Page 119 of The Devil Can Be Kind

“You fucking dare to come here demanding payment, Fanelli?” Marco’s voice boomed down the hall as I approached, angrier than I’d ever heard it before.

The whole room was packed with people that had fallen deathly still as Marco, Jesse, Enzo, and a few other male family members as well as security were standing, facing off with three middle-aged men I hadn’t seen before. The man at the center was clearly the ringleader, judging by the amount of gold jewelry he was wearing. He didn’t seem to be armed, but his two friendscertainly were. The barrels of their guns squarely trained on Marco.

“Just because all of the shipment didn’t get there, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get paid for what did arrive.” The man insisted, looking about the people in the room as if they were going to side with him.

Clearly not the sharpest tool in the shed.

“In order to get paid you actually have to do your fucking job.” Marco spat back. “You deserve nothing.”

“Well, La Torre, I ain’t goddamn leaving until I get what I am owed. I’m nothing if not amiable, so it doesn’t have to be in Euros. Any of the girls here would do just fine.” His eyes coasted over the younger women in the room, myself included.

Marco shoved his hands in his pockets and meandered leisurely over to the man I presumed was named Fanelli. Marco was seemingly at ease with the guns pointed at his head and only stopped when he was less than a foot away from the men.

“Then you can leave here in a box.” He said quietly.Dangerously. The muscle in his jaw clenching.

He turned his back to the man and instantaneously two shots rang out across the room. The men accompanying Fanelli fell to the floor with a sickening thud.

Jesse and Enzo’s guns were drawn and pointed at the now empty spaces, having been the source of the noise.

Leaving Fanelli defenseless.

That’s when Marco attacked.

He swung a nearby chair across the man’s head, bringing him to his knees in the blink of an eye. He then took his handgun from the waistband of his trousers and struck Fanelli clean across the face with the butt of it. Blood flew out of the man’s mouth from the impact, and he fell to the floor barely conscious and totally disorientated. The Don then sprung on the man,gripping him around the throat with both hands and choking him until his eyes began bulging, and his face began purpling.

Choking him with hands that had been all overmeonly a few minutes before.

Hands that could hurt.

Just likeanotherman’s hands once had.

Even when I had begged him to stop.Even as I couldn’t breathe.

A wave of nausea swept through me, and I stumbled back until I found the door to the ladies restroom.

I locked myself into one of the stalls as tears flowed unrestrained.

Panic gripping me, constricting my throat and I tried concentrating on levelling out my breathing.I can’t allow myself to feel this right now. Breathe!I commanded. I racked in a breath, held it. Another. In. Out. In. Out.

“Are you alright, Bandit?” Jesse’s voice drifted through the now open door to the hall.

I slowly let out the breath I was holding.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just needed to pee,” I lied, trying to make my voice sound even and light. “Do you mind if we head home in a minute? I’m kinda tired.” I prayed he wouldn’t detect the change in my voice.

“Sure. I’m just out here when you’re done.” He answered simply, shutting the door quietly behind him.

I flushed the toilet and unlocked the door, walking over to the vanity to check my makeup. I dabbed at the loose charcoal gathering around my eyes, trying to rectify the mess.

I met my own gaze in the mirror.

God almighty, get it together, Ada.

I had almost driftedto sleep when a sliver of warm light sliced across my bedroom floor from the hallway. The door clicked shut and I felt the mattress decompress beside me as a familiar presence spread across my skin.

Marco.

His heavy arm came to rest across my waist as his chest pressed against my back under the covers. I shifted, nuzzling deeper into his comforting embrace.

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