Page 98 of Bad for You

Hardly the appropriate response, considering our circumstances, but the line between sanity and going fucking mad blurred long ago.

“What are you laughing about?” Mario asks, appearing genuinely offended, which just makes me laugh harder.

Once I catch my breath, I reply, “You realize you sound like a little bitch when you punch, right?”

In case he doesn’t, I mimic a sound akin to a dying hyena.

“Must exert a lot of energy to hit a defenseless girl.”

Mario doesn’t appreciate the jab and shows me this by punching me in the stomach. Then the face. He busts open my lip. And it’s exactly what I was hoping for.

Just as he’s about to hit me again, Gianna stops him.

“Your services are no longer needed, Mario. You may go.”

He looks at her like she’s spoken in another language. But he eventually gets the hint and leaves.

When we’re alone, Gianna smirks, looking at me in anger or awe. I can’t decide which.

“Very clever,” she says, folding her arms across her chest. “Baiting him so he hits you instead of Bria. But your chivalry will get the better of you. Once again, your humanity is your downfall.”

“Listen to yourself! My humanity? I’m not a fucking robot! But I don’t expect someone like you to understand. No wonder you’re alone; no one could ever love a heartless bitch like you.”

The room falls silent.

I’ve struck a nerve. I can see it in Gianna’s face.

Usually, she’s expressionless, but this one stung.

“What’s wrong, darling? The truth hurt?”

It’s apparent on her face that she’s weighing over what to do next. Usually, she wouldn’t react. But this time is different.

She walks over to Bria and does something which surprises me—she unlocks the chains from around her wrists. Bria is confused as she shakes out her hands. The fact I’m still chained, however, has me guessing my words are about to come back and bite me in the ass.

“Clean his face,” she orders Bria, offering her a handkerchief.

Bria looks at Gianna like this is some sort of trick, but when she sees she is in fact serious, she takes the handkerchief and walks to me. Her back is turned to Gianna, so she speaks to me with her eyes.

She too is wondering what the fuck is going on.

She begins cleaning the blood from my face carefully, her eyes never leaving mine. She is the one who is free. Therefore, she is the one who needs to fight. And I make that clear as I look over her shoulder at Gianna and then back to her.

She nods subtly, understanding.

“I don’t know what it is about you, Lenny, that has women wanting to care for you.”

“I don’t expect someone like you to understand, Gianna, seeing as you’re alone because no one can stand being around you.”

Bria’s lips twitch.

“This upsets you, doesn’t it?” she asks Valentina who I have purposely ignored.

“Yes. What are you doing?”

“I want you to see men for who they really are. Men will give you attention until something better comes along. They’re all the same. The sooner you see that, it’ll save you a lifetime of pain. Why did you do that for Bria?”

“Because I was the one who got her into this mess.” I look at Bria, who shakes her head. She makes it clear she doesn’t want an apology.

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