Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles 4)

Adamo shoved his gun into his pocket and touched my shoulders lightly. “It’s okay. I’ll protect you.”

I swallowed, my throat tight.

“Look at me, Kiara,” Adamo said gently.

I peered up at him, trying to concentrate on his concerned eyes. For some reason this was the first time I realized how tall he was, already a few inches taller than me. After a few deep breaths, I felt better.

“Thank you.”

Adamo lowered his hands, his attention returning to the steel door. “Savio should have arrived with Serafina by now.”

“Do you think something happened to them?”

“The Outfit won’t hurt Serafina …” Adamo pulled out his gun once again. “… and Savio can take care of himself, but sometimes he’s too confident.”

“Go if you want. I’ll be fine in here,” I said, even though I wanted him to stay. If Savio needed him I didn’t want to be responsible for any tragedy.

Adamo gnawed on his lower lip, stepping closer to the door. “Nino wants me to protect you. If I leave and something happens to you …” He sighed, looking torn.

I pointed at the shelf filled with knives and guns. “I can defend myself, and nobody’s going to get in here, right?”

“Not unless they have the code. Neither Savio, nor Remo or Nino will ever give it to anyone, no matter what kind of torture they put them through.”

“Neither would you,” I said.

Adamo looked doubtful.

I walked over to the sofa against the wall and sank down, studying the other shelves stacked with water and food, then the door leading into a small bathroom. How long could we survive in here if it ever came to the worst?

I pushed the thought aside. Nothing would ever happen to Nino and his brothers.

Adamo sat down beside me, his hand with the gun resting on his thigh. The skin around his Camorra tattoo was no longer red.

Adamo followed my gaze. “It takes some getting used to. People in school look at me different now, and even in the street strangers keep their distance as if they think I’d kill them for looking at me the wrong way.”

I nodded. “How are things with Harper and your former clique? Did she try to talk to you again?”

Adamo avoided my eyes, shrugging. “I saw her alone a couple more times, but now it’s over.”

“You did?”

“My brothers don’t know. Promise not to tell them.”

I hesitated. Adamo looked like he needed someone he could confide in, and this wasn’t really a major secret.

“My lips are sealed,” I said. “But why would you want to see her again? I thought she used you to get drugs? And she cheated with that guy …”

“Mason.”

Adamo frowned, clenching and unclenching his hand, watching the way his muscles flexed. Every day he seemed to grow more. In moments like this he didn’t look the fourteen-year-old. “I don’t even feel guilty.”

“That’s okay.”

Adamo tilted his head up with a grim smile, and for the first time I saw his resemblance to Remo. “Is it also okay that I only went back to Harper because I wanted to get another blowjob and screw her, after what she did to me? Pretending I didn’t know where Mason was when I’m the one who killed him?”

For a moment his words threw me off and I felt my cheeks heat. Adamo sank against the backrest with a grimace. “Sorry, Kiara. I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t want to upset you. Forget what I said.” He leaned his head back and glared at the ceiling.

“Why would I be upset?”

Adamo winced. “Because of … you know … ”

“I’m not breakable. I don’t get upset because you talk about sex.” He didn’t say anything. “So you slept with Harper?” I couldn’t believe he’d had his first time with a girl who’d messed with him.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face and he kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling. “Yeah. Only once. I thought I’d feel better. Like I was paying her back in some way, you know? I wanted to get something out of it after how she and Mason tricked me.”

“But you don’t feel better?”

He shook his head. “I hated it, and now I wish I hadn’t done it.”

“See the positive. Savio will stop teasing you now,” I tried to lift his mood.

“I won’t tell my brothers. I was supposed to stay away from Harper.”

Before I could say more, the lock clicked. Adamo jumped to his feet, aiming his gun.

Nino stood on the threshold, knife in hand and covered in blood. My stomach fell and I rushed forward, touching his chest. “Are you all right?”

Nino tilted his head at his brother before he met my gaze. His eyes were blank mirrors, hard as steel. “I’m fine. The threat is contained.”

“The attackers are all dead?” Adamo asked.

“Not yet. We spared two for questioning. Do you want to be present?”