don, I don’t have time, like I don’t have time for this childish game of yours.’

‘YOU ARE NOT MY DON.’ I was staring hard at the road ahead of me, as it flew past my eyes quicker than I knew it should. Before I knew it, I’d be on the E45 travelling towards Naples.

‘Giovanna,’ Salvatore pleaded with me.

‘When you are, I will come and plead my case to you, but until then you will let me travel to Bologna.’

‘I can’t do that, and you know it. You have no bodyguards with you and I’m fucking fuming with you, Sorellina, for taking a risk with your life like this.’

‘And I’m fucking fuming with you, Brother, for thinking you could take the place of Nonno when he isn’t even dead yet.’ An involuntary sob followed my words, and I quickly pulled myself together.

And there it was. The only thing that had ever come between me and my elder brother. I knew he was only following family orders, but my life felt completely out of my control, and I hated it—No, I fucking hated it. I didn’t normally swear but suddenly my situation seemed to need the expletives.

Suddenly the entrance to the E45 came into view. Pushing my foot as far to the floor as my Alpha Romeo would allow, I swept onto the main road and straight over into the fast lane. Behind me, I heard several cars blast their horns at my erratic driving. A few days earlier, just that alone would have made me hesitate, but now it spurred me on.

‘I’ve always loved you, Salvatore, and I always will, but right at this minute I hate you.’

‘Slow down, Gi.’ Salvatore had obviously heard the subtle change in the car’s engine and the cacophony of horns.

‘No, not for you, you pretentious bastard.’

With that, I disconnected the call, wound down my window and dropped my phone to the road outside. I watched in my mirror as it smashed into smithereens, along with my pitiful existence of a life.

Chapter Nineteen

Dante

Five hours later

In a plane, over British Airspace.

‘Brother-in-law.’ I spoke the only title I was willing to bestow on him, with as much condemnation as I could muster. I deliberately made sure my English accent came over strongly, so he was in absolutely no doubt of who he was speaking to.

I knew he recognised me, even before he replied.

‘Giordano,’ he reciprocated. ‘What can I do for you?’ he continued sarcastically.

‘Some simple math,’ I answered, and at the same time I willed my body to remain calm. We’d lost so much to him and now years later, it was his turn to feel the pain.

‘Math?’ Salvatore questioned.

‘I have two sisters,’ I carried on, feeling sick at the thought of Mia, unconscious and scarred from the thoughtlessness of his younger brother Gabriel. And then there was my older sister who had been forced to marry the obnoxious bastard I was talking to.

‘You do.’ I could sense his interest had been awoken.

‘And right at this minute, both of them are at risk,’ I stated, feeling a burning bile rise to the back of my throat. I was so fucking sick of my family’s lives being controlled by his, but still the white-hot flame of resentment caught me by surprise.

‘They’re safe.’ His voice increased in volume at my accusation.

I couldn’t help the small laugh that left me.

‘Have you found him, then?’ I asked, already knowing the answer unless things had changed in the hour and a half we’d been in the air for.

‘No. Not yet,’ he admitted and I heard just how much he begrudged each word.

‘Exactly.’ I underlined his failings.

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