“Fucking hell,” Marcus spits, taking in the dramatic show of force as both mine and Jasmine’s gaze sweep over the cars. My mind instantly takes me to the FBI, assuming they’ve come to collect their escaped prisoners, but seeing the old bastard standing front and center, my mood takes a deep dive.
“What the hell does he want?” I demand, my arm flinging into the back to grab a new tank out of my duffle bag to replace the one that was torn to shreds by the satisfied beast sitting beside me. The boys’ father stripped me bare once before, and I won’t be allowing him to look at me like that ever again—no matter what the cost.
Roman growls deep in his chest and slowly begins creeping the Escalade in closer, knowing damn well there’s no escape here. We have no choice but to face the firing squad about tonight’s little excursion. The boys have been caught red-handed, and I don’t doubt that will come with consequences, consequences that will most likely extend to me. “Any bets that one of those little FBI bitches on my father’s payroll put in a call the moment they clocked us in that fucking tomb? Look at that smug fucker,” he continues, gently shaking his head. “He’s here to remind us who’s fucking boss.”
Marcus scoffs. “Not even that army could convince me that he holds any cards here. He might look smug, but the fear in his eyes shines brighter than those fucking diamonds around his neck.”
A smirk plays on my lips as I notice Jasmine’s shaking hands beside me. “You’re going to have to stay in the car for this one,” I tell her as I fix my tank back into place. “Trust me, you don’t want anything to do with this guy. On better thought, you should probably duck down and hide. It’s best that Giovanni doesn’t even know you’re here.”
“Gi—Giovanni?” she sputters wide-eyed and terrified, her fear mirroring mine the first time I saw the douche. “As in Giovanni DeAngelis, mafia boss?”
“The one and only,” Levi mutters beside me, the irritation clear in his voice, knowing all too well what a random visit from his father could mean. “Welcome to the shit show.”
Roman brings the Escalade to a stop right in the center of the black SUVs and lets out a heavy sigh before turning to face me. “Remember—”
“I know,” I murmur, rolling my eyes as I cut him off, more than used to the routine by now. “Seen and not heard. I got it the last hundred times.”
“Could have fooled me,” he mutters before glancing toward his brothers. “Don’t fuck this up. I’m not in the mood to spend the day cleaning up your messes. I just want him out of here so we can figure out what the hell to do with this chick.”
He turns his attention to Jasmine. “Keep your head down,” he tells her, the venom in his eyes ensuring her compliance. “Don’t make a fucking noise. Don’t scream. Don’t run. Don’t even fucking peek out the goddamn window. Is that clear? If you hear shots, you close your eyes and hope to fucking God that you don’t get hit. This ain’t none of your business, but if you try and make it yours, I will see to it that you don’t live to tell a damn soul.”
Her eyes go wide as she nods her head, more terrified of Roman than she’s been this whole time.
I let out a heavy sigh. “Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much effort I’ve put in trying to get her to trust you enough to stop shaking? And then you have to go ahead with that bullshit? Fuck’s sake, Roman. Thanks a lot.”
Roman narrows his dark stare. “I’m not playing your fucking games, Shayne. I couldn’t give a shit if she trusts me or not. That’s her problem, not mine, but if she foolishly decides that she can trust me, knowing what she already knows of me, then that’s her mistake. Now, get the fuck out of the car so we can get this over and done with.”
I roll my eyes, but he doesn’t give me a chance as he pushes his door wide. As if on cue, the army of douchebags raise their guns and Marcus lets out a frustrated sigh. “Just fucking great. Tasers.”
Levi shrugs beside me and opens his door as well. “Beats the shock collars.”
“Clearly you’ve never gotten a taser to the nuts,” Marcus murmurs, pushing his door wide.
The three brothers get out of the car as one and I quickly follow after Levi, making sure to close the door behind me to keep Jasmine hidden as she slides down to the floor space. The feel of having the taser guns trained on me makes my stomach turn with unease, but considering the other option is a gun loaded with bullets, I can learn to live with it. Truth be told, those tasers are more than likely aimed at the boys, not me. I’m not seen as a threat to these guys, and for good reason too. My ability to gouge out flesh with my nails has nothing on the gruesome shit the boys can do with their bare hands.