No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 22

"Pretty as a daisy," Clarisse laughs, standing up as she sees me. Azalea nods as she stretches her arm out to me. I loop my arm through hers as they lead me back out into the hallway and down a few doors to what I assume is Vincenzo's office.

Clarisse pushes the door open to reveal a tidy little office. I say little, but it's as big as my room back home; filled with multiple couches and a cabinet of alcohol.

Part of me is surprised that his office is so clean, I don't know what I was expecting but it's perfect.

Azalea walks over to the desk and I follow, taking the piece of paper she gives me. My eyes scan over it and my jaw locks, "Motherfucker," I breathe out.

"None of its true, is it?" Clarisse asks slowly, "None of us believe it's true, except Enzo but he's just stubborn," she quickly adds.

"I did kill those men, but it was on orders from my Grandfather," I say slowly, repeating what I said to Vincenzo last night; "And I didn't target your family because I blame you, because I don't, it was my Grandfather again,"

"Man that sucks," Clarisse mumbles, and I hum as I read the letter over and over again.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts as the door is slammed open, revealing a fuming Vincenzo.

"Out," he says, his voice calm as his eyes swim with anger. Azalea goes to open her mouth but Vincenzo interjects, "Azalea I said get out," he snaps, obviously enraged at his sister. Her jaw locks as she looks at Clarisse and I and we start to walk out.

"Not you," he grits, grabbing my arm harshly. I yank my arm away from his grasp and watch as Azalea mouths a "sorry" to me as she shuts the door behind her and Issy.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he snaps at me.

"Your family were just helping me settle in, as I'm obviously going to be here for a while," I say coldly.

"That's not their place to do so," he almost spits out.

"You didn't have to yell at them," I snap, the way Vincenzo speaks to and about his own family disgusting me. "And I don't think it's your place to tell me what to do," he replies, spitting out his words as he starts walking over to me.

Out of instinct from what happened last time a man approached me like this, I back up until I hit his desk. He stops in front of me and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him as he scowls. "Don't think for one second that I trust you with my family," he says quietly, his fingers hurting my chin as I'm unable to move.

My tongue pokes the inside of my cheek as I smirk, "So that's what it is," I breathe out, "You fear me Vincenzo," I taunt. His eyes flash with anger and suddenly I find myself bent over his desk, my face pushed into the papers as I feel him lean against me.

"Bold words for someone who I have bent over my desk, completely at my mercy," he chuckles, his hand pushing my face further into the desk. A whimper escapes my lips as he cruelly twists my arm behind me, sending a shooting pain up my injured arm.

"You really believe him? After what I told you last night?" I ask, trying to find the upper hand here as he continues to press against me.

"I believe that you were targeting my family," he grits out, twisting my arm more as my breathing becomes more rapid. "I wasn't going to kill them," I grit out, groaning in pain when his fingers dig into the wound on my arm.

"No but you threatened to kill me last night," he says harshly.

"I wasn't going to kill your family," I repeat, holding in a groan as my arm is twisted further behind my back, his breath on my neck as I close my eyes.

"What? The Fiore Mortale backing away from a challenge? You're even weaker than I thought you were," he laughs, not a drop of humour as he continues to fucking mock me. "I should just kill you now, you obviously wouldn't be able to stop me," he taunts. Unable to speak as anger courses through me, I lift my leg up and kick his dick as hard as I can, writhing out of his grasp as I send another kick to his shin, taking the gun out of his waistband as I point it at him.

"You're a smart man Vincenzo," I whisper, "But obviously not smart enough to know that you never threaten The Fiore Mortale," my tone dripping with venom as he looks at me with a smirk.

He doesn't take me seriously and it pisses me off.

"Go on," he says, "Finish your little Grand-daddy's orders and kill me, I'm sure he'd be so proud," he taunts yet again. I feel myself begin to shake in anger and before I register my actions I point his gun at his shoulder and pull the trigger.

"Fucking bitch," he seethes, clutching at his shoulder as the bullet sinks into his skin, his eyes flashing with pain before clouding over with anger.

I hear footsteps running towards us and I throw the gun at Vincenzo's feet as the door is
opened.

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again," I snap, walking past the stunned onlookers and back to my room.

"You had that coming fratello," Alessio laughs, and I hear a punch being thrown before Alessio mutters something under his breath.

No one follows me as I slam my door open and shut it with a bang, too angry to give them an explanation.

How fucking dare he? How dare he doubt The Fiore Mortale? Mock me? Pin me over a desk and fucking taunt me.

What he said last night about protecting his family is bullshit. He hates me because I beat him. Because he only discovered my identity because it came to him, he didn't figure it out. He hates me because I undermined him and embarrassed him. And that's fucking pathetic. It's embarrassing. Embarrassing that a Mafia Don's ego is so fragile, and yet so fun to break.

He doesn't look away from my eyes when he sees me, he isn't scared like men usually are. Instead, he challenges me. And fuck it irritates me, but god is it exciting.

My body still trembles as I think of the way he spoke to me. Not just me, but his own family. As if they mean nothing to him. For someone who claims to hate me for the threat I pose to them, he sure treats them awfully.

I'm going to stay here, I'll stay so they can help me get rid of my Grandfather for once and for all. Then I'm leaving. I'll forget them and live somewhere in the countryside by myself.

Somewhere I can live alone, the way I like it.

//

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Next chapter will be out tomorrow, so until then have a good day/night and don't forget to vote!!

Abi <3