Ravaged By Passion

Gavino

Casso frowns at me from behind his desk, arms crossed over his chest. Fynn sits quietly on the couch, ankles crossed in front of him, and Nico paces back and forth. I watch my brothers with a dark expression.

“She’s useful,” I say, gesturing for calm. “She’s keeping secrets, but that’s to be expected.”

“She’s a liability,” Nico says, glaring at me. “You have to see it. She’s in our damn house.”

“We don’t know her,” Casso agrees.

“Why do you want to keep a woman around?” Fynn asks. “It isn’t like you to want a woman around for more than a night.”

I glare at them. “Would you just listen, all of you?” Nico stops pacing and Casso makes a go-ahead gesture. “Jeanie knows something about Malcolm. She wants to hurt him for a reason she won’t say, and I think we can use that. Besides, she’s clever, and I think she’ll be helpful in closing this damn deal.”

“We don’t want to hurt Malcolm, we want to work with him,” Casso points out, narrowing his eyes at me. He’s very aware of my personal feelings toward Malcolm. “Do you think she’ll be on board with that?”

“I don’t know,” I admit and choose not to tell him what I promised her. Malcolm’s blood. I’m playing a dangerous game here, but if it pays off, the Famiglia will be even stronger than before. “But at the very least, her presence will knock them off balance. That’s a good thing when it comes to a man like Malcolm.”

“I say we keep her around,” Fynn says with a shrug. “What’s the harm? We’ll make sure she’s watched night and day whenever she’s in the house so she won’t have a chance to get into trouble. Besides, it means Gavino might spend more time in the main house.”

There’s a knock at the door as I give Fynn a sharp look and Karah breezes into the room. She kisses Nico and he smiles at her in response. His whole face lights up whenever she’s around. Those two are still madly in love with each other, even all these years later. It’s sickening.

“What’d I miss?” Karah looks around.

“Gavino’s got a new toy, and your husband and Casso want to take her away,” Fynn says.

“That’s not—” I start but Karah interrupts me.

“I hear Nathan says she’s cute. Is that true?” Karah’s grin is sly and I’m simmering on the inside.

“The kids met her?” Casso seems surprised. “I thought you’d sneak her in.”

“They ambushed me,” I grumble, which isn’t true—they just happened to be heading out as I was heading in. Bad luck.

“Typical,” Nico says. “Those kids are always getting into trouble.”

“Well, is she cute or what?” Karah asks, pressing with a grin.

“Enough,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s a business deal. I told her she’d sign something to make sure she doesn’t talk, but it’s not necessary. She’s committed to this. I saved her damn life from Benedict just last night.”

The room goes quiet. I hadn’t told them this part yet. Once I have all their attention, I give them the short version: followed her home, bashed Benedict in the head, dragged her away.

“Are you sure he didn’t see you?” Casso asks, sounding on edge. “You know what’ll happen if Malcolm knows it was you that nearly killed his favorite enforcer and advisor.”

“Positive. And even if he did, I hit him hard enough that he won’t remember much from the last week, let alone from that night.”

“You’re lucky he’s not dead,” Karah scolds.

I wave her off. “He’s lucky he’s not dead. I should’ve killed him.”

“Would’ve deserved it,” Nico grunts and Fynn nods in agreement.

“Fuck,” Casso says, rubbing his face. “You fucking bastards. All of you. I’m trying to turn this family in the right direction and all you people can do is act like the gangster thugs we were raised to be. Don’t you all want to be better?”

“By better he means legal.” Fynn rolls his eyes and gives me a meaningful look. Of everyone in the family, he’s the most sympathetic to my feelings.

“We are gangster thugs,” Nico points out. “At least I am. I don’t know about you boys.”

“You’re all a bunch of soft little babies these days,” I grumble and Karah grins at me, nudging me with her shoulder.