Twisted Hearts(36)

“What happened with Savio?”

“Nothing. I mean…” I flushed. “I saw him naked. Not on purpose. He just removed his towel to show me his tattoo.”

Toni’s eyes widened. “You saw all of him?”

I nodded, biting my lip, torn between embarrassment, anger, and giddiness.

“And?”

“Don’t tell me you want me to describe his you-know-what!” I wouldn’t even know where to start. Even that part of Savio had been magnificent and a bit intimidating if I was being honest.

“Was he excited?”

I covered my face with my hands. “Toni…”

“Come on, tell me.”

“No, he wasn’t. Not really.” He hadn’t exactly been soft, but not hard either. But what did I know?

I fixed her with a stare. “Now it’s your turn to answer my questions. What’s going on between you and Diego? I thought you weren’t in love with him anymore.”

Toni shrugged. “I’m not in love with him.. A few weeks ago, he had business here. Dad wasn’t there so we talked. We hit it off, so we met again and then it happened.”

“You kissed?”

She looked away, and my mouth fell open. “Don’t tell me you slept with my brother?”

Toni looked down at her hands. “It just happened.”

“You had your first time with Diego and didn’t tell me?”

The images forming in my head were too disturbing to bear. Toni had slept with Diego. Dread filled me, remembering Diego’s words. He would marry for tactical purposes. Toni’s family had some money due to the Arena, but they weren’t well-respected in the Camorra. A marriage to her wouldn’t improve my brother’s standing.

She nodded slowly. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing to me? You had to sleep with him.”

“I wanted to.” She sighed. “I know that you think sex belongs in a marriage, that your family is traditional, so I was ashamed to tell you. I was worried what you’d think of me, and I didn’t want Diego to get into trouble.”

Diego wouldn’t get into trouble for sleeping with a girl. He’d been sleeping with girls before and Dad didn’t really care. Then part of what Toni had said registered in me. I hugged her tightly. “You are a dumbass, you know that? I’d never judge you for sleeping with a guy, even if that guy is my idiot of a brother. You can do whatever you want, Toni. I love you. If you want to have sex, then that’s only your decision.”

It wouldn’t give her bonus points in our still very traditional society. The mafia didn’t play by the rules of the outside world, even the Camorra.

She released a shaky breath and I realized how much this must have bothered her. “I’m so glad that you know. It was horrible not being able to talk to anyone about Diego and me.”

Diego and Toni. I simply couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

I pulled back. “Are you dating?”

“We didn’t really put a label on what we have, but I think we are.” She didn’t sound certain.

“So how was it?” Then I grimaced, realizing that Toni would have to tell me about doing it with my brother. I really wasn’t ready for that conversation. At least it distracted me from Savio’s impossible behavior.

Toni made a face. “Do you really want to know?”

I didn’t, but Toni was my friend and I could tell that she wanted to share. “Yes, but please be vague.”

Toni giggled and I fell in. Her expression became tender—in love, and suddenly I was worried for her. I’d have to talk to Diego the moment he picked me up. “He was very careful. I didn’t think he could be like this. He kept asking me if I was okay.”

I tried to keep a neutral face, which was difficult, considering I was imagining Diego with Toni. She regarded me with a knowing look. “You’re freaked out, right?”

“It takes some getting used to.”

“I know,” she said. “But wouldn’t it be amazing if we became sisters-in-law?” Alarm bells rang in my head. I wanted nothing more than that, but I wasn’t sure about Diego.

My thoughts drifted back to Savio. Toni had taken what she wanted, without care and worry. She was free to do so. Her family wasn’t traditional.

Not to mention that Diego, unlike Savio wasn’t chasing after every skirt.

“What are you thinking?” Toni asked gently.

“Savio. He’s driving me crazy.”

“Do you want to sleep with him?”

“I do,” I admitted. “But not like this. I just can’t allow closeness outside of a committed relationship.”

Toni smiled. “Then don’t. If he wants you, he needs to work for it. He knew what he signed up for when he agreed to marry you.”

Sometimes I wasn’t sure if he really knew.





