Page 35 of Beautiful Devil

The anger in my eyes is burning straight through this bastard. Is he really so fucking stupid?

“You think that while another mafia Don is out to get what'smine,it's a good idea to let hergo?”

“We wouldn’t send her home alone, of course, boss. We’d have guys doing surveillance 24/7. That way when Dante makes a move we can jump in on his guys.”

I can't believe this bastard is actually suggesting this. I notice all of a sudden how quiet Marco has become and turn to focus my attention on him.

“What do you think, Marco? Do you think we should let her leave?”

He lifts his focus from his feet to meet my eyes, and without a second thought or explanation, he replies, “Not at all, boss.”

“Good. That's settled. Now get the fuck out of my office and find out what exactly it is Dante wants with Gia, and don’t come back to me until you do.”

The three of them rise from their seats and turn to leave my office. As the door closes behind them, the pen I’ve been holding flies across the room and hits the wall. I spin in my chair and my fist connects with the wall behind me. I need to know why that son of a bitch is so adamant to have his hands on Gia.

* * *

My men have stepped their game up with tailing Dante. It may have had something to do with the hell I caused when I pulled them all together for a meeting and told them that anyone who wasn't involved in this operation to their full capacity would be transferred to the warehouse. And it wouldn’t be to take over guard duty.

As I’m walking down the corridor headed toward my office, I hear a familiar footfall behind me. I turn to see my second in command headed in the same direction. Perfect. Just in time for our update.

“You better have something worth hearing today, dipshit,” I call out as I enter the room and make my way over to my desk, taking a seat in my leather chair.

“Don’t take your pissy-ass mood out on me just because you want to fuck the captive.”

My brows furrow, and a growl begins to rise in my throat. “Get on with it.”

“What are you really doing with Gia, boss?”

“For fuck’s sake, Marco. Not again, okay? I don’t have time for this shit. If you actually have something important to tell me, spit it out or get the fuck out of my office.”

Why do my men seem to think they can make decisions or tellmewhat to do? I’m the fucking Don. I’m the one in charge here, not them. Looking up from my desk, I see he is still here.

“What?” I bark at him.

“Why don’t we just let her go? Or move her to one of the safe houses where we can monitor her? We’ll install extra cameras. and you could have the feed running at all times, to keep tabs on her.”

Because she’s mineis what I want to tell him again, but is she? I may have kidnapped her, but she’s not truly mine…yet. So I decide to go with an answer that might pacify him.

“She’s not safe out there, Marco. If I let her go, Dante’s men will hunt her down and take her. Even though I’m starting to believe she didn’t have a hand in helping thatstronzoGallo steal from me, she still might have the answers I need. Especially now that I know she’s a key factor and Dante wants her. I need to keep her so I can figure this whole thing out. There’s a reason why Gallo worked with Dante, and there’s a reason why Dante wants Gia. I will get those answers, but the only way to do that is by having Giahere, with me, at all times.”

“What are you going to do, tie her to you, ensuring no one can get to her until you’re finished with her?”

He says that last bit with a small chuckle. I know he’s joking, but that’s not a half bad idea.Tyingher to me. That would definitely send the message that she ismineand not to be messed with.

My mouth turns up at the side as a small smile appears on my face. “You, Cugino, are one smart bastard.”

Confusion mars his face, and I can see the pieces of the puzzle clicking when he speaks again. “What are you…no, Fab, you can’t do that. Are you insane?”

“Probably, but nothing has been medically diagnosed. And why the fuck can’t I? Last I checked, I’m still the Don of this mafia and I can do whatever the hell I want. I take what I want, meaning Gia isminefor the taking.”

“Is her divorce to Gallo even final? Was it filed with the courts? You can’t marry someone who’s still legally married, Fab.”

My insides turn molten at just the mere thought of Gallo’s name. Ihatethat bastard.

Shrugging my shoulders, I answer, “Don’t know and don’t care. That’s for you to find out. If it’s not, make it happen.”

Getting up from my desk chair, I slip my suit jacket back on and begin to head for the door in my office.

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