Page 22 of Hers to Control

“That won’t be the end of it,” Mikhail observes.

Eric’s and my eyes are locked, neither one of us turning to look at Mikhail. One corner of Eric’s mouth twitches upwards, as if he’s amused. Which is ridiculous, because that would require him to have a personality that actually allowed for something humorous to actually occur to him.

I turn away from him in time to see Gianna’s darkening expression. She’s beyond pissed, that’s for sure.

“Your father isn’t going to let things go. We knew that. It’s time we settle things, otherwise, he’s going to escalate this into a war, and we can’t afford that right now.” Not after her father died so recently and left her to assert herself as the new head of the family.

“What about Angelo? Would he side with us?” Eric asks.

Riccardo Angelo is a well-known Toronto businessman. He’s also the head of the other Italian syndicate operating in Toronto, which specializes in transporting cargo in and out of the country. It’s not exactly public knowledge, but I didn’t exactly grow up in the finer families of the city, so I know the man isn’t as straight-laced as the newspapers make him out to be even before I befriended Gianna.

Gianna shrugs. “I doubt it. He’d be better off letting us fuck each other over so he can take up more of the city.”

Mikhail snorts. “Plus, he’s pissed you’re fucking me, not him.”

Gianna just rolls her eyes.

“We’ll deal with Adrik Tsepov, but first we need to get Mia away from here.” Eric has his knife out again, and it’s hard not to admire how he’s able to make it dance through his fingers like that. That shit takes some serious skill.

And I already know how those talented fingers can work in other places.

Which isn’t what I should be thinking about right now. This is neither the place nor the time for those thoughts. In fact, there will never be a time for that again.

Gianna gives me a level look. “What do you want?”

For a second, the image of Eric, naked and underneath me, flashes in my mind. Then I get my errand thoughts under control and consider my answer.

“I want to disappear.”

“I’ll look after her.” Eric is staring at Gianna, not me, as if she gets to decide.

“No.” I flat-out refuse. The man is more trouble than he’s worth, and I want him far away from us—from me and Peanut.

Gianna tilts her head. “Maybe that’s not the best idea.”

Eric’s expression grows stony, but he doesn’t respond. It’s just what I expected. When it comes down to it, his loyalties are tola familia, not his unborn baby.

“We need to get Mia out of the picture to handle things with my father, so let’s get it done. Can she go to one of your apartments?” Bruno Properties is the legal front of the Bruno syndicate, which means Gianna has access to a heck of a lot of properties and apartment buildings.

“Wouldn’t the Russians be able to find those easily?” I ask. “They found your U.S. safe house easily enough.”

Gianna frowns. “Yeah, and I wonder why that is.”

The implication that someone ratted me out isn’t exactly reassuring.

“We can set her up in the cabin,” Eric suggests.

Gianna looks at Mikhail. “Any chance your family figured out where you disappeared to?”

Mikhail barks out a laugh. “You mean when you kidnapped and tortured me? No, that’s our dirty little secret.”

“Who cleaned it?” Gianna asks Eric, her face showing a hint of anger.

Holy fuck. It takes a second for my brain to kick in. I haven’t talked to Gianna about what went down in the past month, but the way she’s looking right now can only mean one thing. The clean-up she’s talking about isn’t referring to dusting some old furniture. Blood spilled, and I have no idea whose.

“Mateo dealt with it. Alone.” Eric answers.

Gianna nods. “I trust him.”

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