Chapter 107 only hate left
GIOVANNI’S POV
We worked for another hour, and it felt almost normal again.
"I'm heading out," I said finally, standing and immediately regretting it as my ribs protested. "Carlo's meeting me to go over the northern routes. We need to plug those holes before they get worse."
"You sure you're up for this?" Enzo asked. "You got your ass kicked less than twenty-four hours ago."
I shrugged, rearranging my limp hand in my cast. "I'm fine."
"You're limping." He pointed out.
"I said I'm fine." I grabbed my jacket, moving toward the door. "Call me if anything comes up with Genoa."
Outside, Carlo was already waiting by the car, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when I approached, his eyes widening slightly at my battered face.
He straightened immediately. "Boss. You okay?"
I waved him off. "Fine. Let's go."
The drive to the harbor took thirty minutes. Carlo talked the whole way about updates on shipments, concerns about Rivera activity in our territory, and questions about reassignments.
I only half-listened, giving noncommittal responses while staring out the window. When we finally arrived at the harbor, he parked at the parking lot.
We climbed down and he pulled a document from his pocket. We were reviewing a shipping manifest when I heard it.
"I’m telling you, Arya's always been like that. Dramatic about everything."
My head snapped up so fast my neck cracked. Two women, maybe twenty feet away, talking and laughing as they walked past.
One of them had dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. That hair.
My heart stopped.
"Boss?" Carlo's voice sounded distant. "You okay?"
I was already moving, pushing past him, following those women. The dark-haired one was wearing jeans and a leather jacket, her laugh carrying on the wind.
It sounded like her, she even moved.like her.
"Arya!" I called out. They didn't stop or turn around.
I walked faster, my ribs screaming in protest. "Arya, wait!"
Finally, they paused at a crosswalk. I caught up, breathing hard, and reached out to touch her shoulder.
She turned and it was a completely different face.
This woman had blue eyes, a smaller mouth and a nose ring. She was nothing like Arya except the hair color and general build.
"What the fuck?" She jerked away from my touch. "Who are you?"
"I…" The words died in my throat. "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."
"Yeah? Well, I'm not." Her expression hardened. "And you don't just grab random women on the street, asshole."
"I'm sorry," I repeated, taking a step back. "I didn't mean to-“
Her hand flew up and connected with my cheek in a sharp slap. Pain exploded across my already bruised face.
"That's for touching me without permission," she snapped. "Come on, Lisa. Let's go."
Her friend shot me a disgusted look as they walked away quickly, putting distance between us.
I stood there on the sidewalk, my cheek stinging, my heart still racing from the false hope.
Carlo appeared beside me, along with two of our men from the harbor"Boss? What happened? Are you alright?"
"Nothing happened." I forced my voice steady, even as everything inside me wanted to scream. "Just a misunderstanding."
He frowned. "Did that woman hit you?"
"Leave it." I started walking back toward the car, each step measured and controlled. "We have work to do."
Carlo exchanged glances with the other men but didn't push. We returned to discussing routes and security protocols.
I focused on every word, anything to keep from thinking about how for one terrible moment, I thought she was there.
My phone buzzed and I looked down to see a text from Enzo.
“I got a triangulation on the team that hit Bologna. They're holed up in an apartment complex in the industrial district. What do you want to do?”
Finally.
“Surveillance first,” I typed back. “I want to know how many, what weapons, and what their patterns are. Then we move.”
“Understood. Meeting at the house tonight to plan?”
“Yes. 8 PM. Full team.”
I pocketed the phone, feeling some of the tension ease. This was what I needed.
By the time we finished with the harbor security review, the sun was setting. Carlo drove me back to the estate in silence, probably sensing I wasn't in the mood for conversation.
The house felt too quiet when I entered. There were guards at their posts, and some staff moving about their duties, but all of it muted somehow.
I headed upstairs, intending to change before the evening meeting. But I found myself stopping outside Arya's room.
My hand rested on the doorknob. It would be so easy to turn it and see if any trace of her remained.
"Mr. De Santis?"
Maria's voice made me jerk back from the door and I tucked my hand into my pocket.
"Yes?" I turned to face her, keeping my face still.
She looked at me, her gaze darting between the door and my face. "Dinner will be ready in an hour. Will you be joining us?"
"No. I have a meeting." I moved past her quickly, heading toward my own room. "I'll eat later."
I closed my door and leaned against it, breathing hard despite having done nothing strenuous.
This was ridiculous. I was being ridiculous.
I had decided to move on and focus on business.
So why did that woman with dark hair make my heart stop? Why did passing her empty room feel like walking past an open wound?
I crossed to the drink cabinet, pulled out a bottle of whiskey, poured a glass, then I stared at it.
Fuck.
I knew I shouldn't. I was already on painkillers and I needed to keep my head clear.
But the glass was in my hand, and the amber liquid looked so inviting, and maybe just one would take the edge off this constant ache.
So I drowned it and somehow, one became two and two became three.
By the time I heard voices downstairs, I was on my fourth glass, slumped in the chair by the window.
"I don't miss her," I muttered to the empty room. "I can't miss her. She's nothing.”
But I couldn't finish the lie.
Because it was starting to feel like something vital had been carved out of my chest and I was just walking around with this gaping hole pretending to be fine.
I stood, swaying slightly, and set down the glass on my work desk
No. I wasn’t going to let that betrayer ruin me. I wasn’t going to feel emotion for her other than the anger and hate in my chest.
I straightened my suit jacket, checked my reflection and headed downstairs to meet with the team that I requested for.