Oh no. I could get the hand chopped off and be done with it. But being shackled to him forever? I’d seen the movieCasino. I knew how this was going to work. I’d end up losing my mind, then I’d probably kill Bigatti—either way, a death sentence for me.
He was grinning at me when I met his eyes. It was like he could hear every thought going through my head.
He was a devil disguised as an angel.
I had the sudden urge to flex my fingers against the table but tamed it. “I owe you money, Mr. Bigatti. Not my life.”
“Equals the same to me.”
“I’ll clean the toilets in your hotel for the rest of my life.”
“I don’t have all night. This or that, or I choose for you.”
I closed my eyes. “Cut it off.”
It seemed like he made me wait a helluva long time, and when I heard the knife move, my knees felt weak.
A second later, cool metal slipped over my third finger, left hand, and I knew he’d beaten me at my own game. When my eyes opened to his, the satisfaction in his told me he’d always known he would.
“If you’d rather lose a hand than marry me—” he touched my chin, and I moved my head away “—I know where I’ll get the most interest from.” He pulled my body against his in a rush, and I breathed out. He set his mouth next to mine and slid his swollen lip against my cheek. “I’ll be in touch soon, Aphrodite. Umberto will take you home. Try to leave this city—you won’t be able to afford the interest, understand?”
He turned me around and set me on a path toward the door. I walked out in a haze, not fully comprehending what had happened over the last couple of hours.
Out of all the scenarios I thought I’d be facing, marriage wasn’t fucking one of them.
CHAPTER7
Leonora
After a standoff outside of Portofino,because I wanted my ride, Big drove me himself in my car. He didn’t say anything about the state of my wheels, but I could tell he thought it was a danger to society when it started smoking. He must have sighed ten times.
He was heading in the direction of my apartment. He knew where I lived.Of course he fucking did.
“Not my apartment.” I gave him the name of the hospital.
He found a spot and parked. We both got out.
“My keys.” I held my hand out.
He leaned his back against the door and waved some smoke away from his face. “Not a chance in hell.”
“Given that’s where we are…I even have a visual of it.” I lifted a hand toward his smoke-covered face.
He didn’t seem to find my humor funny. “Umberto will be by in an hour or two with a new one.”
I went to open my mouth, but he lifted a hand. “You can’t move me. Not on this.”
“I don’t know what the end game is here, besides getting what you’re owed in the form of someone’s misery, but if you think you’re going to turn me into a docile woman, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Nah. I’m oddly impressed that you don’t fold so easily.”
Umberto pulled into the spot next to mine, and Big nodded toward the hospital. The only reason I walked when he motioned me forward was because I needed space from him.
On a side note, I noticed two men step out of Umberto’s car, fully suited with dark glasses, and follow behind me. They were keeping their distance, but I knew Big must have ordered them to.
I tried to ignore them as I went into the hospital and to Angelo’s floor.
Phoenix’s eyes widened when I walked in. He whistled. “Fancy pants. Where’d you go dressed like that?” He took my left hand when I was close enough and whistled even longer. “Nice ring.”
