Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 27737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Shit, shit, shit!
Giancarlo has already risen to his feet, and he turns to face me like he already knew I was there from the start.
"Good morning, Sarica."
The way he pulls my seat out as he speaks isn't lost on me. He's extremely good at being subtle when issuing a command, and as much as I hate to admit this, I haven't yet mustered the courage to disobey one.
My stomach ties itself in knots as I sit down, and as Giancarlo settles back on his seat, Massimo catches my eye before slowly drawing an invisible line across his neck as he mouths out two words.
You're.
Dead.
While all of Giancarlo's siblings have been nothing but nice to me, I've also seen how they don't hold anything back when roasting each other over anything and everything under the sun.
This is the first time one of them has been so, well...petty towards me, and my eyes suddenly start stinging.
Ugh.
This famiglia will be the fucking death of me, I swear. The more time I spend with the Marchettis, the weaker I seem to become, and I fucking hate it.
"Sarica?"
I jump in my seat at hearing Giancarlo address me, and Massimo's expression turns amused.
Grrr.
Is this how younger sisters feel when they have a jerk for an older brother? I'm so damn tempted to kick him under the table or—-
"Are you alright?"
Oh, shit, I forgot about Giancarlo again.
"Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seemed on the verge of tears a few moments ago. And yet now, you look...happy."
This is the first time I've ever heard someone say that about me, and my skin immediately crawls.
"You're mistaken," I say shortly. "I don't do happy."
"Mm."
I glare at him. "What the f—-"
Giancarlo raises a brow, and I don't miss a beat as I replace an F-bomb with something, um, less explosive.
"—-freak does that mean?"
"I was simply wondering if such sentiments are the reason why you've been having trouble in school."
Oh, Maryse, you tattletale.
I know I'm not the smartest kid on the block, but I also know it can't be a coincidence that Giancarlo was showing sudden interest in my school activity...just one day after my lunch with the former Angel of Death.
Shit.
I find myself turning to Massimo for some reason, and I'm not sure how to feel when Giancarlo's brother smirks at me.
"You asked for this, sorellina."
Is it just me...or did he actually sound like he was looking forward to seeing his brother read me the riot act?
I turn to Giancarlo again, and...oh.
He's not smiling, and it's only at that moment I realized how he's always gentle when talking to me.
Until now.
My stomach starts cramping, but I'm not sure if it's out of fear or something else.
"I'm not sure what Maryse told you," I begin awkwardly, "but—-"
"It was enough."
What the hell did that mean?
"Nonna and I had wanted to give you time to adjust," Giancarlo murmurs, "and it was why we had chosen to look the other way on certain...occasions."
Oh, so that's how they call it.
School suspensions are but occasions, if you wish to keep things politically correct.
"What we did not expect, however, was for you to see this as a weakness on our part instead."
Whoa!
"I didn't say any such thing," I protest right away. "I just thought—-"
"We know what you said," Giancarlo says silkily.
"Then surely—-"
"You told your friend Nonna and I were lenient."
He says the last word like it's blasphemy of the worst kind, and I'm completely at a loss. How is being lenient—-
"Acts of kindness, we are not ashamed of. But leniency? In our famiglia, that is no different from one who is idle and without discipline."
Oh.
Well.
Shit.
"If you think us lenient, then it's clear you no longer require time to adjust."
I suddenly feel like I've dug my own grave without meaning to. "Um—-"
"As such, this is how we'll proceed moving forward, signorina."
Massimo is smirking again. This, I gotta hear, the look on his face says, and seeing it has my teeth grinding against each other.
Grr!
I can't believe I was once so stupid as to wish this guy would treat me like his sister from another mo—-
"Everyone knows you are a part of our famiglia, and while you may dress as you see fit, Nonna expects you to display proper decorum when it comes to your speech and behavior. Disobedience will not be tolerated and shall be punished accordingly. Are we clear on this, signorina?"
A part of me wants to give him the middle finger, but instead, I find myself nodding.
What the fuck's happening to me?
"As for your responsibilities to our famiglia, you will know soon enough that we all have our part to play, and your training under Nonna herself shall commence once you are of age. For now, however, a respectable academic performance will be appreciated. Are we also clear on this, signorina?"
I nod again.
"Do you have any objections so far?"