“Well,” Maximus says, “there’s no point in me staying here, not with Emilia at home alone. I’ll text Tristano and tell him you’re fine, but I don’t think you should go back to your place until we know Nardone’s next move.”
“Agreed. Nardone blames us for the destruction of his property and assets, so we’ll have to watch our backs at all times.”
My brother quirks a brow at me. “As if we don’t already? Come on, Rafael, we’ve been raised better than that.”
“Very true.”
He walks over to me and takes hold of my shoulder, gripping it firmly. “I’m glad you’re alright and that I didn’t have to save you because you’re a weak ass bitch.”
I scoff. “Fuck off.”
“I believe I will. Emilia’s waiting.” He drops his arm and gives me a curt nod. “Loyalty ’til death, Rafael. Just know I would’ve been there.”
“Loyalty ’til death, Max.”
My brother leaves and I turn to Giorgio. “Until Tristano contacts me, I’m not to be disturbed. Foranyreason, unless the house is on fucking fire or something of that nature.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Wait!” Carina tugs her arm and unsuccessfully tries to break free from my hold. “Is Violetta safe? Where did he take her?”
“Enough,” I bark.
Giorgio is already fading into the background, making himself scarce until needed again. He knows when I’m like this, and my brothers as well, that it’s best to leave us be. It’s something Carina has no understanding of.
“Rafael, please.”
I swing to face her and she backs up a step, no doubt sensing my barely contained rage. “If you’re going to beg, start with your life. Other than that, shut the fuck up.”
She presses her lips together and when I tug on her arm, she follows my lead. I take her to the east wing of the house which contains the guest rooms, but my brother has one specifically for me and another for Maximus. Tristano’s always wanted his younger brothers to feel at home and for us to know we’re welcome. So I take Carina to my room, untouched and unused by anyone except me.
I shove her inside and she stumbles, landing in a graceful heap on the floor. After locking the door, I find that I don’t know where to begin dealing with her, so I pace back and forth while trying to sort it all out in my mind.
I’m worried if I touch her I’ll kill her too quickly.
Carina watches me from the floor with her gaze honed in on me. She doesn’t move, other than simply adjusting her dress by tucking it under her legs, and placing her clasped hands in her lap. Every so often she inhales deep, as though to speak, but one look from me circumvents that.
“Rafael, please listen to me.”
I halt in the middle of the room and turn to stare at her.
She swallows and peers up at me with so much emotion smoldering in the hazel of her eyes that I almost look away. “I had no choice. I was—”
“You know, you’re not very good at groveling,” I say. “The first step to a fucking apology is actually admitting you’ve done something wrong. Why don’t you start there, hmm?”
“Iamsorry, very much so. But I need to tell you about the note I received.” She slips her fingers into her enticing cleavage and pulls out a small piece of paper, holding it out to me. “This was sent to me from my father, asking me to choose between you and my sister. It said that if I didn’t make a choice I’d lose you both and I couldn’t leave her to die.”
My lips turn up in a smile, right before I smack her hand away. The note flutters to the carpet instantly forgotten. “So you left me to die instead? Just so you know, you fucking suck at this.”
“You have to admit that you would’ve chosen the same way, if it’d been one of your brothers’ lives on the line.”
The very idea of deciding between Carina and Tristano or Maximus fucking guts me, but her words tear through the last of my control.
I’m across the room and gripping her by the throat and slamming her against the wall before I’m even fully aware of it. She wraps both her hands around my wrist, but doesn’t try to remove my fingers. Instead, she shocks me by caressing my skin with her thumb.
“I should just strangle you,” I grit out.
Her pulse thumps wildly underneath my fingertips and her eyes are wide with fear, but she makes no move to fight me. This fiery woman, who always battles me every step of the way on everything, is giving in. The lack of challenge or her quiet acquiescence give me pause long enough to loosen my hold on her neck.
