“Fifty-eight days, two hours, forty-six minutes.”
She turns back to Antonio. “I’d say you have 58 reasons to lie. When did you find out where I’d been taken?”
“Some of Aurelio’s men picked me up, blindfolded me, took my phone, and flew me out to where you were held nine days after you were taken. He expected me to get you pregnant, but you were on your period, remember?”
I glance at her to see if she remembers what he’s describing, but her face is an impenetrable mask.
“But then you came back, didn’t you?” she snarls.
I turn back to him, so fucking ready to tear him to pieces. When he just glares at her, I growl. “Gi…”
She turns to me, and I brandish my blade, asking for permission to carve this bitch up, but she gives me a short shake of the head.
Antonio blows out a breath. “Listen, I know you were raped, Gi. If you got pregnant, this is as easy as doing a DNA test.”
Giovanna pales and punches him in the mouth. “I’m not fucking stupid, Antonio. Why the fuck do you think I’m here?”
Antonio licks the blood off his lip, and sneers. “I didn’t fucking rape you!”
“Gi, if you want, we might be able to test the mattress for DNA.”
Antonio levels me with a glare. “DNA on the mattress doesn’t mean anything. Definitely doesn’t mean that person fucked her.”
I feel like my head is going to explode. “You were on the fucking mattress with her? But you didn’t fuck her?”
He lurches at me, rattling his chains. “I was on the same mattress as her for years and didn’t fuck her.”
Gi stands tall, getting on eye level with him. “But you weren’t just on that mattress with me, Antonio. You kissed me. You had your hands on me. You were grinding your cock on me. Don’t fucking lie.”
I shove my hands into my hair and turn away, trying hard not to lose my shit and beat the fuck out of this bitch. Giovanna wants control; I have to give her control. I slam my palm into the wall and turn back to face them, ready if she needs me.
Antonio nods. “I did all that. But I didn’t fuck you. And I helped Tommy find you. I fucking went to him, told him everything I knew about where you were and what Aurelio’s plans were. Why would I have done that if I had raped you?”
“To clean up your mess because you knew I’d fucking kill you, you fuck,” I sneer.
It suddenly hits me: if Gi ends up pregnant, I could be looking at the father of her baby. My blood runs cold, the puzzle pieces flipping around in my head until they click into place, one by one. The raging chaos winds roar to life inside me, and I can’t fucking help myself. Being in the same room with this asshole knowing he put his hands on her, kissed her, touched her, knowing she could be pregnant with his child—
I draw a harsh shaky breath, getting in his face. “Here’s what’s going to happen: if it turns out that Giovanna is pregnant,you’re going to do whatever she tells you to do, asshole. If she wants you in this kid’s life, you’re going to be in it. If she wants child support, you’re fucking paying. But no matter what, I am this child’s father. He will live with me and my wife. I will raise him as my own. And the second Giovanna wants you gone, I will be more than fucking happy to make that happen.”
“Tommy.” Giovanna’s voice is icy sharp, but her eyes are soft when she looks at me. I step back, giving her space.
Gi turns back to Antonio. “None of that is an issue. You remember I told you that if you ever touched me again, I’d kill you in your sleep? Today’s the day, asshole.”
She snatches the knife out of my hand and lunges at him. He turns away, and the blade slashes through his shirt, blood seeping red down his sleeve.
Breathing hard, he turns back to her, his voice quiet. “I didn’t do it, Gi. Aurelio wanted me to. He said it would make Tommy turn away from you, make you closer to me, force the wedding. But I didn’t do it.”
“I was there! I don’t believe you.” She lunges for him again, and he turns his head at the last minute, the knife hitting the concrete wall.
“You know I’m not a rapist! I was right there, in bed with you, just the two of us. I’d just made you come, and my fucking cock was touching your pussy, remember? But you said ‘no,’ and I didn’t do it.”
Red explodes across my vision, and I don’t even feel myself eliminating the distance between us, my hands instantly around his neck.
“TOMMY!”
Her voice is the only thing that can stop me, but even still, I squeeze his throat.
Gi’s voice is calm, cold. “Tommy, uncuff his hands, and cut his clothes off him.”
