Jerking my chin, I give her a wink, then walk out of the house. I’m sure I caused some shit there, stirred it up and all that, but I can’t seem to give much of a shit right now. I didn’t get it before, but standing in his office with him, telling me that it was nothing personal, it hit me.
Slammed into me.
It is personal. It is because he doesn’t think I’m good enough, not for her. I’m good enough to help him earn money by doing illegal shit. I’m good enough to be his brother as long as I can do something for him. But I’m not good enough to love Cidney, and my love isn’t good enough for her.
I straddle my bike, my engine roars to life, and I take off without a glance backward. I’m on to a different life, leaving this one behind, along with the hope that I will ever find personal peace or happiness again, and that’s something I’m just going to have to accept.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CIDNEY
Slidingmy palms down my skirt, I wonder if this is too sexy for work. I’m not sure why I’m second-guessing myself. I’ve worn this exact outfit a dozen times at Justin’s office, but now that I’m working for George, a man I’ve already slept with, I’m second-guessing everything about myself down to my shoes.
Closing my eyes slowly, I inhale a deep breath, holding it, then let it out slowly. Zadie texted me last night and told me that he was gone. He said his goodbyes, gave hugs, and climbed on his bike, riding away into the distance.
I shouldn’t give a shit. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. I give a lot of shits. Gathering my purse, I take my keys out of my bag, shove my phone in, and zip it up before I hitch the strap up on my shoulder.
Walking toward my front door, I look around my apartment. I take in all the cameras and wonder if he’s watching me somewhere out there. I shouldn’t care. And maybe I don’t, yet I lift my hand and flip off the living room camera for good measure before I walk out the front door.
I don’t get far.
One. Two. Three steps, and then I see him.
He’s standing at the end of the hallway, right in front of the elevator. If I turned and ran toward the other end of the hall to the staircase, he’d catch me, especially in my heels. I don’t think it matters where I go or what I do. He’s going to get me.
I remember the cameras and decide that going inside my apartment is going to be my best bet. Even if he kills me there, someone will see it happen and go after him. Turning around, I shove my key in the lock and try to open it quickly.
I’m not fast enough, just like I thought I wouldn’t be. As I push the door open, I feel his chest pressed against my back, and he growls into my ear.
“Get the fuck inside, cunt.”
Well, Jeffrey, or rather Goffredo, is good and pissed off at me. I shouldn’t be surprised, but he’s never spoken to me like this before. And with that whole meeting, I thought it was done. My mother wasn’t as important as he thought. I am not important. There is no reason for him to hate me or avenge anything, and I am not important to the club, not in any special way.
Hurrying through the doorway, I don’t stop moving until I’m standing in the middle of my living room. I’m a few feet away from him and can inhale a deep breath as I spin around to face him.
“What are you doing here?” I demand.
I don’t really give a shit what he’s doing here, but I am trying to stall, because whatever the reason, I have a feeling the results are going to impact me and only me, and not in a fun way. Goffredo takes one step toward me, then stops as he tilts his head to the side. His gaze searches mine for a silent moment, then he clears his throat before he begins to speak.
“I’m here because you fucking embarrassed me. You also got me demoted, and my dad thinks I’m not only a bitch but a piece of shit. I can’t take over the family anytime soon because of you.”
I want to tell him that he’s the one who created this whole issue. I didn’t even know he existed before I found him on socials, or rather, he discovered me and pursued me.
All in the name of some kind of revenge.
A revenge plan that I still don’t completely understand, except the stuff about the Vicious Reapers doing something for his father’s group. I kind of got that, and it was a huge deal. And it all stemmed from my mother, father, and his father… along with the club and the family.
I don’t fit into any of that, though, not really. He knows that too, which is why he’s here. He knows I’m not really part of them, and he knows that although I’m somewhat protected, I’m not a wife, I’m not a sister. I’m just some guy’s cousin.
Because that’s what I am.
An off-limits cousin.
“Killing me won’t fix that,” I point out the glaringly obvious.
He snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. “No shit, babe. But I’ll have fun ruining you for any other guy. It’ll make me feel better, that’s for goddamn sure.”
“Goffredo,” I whisper, taking a hesitant step backward. “Please don’t do this.”
