Page 2 of Fight Me Daddy

Nic shrugged. “Take that up with Gabriele. I’m just the extra muscle around here.” He grinned. “If you want to keep the place, he’s the one in charge of this stuff,” he said as he jerked his thumb toward Gabriele.

Shit. You’ve got to be kidding me.

I stared up at Gabriele and his hazel eyes bore into mine. Everything about the man screamed don’t fuck with me, and I was going to be smart and do just that for the rest of my life. But now? My fate rested in the hands of this psychopath. I couldn’t stand him and he would be the one banging on my door and collecting the cash.

Thanks a lot, Dad.

“How much does he owe?” I asked after swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Thee-hundred eighty-five thousand, four hundred and seven dollars,” Gabriele said. “And fifty-seven cents. With forty percent interest.”

I stared at him as my jaw dropped. What the shit? I knew my father was in debt, but that number was ridiculous. There was no way in hell I could do it.

“I can’t pay that back!” I snapped. “The interest alone would wipe me out. Come on, there has to be something else.”

Gabriele’s hand shot out, and I blocked it on instinct alone, my hand wrapping around his wrist. He raised a brow before he glared. Shit. I quickly let him go and he gripped the front of my shirt and yanked me closer.

“Good choice,” he growled when my face was mere inches from his. “But if you touch me like that again, I'll punish you."

I stared at him and couldn't even form a sentence. Even though he made me nervous as hell, his choice of words did weird things to my body. Heat swept through me and I grumbled at myself and blamed my three-year-long dry spell.

Not to mention the fact that Gabriele Bianchi was a bastard, but he wasn't ugly. His black hair was long enough to brush the collar of his shirt and his hazel eyes were dark and mesmerizing. His short, neat beard, sharp nose, and plump lips were attractive and if I didn't know what he did for a living I would assume he was any other white-collar worker with an office job.

But he was a demon.

"It was instinct," I said, forcing the tremble out of my voice. "When someone goes for me, my first reaction is to deflect."

"Then I suggest you get a better hold on your instincts," he snapped and yanked me closer. "Do you understand me?"

I nodded. "Yes. Understood."

Gabriele released my shirt and straightened up. "You can either pay the money back or we can resort to more extreme measures," he said, his eyes roaming up and down my body before his gaze met mine once more. "We're not in the habit of letting our money just walk away and disappear. Your friend Six should have taught you that already."

My lips pressed into a straight line. Six had bitten off more than he could chew and ended up being Amadeo's personal little plaything. They were a happy couple now, but he'd told me how they started.

I wasn't about to be some mafia asshole's chew toy.

"I'll get the money," I said tightly.

Gabriele grinned and my heart flip-flopped. "As a courtesy, I won't charge you a dime this time, but next month..." He trailed off, the threat hanging in the air without him even having to say it. "Or find your father and I can talk to him."

I gritted my teeth. No way I'm doing that shit. My father wasn't going to die because of me. Yes, he'd stuck me with his bullshit, but I couldn't let him get killed.

"I said I'd pay it."

"Watch your tone," Gabriele growled. "Or I'll take back my generous offer and we can take things in an entirely different direction," he said. "You should count yourself lucky I'm in a good mood."

Are you?

I wanted to ask the question, but I liked not having broken bones more. It seemed like none of the Bianchi men were ever in a good mood. Except for Nic, they were all growly words and threatening stares. It wasn't a surprise that everyone was scared of them.

But I wasn't going to let them run over me. I would pay back the money, somehow. And once it was over and done with, I would put all of the Bianchi's behind me. It didn't matter what disaster came my way, I wouldn't be stupid enough to take out a loan I couldn't afford like my father.

I watched Nic and Gabriele head for the door. Gabriele stopped, glanced back at me, and it felt like his eyes were looking right through me. In another lifetime, a man like him would have caught my attention. Would have made me daydream about him or settle for one hot, wild night before I returned to focusing on my ambitions.

But I would rather die than touch Gabriele Bianchi.

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