“True. Caterina took us in because none of us had family. She saw something in each of us—I think she knew we’d need each other to survive.”
“So you all just got along from day one?” I question, fidgeting with my hands.
His laugh had a bitter edge to it. “Far from it. Every time a brother was added to our family, it meant the doctor practically lived here, stitching someone up nearly every day.”
I stare blankly, slightly shocked. I could tell from the day I arrived, meeting them in the billiard room and then having dinner with them, that they were dysfunction, but I couldn’t see them harming each other.
“Carlo was the worst,” Mattia says quietly. “Full of anger, he took it out on everyone. But as soon as Caterina looked at him, he’d stop instantly like he was possessed and apologize. She had this calming presence that grounded us all.”
“And Luci?”
Mattia smirks. “You’re playing with fire with that nickname,” he snickers at me, shaking his head. “He was the first Caterina took in. Always acted like he was in charge, even though Stefano’s the oldest.”
Before I can respond, a harsh voice cuts through the air. “What the fuck happened today, Mattia?” Luciano bellows. His tone is cold, sharp, and dangerous.
Panic surges through me as I try to scramble off Mattia’s lap, my ass falling on the ground as he doubles over on the couch in a fit of laughter, but it isn’t quick enough.
Luciano storms out through the sliding glass door. His eyes are like twin daggers locking onto me. “I told you to leave my brothers alone.”
“I haven’t done anything… yet,” I shoot back, pushing every button I can find. There’s something about Luciano that makes my skin burn.
“I don’t have time to deal with you today. Back to the mansion,” he orders.
I smirk. “What if I don’t want to?”
Without warning, he grabs me, hoisting me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing, and marches straight back down the path toward the mansion.
Mattia’s voice rings out behind us. “You’ve done it now, Red.”
“I’ll be back, Mattia. We need to talk about today,” Luciano calls over his shoulder.
“I can walk, you know,” I huff from my position on his shoulder. My ass is that close to his face, he could turn his head and bite it. I squirm slightly in his grip at the thought of it.
“You can’t be trusted… One fucking week and you’ve already found your way into my brother’s lap.”
I smirk, trying to angle my face to get a better look at him. “Upset it’s not yours?”
His voice is venomous. “If you know what’s good for you, keep your pretty little cunt away from me, Principessa.”
In one swift motion, he tosses me into the pool like a rag-doll. “What the fuck, Luciano?!” I screech before my body is submergedunder the water. He disappears inside the mansion without a glance backwards. Balling my hands up, I punch the water in frustration.
Water dripping from my now tangled wavy hair—that took me ages to straighten this morning—I look at my reflection in the glass window as I climb out of the pool. I’m a soaked mess, but Luciano is forgetting that two can play that game. I peel off my drenched clothes, standing practically naked in just my pink G-string and lacy see-through bra. I leave wet footprints all through the mansion.
Bursting into Luciano’s office, I throw my dripping clothes at him. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” I yell at him.
A slow, amused smirk tugs at his lips. His eyes darken with desire as he takes in my body. He doesn’t need to say anything when his lingering eyes tell me all I need to know: he likes to play dirty.
“Answer me,” I demand. “Who are you to my mother? What businesses do we run and why the fuck do we have so many soldiers patrolling the estate?” I cross my arms in front of me.
He looks down at my chest and bites down on his lip. “You’ll find out soon, Principessa.” He picks up my wet clothes off his chest and chucks them on his desk. Oh shit, his white shirt is now clinging to his skin and has gone see-through, his muscular chest now on full display. Is that a six or eight pack I can see under his tattoos?
I need to escape before I do something I’ll regret. I flip him the bird, spinning around on my heels, and storm out to my bedroom, my only safe haven here.
7
Luciano
Tossing her into the pool was meant to rile her up, but I hadn’t forecasted this level of fire. I knew she had a temper, but how far can she be pushed? To rule the Cosa Nostra, you need to be ruthless, you need to be able to channel your anger and know when the right time to use it is.
