Page 18 of Made Monster (Curse Made #2)

Chapter Seventeen

Alessandrio

H er eyes haven’t been this fearful since she came into my orbit. A delicate hand presses to her mouth, smothering anymore soft gasps that prickle my skin with annoyance. I want to shake her, shake her until the answers fall out of that pretty little mouth, but I don’t trust myself to touch her in this moment as a kernel of unease fills my gut with terrible realization.

I look up at my brother. He focuses his eyes on the girl at my feet, uncertainty painting his features.

“Out!” he snaps and our men move like a flock of birds being disturbed.

Chairs scrape back, jackets flying from backs of seats as rank by rank they file from the meeting room and out into the hall. Lorenzo, standing tall, cuts an authoritative figure as his eyes also remain locked on Olivia. My own eyes return to her. She was meant to be my salvation, and now I have a feeling she will be the catalyst of my downfall.

“What did you just say?” I ask more quietly this time, not for her benefit, but because I fear the truth about to be confirmed.

She shoots a terrified glance at the two men behind the table, before her eyes meet mine again. Better the devil you know, I guess. “I thought my brother sent you.” The words are breathy and full of her own uncertainty.

The urge to lose my shit is so strong that my only response is to begin pacing. Putting as much distance between me and her as I can. I shoot my brother a pleading glance, a sign that he’s good to take over from here, because I might just fucking destroy something. Emilio’s eyes meet mine, and I know he sees the nature of the beast about to surface.

“I sent my brother to collect you,” he begins, his eyes returning to her as I prowl the length of the room like a caged lion. “You are Olivia Dolmino, daughter of Narciso Dolmino?” he asks, and the question is a shot at me. With this bombshell, he doesn’t trust my judgment on the situation.

I close my eyes for a second, praying she gives him the right answer and proves this wasn’t all for nothing.

“Yes.” Her sweet voice is like music to my ears.

“Thank fuck,” I growl up to the ceiling as I continue to pace.

“Is your brother Riccardo Dolmino?” Another shot.

Another palpable moment filled with a desperate hope.

“Yes.” Another sweet reprieve.

I turn then, pausing my feet as I glare at my brother, waiting for him to continue his line of questioning like he isn’t undermining me. He’s standing to his full towering height behind the table, watching the Dolmino offspring on her knees across from him.

“So, why would your brother send him?” He points a clawless finger in my direction.

A good question. It draws my attention back to her. I can see the thoughts behind her grey eyes, weighing up her options. I cross my arms over my chest and let my claws bite into my biceps with the need to shake her. Having her wear my shirt was another fucking mistake. I thought the material would swamp her and leave her shapeless. The smooth legs that emerged from beneath caught me off guard, their delicate muscles curving and moving with each step. I shake my head at the memories and her eyes shoot to me.

She holds my gaze, eyes pleading, and something that goes against everything I am stirs in me.

“He wants me dead.” A sound vibrates in my chest as I walk toward her with determination.

Olivia doesn’t move back, nor does she cower as I drop before her.

“Why?” With the word, I release a growl and see a flicker of fear returning to her eyes.

My hands snap up to cup her cheeks in my palms. Surprise surfaces in the grey depth of her eyes, cutting through the fear.

“For my inheritance.” Her breath stirs the fur on my forearms. “One hundred million dollars, split between his two living children.”

It was too fucking good to be true. I thought I had it all figured out. Handing this pretty little package to my brother that we could use to get to the devil himself. Well, she just fucked me with a rusty blade. I glance over at Emilio. It’s not anger I see on his face, nor Lorenzo’s. Both are just watching me— us —with queer looks of surprise. I drop my hands and rise back to my feet. The silence in the room is palpable, as if everyone is collectively holding their breath, waiting for the penny to drop. I turn to face my brother, the Don of our family, already accepting my punishment for fucking up. He regards me with that lingering look on his face before his eyes drift down to my captive.

“Leave us.” His voice cuts like a knife as his eyes meet mine once more. I reach for Olivia’s arm, preparing to haul her to her feet. “I want her to stay.”

It’s like he slapped me. The ringing in my ear is deafening as I jerk my head up once more to meet his eyes. Nothing in his face gives away his intentions, and I have never wanted to challenge him on something more. That in itself is disturbing. Despite the sting of his dismissal, and the desire to claim her as my own, I turn and leave the way I came without even a backwards glance.

The ride in the service elevator back up to my apartment feels like it takes an eternity, especially as I hold my breath. The moment the doors slide open, I unleash my chaos on the already destroyed room, breaking wood over my knees before tossing it onto the balcony. I have let my brother down before, but never like this. I’ve never wasted time and built his hopes up, or mine, to dash them without doing a thorough check.

