Page 35 of King Of Order

Their thoughtless abuse of my business had been the nail in the coffin of any filial love for my family. I hated them for hijacking my passion and exposing me to ruthless loan sharks.

Because if word got out and shit went down regarding their fuckin’ deals, I’d be the first with my head on the chopping block.

‘You know what?’ I growled, leaning in. ‘I’m getting sick and fuckin’ tired of your shit. Your emergency is not my crisis.’

‘It soon will be,’ Claudio snarled. ‘The Barbieri Syndicate is sick and fuckin’ tired of waiting for their loan repayments, and I’ve notified them the delay is because of you, little sister.’

I jolted. ‘You did what?’

‘I instructed them to come direct to you, given how much you’ve delayed your remittance. You can deal with their ruthless brutes if you so wish. They probably have men on you already.’

‘I hate you,’ I rage whispered at him.

That’s when he rammed me, throwing me on the wall.

One hand banded over my neck as he pushed me against the blue-green paintwork.

‘Don’t fuck with me,sorella. Free up that cash, and I won’t haunt you. Keep hedging, and I’ll cut your pretty face up myself.’

My heart leaped into my mouth, my pulse off the charts.

The room was thick with tension. Claudio’s glare burned into me, but I refused to back down.

‘You have until the end of the month,’ he growled.

I clenched my fists, my temper flaring. ‘Go to hell, Claudio,’ I snapped, my voice hard.

‘Will you do it?’ He snarled.

I hesitated, then as his grip on my carotid tightened, I groped for my bag, digging deep in it.

In a flash, I had a dagger at his throat.

I’d leveled up since Rio’s intrusion, upgrading from an old can of pepper spray to a sharp-as-all-hell dagger.

Myfratellogasped, shocked, as my eyes flamed, and I pushed it into his skin.

One of his hands flew up in surrender. ‘Indietro, cazzo!’

‘No,youback off, loser,’ I hissed, pushing the blade under his nose.

He stepped back, easing his grip on my neck, both hands raised.

Taking a shaky inhale, I straightened my dress, hiking my tote bag higher on my shoulder, ignoring the burn on my nape.

I flashed the knife at him. ‘Don’t you ever fucking touch me again!’

Without another word, I turned and left the room, my heart pounding with anger.

‘Chiara,pagare i soldi! Pay up, or we lose everything.’

I ignored him, powering on, needing to clear my head and escape the suffocating strain and treasonous family.

Sliding the blade into my palm to hide it, I swung past the nurses, who stared at me with mild interest as I strode past, cloaked in scorching rage.

Outside, I chose to walk home instead of taking a cab.

I needed the exercise and fresh air to purify me.

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