Pride
Juliet
I watched him eyeing me from across the room.
My skin was cold—I was sore, but I wasn't sure why.
My throat was dry, skin was cracked.
The cell was dark and musty—or maybe that was me. I didn’t know how long I’d been in there—maybe a day or two.
If I had clothes on, I had a blanket, but not clothes, I might have been warmer.
“H-hello?”
A grunt—a shuffle, but nothing more.
I knew it had to be a man with the grunt and the huge stature, his shadow was like a void.
I could smell his cologne, enticing and intoxicating.
“Please tell me where I am..”
“That’s none of your concern right now.”
His voice was deep, sensual. I knew it—I thought I knew it.
If it was the big mafioso who all of my maids swooned over, then he’d be hard to tame in any capacity.
Dark hair, dark eyes, loved to have stubble and muscles that could flex for days.
I shivered.
“Why is this happening? What did I do? Was it a bad,-”
“Silence.”
I huffed, “If I can get some clothes, I might shut up—but that’s a big might.”
A pause.
Quiet.
A chuckle.
“I like you.”
“I hate you.”
Gio
She was gorgeous with long blonde hair and big hazel eyes.
I’d seen her at the land auction, with her weasel of a brother who owed me money—lots of money.
We didn’t do flesh auctions anymore, but Jesus, I would have scooped this minx up in a heartbeat.
“Was it my brother?”
I smirked.
She was clearly knowledgeable of what her older brother was capable of.
“Maybe.”
A huge sigh.
She shifted, wrapping the blanket around her body even tighter.
“Let me touch you.”
“No.”
“Then you don’t get any clothes—or out of that cell.”
Silence.
It was very quiet between the two of us until she finally spoke again.
“Fine. I need clothes and some water.”
That was too easy.
She didn’t care, she wanted to survive.
“You’re a maid?”
“I am a housekeeper. I own a business. I keep things tidy. I am sure you know all of this.”
She was feisty.
She probably didn’t know her brother was so deep into the mob world, though.
I whistled for Jack who brought some clothes and a bottle of water.
She stood in the middle of the cell as Jack held the cell door open and I held the items.
She glared at me and scowled.
“Giovanni Costello..”
I smirked, “So you DO know me.”
“I know OF you and what I DO know I DO NOT LIKE.”
Jack stepped out of the cell as I walked inside.
“Drop the blanket.”
Hesitation.
“That’s the only way you’re getting these warm clothes and this water, doll.”
Even in the dimly lit cell, I could see they’d roughed her up slightly.
“Are you injured?”
The blanket dropped.
My jaw almost did.
What a body.
“Only my pride.”
