Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1)(15)

A week.

Seven Days.

One hundred sixty-eight hours.

That’s how long had passed since I made a deal with Gianluca Trassato.

For the most part, we communicated on an as-needed basis, and we barely spent any time in each other’s presence. All told, I’d only seen Gian four times, this moment included. I was starting to think he didn’t come home most nights, which should have made me happy, except it didn’t. I was lonely. My life had imploded, and I didn’t have anyone to confide in anymore.

“Oh. I didn’t know you were here,” I said around a mouthful of food. “Lucky me,” I mumbled under my breath.

He paused, his spine snapping straight. His dark stare raked up my seated form, finally settling on the wall above my head. “I came home to change.” He tugged his shirtsleeves, and the light glinted off his mother of pearl cufflinks.

“Fabulous.” I dragged my fork through my rice, now less appealing than it was seconds ago. “Well, now you can be on your way.”

Five fluid strides and he bridged the distance between us. “What’s wrong with you?”

I raised my brows, a closed-lipped smirk on my face. “Nothing. I’m perfect. My life has never been better. I must admit I underestimated the appeal of being under house arrest. It certainly has it charms.”

He leaned his hip against the kitchen counter and folded his arms across his chest. The way his well-honed muscles pulled and stretched the fabric of his suit didn’t escape my attention. In fact, I was pretty sure a demon butterfly took flight inside my stomach every time I looked at him. Dammit. I hated him. I hated this whole situation. He was bad for me. Sadly, certain turncoat parts of my body apparently failed to receive the message.

“I haven’t stopped you from doing anything.”

I tossed my fork on the countertop. It slid across the slick surface and tumbled to the floor with a loud clank. “You have someone following me.” I waved my hand cheekily. “Why don’t you strap a tracking bracelet around my ankle and get over it?”

Gian had Tony follow me everywhere like a living, breathing f*cking shadow. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he talked to me, but conversations with him were nonexistent. He didn’t resemble the guy I met the night this whole thing started. He rarely made eye contact, evidently preferring to pretend I didn’t exist. I couldn’t blame him. He was only following his boss’ lead.

Gian rubbed his fingers over his lips. Those same lips that were perpetually lifted at the corners like he was the keeper of all my dirty secrets, amusement shining in his amber-colored eyes. “You know, now that you mention it, that’s not such a bad idea.”

I yanked on the soft fabric of my favorite pair of boyfriend jeans and kicked out my leg. “Go ahead. You might as well.”

His fingertips brushed over my ankle, and a jolt of uninvited heat surged through me. I jerked my leg away from him, and he sighed.

“This isn’t a game, Evie. I’m doing this for you.”

“Yeah, whatever. Just go.”

He stared at me for a prolonged beat then closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring. “Are you going anywhere tonight?”

“Nope. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t have much of a life anymore.”

His jaw fixed in a stubborn line. “You go to physical therapy and train every day. You don’t have any expenses. I feed you. I house you. You don’t have to work. Sounds ideal if you ask me. What more do you need?”

I threw up my hands. “I don’t know. Maybe some human interaction. Maybe some freedom. Both of those would be a good start.”

“I can’t talk about this right now. I have a meeting at the club.”

“Of course you do.”

He raked his hands through his wavy hair, his eyes flashing with annoyance. “I’ll get Tony. He’ll be here all night if you need anything.”

I didn’t answer him. There wasn’t anything to say. Living here was like living with ghosts. Tony rarely talked to me. Gian avoided me. I was sick of it. I was sick of everything. Everyone. I had spent the last year being Kevin’s puppet, feigning interest in his art world, ready to sacrifice my dreams on the altar of marital bliss. Though Gian made the pretense of giving me the means to achieve my goals, I didn’t have anything else. No life, no love, no friends. And for the life of me, I didn’t know which was worse. Self-pity swelled inside my chest, which only made me more frustrated with myself.

He headed to the door without giving me another look, much less another thought.

I flinched when the door slammed. A couple of minutes later, Tony entered the house and sat in a chair inside the front door.

Everything inside of me ached with sorrow, regret, and a hundred things I couldn’t name, and I didn’t have anyone to blame except myself.

I tossed my half-eaten box of Chinese takeout into the trash and tucked my purse under my arm. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” Tony stood up, and I waved him away. “You don’t need to come with me.”

Tony’s hand curled around my shoulder. “You can’t go anywhere alone. Gian won’t like it.”

I whirled around and cocked one eyebrow. “I don’t care what Gian does or doesn’t like. I don’t work for him. He doesn’t need to keep tabs on me.”