Twisted Hearts (The Camorra Chronicles #5)(20)

Roger narrowed his eyes in contemplation. “What’s the girl to you anyway? I thought you’d be the first to appreciate a new piece of ass in the bar.”

I grabbed his collar and got in his face. “Careful, Roger.” If Toni hadn’t watched with wide, terrified eyes, I might have gone a bit harder on him. “That piece of ass you’re talking about is off limits, and remember she’s your daughter’s age.”

Roger nodded. “All right, all right. I didn’t know she was even here. I’ll make sure she stays away.”

I released him then turned on my heel and left. On my way out, I grabbed Gemma’s stuff from behind the bar. She was slumped in the seat but straightened the moment I got into the car. “Did you talk to Toni?”

“I did.” I started the engine, trying to focus on the street and not the way too tantalizing girl beside me.

“But you didn’t tell Diego, right?”

I chuckled. “If I’d told him, he’d be the one driving you home, not me.”

“Yeah,” Gemma agreed with a mirthless laugh. “He’d be chewing my ear off. What the fudge’s going on in your head? How dare you have a fudging life? Yadda yadda.”

I shook my head. “I seriously doubt Diego would use a sweet treat to voice his displeasure.” I slanted her a look. She was smiling in a very Gemma way. Unguarded, honest, not in a way that was meant to make her look pretty, even though she did.

“He tries not to swear in front of me, but that’s my version of events.”

“Fudge, really?” I said. “What’s wrong with a healthy fuck?”

Gemma flushed, and I realized my wording could be taken a different way as well. “I don’t like the word.”

“You’ve never tried it, so how can you know?” Apparently, I was the king of double entendres today.

Gemma looked down at her lap, frowning, and I was starting to worry that I’d upset her when she darted her eyes up once more. “Were you hitting on me in the bar?”

I considered my options. Lying and not get kicked in the balls by Diego, or the truth and seeing Gemma’s delicious blush deepen.

“Yes.”

As expected, she turned a darker shade of pink. “Why?”

I gave her a look. Did she have to ask?

“So,” she said curiously. “You wanted to get me into bed?”

I chuckled. “I wanted to get the girl with that body into bed, not you.”

Indignation flashed in her eyes. “I’m that girl. That’s my body.”

Sadly, it was, which meant I’d never get to have it. “It is, but I’d never consider getting you into bed, Kitty. For one, Diego would have a coronary, second, you are too young and third, your family would force me to marry you if I as much as kiss you, so… no, thank you.”

She turned away, glaring at the side window.

She was pissed, and I wondered which of my words exactly had disgruntled her.

When I pulled into her street, her eyes widened. “Stop here! They’ll hear your engine if you get closer.”

“Oh, really?” I asked and drove straight up to her family’s house, then cut off the engine. The lights came on in one of the windows. This was a middle-class area. No Ferrari engines.

Gemma made herself small in her seat, but her nonna’s face peeked through the illuminated window then disappeared. The lights in another room came on.

Gemma frowned at me. “Why did you do that?”

“Because I think your dad should keep a closer eye on you.”

“Why?”

That was the one-million-dollar question.

Daniele appeared in the entrance door, dressed in a bathrobe and looking livid.

“Happy birthday, Kitty,” I said before she slipped out of the car. She sent me a scathing look then ducked her head when her mother appeared in front of her. Daniele towered in front of my window. I rolled it down and gave him a smile.

“What’s going on here?” he growled.

I narrowed my eyes. “I only brought Gemma home. I thought you’d appreciate her not hanging out with Toni in Roger’s Arena. Maybe you should keep a closer eye on her.”

His gaze zeroed in on Gemma in her sexy clothes and he stalked after her.

It wasn’t even that I was trying to keep Gemma away from other guys. Not only that. Mostly I needed to make sure Daniele kept her away from me because otherwise my friendship to Diego was a thing of the past.




My phone rang on my way back to the Arena.

“What’s the matter, Remo?”

“Where the fuck are you? Roger just called. Nestore’s gone all Mad Man again.”

It was ironic that Remo was the one complaining about someone else acting like a Mad Man. His death fight against two opponents still held the record of the most people throwing up in the Arena. I doubted that would change.

“Almost there.” I hung up, parked the car and jumped out. Then I hurried inside the bar. The stench of vomit lay in the air. One look toward the cage explained why.

Nestore Romano had torn his opponent apart.

Mick and Diego stood off to the side, both looking disgusted.

Roger was in front of the cage, shouting at Nestore. None of those pussies had dared to go inside the cage and actually stop the Mad Man. I pushed past Roger and climbed up on the platform of the cage then opened the door.