“He wants her dead!” I feel like a fucking fool.

I missed something. There is no one else to blame but myself. It was my stupid fucking eyes that skimmed over the fine print to get to her school photos so I could fucking salivate over her. Another piece of wood snaps, then glass showers the balcony as the flat screen bounces across the tile. What will he do with her? Give her to his men? I slam my fist into a wall, ruining Lorenzo’s fresh plaster as my arm goes through to the elbow. No. Not fucking happening.

My fur is pale from the plaster dust as I swipe my access card. The doors open instantly, and I take it as a sign. My claw tip punches the level I want with the vigour of an insane person. If he’s given her over already, I will fucking chase them down. I don’t give a fuck if I cause a scene. Let the world know. I could give two shits.

Ding.

I’m out before the doors have fully opened, striding down the hall like a general heading into battle. But in reality, I am about to commit an act of treason and go against my king. My palm slaps the door and I step into the room, ready for a fight, only to falter on my first step. Emilio and Lorenzo look up, unsurprised by the intrusion, a knowing smirk playing across the lips of the former that I want to punch off his mug. Olivia looks rattled. Sitting in a chair near to him, I watch her shaky hand tuck a damp lock of hair behind her ear. Seeing her renews my anger, but the fault isn’t hers. I did this and now I do not know how to fix it.

I watch my brother lean forward and murmur something to her. She casts him a weary glance and nods her head. I don’t like this one bit.

“What’s with the secret squirrel business?” I huff in annoyance.

Lorenzo smiles with knowing, and my patience is wearing thinner than the crotch of an old pair of panties.

“I have proposed a plan,” Emilio begins, pausing for effect. “It seems we share a common enemy. Olivia is in danger, and I have offered her our protection.”

“What?!” Disbelief overrides the actual relief I feel and I hide behind it.

My brother shrugs. “Nothing is for free, however, and I have just finished explaining that part.” He pauses again and looks at her.

I growl, deep and guttural. It shocks me to my very core as I see her face swing in my direction from the corner of my eyes as I spear my brother with a look of contempt. Some would call me insolent. A capo who would challenge his Don? Unheard of. However, Emilio isn’t threatened. He knows as well as I do that I would die for him. That’s the benefit of having a younger brother who’s certifiable.

“In return, she will help us bait her brother out of hiding,” Emilio says, turning to look at me again.

“How?”

“Tell him your idea,” Emilio orders, and I look at Lorenzo, confused.

“I debut into the Mafia society.” My head snaps to the side. “Emilio told me Riccardo is broke. He told me he made a play for your turf and has been hiding behind another criminal organization. Riccardo wants me dead. His future relies on my demise. I also now know that his mother cursed you—”

“ Your ,” I cut her off, but she shakes her head.

“No. Albenia is not my mother.”

I can now add not opening her sealed files to my growing list of regrets. Her truth would have been laid bare and I might have not forced our fates onto this collision course. I have a feeling I am about to get fucked royally for my misstep. She looks to Emilio, appealing to my brother’s generosity, and that bastard is all too willing to oblige.

“With you at her side, and with our backing, Olivia Dolmino pretends to want to take the old Dolmino seat at the New York Mafia table.”

“Me at her side?” I clench and unclench my fists, violence radiating from my pores.

He snarls, low and deep with warning, scenting my aggression in the air. We have spent over a year learning our forms, venting our rage out on each other. I know when he needs to kick the shit out of something and the walls and furniture don’t always cut it. Right now, he can tell I am on the brink, but he is denying me. I quirk a brow at him to continue.

“The society’s latest match. Two rival families settling a blood feud with a union. Narciso and Albenia will roll in their graves.” I see Olivia flinch at his side. “It’s enough to bring a rat out of hiding. His sister—wanted or not—taking up with the other Greco brother.”

“You forget, I am no longer out in society.” And he’s about to order my debut.

“It’s time to make a splash. I know how you love causing a scene, and this might just be your biggest one yet,” He confirms my fears with a smile.

“You agreed to this?” I spit at the silent woman beside him.

Under the weight of my anger, she meets my gaze, boldly and without flinching. By nodding her pretty head, she seals our fates. Only the tension in her shoulders tells me she isn’t completely on board, and two guesses what is giving her reservations.

“Clearly sanity evaded the Dolmino line.” I don’t even know why I came back down here anymore. These three idiots clearly have it all figured out, and I’ll just be the clown in their circus.

With nothing further to say and with bitterness filling my mouth, I turn and leave them to their conspiring.