Where is he? I’ve been awake for a few minutes, and already it feels as if I’d go insane here by myself. I don’t want to be alone, why would he leave me alone after…? I hopped down off the bed and felt a pulling between my thighs and a twinge that went all the way inside. My face went up in flames, and it only got worse when I saw the blood on his sheets. Mortified!
Life is so unpredictable. Who’d have thought just hours after learning what the evil witch had done to my mom that I’d be worried about getting my virgin blood on my almost boyfriend’s sheets? Good grief, I’m not even sure I can call him that.
I was very aware when I pulled on my clothes, ignoring the dried blood on my thighs, and rushed from the room, down the stairs, and outside that my behavior was a bit erratic, but there was nothing I could do about it. I heard running footsteps behind me on the cold marble floor, and then one of the twins was calling out for her Pop while the other was pleading with me to stop.
Uncle…no Pop’s face was filled with concern when he met me outside, where I had no recollection of reaching. “Where are you going, Gia? Gabe will be back any minute. If you need to go somewhere, he can take you or I will. Why don’t you come back inside? You’re shaking.” The gentle tone in his voice only made me want to cry like a baby.
“No, I just need some fresh air. I’ll be fine.” I looked off in the distance at the gardens and sprinted that way. I don’t want to be here any longer. Not the Russo mansion, not the state of New Hampshire, but here, on this earth, without my mother.
The rage I’d been keeping at bay rose up as I ran, and I barely restrained myself from screaming out loud. It must be the Italian in me because two seconds later, I wanted blood. I want to hurt them; I’m going to hurt them.
GABRIEL
Sometimes, I pit myself against Ricci in my head. I try to imagine how a piece of shit like him would handle certain situations and do the complete opposite because he’s not fucking human and I am. Like now, I want to go to the Fontane residence and start my body count there, but she may be getting up soon if she’s not already awake, so she wins.
I knew something was wrong as soon as I pulled up and saw Pop and the twins standing on the front steps. I slammed out of the car after throwing it in park. “Gianna!” I think my voice trembled; I know my knees sure the hell did.
“She’s fine, son, she’s okay!”
“Where is she now? Why are you three out here?”
“She’s in the Japanese garden.” Rosa and Anna looked like they were crying or close to it. Not something I’m accustomed to seeing. When Lancelot came peeling up the driveway, I knew shit was about to get real. He panics more than I do when the twins are upset about something.
I didn’t have time to stick around and find out; I needed to get to her. Her location seemed odd to me, the Japanese garden. She usually sits in the English garden when she’s happy. What does the Japanese garden represent? This is exactly what I didn’t want. Why the hell did she go see Greta on her own? I told her not to do anything without me.
She sat beneath the pergola overlooking the koi pond staring down at the beautiful multi-colored fish, mindlessly feeding them the food that’s kept there for them. I knew it was mindless because I was almost on her before she realized I was there, but when she turned to look at me, and I saw the red eyes still filled with tears, I was regretting my decision not to make a quick stop at the Fontane residence.
“Where did you go?” Her words were almost accusatory. There was a little bit of heat behind them.
“I went to see Greta.”
“Oh!” She deflated and looked back at the fish as I walked over to sit beside her. “I guess she told you everything.”
“She did. What do you want to do?”
That’s the decision I made, to let her decide what she wanted. I can hire someone to investigate; there are options we can take…
“I want to kill her.” Say what now? I looked at her little face in shock.
My sweet Gianna looked mutinous and sexy as hell. But I knew it was her anger talking. At least I hoped so. I don’t want anything that dark to be part of her life. I didn’t say anything, though, just let her get it out. As quickly as she blew up, she came back down.
“I hate her so much, hate all of them.”
“I’ll take her out.” She sputtered at my words, and I gave her a wry smile as if my words were in jest. Like hell!
“I understand now why people seek revenge against those who harm them, but that’s not me. I can’t take a life no matter how much I may want to. I’m sure my mother wouldn’t want me to either.”
Her words were a cold reminder of why we couldn’t be together beyond what we’d already shared, and we shouldn’t even have done that. We’re two completely different people. She balks at the thought of killing her mother’s killer while I’ve already planned and plotted the murder of the man who gave me life. I listened as she talked out her frustrations, feeling that deep divide between us once more.
“She should suffer for what she did to mom. Victoria, I know a lot of what she did was instigated by her mom. I can’t blame her for what happened how she was trained as a child, but there are some things that she said and did to me that I can never forget because there comes a point when you learn what’s right and what’s wrong and if you stay on the wrong side then that’s your choice you’re no longer being led.”
She talked herself through it while I listened, prouder by the minute that she was not cowering or running away from this. There was a fire in her that I understood. She hadn’t been willing to stand up for herself, but she was ready to avenge her mom and what had been done to her.
“If you don’t want to kill her, we can have her arrested.”
“But there’s no evidence. Just Greta’s word about what happened, and it was so long ago.”
“Forget evidence; what does your gut tell you?”
“I think she did it. I don’t think Greta would lie.”
“Okay, will you let me handle it?” She looked at me for the first time before looking quickly away again.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll figure something out.” Lies, I already have that witch dead and buried.
“Let me think about it some more okay. I’m just so tired. Gabriel!”
“What is it?”
“Do you think my dad knew that he ever suspected?”
“No!” I could say that with all honesty now. It doesn’t excuse him being a shit parent, but I don’t believe he had anything to do with his wife’s murder.
“Will you let me handle it?” I asked again.
“That’s not fair. She was my mom. I can’t just put it all on you.”
“Hey, Gianna, what do you take me for?”
“Huh?” My voice may have been a little sharp.
“Forget it. Let’s get you back inside. It’s chilly out here.” She didn’t seem to realize that she was dressed too thinly for the outdoors.
Her legs gave out when she stood, and I lifted her and started back to the house. “Gabriel, everyone will see.” If she only knew what everyone already knew. I just kissed her temple and kept my mouth shut. She’s had enough upheaval for one day. Speaking of which, “how do you feel?”