Page 13 of Thorns of Blood
My youngest brother, Cristiano, was no less gentle as he punched the lanky guy in the gut.
“I hear someone touched my woman’s ass,” Declan, my brother-in-law, said, appearing out of thin air.
“About time you showed up,” I drawled, my lips curving. Cristiano and I took a step back, making way for our brother-in-law. “He’s all yours.”
Declan’s club was the most exclusive club in Boston. Obtaining a membership was difficult and strictly by referral. Needless to say, this man would be losing his permanently.
I reached for the glass Romeo handed me and swirled the ice in it, and like the overprotective brother I was, I refocused my attention on my sister who hung out at the mini-bar in the corner of Declan’s office. I couldn’t stop worrying about her,despite the fact that she was married. Despite the fact that she just turned thirty.
I took a seat on the sofa and cracked my knuckles as I watched Declan work over the punk, a soundproof, one-way privacy glass separating us from the rest of the club where people were casually dancing. My brother-in-law charged forward, pressing his knee so far into his gut I could see the guy’s eyes bulge out. His agile fists heaved punch after punch to his already inflamed face.
My sister, Marissa, on the other hand, sat at the bar, sipping on a pink drink while watching the whole ordeal with a bored expression. She was eager to get out of this office and get back to where people were. That was who my sister was, a little social butterfly who got into trouble. Often.
Even after learning I didn’t share the same father as my siblings, we had remained extremely close. It had a lot to do with our mother’s sadomasochistic activities and constant affairs. Julia—our mother—could be a real-life she-devil when she wanted to, but that made my siblings and I even closer. I’d always ensured to keep them shielded as much as I could from Julia and to be there for them.
“Come on, babe,” Marissa finally interrupted his husband’s punching session. “Kick him out so we can get back to having fun.”
“Why should he let up?” Romeo questioned. “The idiot was stupid enough to touch what wasn’t his, and now he’s gotta pay.”
Truthfully, my sister could have handled the perv herself, but she asked me to handle it on account of her six-inch heels that were apparently both brand-new and ridiculously expensive. After all, what were brothers for?
“I’m leaving for Brazil tomorrow,” I told Romeo, my gaze never wavering from the scene in front of us.
“I’m coming along.”
I shot him a look. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
I let out a sardonic breath. Romeo could be a stubborn fucker when he got an idea stuck in his head.
“You should stay and help Mateo.”
He scoffed.
“Cristiano can help him. I’m outta here.” He flashed me a grin. “Someone has to watch your back.”
“And you think your reckless ass will do any good?” Sometimes I wasn’t sure if my brother was delusional or just downright crazy. “More like get me killed.”
He started blabbering about what-the-fuck-ever while I tuned him out, returning my attention to Declan, who was still beating up on the ass-grabber.
Romeo, who’d found himself sitting beside me on the sofa, nudged me. “Giovanni, are you listening?”
I turned my head and glared at him. “No.”
“You need me.”
“Like a hole in my head.” I motioned ahead at our brother-in-law. “But if you want to be useful, put an end to that fight.”
Romeo grabbed his drink, downed it in one go, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before getting to his feet. “I’ll do that, but then I’m coming back here and we’re continuing this conversation.”
Romeo yanked the guy, spitting and choking, out of Declan’s reach, his face bloodied. Declan reached for him again, but Romeo pushed the bleary man toward two of Declan's younger brothers.
“Get him out of here before Declan kills him.”
Marissa exhaled with a groan as the perv was escorted from the private room and the premises. She then turned to glare at her husband.
“This was supposed to be a fun night out, not a boxing match.”
