Page 33 of A Beautiful Crime

“She has the Fiore blood,” Savio sounds proud of that. In fact, it’s the only thing he has sounded proud of when speaking about her tonight. “Fiore’s have strength flowing through their veins.”

“And stubbornness.”

“Ah, Si,” Savio laughs and it’s the only genuineness I have received from him tonight. Mirth dances in his eyes along with mischief. “But don’t all of us Italians suffer from that attribute?”

“To an extent-Si,” I agree with him.

“Then you must forgive Carina for her stubbornness tonight,” he says on her behalf. I doubt Carina would like him or Luca speaking for her. “Surely you can collect her later this week when she is feeling better?” He suggests lightly.

Again, I jot it down on my brain like an old detective in a noir film on how he talks about his only daughter.

Collect her.

As if she is a thing, a possession.

As if she isn’t flesh and bone with blood running through her veins.

My thoughts have never turned as violent as they do having to converse with him and his son.

And that is saying far too much considering I’m a violent man.

“Is this a condition you want, then?” I ask calmly. “And if this condition is met,” I begin hypothetically and both him and his son perk up, “then it is the only condition I will allow.”

Luca speaks before his papa and his tone chipper, “I believe we can manage with that.”

I laugh darkly. “I don’t give a fuck if you can manage it or not. Choose wisely, Savio, this is the only condition I’m allowing you to have. Are you sure you want to use it?”

He turns to look at his son and they exchange a quick conversation without saying a word. He then lets his gaze fall upon me and he nods his head. “This is my one condition.”

I reach out my hand and wait for Savio to take it. Once he does I grip it harshly in mine. I can hear his bones crushing but he doesn’t utter a sound nor grimace.

Releasing his hand he flexes it upon his desk but does not cradle it like weaker men.

This. . .this is the man my papa warned me about before he passed away.

‘Remember, Constantine, you must watch out for those who are prideful. Pride mixed with greed is the deadliest combination of the seven sins. They think they can cause your empire to fall. But have no fear my son, let them believe that they can. Feed their ego, stroke it because that will be their downfall. Their own pride and greed.’

With a devilish smirk upon my face and an evil dark glint in my eyes I tell Savio, “You just shook hands with the devil. Do your best to remember that.”

CHAPTER 7

Carina

Pain.

I wish I had mastered the art to become numb to it.

If I had I would not feel the burn, worse than a branding searing through my skin igniting flames to spread across the entirety of my back like wildfire.

I would not have felt the tearing of my skin, like a fish being filleted, after each lashing.

And I would not have fainted from the trauma my body was being forced to suffer, only to wake up to endure the last three of my lashings.

The last three of fifteen.

I felt a great shame when I succumbed to the pain in front of Luca’s eyes.

I had sworn to myself, made a vow that meant more than a promise to god, that he would not cause a tear to shed.

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