Page 85 of Thorns of Blood

Mateo refused to be steered off-course. “Your mother and her opinions do more harm than good. So let’s take them with a grain of salt.”

Cristiano released a mocking sound, but he didn’t say anything else. My jaw clenched, and I focused my gaze on a dot above him while my heart drummed. I hadn’t expected Giovanni's family to welcome me with open arms; that would’ve been foolish. Besides, my name alone aroused doubt in the criminal organizations.

But something about Cristiano’s hostility and apparent disapproval from Giovanni’s mother hurt.

I dug my memory for the Agosti family tree but fell short on Cristiano’s parents, probably because they had no prominent role as criminals. Giovanni Agosti as the heir to the AgostiOmertà and the Tijuana Cartel was hard to forget, but his family not so much.

In the hour or so that followed, the men mainly discussed sports and politics while I focused on my plate and only spoke when either Brianna or Marissa asked me a question. I waited and waited for the right moment to excuse myself, and the opportunity came when Giovanni took his cousin and brothers to discuss business in his office.

Once they disappeared, I was quick to leave and rush upstairs. It wasn’t until I was in the bedroom that I heaved a deep breath, taking a seat on the bed.

“Fuck, it’s easier to kill a person than deal with family,” I muttered to myself, my shoulders slumping.

I was accustomed to being unwanted, but insecurity was a new emotion. Inhaling a deep breath, I leaned my elbows on my knees, put my face into my hands, and closed my eyes while I pondered this evening’s events.

It would seem I wasn’t as immune to the need for acceptance as I thought I was. What if Giovanni ended up siding with Cristiano? He wasn’t exactly wrong to wish something better for his brother. I wouldn’t have wanted someone like me for my sibling either.

Huh, who knew?Looks like I did have a heart, and the thought of Giovanni with someone else was breaking it.

A knock sounded on the door, and I straightened up.

“Who is it?”

Marissa opened the door, and I spotted Brianna over her shoulder, who asked, “Can wepleasehang in here with you? Giovanni’s giving Cristiano hell.”

My eyebrow rose in surprise at the lame excuse. The men were in the office, so it wasn’t as if they were in the middle of their argument.

But rather than call them out on it, I heard myself say, “Sure.”

I stood up and led them to our bedroom’s small sitting area where the three of us sat in the leather armchairs. Silence dominated again while I waited for them to say something, anything.

Since neither of them did, I bit the bullet.

“I’m sure you know there are many more rooms in this house to escape Giovanni’s antics.”

Brianna cleared her throat. “We just wanted to see if you were okay.”

“I am.”

“My brother can be overly protective,” Marissa blurted.“But he’s just a big teddy bear. All bark, no bite.”

“We’re all just curious about you,” Brianna added. “You’re like a legend in these parts.”

I scoffed. “Hardly, considering everyone thought me dead.”

Marissa grinned. “It shows how badass you are.”

“Give Cristiano time. He’ll come around,” Brianna said. “He just takes a bit more time to get used to new people.”

I plastered on a smile rather than voice my hurt. “We have all the time in the world, because I’m not going anywhere.”

And I meant it too.

“Exactly what I wanted to hear.” Marissa relaxed in her seat. “So my brother really forced you to marry him?”

I nodded.

“These mobsters really need to get more creative,” Brianna muttered. “If any of them force my baby girl into a marriage one day, there’ll be hell to pay.”