Page 54 of Immoral

"Lock the door and step to the back of the shower," he instructs then shuts the door.

My hands shake as I obey him. I go to the back of the shower and attempt to calm my nerves.

Almost instantly, muffled sounds, then two sharp bullwhip-cracking noises hit my ears. I tremble harder and cover my mouth, praying Gianni is the one who pulled the trigger.

Barely any time passes before he's banging on the door. "Cara! Come out. We need to go!"

I race over and unlock the bolt then whip it open. I throw my arms around Gianni, belting out, "Are you okay?"

He holds me tight for a brief moment. "Everything is fine. We need to go." He retreats from our embrace. Cold darkness looms from his eyes. He holds out a pair of tennis shoes. "Put these on."

I glance behind him. The two men from the spa lie on the floor. A pool of blood surrounds their heads and expands on the wood tile. I've never seen a dead body, much less two. I put my hand over my stomach, trying to keep the bile down, and turn away.

Gianni steps behind me, his hard frame pressing against my back. He glides his hand over my waist and lowers his voice. His lips hit my ear as he states, "I need you to keep it together right now. We're leaving, and we don't have time to waste. Can you put your shoes on for me?"

I tilt my head, locking eyes with him.

He pecks me on the lips. His voice grows even calmer. "Everything is fine. I need you to stay with me, tesoro."

Snap out of it,I scold myself. I nod then take a deep breath.

"Good girl." He kisses me again then releases me.

I put the shoes on, and we step out of the bathroom. Gianni reaches into the closet and pulls out a coat. He holds it open, and I slide my arms into it.

He picks me up and carefully steps over the two bodies, avoiding the blood. He sets me down once we're in the hallway then steers me through the hotel and out into the cold.

The same driver that brought us to the resort is waiting. He opens the door and we get in the back seat. Gianni immediately makes another phone call.

He gives orders in Italian, and the car takes off. He slides his arm around me and kisses my head between speaking. The conversation seems to go on for a long time before he finally hangs up. He tugs me onto his lap. Concern fills his expression. "Tesoro, are you okay?"

I nod. "Yes. Are you?"

He cups my cheek, faintly smiling. "All in one piece. I'm sorry you had to see that. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes."

He takes a deep breath, and I count to ten before he asks, "You haven't seen a dead body before, have you?"

My stomach somersaults with the vision of the bloody scene popping into my head. I push it to the back of my mind. I admit, "No."

He closes his eyes briefly. More anger fills his expression. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm okay," I assure him.

Silence fills the air. Neither of us breaks our gaze on the other. Gianni's face darkens further. Several moments pass, and he grinds his molars. In a cold voice, he states, "This is my fault."

"No. It's not. You—"

"Shouldn't have been so arrogant to believe we could get away without any security watching over us. You could have gotten killed. And the Abruzzos just showed that there's no boundary they won't cross, including crime family rules."

My heart beats harder. A new fear grows, expanding quickly in my chest.

Gianni slides a hand through my hair, cradling the back of my head. A look I've never seen appears on his face. I can only describe it as a deeper crazy than in the past.

I've seen many sides of Gianni over the years, but this look sends chills down my spine. I'm unsure why. I always knew Gianni would kill to protect me, even before today. His cold expression isn't directed at me. Yet, I can't stop the bad feeling racing through my nerves.

He drags his finger over my cheekbone then jaw. "I promise you, my tesoro. I won't ever make this mistake again."

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