Page 13 of Bittersweet Endings
“Kept out of this,” I echoed. “She. She’s to be. Kept. Out.” Something inside me cracked, and I didn’t even try to stop it. “I feel bad for you, you know.”
Lucky turned around slowly. His eyes telling me he already knew he wasn’t going to like what came next. And he wouldn’t because how-fucking-dare-he.
“Poor Lucky,” I spat. “Your mother-in-law gave birth to a monster. A piece-of-shit rapist. Half-brother to your precious wife. And you want herprotected?” My lip curled. “Maybe your men should show her the samekindnessher son showedme.See how fast she starts remembering where he might be hiding.”
The wordlessness that followed wasn’t silence. It was a bomb ticking away. And I wouldn’t flinch when it detonated. A gasp sounded from the doorway, and I closed my eyes. I didn’t need to look to know who it was.
Bella didn’t deserve to overhear that, but I was in too dark of a place to apologize. She’d be okay, because she had the protection of my brother. He wouldn’t let her down like he’d let me down.
“Goddamn it, Octavia.” Lucky flew out of the room, calling after his wife.
A dark place? Who was I kidding?That barely described my life. My time with Carmine opened my eyes to the person I’d buried under babydoll dresses and fake smiles. Pleasing everyone but myself. When he let me go, the dam holding back the real me broke.
And I wouldn’t apologize for it.
For far too long, I’d been paying my family’s debts with my mind, my heart, and my body. While Bella didn’t deserve my cruelty, she also needed to realize that I was the collateral damage in all of this. Not her. She’d been protected. The same couldn’t be said about me.
My phone started ringing, flashing my realtor’s name. “Hi, sorry. I’m going to be late. I’m on my way.” I rose from the chair before tossing over a shoulder, “I’m leaving now.”
“Octavia. I love you. But you’re taking asoldatowith you.” My father pulled me in for a tight hug that threatened to break down my walls. I couldn’t let it.
“Like hell I will. I can’t trust any of your?—”
Rocco stepped forward, cutting me off. His dead eyes took in the room. Since he’d gotten hurt protecting Sienna, something dark settled inside him. Something I respected. “You don’t trust me?”
I glowered at him. He knew I did. “Fine. I have an appointment with my realtor. Let’s go.” I walked off towards the front of the house before anyone could stop me.
“Yo!” Marco yelled out as I opened the door. “Bitch looks good on you, sis.”
And with a parting smirk, I stood taller as I left the family compound.Because it felt good on me too.
Chapter Four
CARMINE RAGETTI
My temples were throbbing and my soundproof office was doing nothing to hold back the agony of the speakers. The bass from the club below was vibrating at my feet and screaming in my head.
Feds were breathing down my neck thanks to JP. The fucking asshole killed civilians. The mafia had trickled over to the media—front and center for all the world to see. My connection was reassigned until recently when he was currently charged with accepting bribes.
JP had gone after rivalfamiglias,drug dealers, cartels, and goddamn civilians in his way. Way of what? Not a single clue. He knew I was coming for him, so he set out to blow everything up in my face.
Tensions were high and I needed to get my dick wet. Pussy came and went in my club, but not a single bitch interested me. As much as I wanted to drown myself in ways to forget her… I couldn’t.
And it was pissing me off.
I was in goddamn Hollywood. Eventually, the right woman would come along and replace her. I just needed to bide my time and deal with business before I put it all behind me and forgot about her.
Octavia. On her knees, her hands behind her back and her mouth open… waiting.
“Fuck!” My arm scraped along my desk, sending everything flying across the room.
Jumping to my feet, I grabbed my chair and shattered it against the glass overlooking the bar. Rage filled me and I loathed the fact that this girl was fucking with me. My little doll had managed to crawl her way under my skin.
Lorenzo walked in, one eyebrow cocked in question. “Redecorating?” He grabbed a chair and leaned back in his seat with his feet on my desk.
I glared at him. “Fuck off.”
“A perky little brunette got anything to do with this?” Fucker looked smug until I grabbed his ankle and yanked, flipping him onto his ass. “Fuck! My back! Asshole.”
