The woman frowned. “Where are her parents?”
“Not here,” Diego said sharply. He was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, and was sweaty as if he’d been called out of fight training. His Camorra tattoo was on display.
With a glance at it, the secretary gave a nod. “Your sister is suspended from school until Friday, at least. But expulsion is very likely.”
“We’ll see,” Diego muttered. He grabbed my forearm and pulled me to my feet then dragged me out.
“Diego,” I hissed. “Stop, you’re hurting me.” He loosened his hold but didn’t stop pulling me along. He steered us toward the boys’ restrooms, poked a head in, then dragged me inside. He released me and headed toward the only locked door. He hammered his fist against it while I regarded the urinals to my right in disdain. I’d never been in a man’s restroom before.
“Get the fuck out of here and take your shit elsewhere or I’ll climb over that fucking stall and drag you out.”
After a moment, the stall was unlocked and a freshman boy whose name I didn’t know came out. One look at Diego’s expression and his tattoo, and he rushed outside.
“Do we have to be in here?” I asked.
Diego advanced on me and grabbed my shoulders. “What’s wrong with you? What the fuck has gotten into you? I knew allowing you to fight was a huge fucking mistake.” He’d never said that.
“He got what he deserved.”
Diego’s eyes flashed with anger. “Did he? But you’ll be the one who’ll get punished. That fucking guy’s parents are going to do everything to get you expelled.”
“But… you and Dad can do something, right?”
Diego laughed darkly. “I could beat him up, cut him a bit, I’m sure then he’d change his mind but his parents own huge hotels that pay us for protection. They aren’t anybody. They deal with Remo Falcone personally because of how important they are. I can’t do anything without getting the permission of my Capo. Or I could ask Savio to talk to his brother for me, but I’m not sure I want to ask him for that kind of favor because you can’t get a grip on your fucking bitchiness. The engagement isn’t even public yet and you’re already messing things up.”
“You’re an asshole,” I bit out. I’d thought Diego would be on my side, had thought he’d smooth things out for me like he always did. Having him this furious at me, made me feel horrible.
Diego only glared down at me.
I swallowed. Why did Mom have to hand down her emotionality to me? I wanted to be tough like steel. Tough like Diego and the other guys who I always only ever got to watch fight.
Diego released a breath. “Are you going to cry?” There was still anger in his voice, but also something gentler.
I shook my head. “He called me Falcone whore,” I got out, and then the rest of what Will had said burst out of me, and I had to catch my breath when I was done.
“That fucking asshole. How dare he as much as look at you? How dare he talk to you like that? I’m going to break his bones.”
“I started with his nose,” I said. Diego shook his head. The anger on his face was no longer directed at me. “You should have let me handle him.”
“I didn’t think.”
Diego sighed. “I’m not going to allow anyone to insult you in any way. We’ll deal with this now. We’ll get everyone to back off once and for all.” He grabbed my hand to pull me along and I gasped in pain when he touched my bruised knuckles. Diego drew back, his eyes shooting down to my swollen flesh.
“Damn it, Gemma,” he said quietly, taking my hand carefully. “How hard did you hit him? Your knuckles don’t look good. We need to get them checked.”
“He looks worse.”
Diego chuckled, but he remained tense as he pulled me against him and led me out of the restrooms and the school. We arrived at his car and he opened the door for me. I slumped inside, wondering what Diego had in mind to save my hide.
He slid behind the steering wheel and revved the engine.
“Where are we going?”
“Back to where I’ve been. The Falcone gym.”
My eyes grew wide. “Why?”
“Because I’ll have a talk with Savio. I won’t have these kind of rumors about you.”
He sounded absolutely furious.
“I don’t want Savio to know what happened.”
Diego sent me a look. “That’s not up to you. I’ll have to protect your honor and keep you in school.”
I closed my eyes. This day got only worse.
We parked in front of the abandoned casino that harbored the private Falcone gym. Only the Falcones would use something this extra to work out.
“Come on,” Diego urged.
“You want me to come with you?”
“You bet.”
I dragged myself out of the car then trudged after Diego. I didn’t want to see Savio again, especially not after what Will had said.