Page 67 of Brutal Legacy

Jimmy sauntered in.

Georgia continued to hold my hot gaze for a long time. Even after Jimmy arrived at her side, she stared at me. I couldn’t break that gaze. I didn’t want to.

“Georgia, allow me to introduce myself.” Jimmy stuck his hand out. “I’m the man you’re going to marry.”

The man you’re going to marry.

The words were wrong on a soul-deep level.

Georgia held my gaze with burning eyes so long, I started to think she was going to ignore Jimmy completely, but then she blinked, her eyes like shining jewels. Unshed tears shone within. She turned to Jimmy and recoiled from his hand.

“Oh, it’s you,” she muttered.

Renato chuckled. “Well, a lackluster greeting is better than nothing. Why don’t you two go and get to know each other? Later, my wife, Charlie, will help you pick out something to wear for the wedding.”

“I don’t have to wear anything special. I’m fine in this.” Georgia curled her hands into the too-long sleeves of my black T-shirt. She hugged it to her like my clothes could protect her from her fate. She was wrong; nothing could.

“The hell it is! I’m marrying a piece like you, I want to show you off,” Jimmy announced, glancing around for some male encouragement. His eyes paused on mine, taking in my lethal expression, and bounced away.

He grabbed Georgia roughly by the arm.

“We’ll go and have a little date, get to know each other and all that.” He yanked her back, nearly pulling her off her feet.

I was standing before I could stop myself.

“Basta, Elio.Lasciali in pace. Leave them in peace.” Renato waved a hand at the closing door.

“He’s hurting her,” I ground out.

“Isn’t that just what she deserves? You haven’t forgotten what she did, I assume… Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? To see her fallen… humbled…”

No. Not like this.

I turned back to him and ignored his curious study of me. Renato wasn’t cruel toward women; in fact, he went out of his way to ensure that the fairer sex was protected. The fact that he was letting Jimmy haul Georgia around told me that he was playing a different game here.

He surveyed me from head to toe and then leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk, studying me with interest. “You know, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you still loved this woman. The one who married someone else.”

“I don’t need to be reminded of our past. I live it every day.”

Renato nodded. “Exactly. Maybe it’s time to let some things go. A man can’t carry the past with him forever. It’s time to bury it. So, either leave Georgia to her fate… or do something about it.”

“It’s not as easy as that,” I muttered.

Renato just shrugged. “Isn’t it? I think that’s for you to decide. This time… you choose.”

20

GEORGIA

The brute called Jimmy dragged me out to the gardens at the back of the house then released me.

“There, get some fresh air,” he said, taking a cigarette out of a pack in his pocket and lighting up.

I rolled my eyes and hid my face from him.

I wasn’t marrying this man. I’d marry him over my dead body.

“So, you knew Renato when he was young, eh?” Jimmy grunted.

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