“No,” Rocco states firmly. “I thought you might want to know the reason for your kidnapping.”
My brow lifts involuntarily and my lips part slightly before I manage to answer. “Yes. Of course.” I think I’m still a bit shaken after the recent events, but that does not stop me from wanting to hear the truth.
Rocco points to a chair opposite him and across the desk, and I take a seat.
“You see, the 'Ndranghetas and La Cosa Nostra have a truce regarding women and children,” Rocco explains. “We don’t involve or execute innocent women unless they’re meaningful.”
“Meaningful?” I raise my voice. “How am I meaningful? Did they kidnap me only because you’re fucking me?” I say a little too harshly, but I’m tousled with the storm of emotions.
“No, amore mio.” Rocco’s tone is somewhat sarcastic. “You were kidnapped because you were sleeping withhim.” He turns his eyes toward Damien.
“What?” My jaw drops to the ground. I stare at Damien, remembering the first and only time we had sex. It was perfect. He took his time with me and made it fun.
Rocco takes a deep breath, tilting his head to the side as he’s penetrating me with his numb gaze. “I heard from people of 'Ndrangheta’s that the truce of no women and no children is null when enemies such as Black Venom are involved.”
My gaze slowly wanders to Damien, who is clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles turn white. “I wouldn’t even be here if you’d just gone into customs with her. I need a fucking minute.” Damien storms out of the room and slams the door in his wake.
Rocco continues, “They think you’re a spy for Black Venom.” He goes silent. I watch as he rubs one thumbnail over the other. He looks at me with an accusatory head tilt.
“Do you need to tell me something, bella?”
I’m about ready to blow a gasket. He didn’t ask me this when we were in the bathroom stall, or the plane, or the club. “You think I’m a fucking spy?” I bring my hair between my fingers and pull it aggressively out of my face. “Do spies usually fuck the person they’re spying on?”
Rocco grins. “Only the good ones.” He stands from his chair, stalking over to me as I pace back and forth. His strong arm wraps around my waist, and for the first time, his touch makes me wince. “I know you’re not a spy, bellissima. I wanted to know if there was something more between you and Alarie.” Rocco’s hand moves the hair off of my neck and nuzzles his face causing my eyes to flutter shut. “To be sure that you aren’t still hung up on him.” He dips his hand between my thighs, maybe trying to persuade me of my answer.
I take a moment to breathe and a lie spews out of me. “There is nothing between Damien and me. He’s my past. I’m with you now. But…” I push out of his embrace. “I do have to find him and make sure he’s alright.”
DAMIEN
“Who needs a fucking garden this big?” I grumble tomyself and roll my eyes. “It’s like a maze with vines. Fucking rich people.”
“If I remember correctly, you are also a ‘rich person’.” Her voice like music to my ears
in a world full of screams. I don’t turn to face her, afraid that, if I do, I will pull her away from all of this and take her home. Our home. “I agree. Nobody needs a garden this big unless you’re growing something.”
“What are you doing here, Avalyne?” Her face crinkles at me calling her by her birth name.
Ava seats herself next to me, facing the opposite direction. I watch as she rubs her thumb along the gray cement bench we’re sitting on. She always used to have beautiful colors of polish on her nails that matched her mood. They’re plain now. No paint. Absent of all color, of all feelings. She is hurting and I fucking did that. I let my head fall in defeat.
“Hey.” She places her hand on my leg. “I’m okay, Damien. Thanks to you. You saved me. Allhedid was give you the gun.” Her hand innocently moves up and down my leg, causing my cock to come alive. After she sees the twitch in my pants, she pulls her hand away. “I’m … I’m sorry…” She doesn’t know that Rocco and his men stood back and let my guys do all the work.
“I could use a cigarette.”
“I thought I was going to see you chiefing when I walked out here.” She exhaled a quick laugh.
“Ava, when I say I’m going to do something, I follow through.” I feel the frustration building in me. “I quit smoking that night on the boat and that was the last time.”
She exhales and her gaze shifts to me and then back at the villa. Like she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. “Can I ask you something, Damien?”
“Always.”
“Why did you come for me?” Her voice cracks and her eyes well with tears. “If I was just a bet, why are you here?”
I knew this was coming. I rub my hands over my face and let out a growl. Not out of frustration towards her but towards my own goddamn self.Tell her, you imbecile.After turning towards her, I place her hand in mine and start rubbing it with my thumb.
“Ava… I never wanted to end things with you. I figured if I pushed you away, I could find out who hurt you and I would come back for you. You were only a bet in the beginning. But even then, I was trying to convince myself that this was a game. I constantly reminded myself that I was never good enough for you. Then that night I came to your dad’s house and watched a movie…” Her face falls at the mention of her dad. “I fell for you, Avalyne DeLuca.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me? I would have kept my distance. You hurt me. You shattered my heart, Damien.” She allows herself to cry. Actually sob. Her body heaves with hurt and I fix myself so I’m straddling the bench. I bring her into a tight hug and let her cry. She pounds my chest a few times in anger, but I deserve it. The smell of her pear shampoo and conditioner floods my senses.
