Page 39 of Wicked Games of Desire

“Harley.” He lets out a threatening growl, low, deep, and menacing, but I’m not afraid of him. He owes me one hell of an explanation.

I quickly glance at Maddox, intrigued by what he might be up to. He acknowledges me with a slight nod, telling me all I need to know. He set all that up so I would overhear.

I shoot a piercing look at Alessandro, feeling a surge of anger emanating from me. “I want to go home.”

His papa completely ignores me. “Take charge of this situation and join us in the back for the toast,” he tells Alessandro with a no-shit tone to his voice.

With a fierce glare, I direct my intense anger toward their father, as if it could sear a hole into the side of his face. “I’m not a situation,” I snap angrily, not appreciating the way his papa looks at me. The way he thinks it’s okay to treat women like a commodity to be traded and used to their advantage. I don’t care what fucking casino he’s in charge of or how much money he has to his name, that’s not okay. And I’m going to make sure he knows it.

Fear fills Alessandro’s eyes, causing them to widen. “Harley,” he threatens. But I don’t think it’s because he’s angry with me, more worried about what his papa is about to do to me.

Enzo lets out a sinister chuckle, entertained by my dramatics. I feel the bone-chilling intensity of his stare as he narrows the distance between us in just a couple of quick strides. “You’re lucky I spared you. If it wasn’t for how loyal your brother’s been to this family, I would have left you to fend for yourself. You have no rights.” He lets out a cruel laugh. “Your papa made sure of it.”

I raise my chin defiantly. This man’s an asshole. “How could my father’s actions speak for me? This is a load of shit, all of it.”

Without warning, his hand swiftly strikes my face. I recoil in surprise, the force of his slap leaving me breathless, with a throbbing through the left side of my face. Cupping my cheek, I try to get my ragged breathing under control before I lash out.

I feel one of their hands come to my arm, but I shrug it off. They’re fucking spineless, letting their papa treat me the way he is. I clutch my cheek, trying not to let the tears fall.

His threatening eyes fix on me. “You will enjoy the rest of the party my wife put on for you, and you will do anything else I tell you to. You might think you have some rights because my sons have been letting you get away with running your mouth, but hear me now, girl, it stops today.” His voice booms off the walls of his mansion, shaking me to the core. “I rule this family and this town, and you will show me respect. You will show my sons respect, or I will take care of you and the situation your papa created myself.”

A single tear rolls down my face. I hear his motherfucking threat, and I know I’m well and truly fucked. The boys are all here and not one of them will stick up for me. Not even Maddox after just telling me he would. I’m so angry I can’t form a sentence. I want totell him to go fuck himself, but I believe every word he says. I’ve already been shot by one of them. I won’t risk it. Without another word, he shoves past me and stalks from the room.

When I know he’s gone, I go in the opposite direction, desperate to get out of this place.

“Harley, get back here now.” Alessandro’s booming voice holds a threat, but I don’t give a shit. I’m not sticking around here to be treated like a fucking piece of property. They all carry on about Geovani and how awful he is, but he never forced me to do anything I didn’t want to.He also lied to you for six months, the little voice in the back of my head reminds me. But right now, I would take lies over being bullied into a life I don’t want. I reach for the front door handle, and I turn it.

“Let me talk to her,” a voice echoes through the foyer. It sends a shiver down my spine at how eerily it sounds like my brother’s. Goosebumps prick my skin, and I glance a look over my shoulder to find Marco standing there, alive and well. What the ever-loving fuck is going on?

Chapter 22

“You’re alive.” The whisperof disbelief escapes my lips as I rush into his embrace. It’s him, my big brother, solid and real, holding me close as tears blur my vision. Where the hell has he been all this time?

I know they’re all still here with us, but the rest of the room is so silent you could hear a pin drop. Marco hugs me and lets me cry into his expensive suit. Stroking my hair, he whispers to me softly that everything is going to be okay.

As I pull back and meet his gaze, the truth sinks in like a lead weight. Something really twisted is going on. It has to be. Why is he here in this house? Parts of the conversation I just overheard come back to me. Mr. Moretti was talking about him like he was currently helping him. But what can that mean?

“Papa?” I murmur, hope and fear warring within me as my eyes search his for answers. Is he alive as well?

He shakes his head, and my heart constricts painfully, feeling the loss all over again. “Lana,” he whispers his nickname for me gently. “He’s not the person he made you think he was,” he says, his wordspiercing through my already broken heart. I’ve heard enough over the last few days to gather that, but this all still makes little sense.

My body trembles, the pain, nausea, and fear seeping into my limbs making me crumple to the floor.

Ricky rushes to my side, dropping to the ground, his arm cradled around me. “Baby doll.” Now he wants to help me? A little late.

“I told you she wasn’t ready for all of this. It’s too much,” Alessandro yells at my brother. The tension in the air intensifies as I feel him move toward Marco antagonistically.

“She needs to know the truth. All of it,” Marco fires back, a steely determination in his voice. He’s here to save me from this hell. From all of them and their lies. But where did he come from? And why did he wait so long?

He shoves past Alessandro, not worried about him in the slightest, and reaches down, taking my hand. His eyes flick to Ricky in a get-your-fucking-hands-off-my-sister look that even scares me. I’ve never seen my brother like this before. There’s a darkness to him that weighs on me. His appearance is strikingly different, older, almost as if the past six months have been as unkind to him as they have been to me. His expensive suit and the way he presents himself make him look amazingly similar to Alessandro. I don’t like it one bit. However, he is still alive, and maybe both of us can escape from this dreadful situation. Tonight, hopefully.

My eyes meet Alessandro’s. “Marco’s right. I need to know everything.” My voice shakes, not sure what everything means. Has my entire life been a lie? But he’s the first one willing to come clean, and no matter how terrible the reality is, I need to know.

Marco’s hand intertwines with mine, giving me support as I rise to my feet. While he looks at me, I can sense the affectionin his gaze that is reserved solely for me. He encircles my shoulders with his arm, drawing me nearer in a protective hug.

“It’s such a relief to see you here.” My voice is barely audible. Confusion clouding my head.

“Things will be different now, Lana,” he assures me, the warmth of his body so comforting. He glances at me and gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek. A spark of optimism courses through my entire being, the first time I’ve felt hope since I thought he was dead.

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