Page 21 of Claimed by my Stepbrother

“It’s alright. I’ve got you. Keep your head down and your eyes closed,” he tells me and picks me up in his arms.

We ascend the stairs and Giovanni stops. When the coast is clear, he moves swiftly, still carrying me. In no time, I feel a gust of fresh air on my face. We’re outside and he runs for a few paces then sets me down.

“Open your eyes, baby. We need to get in the car.”

He opens the door for me and I climb inside. Giovanni gets in the driver’s seat, starts the engine, and tears off down the road.

“How did you find me?” I ask him.

“The kid who was supposed to be watching the gate was in on it. He led me to his uncle who works for Caspia. When he saw me at his door, he knew the jig was up and he spilled his guts to save his own life.”

“Amazing. I knew you would find me. I didn’t doubt it for a second.”

“I told you it was my job to protect you, and I don’t fail.”

He takes my hand and squeezes it tightly.

“So, what’s happening back there?” I ask while swallowing the lump that formed in my throat thinking about the answer.

“They boys will take care of that. There’s no need for you to be concerned about it.”

The reality of what just happened to me begins to sink in and I start to cry, “He told me he was going to kill me. Do you think he really would have done that?”

“He might have thought that, but I promise you, Princess, I would never let it happen.”

The way that he says it, I have no choice but to believe it.

We’ve been driving for a while when the gates of the compound finally come into view. I make a silent promise to myself that I will never leave those gates alone again. When he parks the car and we get out, I feel like I’m home. Yes, I feel like it’s my home and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

My mother is waiting for us when we get inside, and she runs to meet us at the door.

“Gabby! My god, are you alright? I’ve been beside myself with worry. Did they hurt you?”

“No, Mom. I’m alright. Giovanni saved me.”

“Well, as fortunate as that is, you wouldn’t have needed saving if it weren’t for him. Someone should have told me what goes on here before I agreed to let you come. I mean, this is not only ridiculous but completely irresponsible. How could anyone agree to bring an innocent girl into the middle of a mob war?” She shoots her husband an absolute look of disgust.

“I just want to go to my room and clean myself up,” I tell her, looking down at the dirt on my knees from crawling around on the dirt floor.

“Well, alright, but I need you to come back down here. I’ll have to have your identification so I can book your plane ticket.”

“Plane ticket?”

“Of course. We’re not staying here a second longer than we have to.”

Giovanni’s father shakes his hand and says, “Good work, son.”

“Thanks, Papà,” Giovanni replies. “Come on, Gabby. I’ll walk with you to your room.”

My mother grunts and rolls her eyes. I want to tell her to mind her own business, but I’m just too exhausted to argue right now. Instead, I follow Giovanni to my room at the back of the compound. He opens my door and we go inside where he takes me into his arms and kisses me.

“Do you want to go home now?” he asks me.

“I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to be here with you.”

“Good because I wasn’t planning to let you go,” he says and pushes me against the wall.

He kisses my mouth, face, and neck while tugging at my shirt and removing my shorts. There’s a fierceness about him that causes me to lose my breath. He slaps my breasts then laps at my nipples while slipping his fingers inside me.

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