No Strings Attached

Chapter Thirty

The light-haired cop who used to be Dixon's best friend, the best man at our wedding, looks down at me, his dark lips turned down disapprovingly. "Is it happening again?"

I nod frantically, looking towards the way I saw Dixon going. "Please, Corey. This can't be on the news."

"Why would this make the news?"

"This is my client." A reflex of fear escapes my throat, my hand trembling as I point to Giovanni who looks to be explaining something to cop beside the vehicle. "Giovanni Martinelli. He is very famous and if this is reported, he is on the nightly news within the hour. Please, Corey."

His eyes widen in disbelief. "Scarlett, I have to report this..."

"For old time's sake, please. I would lose my job if they knew he was here."

He runs a hand through his hair, looking around at the people crowding their entranceways. I don't see any phones. It's dark. Maybe they can't see Giovanni's face.

I'm praying they can't.

"Please, Corey. I'll tell you everything. Just don't put this into the system."

He looks at me pointedly, clearly contemplating it.

Finally, he turns to his men. "Let him go. Go to the buildings and tell them to go back inside. The situation is under control."

They nod without a second thought, dispersing in different directions. I watch them begin to move away from Giovanni. Corey looks at him, beckoning him over with a flick of his fingers.

Giovanni wipes his mouth with the corner of his hand as he approaches us, removing the blood. He's still out of breath. He doesn't look at me.

Corey looks between us both. "Okay, explain to me what's happened."

***

I sit rigidly on the couch, my feet frozen still from the snowy concrete as Giovanni shuts the door to my apartment gently behind Corey. My gaze is completely still but direct on him, so angry I cannot move.

He doesn't turn around right away.

"I know I fucked up," he whispers to the door.

I can't even answer with him. My heart hasn't calmed and it's been nearly an hour. I keep seeing the look on his face over and over again as he tried to suffocate my ex-husband on the concrete like a goddamn murderer. He nearly succeeded.

Giovanni turns to me, his eyes clearly fearful. "I don't know what happened. I just lost myself... That's never happened before..."

He moves across the space towards me, stopping beside the other couch. "Please, Scarlett. Talk to me."

My gaze hardens, my mouth gaping, at a loss. "I really don't know what to say, Giovanni."

"Yell at me. Shout, hit me. I don't care."

I shake my head, ready to explode.

"I've dealt with that shit all my damn life," I growl to him. "I've dealt with angry, terrifying men my entire life, Giovanni! You almost killed him! You almost killed him, you do understand that?"

"I would have stopped."

I shake my head. "I don't believe you. I can't believe you. I thought at worse you'd hit him. I thought... I thought there wasn't a single ounce within you that could do what I just saw you do to him!"

"I'd never hurt you," he whispers, reading my mind.

I stand up, my chest expanding as I try to control my tears. "My father's face looked like yours did when he would beat my mother! He couldn't control himself. He couldn't—"