Page 78 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

Arlo was right. I knew how to fix Arianna and me. How to keep her next to me even though we still had so much stacked against the two of us. I may have eliminated the immediate threat of Derek McGovern and made it possible for her to go back to her father if she wanted to. However, all of it paled in comparison to Gennaro Villetti and his need to make me his perfect heir to take over his kingdom. He would never accept what I wanted. And I didn’t know how to deal with the threat my father posed without spilling more blood than I’d ever willingly commit to.

“I need you to find out what happened when Bennett turned up at McGovern’s hideout for me. I need to know he’s not going to cause more trouble and get himself killed now I’ve destroyed his enemy for him. He has to be safe for her sake.”

“You got it.”

I nodded at him before he left my office. Then I sat there trying to work up the strength to go in search of Arianna and make up for every single thing I’d done to hurt her.

Twenty Six

Arianna

I could throw something at that stupid man’s head right now. In fact, I could do with hurtling all the abuse in the world at his face. I didn’t do either of those things. Instead, I stormed down the hallway of his club and shoved open the doors separating the private rooms from the back offices. I stopped a few feet away from them and let out a scream of frustration, not caring about where I was nor who could hear me.

“God, I fucking hate you,” I ground out, slamming my hand against the wall next to the door that read number ten. “Why do you have to be so fucking infuriating? And why the fuck do I even care about you after all the shit you just put me through? God-fucking-damn you, Zayn Villetti! Damn you for making me feel a single fucking thing about you!”

I couldn’t help screaming again. The anger and hurt I felt inside needed to come out. It was eating me up inside. My heart had shattered in my chest when I realised he didn’t trust me enough to let me in. He’d used me for his own fucking gratification without ever giving me pieces of himself like I’d given him. I’d been brutally honest with my feelings. Well, okay, so I hadn’t told him I was falling for him, but it was far too soon to broach the subject. Now I was glad I hadn’t said a word about the feelings in my heart.

“Who the fuck does he think he is, huh? Letting me get kidnapped like that’s fucking normal.” I threw my hands up and paced away from the wall. “You don’t put someone you care about in danger like that.”

My hands curled into fists, wanting to hammer themselves into something. How could I have ever trusted Zayn? Why was I so stupid? Here I thought he felt something for me, but how could he when he involved me in this kidnapping plot? When he didn’t tell me a single fucking thing about it. Then he’d gone and killed a man in front of me without displaying any emotion or remorse. I mean, sure, Derek had got what was coming to him. I wasn’t upset he’d died. And the fact Zayn had hurt him for the things he’d done to me? Well, it shouldn’t have made me grateful to him. It shouldn’t have made me want him all the more. It had, though. It really fucking had made me want to get on my knees and worship the man to show my appreciation.

You’re so fucked up when it comes to Zayn.

“I hate you,” I screamed again, even though it was a lie. “You can go to fucking hell for all I care, Zayn. In fact, I wish I’d never fucking met you because then I wouldn’t have to feel a single thing for you. I wouldn’t have a broken fucking heart.”

I didn’t hate Zayn at all. I hated how he’d kept things from me and had never let me in.

“You know, I’m not sure you want to be screaming bloody murder about the boss in his own club unless you’re planning on taking your own life into your hands.”

I jumped out of my fucking skin at the sound of a voice from behind me. Spinning around, I discovered a heavily tattooed man leaning up against the wall, his foot propped up behind him as he tapped his fingers on his thigh. He had a scar on the side of his face, grey eyes and brown hair with tattoos in his hairline.

“Who the fuck are you?”

He gave me a smile as he shoved off the wall and came closer. I held my ground even though I probably should have been running for the hills. Zayn had told me not to talk to anyone else without his permission. Well, fuck him and his stupid rules. The deal was off. He didn’t get to dictate shit to me any longer.

“Me?” The man put a hand on his chest. “Someone who’s about to save you from getting a tongue lashing from the king himself.”

Before I could say a word, the man reached me, wrapped an arm around my shoulder and directed me towards the door with a number seven on it he’d been standing next to moments ago.

“What are you doing?”

For some reason, I didn’t struggle or try to push him off me when he opened the door and pulled me inside. He shut the door behind us and walked away over to what I realised was a leather bed with leather cuffs attached to all four ends of it.

“If you’re going to scream about the boss, it’s safer to do it in here. Zayn doesn’t allow anyone to disrespect him.” He knocked on one of the walls. “Best soundproofing money can buy in this place.”

I didn’t know what to make of this person in front of me, nor why he’d bothered to bring me in here. Who gave a fuck if I pissed Zayn off by screaming about what a dickhead he’d been to me? He deserved it.

“Who are you?”

The man sat on the edge of the bed and leant back on his hands with his legs spread in a rather obscene manner. I swallowed, realising maybe I shouldn’t have let him bring me into this room. Arlo explained to me earlier they all had different functions depending on a client’s particular tastes. I hadn’t asked much more after that, too embarrassed to question him about the inner workings of Zayn’s sex club.

“Penn Harlow. Fixer, tattoo artist and all-around criminal mastermind, at your service.” He gave me a little nod. “No need to tell me who you are, Arianna. I already know.”

“It’s Ari.”

“My apologies, Ari.”

I fidgeted next to the door, feeling embarrassed knowing he’d heard me raving about Zayn.

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