Page 18 of Blood and Penance
I sigh. “Stay here. I’m going to see what I can do.”
I rise from the couch, and as I walk past her, she grabs my hand, stopping me. It’s been years since I’ve felt her hands on me. My dick presses against my cage. I close my eyes, and breathe in and out through my nose, trying to calm myself down. She drops my hand, and my eyes pop open.
“I just want to say thank you.”
Her voice drapes over me like a warm blanket, causing my dick to press harder against my cock cage. I push down the hiss that’s climbing up my throat.
I nod the leave the room as soon as possible to put some distance between us because I can’t answer her with the amount of pain moving through me. When I reach the inside of my study, I let out a relieved breath. I ease into the chair behind my desk as I try to think of anything else that will clear the impure thoughts from my mind. "This is going to be a lot harder than I thought."
I pull in deep breaths and release them until my mind clears and the pain eases, then a few minutes later I pull out my cellphone and dial the only person I think can help.
He picks up the phone after the third ring.
“Big brother, what do I owe this pleasure?”
I can hear the smugness in his voice. He’s just like our father. A smug, arrogant asshole. I don’t speak that often to any of my brothers, especially Sergio, but unfortunately, he’s the only one who can help me get the answers as quickly as I need them.
I would go to Lorenzo, but he’s dealing with a lot with his wife, and I don’t want to pile this on him too. This is going to cost me, but right now I can’t think about the price I know I’ll have to pay because Phoenix is in trouble.
“I need a favor.”
I’m met with silence.
“Sergio, please. You know I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important.”
After a few moments, he sighs. “What do you need?”
“I need you to find out any information you can on Lio D’Amico. He’s a member of the De Maio Clan.”
“I know who he is. What I want to know is why do you need to know anything about him?”
I sigh. “Can you help me or not?”
“Give me an hour,” he says, then ends the call.
I toss my phone on my desk, then pinch the bridge of my nose. After that phone call, I know things are going to spiral and spiral fast. It’s Sergio. But I pray things will work out in my favor.
For Phoenix’s sake.
God, why are you testing me?
Chapter Twelve
Phoenix
I’ve been pacing, waiting for Gianni to return. I’m so anxious. I’ve never been one to wait patiently, and I’ve never been one to ask for help, but I’ve come to the one person I know I can trust even if he broke my heart.
I don’t know if he’ll be able to do anything, but he’s my last and only chance I’ve got. If he can’t, I’ll have no other choice but to take Giancarlo and run. My husband isn’t anyone to fuck with, and I tried to kill him. If he’s not dead, he’s not going to let that go.
I don’t want to live my life on the run with my child, but I’m not going to separate from him. I can protect him once I know what I’m dealing with.
I’m not shocked Gianni caught my slip up. I hope he’ll forget about it until he can tell me if he can help me or not.
“He can’t find out. Not yet.”
“Who?” Gianni asks, the sudden sound of his voice startling me. “Who can’t find out?”
I shake my head. “No one.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Do you think you can help me?”
