And didn’t you try to do the same?
I push the thought aside, and watch as he smiles at Elsa. Charm drips from his features, fuckingpezzo di merda. What a phonybastardo.
He holds the door open and beckons her to come inside. Elsa refuses. He glances past her and spots me; his shoulders stiffen. His smile disappears and his features harden. He folds his arms across his chest and lowers his chin. Another woman appears next to him. She takes the bag from Elsa, then reaches for Avery. Elsa kisses Avery, whose cries seem to turn up a notch. My guts twist. I can only imagine how upset Elsa must feel right now. If I, a Mafioso, with a string of murders under my belt, am disturbed by the kid's tears, then she must be close to her breaking point.
Fabio and Elsa speak. Elsa waves her hand in the air. Fabio glances at me again, then the two exchange more words. Elsa grows more agitated by the second. I narrow my gaze as their voices rise. They are still too far away for me to hear the words, but it’s clear things are getting heated.
Elsa finally throws up her hands and steps back. That’s when Fabio swoops down and grabs her wrist.
Motherfucker.My vision tunnels. Adrenaline laces my blood. My feet connect with the ground, and that’s when I realize I’m moving. I reach them, grab Fabio by his collar, and haul him up to his toes. "Let her go, motherfucker."
"Seb," Elsa yells, "please stop."
"He laid a hand on you." The blood thuds at my temples.
"She’s my wife." He leans forward on the balls of his feet, a nasty smirk on his face. "I can do anything I want with her."
"You’re not married to her anymore, youtesta di cazzo." I pull my fist back, but Elsa grabs my arm.
"Please, Seb, please don’t do this."
"Let. Go. Of. Her," I say in a low voice.
"Or what?"
"Or I swear—" My voice trails off. Goddamn it, he’s the head of the police force, and while theCosa Nostra’s reach is deep within the force, there’s a tacit agreement we won’t mess with the guy who’s the face of the force. Not only because it’d draw a lot of attention to us, the kind we can do without, but also because it would completely disturb the balance of power between both sides of the law in this part of the world.
The asshole knows I can’t kill him and his smirk expands into a grin. "That’s what I thought." He lowers his gaze to where my fingers are locked onto the front of his shirt, then back to my face. "Get your hands off of me, you Mafiafiglio di puttana."
"First release her," I growl.
"No." He laughs in my face. "Now turn around and leave, motherfucker."
Anger slices through me. My vision tunnels. Adrenaline laces my blood and I throw up my fist.
"Seb, no." Elsa grabs my sleeve. "My daughter’s inside; she's on the other side of this door. Please. Don’t, Seb."
Her voice cuts through the noise in my head. I draw in a breath, and force my shoulder muscles to relax. My vision clears, and I lower my arm to my side.
"Let her go," I say in a calm voice, "or you’re going to regret it." The threat is clear.
Fabio scoffs. Color flushes his cheeks. He seems like he is going to refuse me, then releases her so suddenly that she stumbles back.
I let go of his collar and grab her shoulder before she can fall. Once she finds her balance, I wrap my arm around her and draw her to me.
Fabio’s gaze narrows. His face pales as he glances between us with a strange look in his eyes.
"Sleeping with the mob now, Elsa?
"Don’t talk to my fiancée in that tone of voice," I snap.
His gaze widens, then he bursts out laughing. "Good one. You don’t want to marry that piece of ass, trust me."
"Shut the fuck up." My fingers tingle. Fuck, if I don’t want to bury my fist in his face, but she’d never forgive me if I did. And her daughter’s inside, goddamnit. Even though I want to teach this guy a lesson, I’d never do anything that might emotionally scar a child. I dig my fingernails into the palm of my free hand and glare at him.
"Get the hell out of here," he snaps.
"Or what? Are you going to arrest me?"