Chapter One Hundred Five

*Gia*

They talked for nearly over an hour. She knew she should have felt some loyalty to her family, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel any whatsoever. The guilt just wouldn’t come, and she blames her family for that. Maybe she would have if they brought her home every once in a while. Or came to visit her on holidays and vacations.

But they never did.

And when summer came they didn’t even bother to fly her back for summer break. She had to spend there in Italy with all the crazy old bats that refused to change to the modern times. Maybe it was just a blessing in disguise. She couldn’t help but flush a time or two while talking to Domenico. Regardless of the mess her brother made of his face it was still so clear to her that he was quite handsome.

The swelling on his eye was rapidly going down and eventually he could finally see with both eyes, much to the doctor’s relief. Gabby came in once to check on them. At first she seemed nervous when she discovered that Gia had told Dom the truth of who she was. Dom was beside himself when Gabby took her side and berated him not to threaten or overbear her with intimidation on his part.

“Hey! You’re supposed to be on the Giordano’s side no matter what. Loyalty to it’s finest, Gabby!” He scoffed with no real heat to his tone.

She just rolled her eyes at him and stated, “Tell that to your cousin when you went behind his back and tried to kidnap a woman who is tied to the Russo name and marry her when they happen to be one of your biggest enemies.”

With that she walks out of the room, and they haven’t seen her since.

Gia looked to him with an upraised brow, confusion written all over her face.

“It’s nothing. Just water under the bridge now. And for the record I didn’t marry a Russo, thank God.” He mumbles that last part.

She wasn’t sure what all that was about, but something told her that whatever it was seemed to be the whole catalyst of what was happening now. But she didn’t want to get into all that. In fact, she wanted to stay as far away from it as she could. Which brought her to the present after she basically told him everything she knew about her family and the events that were present in her previous home.

“So…what are you going to do now?” He asks her softly when they haven’t spoken a word for long moments.

“I…don’t know to be honest. I can’t go back home even if I wanted too. I spilled all their secrets that I knew to you.”

He does a slight shrug. “It wasn’t much information I didn’t already know. I’m concerned about this meeting you described that happened a few nights ago. You’re sure you didn’t hear anything from that?” He gives her the stink eye as if she was purposely holding important information from him.

Which she wasn’t.

“I told you; the basement is locked up tight. My father made sure of that when he told us that he used to eavesdrop on his father’s meetings when he was a boy. He didn’t want the same thing happening to him with either of us or one of the staff members since you could never trust them.”

He sighs with disappointment. “Never knew the man to be that smart, but I guess he has his moments…unfortunately.”

They sit there for another moment. With a frown she states, “You’re not what I expected.”

He sits up a bit straighter, trying hard not to wince from the slight pain it caused him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just…I figured after knowing who I am you would use it to your advantage. Lock me up, beat me to get more information on my family, tell your cousin…that sort of thing.”

It’s what her brother would have done.

Domenico looked quite appalled at her revelation of what she thought of him and his family. But then realization came quickly to his understanding. For a moment there he nearly forgot that he was sitting and talking to a Moretti. One that wasn’t around often and barely heard of, but a Moretti all the same. Dario and his father were brutal men and would have done exactly what she accused him of just moments ago.

“We may be a gang with hard asses, but we would never conform to torturing a young female to get what we want. At least not me and Enzo anyways.” He defended himself and his cousin.

She gives him a small smile that caused his heart to clench the tiniest bit. Frowning, he looks away and clears his throat before saying, “It might be best to stay here until all this blows over.”

“I was planning to catch a ship to get out of this country before it was noticed I was even gone.” Not to mention that once Dario found out what she had taken he was going to hunt her down.

Getting out of here quickly was her best option. Yet, she didn’t tell Domenico this.

He tilts his head at her as if trying to figure out what she wasn’t willing to admit. But then he slowly nods, looking away. “Alright. But I still think you should wait it out here. No one knows of this place, and it isn’t easy to find. You’ll be safe here.”

Again, she gives a small thin smile at him, not arguing on that point. But regardless of how safe it was to hide here she couldn’t risk the chance of her brother finding her. She missed the first ship, and the next one was due to leave in a couple of hours’ time. If she could sneak away without a word to any of them there was a chance she could still get away. Dom was incapable to move with all his injuries and there was no way that Gabby would be allowed to leave either.

“So promise you’ll stay here for a little while longer. At least until we get word from Enzo.” He suddenly blurts out causing shock to go through her.

With slightly wide eyes she slowly nods. “Okay.”

“No, you have to give me your word. Promise me.” He practically demands as if he knew deep down of what she was planning to do.

Swallowing hard she nods again with more enthusiasm. “Alright, I promise.” Even though that promise was going to be broken in a couple of hours.