I face Bruno dead-on as he pulls out a gun and aims it at me.
“Any last words?” he asks in a deep, gruff voice that makes it clear what’s about to happen.
I stare right back, raise my chin up proudly, and say, “I was born a street rat, and I’ll proudly die like one too.”
He pulls the trigger, but the pain doesn’t come.
My eyes remain closed on instinct, and I flinch. How can I flinch? I should be dead by now. Bruno was aiming directly at my head.
I risk opening my eyes. Bruno is standing in front of me, and as I feel my forehead, I don’t feel a wound or blood.
“What the fuck?” I mutter as the older man calmly puts the gun away.
“Treat this moment as an introduction to a whole new life, boy,” Bruno tells me darkly.
“What?” My mouth is practically hanging open. “What the hell do you mean?”
He’s spared my life… but why? Surely, a man like Bruno Bernardi has an ulterior motive for keeping me alive. And I’m not sure I’m going to like it.
“What’s your name?”
“My name is Julian,” I manage. “My last name is –”
“Doesn’t matter,” Bernardi interrupts, shaking his head. “From this day forward, you’re Julian
Bernardi.”
“W-What?”
“I’m going to adopt you. I have three adopted sons already.”
“I’m eighteen.”
“Doesn’t matter to me,” he goes on, watching me closely with an expression that seems almost amused. “I wanted a big family, but I was never blessed with one. Over the past few decades, I’ve adopted children in need of help. You’ll be one of them. The last one to join my ranks.”
I stare at him with suspicion, not sure what to think of this strange development.
“Why?” I finally manage, conveying all my thoughts in one simple question.
“Because I believe you deserve another chance,” Bruno says calmly, putting the gun in the holster behind his back. “This was your first test, and you passed it. You didn’t even flinch when I pulled the trigger. Tell me, Julian, are you so eager to die?”
I ponder his words. What the hell am I supposed to tell him?
In a way, I wish my life was over. Without Francesca, I have nothing left to live for.
“I don’t care,” I finally mutter. “That little Esposito bitch snubbed me again.”
Bruno laughs heartily. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with her, kid.”
I stare him down without providing an answer, which makes Bernardi groan out loud.
“Love isn’t for the likes of us, Julian,” he goes on. “All that should matter to you is your status. Not some stupid little girl who won’t even admit her feelings for you.”
I nod thoughtfully. On some level, I agree with the man. I’ve let too much slip through my fingers because of Francesca. She never deserved me in the first place.
“I’m giving you another chance,” Bruno continues. “But don’t mistake this small mercy for kindness because I’m not a kind man. You let me down, you’ll be punished accordingly. Capisce?”
I nod, eager to get on his good side. After all, the man just saved my life and I owe him until my very last breath.
“And I never want to see you around that Esposito girl again.”
“That will not be a problem,” I mutter. “I fucking hate her now.”
And it’s true. Fire and hatred run through my veins, mixing into a powerful weapon.
I’ll never forgive Francesca for snubbing me a second time. She’s just proved to me she’ll do any-fucking-thing to keep her status. She doesn’t give a damn about me and probably never did. The bitch probably wouldn’t even care if her father shot me right in front of her. We are well and truly over. I know if I ever lay eyes on her again, I’ll struggle to stop myself from hurting her. The bitch deserves a world of pain for what she did to me.
“Come with me now, Julian,” Bruno says firmly. “It’s time to go home and meet your new family.”
Wordlessly, I fall into step behind him and follow him into the car. I have a feeling my life is about to change for ever.
16
FRANCESCA
I’m sitting in art class and doing my very best to keep my eyes off Julian. But I can’t help glancing at him every so often as his brow creases in concentration. He’s working on his canvas and hasn’t so much as glanced in my direction.
“Miss Esposito, focus on your artwork,” Miss Ricci hisses at me, and I glare in return. “Seems like you’re a little distracted.”
“I’m fine,” I hiss, hoping my firm gaze is enough of a warning for the other woman to back off.
Since our little agreement, the bitch has done nothing to make my time at the university easier like she promised. But we both know I’ve kept my mouth shut about her little secret… if I hadn’t, she’d have been fired a long time ago. My eyes convey a silent warning as we stare at one another, and finally Miss Ricci flushes and goes on her way.