“Life?” I scoff, cutting her off.
“Precisely,” she says. “Now, tell me why you thought it was necessary to slaughter one of my men?”
Panic surges through me and I swallow hard, fearing that one wrong word out of my mouth could see a bullet straight through my head. “He was a nobody, just some rich asshole who thought he could get away with horrible things,” I explain. “He kidnapped a woman from her home and raped her countless times. I rescued her from him, and when he thought he could come for me instead, we casually let him know that type of behavior wouldn’t be tolerated. It was a simple misunderstanding.”
Her gaze narrows but the hard set of her jaw gives nothing away. “And what happened to the woman?”
I shake my head. There’s no way in hell I’m about to give up any information on Jasmine. “The woman is none of your concern. She’s been through hell and deserves to live in peace,” I say, fixing her with a hard stare, warning her to back off. “Now, please tell me what this is about.”
“You’re defiant,” she muses. “I like that.”
Not knowing how to respond to that, I ignore her comment and try to move her along. “You and I both know that you’re on a clock here. The DeAngelis brothers track my every move, and they will no doubt be here any minute. So, I suggest that you say what needs to be said before they arrive and rain hell over this place.”
A fond smile pulls at her lips and she nods. “You’re a clever girl, Shayne. Stubbornly stupid, but clever. You’ve figured out this world quickly and adapted to survive. Many other women before you haven’t made it this far. But you are right, the infamous DeAngelis brothers will be here shortly, and I’m sure they’ll have plenty to say when they arrive.”
“Why do I get the feeling that this is so much more than seeking revenge for killing one of your men?”
She steps toward me before slowly circling. “Because it is, dear,” she murmurs, leaning in to whisper in my ear. She completes her circle, walking right around until she meets my eye again. “James was a problem since the day he joined my ranks. You did me a favor by taking his life.”
“Then I suppose you owe me one.”
Gia laughs and shakes her head. “Let’s get one thing straight,” she starts. “I do not owe anybody anything. You took James’ life for your own satisfaction. The fact that it benefits me is purely coincidental.”
I let out a sigh. I could have seen that coming a mile away. “He was in business with Giovanni.”
“I am well aware of his indiscretions,” Gia says, her eyes darkening with anger. “However, I did not drag you all the way out here to talk about James. We’re here for you.”
My brows furrow. “Me?”
“Indeed,” she says, stepping into me again. “Why do you think Giovanni took you in the first place?”
I pull back, uncomfortable with just how close she stands. “Because my father owed him a gambling debt. I was his payment.”
Gia scoffs. “Is that the bullshit they fed you?” she demands, shaking her head and rolling her eyes in exasperation. “What a joke. Giovanni targeted you because he discovered that you are my biological daughter, the sole heir to the Moretti fortune, and you are set to inherit my position at the top of the Moretti family. He intended to marry you off to his eldest son to gain access to me and my family.”
I gape at her, my jaw dropping to the floor.
What the ever-loving fuck?
32
She’s insane, well and truly fucked in the head. “Umm … what?” I say, a laugh bubbling up my throat. My mother? The fuck is this bitch on? “Come again?”
“You heard me, child,” she says, unimpressed by my response. “I am your mother. I gave birth to you in a small hotel, deep in the heart of Seattle, twenty-two years ago. No one was to know of your existence. The Moretti family was rising in power and had many enemies. It was not a good time to be raising a child, you would have been targeted, and I could not accept that. This life is no life for a child.”
I swallow hard, trying to come to terms with everything. I never knew who my mother was. My father never spoke of her, but I learned at a young age not to ask him questions, especially ones that he didn’t believe were any of my business. “You’re my mother?” I repeat.
She nods, holding my stare. “I am.”
My heart races just a little bit faster, trying to comprehend what being the daughter of Gia Moretti truly means. “You’re my mother, and you thought shipping me off to live with my father was the best thing for me?”
She nods again. “Yes, your father was a respectable man. He had a nice home and had his finances in line, plus I supplied him with enough cash to keep you well and truly looked after. You had everything you needed. Private schools, nice clothes, a car. How dare you insinuate that I didn’t have your best interest at heart.”
A booming laugh tears from deep in my belly as I become overwhelmed by every last ridiculous comment that comes flying out of her mouth. “My father was a violent drunk,” I tell her. “He gambled every last cent we had. I didn’t go to private schools or have any fancy cars or clothes. I hid in my room at night to avoid getting beat and would eat my breakfast out of the closest trash can to avoid starvation. By the time I was a teenager, I was locking my door because I was too fucking scared that he was going to welcome himself in. You didn’t supply me anything. I suffered every fucking day and have the scars to prove it.”
Gia steps into me, gripping my chin to tear my gaze up to hers. Anger swirls deep in her eyes, though something tells me she won’t hurt me. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I pull out of her grip, that same fiery anger burning in my veins. “You’ve got the wrong kid, lady. I ain’t no private school, Mafia princess.”