Omerta

Chapter 23

         I would compare Giuseppe Luciano to a rabid dog right now. When he began shouting little bits of spit came to the corners of his mouth and it reminded me of a dog that's growling. He'd given me the most misogynistic and condescending speech I had ever received and I was just barely holding on, as was he. The sound of the door opening without there first being a knock got the attention of both of us. When I looked back over my shoulder I saw the person pause as if trying to understand what they were seeing. 

Me, shrunken in my seat with the mob boss leaning over his desk all red faced and foamy. 

"What the hell is this?" Nicolas asked. He was in a fit black tee and a pair of casual jeans and I would've thought he looked hot if he wasn't such a piece of shit...and if this wasn't such bad timing.

         Nico came bounding forward so that he was now standing between me and his father. "I told you I would handle this" Nick seemed angry at him. "Well I handled it instead" Giuseppe's voice got low and mean. Seeing Nico's muscled back as he stood with proud shoulders and exposed inked arms, arms that made him look like a badass so hard to see and not touch. He was intimidating even against his own father. There was some sort of face off happening here. 

I was on very thin ice with this man so I stayed quiet for the time being. Who knows what he'd do to me if I offended his ego any further. "It's handled," Nico repeated before turning to me and ordering, "Let's go."

As much as I hated Nicolas right now I'd rather him than being alone with his father for a second longer. I rose to my feet, but I was honestly waiting to hear Mr. Luciano scream at me to sit back down. When he didn't I glanced back up at Nico again and he nodded silently as if answering my unasked question if I should actually go. 

        I rushed out of the room without looking back. I rushed down the hall, past the dining room and cut into the foyer quickly. I was still bare foot and therefore almost silent when I moved. I went directly to the stairs and made it to the top, before the echo of quick feet rushing up made me practically sprint to my bedroom door. Nick was faster though so he snatched me before I could get myself all the way in.

"Let go" I fussed. He didn't listen. Instead he picked me up and walked me down to his room. "I'm not going in there. I said let me go," I fought him. He threw me down on his bed and turned back to be sure to lock the door. Panic settled in my gut. 

"What the hell were you thinking?" he finally said when he turned back around. "Huh? Me?" I didn't understand. He stayed standing where he was and I stayed sitting where I was. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration before continuing. 

        "You get in a fight with me and you go running to the Russian's. Do you know how that looked?" he scolded me but in hushed tones. "Yes. I do know. Because both your brother, father, and now you are telling me," I snapped. Nick took two steps forward and looked me dead in the eye. "Gia, these are stressful times. Nobody trusts anybody right now and my father could've really gotten suspicious that you were using them to fix problems with us. I don't think you understand how dangerous a thought that is," he explained.

"It's all about who's got the biggest dick with you people. Who's stronger than who. Who has more powerful influence over who. I don't care about your fucking business pissing matches. I didn't go to the Russian's! I went to my friend when I needed him!" I reiterated the same point I'd made several times now.

        "What'd my father say to you? Why did he start yelling?" he asked me, ignoring my last statement. I huffed but filled him in on his father's bullshit speech and offensive remarks about women. I also told him that I reminded his father that I have a personal relationship with the Russian's because HE wanted me to. Nick listened to the whole thing without saying anything until I was completely finished.