Chapter 10

Gio POV: 

Every time I entered the office, I had to occupy my mind with any other thoughts that it could form. Think about the ceiling fans, and don't watch her. She pulled her hair to twist it out of her face. That would make me think about what it would feel like my fingers through her hair and then the afternoon was gone. 

I tried to drown myself in business meetings and arbitrating who got a say over what. We created more and more hiccups so that we could drag this out. We both needed more time so that we could get info on the other, desperately trying to get the upper hand. 

Who had more say over the building, who had more say over the spending, how we filed our taxes, what we agreed upon for who made day-to-day decisions? All of it was bull shit. 

None of it compared to the way she straightened her spine when she focused. I wondered what I could do to get her to arch it. Foul filthy thoughts plagued me whenever I saw her. Not just those but worse thoughts followed, every time she smiled, I wondered what she looked like whenever she woke up if she smiled like that. If I could make her smile like that. 

With every passing day, my thoughts shifted from the foul thought that entered every man's mind when they saw a beautiful woman. To scarier ones of breakfast with her, nights with her sleep on my chest, days with her holding my hand and giving me sly smirks as she combated my brashness with her clever first sarcasm. 

After the first couple of days I had given I was trying not to look at her and instead focused on remaining discreet. I noticed a shift in her day after day, a wild restlessness, and her eyes flitting from person to person. The anger in me rose, just what I thought would happen was at play. She was cornered against what she wanted and what was expected. 

Domineco wasn't going to let someone with a mind like hers walk away from the game. Slowly but surely he would pick at her, so this, do you mind looking at this, help me with that. Until she was in it and he had the strings. She was smarter than him though, she wasn't going to let that happen. 

Whenever he slinked his way onto her office or sent one of his goons she hardened, an icy facade falling over her naturally warm features. She sealed her cracks up tight and didn't let him in. 

If she was mine I'd hold her against me and tell her she didn't deserve to have a father like that. She must feel so lonely, no mother, a bastard father, a blind sister. No one was there to help her against the storm, all alone in the night. 

When I came in this morning her hair wasn't done the way she normally did it already up in a frizzy and messy bun. Her shirt was the same as yesterday and there was something in her stance, no longer the sure and steady woman but undone. 

It appeared I was at my limit as well because I was moving before I had realized. I entered her office and found myself clearing my throat. 

"What!" She snapped, and then she saw it was me. "Oh I'm, I'm sorry. Tell me what you. What do you need Gio," she looked defeated and broken. 

If I could kill him, I would. I didn't know this woman at all, but I wanted him to burn for the put he had thrown his own flesh and blood into. 

I stepped closer, but she raised her shoulders in fear. I stepped back. "I'm sorry. I know you're scared and tired of the game. Listen to me last chance is now go home. I'll make enough trouble he won't bother you," 

"You need to leave, he won't like this," she teared up and sniffled looking out of the windows. 

"I'll go but listen to me, run. Go back to your house to your job to your life. Leave him in the dust if you need help. Call me. I have your number I'll text you so you can call me if you need help," I told her back out of the room and over to the conference table we'd been playing war with for last week. 

If I could I would put it through the wall, grab my gun, and mow down anyone who wanted a piece. I sat there drowning out the lawyers, doing well at their jobs as our toy soldiers playing their fighting duty well. 

I didn't hide it today I watched her uncaring about the drabbling busybody Domineco had sent in since he didn't want to be in the same room with me. 

I watched him laze in his office as his daughter sat at their desk staring blankly at some numbers. She wasn't evaluating a thing I knew what she looked like working determined, poised. Right now she was adrift, I wanted her to take the lifeline I had thrown. In fact, if there was a thing in my life that I could do, it would be to get her to safety. I felt as though that would be my rapture, my one good deed for my life. All the horrors I had seen, the blood I had spilled in the name of revenge. It would be washed away by setting her free. 

The Don left his sanctuary and once again strutted into his daughter's cage asking another tiny little favor. I watched her glare at him this time and a grin spread across my face. 

He asked and she said it…

No 

I relished the way his face twisted. The anger that rose in him. I stood up, waiting if she needed me. I knew she wouldn't though, she wasn't going to let this continue. 

She stood up and threw the book at him, his numbers falling to the floor. I could hear her cursing at him. I didn't know such colorful language existed. The men around the office blew out air and avoided the scene, clearing off the floor. 

She slammed her hands down on the desk and he tried to calm her down but she pushed him off of her. She backed away, shoving her clothes and sweater into her bag screaming and keeping the tears in her eyes. 

He grabbed her by the arm and marched over to them. My hand on the gun was strapped to my side. "Let her go," I ordered. He scoffed at me but I just shook my head. "I won't hesitate. I'll blow a bullet through your head and at this point, I think your daughter won't mind. She isn't built for this, so let. Her. Go." 

She thanked me with her eyes as she was released from his grasp. She scuttled out of the office and I prayed I would never see her again. 

"What a magnificent prince you are coming to the rescue. Let's get one thing clear you won't make it out of this alive," he stood tall I'm sure in an attempt to intimidate me. 

"What don't you get by this point? I don't care what happens to me, I don't care if I ever breathe another breath when this is done. What I do care about is that when the smoke clears the last little crumble of what remains of your kingdom is burnt to a crisp," I growled. "I'm not going to let you bring anyone else into this suicide pact," 

He laughed his way out of the office and I slammed the door as I went out into the fresh air. I breathed in and out wishing I could match back up there and break every bone in his body. I stood there for a second gathering myself and pulling my face back into place. 

I looked around for her car seeing the tire marks from where it was parked earlier. Good. Leave, get out of here, be free I'll fight the dragon and you can go back to your tower. No one will find you. 

I pulled out my phone and texted her. 

I'll keep him busy, be free darling.