Between The Flames ⚜️Il Paradosso Book Two⚜️

Chapter eight

Antonio

***

I made it through two years without going anywhere near her. I broke a mental agreement with myself about not getting her involved again. It was obvious that when it came to her, I was incapable of keeping a goddamn promise. She wouldn't understand my reasons, but Jimmy left me no space to recompense for lost time. Eleanor had contributed to his escape before I put her in the ground. This life—my life—was too dangerous for Adriana, and I'd done everything in my power to protect her from a distance. Niccolo had his fucked up ways but he got the job done. He maintained his prudence and was observant from afar, only three doors down. He had night watch and Dino was my informant during the day.

Still, I had to see her safe and sound for myself. She would call it an invasion of personal space, but to me, there was no compromising her safety. Her life meant more to me than her privacy.

The occupation she had chosen was smart and a good way to lay low. She stayed out of trouble, which made Niccolo's job easier and allowed me to focus on taking down Evelina's father.

I had reason to think that Evelina was suspectant of pretense but being too fucking close to the win, I couldn't risk to cease years of planning out of a mere hunch. I don't do wariness. I bought some time and Adriana needed to heal. Unfortunately for her, healing time had to be cut short, despite her protesting, which was made very clear from the moment she stepped out of her apartment building that day. From the look on her face, even through the blacked out window, I knew she was thinking of bolting.

Now I watched in utter amusement as she destroyed almost everything she could get her hands on. She was throwing objects at Gio who was dodging each hit with the speed of lightning.

Unable to hide a shadow of a smile that provoked the tautness around my jaw, I stood with my arms folded while observing the tantrum that my little ribelle was putting up, mindless of the muscle force she was going against who could easily crush her if he wanted to.

He knew better than to hurt her. If he didn't want to meet the end of the pistola that was tucked into my side, ready to use if things got too heated. There was another promise I'd made to myself while abstaining from all the desires in the many ways I could make her world spin. No one could ever hurt her again. It wouldn't matter how many bodies I'd have to attach to cement.

It was obvious to me that she'd been taking some type of training because she was really pounding on my bodyguard, fists flying over his head before landing one square on his jaw, which he took with not so much pride.

"How does it feel to get knocked out by a woman, Gio?"

Sometimes, I wondered if my brother's words came straight out of his ass without being filtered and processed by his brain first.

Niccolo leaned back against the armchair while spewing deriding words in Italian to Gio with a moronic grin plastered on his face, as the poor man was struggling against a very determined Adriana who was trying to bite his arm.

"Need some help, Gio? Should I call for backup so you can get her up to the fucking bedroom?"

Gio was distracted by Niccolo's prodding and didn't see the knee coming into his groin, letting out a grunt as Adriana escaped from his grasp and fled towards the elevator.

Niccolo was on his feet in a second, blocking the door before it slid shut and grabbed both of her wrists as she sprung forward to attack him.

Although Gio was big with bulging biceps that could bend steel, he was more cautious and reserved as of lately. Ever since his wife birthed their first child, a beautiful girl, my bodyguard had developed a tiny bit of a sensitive bone. Niccolo, on the other hand, was a different story.