The Life: Sacrifice (The Life 3)

“What about him?”

“It’s going to be a long flight; what if he’s scared?”

I rolled my eyes over her head. She’s worse than my sisters when it comes to their mutts. “He’ll be fine. You’ve got the calming treats and anti-nausea meds, just in case. The twins take their mutts all over the place no problem.” She moved on to messing with his overpriced carrier, and I had to smile at how much she’d changed in the last couple of weeks.

It’s taken her no time to become the princess she was meant to be. Now that I think about it taking tips from the Russo twins might not have been the best way to introduce her to a life of luxury. Then again, her grandmother and aunts don’t seem to be much better.

I thought for sure she’d have a hard time getting used to all the fuss, but nope, she fits right in. I guess she’d fallen back into the life she’d known when her mom was alive because she hardly bats a lash now at the price of things. I like it; it gives me hope that all will be fine with or without me. She’s also got a mouth on her and has been learning how to speak up for herself. Something I knew would happen with enough exposure to the twins. Hopefully, what I was about to do wouldn’t put too much of a damper on her mood.

“Do you want to see your dad before we go?”

“Oh Lord, what did you do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Gabriel, the last couple of times you asked me that question, there was something going on at that house. What did he do this time? I don’t think I have it in me to deal with anything else right now. The last two weeks have been awesome; I don’t want anything to spoil that.”

Look at her using her big girl words. “What’re you grinning at?”

“Nothing, Miss. Sassy. If you don’t want to go, just say so.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Gianna!”

“Fine, I’ll go, but there better not be anything going on.”

“Nothing’s going on. It’s the night before we fly out, is all.” I’d left it this late for just the reasons she mentioned. She’d been doing pretty well since the whole Victoria and Becky thing, not stressing too much other than to worry about getting justice for her mother. She seems to have a very innocent view of the situation, thinking that now that everything had come to light that it was as simple as getting the law involved, and that’s that.

I knew it wouldn’t be that easy, just as I knew that the thought of having her mother’s body exhumed wouldn’t sit right with her. So, I’d gently broached the subject of Becky maybe never paying for her sins through legal means. Of course, I didn’t tell her that I planned on making the other woman pay, she doesn’t need to know that morbid shit, and she’s going to hate me as it is, no need to add fuel to the fire and show her just what a monster I am.

The truth is, I’m not getting rid of Becky solely because of what she did to Adrienne, but because I don’t want her anywhere near Gianna after I walk out of her life. I did convince her after much effort that Becky will indeed get her just desserts one way or another. She seemed to be okay with that for now, but her dad is still a sticking point.

She runs the gamut from being pissed off at him for letting them mistreat her and feeling sorry for him for the mess he’d made of his life. She keeps remembering the man he used to be before her mom died, which I guess is understandable. Me, I think he’s a thoughtless piece of shit who should be nailed to the train tracks ten seconds before the train arrives.

It’s been a hell of a ride keeping her blind to what I’ve been doing, but her preoccupation with the Ball and her first trip to Europe helped me out there. Now I had everything in place, and if all goes as planned, it will be a while before she sees her dad under these circumstances again. The fuck is lucky I’m not just sending him to the hereafter since he serves no damn purpose as far as I can see.

I almost feel sorry for him, but not quite. It’s obvious he didn’t handle the loss of his wife well, and that led to all this, but he had a kid to protect, and he didn’t, end of story. I don’t have it in me to forgive him that easily, and I’m bastard enough not to try to force her to either when she goes into one of her moods and starts berating him to me.