Twisted Hearts (The Camorra Chronicles #5)(37)

Serafina’s brows shot up. “You want to wait five more years to get into a girl’s pants?”

I chuckled. “Nobody said anything about that. I want to wait with marriage, not with sex.”

“Sex!” Nevio shouted, flashing his little devil smile.

Remo narrowed his eyes at me. As if the kid was learning the bad words only from me. He used the words fuck and pussy more often than I did.

“She’s only sixteen,” Kiara said worriedly.

“I realize that,” I said, getting annoyed with their interrogation. “I didn’t say anything about getting into her pants right away. I can wait.”

“Really?” Serafina asked.

“There are enough other girls around who can keep me entertained.”

“Gemma will be ecstatic to hear that, I’m sure.” Serafina’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

It was a miracle that Remo hadn’t throttled his wife by now. She was a piece of work.

“Her upbringing has been traditional. Her family is one of the most traditional in the Camorra. If you coerce the girl to sleep with you before your wedding night, that will cause trouble I’m not in the fucking mood for, get it?” Remo said.

“Nobody has to know. It’s my and Gemma’s business what we do when we’re alone.”

Nino shook his head in disapproval. “You assume she wants to break with her traditions, but that might not be the case.”

“We’ll see.” They hadn’t seen how Gemma looked at me. Maybe her upbringing had been traditional, but her body still functioned like everyone else’s.

“I’m going to say this only once,” Remo said. “Once you win this fight, you’re going to marry that girl, and if you pop her cherry before the wedding night, you better make sure nobody finds out, or I’m going to castrate your bull. Got it?”

I flashed him a grin. His expression remained stone. “Don’t worry.”

“Pop cherry?” Nevio said to Greta, who smiled in return.

Serafina sighed and sent me another scathing look.

“It wasn’t me. You can blame your husband.”

“It’s a waste of time. You two do what you want anyway,” she said.

“That’s right.” And it would stay that way. No engagement or marriage would shackle me down. Gemma was too in love with me to control my life like Serafina and Kiara did with my brothers.





Toni came over the same night. We had too much to discuss handling it over the phone.

“This is so bad boy of him,” Toni whispered, almost beside herself from excitement. I wasn’t even sure who of us was more excited. Toni never liked to fight herself, but watching the cage fights in the Arena, that was her thing. One day she’d follow in her father’s footsteps and manage the Arena, that was clear.

“That’s because he is a bad boy.” I’d only occasionally seen glimpses of his darker side, but it was there and probably scarier than I could even begin to grasp. It didn’t make me want him less though. To be honest, it thrilled me in the most disturbing way.

I glanced toward the open door of my room. Since the Arena incident, I wasn’t allowed to close my door when Toni was over. It was ridiculous. Mom and Dad wouldn’t budge on the subject, though. “Do you know anything about his tattoo?” I asked the question I’d meant to ask forever.

Toni bit her lip, giggling. “You mean the bull?”

I blinked. “A bull?”

Two red blotches appeared on Toni’s cheeks. “I overheard a few girls discussing Savio’s bed habits and they mentioned his bull tattoo. It’s right above his penis.”

Embarrassment crawled up my neck. I’d known Toni all my life, but hearing her talk this easily about Savio’s privates was still too much. “Why a bull?” And why right there?

Toni made a face. “What do you think? Savio’s the cockiest guy on this planet. Or to quote the girls I overheard in the Arena: he’s like a freaking animal in the bed. The best ride of my life!” Toni even imitated the high-pitched voice of the girl and added a Yeehaaw for good measure.

I let out an uncertain laugh. The idea of a girl talking about riding Savio made me furious, and at the same time, had me worried. Everyone knew Savio’s track record with girls. How was I ever going to compare to them?

Toni shoved my shoulder. “Stop looking so glum. Savio Falcone agreed to fight in the cage for your hand. Isn’t that what you’ve been hoping for?”

It was. Even if I’d wished he’d made up his mind sooner to spare Mick and me the drama, I had to admit that I was excited about the fight. It was the first time I was allowed to see an actual cage fight by a Falcone. Dad could hardly refuse to let me see the fight that determined my future.

“Will you get engaged right away?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t sure how things would be handled with Savio. Mick and my engagement would have taken place in a couple of months, probably in a big feast. “I don’t know. Before yesterday, Savio never once talked about marriage with me.”

“I can’t imagine Savio as a husband. Do you really think he can be faithful? He changes girls as often as his underwear.”

“He’d better be. I won’t tolerate infidelity.”