I was on my way to my car to search for Gemma. She’d overreacted, but my worry forced me to look for her anyway.

Diego shot into the parking lot and came to a stop with squealing tires. The pissed-as-fuck look on his face could only mean he’d found her first.

He jumped out of the car, not even bothering to close the door before he stormed toward me. I braced myself. I wasn’t in the mood for a split lip again.

Diego shoved me hard, causing me to stumble a step back. “What the fuck did you do to my sister?”

“I didn’t do anything.” I frowned. “What the fuck do you think I did?”

“What do I know? You can never keep your hands to yourself. Gemma looked a mess. Maybe you thought you could steal a taste before the wedding. We both know how bad at patience you are.”

I locked gazes with him. “I really hope you’re not suggesting that I forced myself on Gemma.”

He scoffed. “If that were the case, you’d be dead.” He shook his head, taking a deep breath. “What happened, Savio?”

I shrugged. “She kept checking me out, so I showed her my bull tattoo. You should have seen her face.” I laughed, couldn’t help it.

Fury contorted Diego’s expression. “You can’t fucking do this! Do you get it?” Diego snarled into my face. “My sister’s never seen a naked man and she wasn’t supposed to until her fucking wedding night. You had no fucking right to show her your dick.”

I had to resist the urge to beat the shit out of him. His tone really pissed me off. Instead, I smirked. “I showed her my tattoo. Besides, I already own your sister, Diego. The ring says it and everyone knows it. She’ll see me naked for the rest of her life. So what does it matter?”

He shook with rage. “It matters. She’s honorable, and you should treat her with respect. I’ll say this again, don’t you dare try to touch her before she’s officially yours.”

“Or what?” I challenged.

“I’ll kill you.”

I gave him a dark smile. “You won’t succeed, Diego. You know I’m the better fighter. I’ve killed and tortured so many more than you.”

“Then I’ll die trying. I don’t care,” he said fiercely, and I could tell he meant it. Diego was my friend, and while I didn’t trust him like I did my brothers, I did trust him to some degree.

“Calm the fuck down, all right? Why don’t you allow Gemma to decide what she wants to do before our wedding?”

“She wants to wait until her wedding. It’s what we believe in!”

“Oh, is that so? Are you magically going to re-virginize yourself before your wedding night?”

As usual, Diego avoided my eyes when I mentioned his goddamn hypocrisy. “That’s not even a word.”

“Nice comeback,” I deadpanned.

He glared. “You’re pretty good at hypocrisy yourself.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Come on, you keep sleeping around as if there’s no tomorrow but mark my sister as yours so nobody as much as looks at her.”

“It’s your tradition that forces me to wait for her. If it was up to me, I’d have fucked her already. Maybe you don’t want to see it, but she wants it too.”

Diego returned to his car and drove off without another word.




I went into the gym at four the next day. Gemma’s usual workout time.

Gemma was pummeling the boxing bag when I entered. She was alone, but Diego couldn’t be far. Her eyes darted to me then she quickly looked away. She was flushed, and I wondered if it was still because she’d seen my dick or from exertion. She ignored me as I approached her. Eventually, she gripped the sides of the bag, breathing harshly.

“Your brother wants to kill me.”

She didn’t say anything, only glared ahead. I moved closer and finally, her eyes met mine.

“He thinks he can tell me what to do.” I took another step toward her so we were almost touching. She raised her head to meet my gaze.

“I think it’s between us what we do before and after our wedding.”

Gemma laughed bitterly. “You don’t get it.”

“Oh, I get that you’ve been hot for me for years and I don’t see why we can’t have fun before we’re married.”

Gemma shoved the bag away, turned on her heel and stormed off. I jogged after her and finally caught up with her in the next room. I backed her into the wall, peering down at her cleavage in the sports bra. She looked up at me. “I’m not one of your other girls, Savio. I’ve been brought up traditionally by my family. My mother raised me with strict values. I believe in the sacred bond of marriage. I believe in giving myself to my husband, and no one else. Nothing will change that. And even a Falcone can’t.”