Page 25 of Raising His Baby (The Sartoris 2)

She pushed away from her door and walked over to him. He was shorter than Romy, but not by much. Either way, she still had to tilt her head back to look up at him. With her hands on her hips, she faced off against him. The look of surprise almost made her laugh.

“I’m not some scared little woman who’s going to cower at your threats and insults. You get that straight right now.”

A harsh laugh escaped him. “Ah, I got it wrong. You like to wear the pants. Tell me, did you order my brother around while you made love? Did you give him commands about how to satisfy you? Now that get a better look, nothing about you is feminine.”

Her temper flew out the window at his meanness. She balled her fist up and sent it straight into his chin. The crack echoed off the walls, and his head snapped back. Pain exploded from her fingers to her wrist and up her arm, but she ignored it.

Ezio swore and dragged her off her feet, holding her by both arms. Unlike Romy’s gentle manhandling of her, she felt nothing but rage at Ezio and prepared to kick him in the junk. He shook her so hard, her head wobbled, and she couldn’t get her bearings to punish him.

“You’re going to pay for your attitude,” he growled. “No one disrespects me and gets away with it.”

She cried out, and an explosion of sound lit the hallway. The next instant she was wrenched from his hold. Rapid-fire Italian came from several directions. Sonya couldn’t translate a word because she was so shaken up.

“What do you think you’re doing, Ezio?” Romy demanded. He swung on Ezio, but his brother blocked the punch. Ezio didn’t retaliate against Romy. He raised a hand and wiped a bit of blood off his nose and upper lip. Sonya assumed the nosebleed came from her punch and silently cheered.

“Don’t you ever put your hands on Sonya like that again,” Romy said.

Shakarri, Cason, and two of the bodyguards started down the hall toward them. Ezio ignored them and frowned at his brother. “You’re defending her? I don’t suppose you noticed the blood? She punched me, and I was defending myself.”

“Against a tiny little woman?”

Sonya tried to move out from behind Romy, but he kept shoving her back. She could only peek around his thick shoulders. The last thing she wanted that Neanderthal Ezio to think was that she was afraid of him.

“Move, Romy. I’ll finish what I started. He’s not going to treat me like that and think I’m scared of him.”

“You’re not fighting my husband in the middle of the night,” Shakarri said. She swelled up with indignation, arms folded over her chest and dressed in a silky robe. It looked to be far more expensive than anything Romy wore.

“I will if he gets in my face,” Sonya said. “And I’ll take you on too if you want to get froggy.”

Shakarri cringed. “She’s so common, Ezio. Where did he find her? Better yet, take the baby and get rid of her.”

Emotion choked Sonya, and she backed up toward her room with her fists raised. “Nobody’s taking my son from me! Not you, not Ezio, and definitely not Romy! I mean it. I will fight you all day and night for the rest of my life. Try me.”

He hands shook harder than when she was nervous about sleeping with Romy. A lump formed in her throat, and tears wet the corners of her eyes. She wouldn’t amuse them with even a drop falling, so she blinked them away.

Romy swirled to face her. “Sonya, easy. I’m not taking the baby from you.” He glanced at his family. “Is that clear enough for everyone? Second, nobody, and I do mean nobody, is to touch her or to insult her in any way.”

The dangerous glint in Ezio’s eyes didn’t seem to faze Romy. Silence reigned in the hallway until Romy repeated his mandate. Sonya figured Romy would give in first, but Ezio rolled his shoulders and cleared his throat.

“Whatever you want, fratello,” Ezio said.

Sonya’s jaw dropped at the respect Ezio gave Romy. She wasn’t sure if he offered it because he didn’t demand what he didn’t give, or if it was because at the end of the day, Romy was his elder brother.

Romy’s hands landed on Sonya’s shoulders, and he spun her to face her door. He reached ahead of her to open it and gave her a small push to get her moving inside. She started to protest when he followed, but being cut off from Ezio’s hostility let her relax a little. All the pent up energy she used to face him drained away, and she sank down on the side of her bed. Romy clicked the lamp on and studied her face a minute.

“Are you okay?” He reached a hand out to her, but she smacked it away.

“I’m fine, but I won’t be abused by your brother.”

He looked sick. “Ezio is not an abuser. He’s never put his hands on a woman to hurt her.”

“Oh, that’s funny because I was dangling in the air while he shook me like a rag doll. If that’s not putting his hands on a woman to hurt her, I don’t know what is.”

“Sonya—”

“Don’t defend him to me. I don’t want to hear it. You can get out before you wake Arron up.”

“We need to talk.”

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