Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
I didn’t need the additional complication of having to figure out how to get rid of Fabi.
Fabiano raised one eyebrow. “What the fuck did you do now?”
I grinned. “I can’t tell you with the kids around. Let’s just say that a bit of pain makes me shoot fireworks much faster.”
Let them think I needed to cut my own palm to get myself off.
Fabiano sighed and shook his head before he returned to skipping rope, obviously tired of my antics.
Davide and Giulio followed him after a moment. They’d seen Massimo stitch me up before, so it wasn’t that exciting.
“If Fabiano finds out you’re messing with Aurora, things will get very complicated,” Massimo said in a low voice as he pulled out a bottle with clear liquid from the first-aid kit.
“Didn’t you listen? I was involved in a fight.”
“I listen to your bullshit all the time,” he said, dumping half of the liquid over my hand. It burned like hell, and I gritted my teeth in annoyance. There were plenty of disinfectants that didn’t sting, but Dad insisted we use the old-fashioned ones as additional punishment for getting injured in the first place. “My knife was clean, no need to disinfect the wound.”
“I smell pussy on you, so cut the bullshit and let me do my job,” Massimo said.
“Did you turn into a bloodhound since you’re deprived of the smell of pussy?”
He ignored me and pulled out a needle and thread. I hadn’t seen Massimo with a girl in a while, and knowing Carlotta’s stance on sex before marriage, I doubted he’d gotten anywhere near her holy grail. Before Aurora I would have said no pussy was worth waiting for.
Alessio jogged over to us, covered in sweat and sporting a blooming bruise on his cheek. “How did you fuck up this time?”
“Not sure you can handle the truth. You’ve been a bit touchy recently.”
“Fuck you,” he muttered. “Just because I’m not quite as psychopathic as you two doesn’t mean I’m being touchy.”
Massimo jabbed me with the needle. I bared my teeth at him. “Your condition is defined as sociopathy, which is hardly more desirable,” Massimo said to Alessio, unimpressed.
“Did Aurora try to stab you because she couldn’t stand your annoying stalking?”
I just grinned, but I didn’t really want to share any details.
Alessio glanced at Massimo, then back at me. “I probably don’t want to know what kinky shit you were up to.”
He jogged back over to Nino. Massimo regarded me intently. “Something is definitely up, and I don’t think it’s your usual nonsense. I haven’t seen Carlotta and Aurora together since they moved into the apartment. They used to be inseparable. And suddenly, you are with them all the time.”
“I think you’ve been reading too many conspiracy theories.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Alessio, you and I have overcome many hurdles together. It makes me wonder what is so bad that you’d keep it from us.”
I shoved my hands into my pockets. Maybe I should confide in them. Massimo was right. Alessio and Massimo were my ride or die.
I ran a hand through my hair.
“How about you move your ass into the cage and fight me?” Fabiano called.
I raised my injured hand, which had never stopped me. His so-what expression conveyed he didn’t care.
“I’ll go easy on you.”
“No, you won’t,” I said as I pulled my shirt over my head. I shoved down my pants, leaving me in my boxing shorts, and turned to Massimo. “The French girl is the mother of my child, and she left him with me. I didn’t know what to do with a baby, so I called Aurora, and she’s been babysitting him for me since she moved into the apartment.”
Massimo stared at me as if he thought I’d finally lost my mind, but I didn’t give him a chance to question me. With a shrug, I turned around. “You can tell Alessio.” I jogged over to the cage and got inside.
Fabiano and I had fought against each other in the past, but his expression today told me he had a bone to pick with me. This would get interesting.
“Why the pinched expression?” I asked as I faced him in the cage.
His mouth tightened. “You’ve been visiting the apartment every day.”
“Like I said, I’m a good friend. I’m sure Aurora told you the same. You should know your daughter. She’s a good girl and wouldn’t lie to you.”
“She is, and under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t unless someone compelled her to do it.”
“And I suppose that someone would be me.” Fabiano only stared at me with raised eyebrows. “Let’s stop the chitchat and get this fight going.”
The words had barely left his mouth when he charged toward me. Soon, we were caught up in a heated fight. Fabiano was fueled by anger, which made up for his age.
“It’s enough!” Dad’s voice boomed through the casino. Fabiano stepped back, panting. I dropped my arms, my own chest heaving. I was covered in sweat and blood. Some of it was mine, some of it was Fabiano’s. He was bleeding from his nose and a cut over his eyebrow. My mouth swam with blood, and my hand was bleeding profusely again.