“You are mine,” he says hotly into my ear.
It’s at that very moment a car pulls up beside us and Will gets out. Nico startles as Will marches right up to him and punches him in the face. Nico’s arms drop from around me.
Will punches Nico again and again and again until Nico drops to the ground. Still alive, I notice.
Will then turns to me and holds out his hand. “Come on.”
Chapter Seven
Gianna
Istare down at Will’s hand for a long moment, considering what to do. Why did he save me from Nico? Because I’m just a job to him, I remind myself. He needs to bring me back so he can give me to Marco where I’ll be treated like another piece of meat. I’ve had enough. I’m done with it.
“I can’t,” I say. “I can’t marry Marco. And I can’t marry him.” I throw a look Nico’s way.
“Is this your fiancé?” Will asks in shock.
“Yes. But I can’t marry him or Marco. I can’t do it. I can’t go with you but I know if I run, you’ll just chase me. You’ll just bring me back to that room and I can’t go back. I can’t go back to my house where my aunt is. Where she controls me every singlesecond of every day. Where my brother means well but even he still controls me because he wants me kept safe. I need to be my own person and I’m not going to get that with anyone.”
I’ve never said these words to another living soul before. Maybe because Will is just a hitman – someone who means nothing to me and will pass me on to Marco once his job is done – it gives me the freedom to say what’s on my mind.
I’m expecting Will to scold me. Call me crazy and to get in the car.
But instead, he lowers his hand and nods. “I get it. I get not wanting to be controlled. My job controls me. The money controls me. I go where it goes and I’ll never be free of it. Not after what I’ve done. You are my job, yes. And I’m sorry for that, Gianna. I can tell you’re just an innocent girl and that you don’t deserve this. But I have to bring you back.”
“Is that why you hurt Nico?” He’s still breathing but he hasn’t woken up yet after getting his face bashed in.
Will’s hand clenches into a fist. “I punched that asshole because he was hurting you. I didn’t know he was your fiancé.”
“You… hurt him for me? Why? Because I’m your property?”
“Because I didn’t want him hurting you. No other reason. You are just a job. It doesn’t matter if you’re hurt or not. I did it because… you don’t deserve to be hurt. Because I wanted that.”
I suck in a breath. None of this makes sense. What Will is saying to me. What he’s feeling. WhatI’mfeeling.
And what am I feeling? Confusion. Relief that he saved me from Nico. And dread about my future. And maybe the smallest amount of attraction towards him. The way he didn’t hesitate to punch Nico to save me makes my stomach twist in knots.
“But you still have to take me back,” I whisper, all my energy deflating.
“Yes. I’m afraid so. Marco will kill me if I don’t do what he wants. He paid me. I need to deliver. I’m sorry for that, Gianna. But I won’t hurt you like that asshole did.”
“You’ll just hand me over to one who wants to hurt me.”
“Marco may not hurt you. He wants revenge on your brother. That doesn’t mean he’ll beat you.”
“You don’t know that,” I say. “He’ll hurt me. I feel it. You can bring me back to my brother. He’ll help you. You can work for him. Get his protection from Marco. I can explain everything. How you saved my life.”
“You would really tell your brother that? I’m afraid to say that I don’t believe you, Gianna. You may be a good person but even you wouldn’t save a man like me. I have to look out for myself in this world. Which means I’m bringing you back. Now, get in the car. I don’t want to force you.”
I have no other choice. With a glance down at Nico, I know I’m better off without him.
But am I better with Will?
I’m honestly not sure.
It’s not until we return to the house that I notice Will is bleeding. “Your arm,” I gasp, pointing at it.
He removes the gauze attached to his skin to reveal a messy, bloody cut on his bicep. “Yep. That will need stitches. I’ll need to clean it. But I can’t leave you alone again. We both know you’ll just try to run.”
