Giovanni (Blood Brothers Book 6) (10 page)

Giovanni shrugged. “When she wants to be found, she’ll make an appearance. She has connections who can help her disappear if she so chooses.”

The twins looked at each other and shared a secret look. By the time they returned their attention to Giovanni, he felt like they had secretly communicated something to each other. “Well, we should be going, but should you need us, we’ll leave our numbers. And if we don’t answer right away, you can always contact Steel or our sister, who has a way of reaching us without technology,” Blade instructed.

“Wait!” Giovanni stood. He didn’t want them to disappear just yet. “What should I do? Am I supposed to wait this thing out? Is there a spell you can perform to make this thing I’m going through vanish?”

They shook their heads simultaneously but Blade spoke. “This is something that will need to run its course. Sydney was the catalyst for you getting your powers back so quickly so maybe she’s also the key to you getting over
la morte dolci
. In the meantime, find out where the source of the dark power is coming from or else your transformation won’t be the only issue.”

“That’s it?”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help, Giovanni,” Cutter answered before vanishing with his twin.

As Giovanni stood alone in his room he realized he was well and truly fucked.

Chapter Ten

The unwelcome sound of her alarm clock, jarringly brought Sydney out of a peaceful sleep. Normally she had no problem getting out of bed in the morning but she felt a bit sluggish and every single muscle in her body ached, even in places she didn’t know she had them. Most of all she was sore between her legs as if…

She sat up abruptly. It all came back to her. She’d had sex with John! She wasn’t sure how it had happened but one minute they were talking about his nightmares and the next minute she was in bed with him begging to be taken. Her face grew hot from embarrassment as she thought of all the things they’d done and what she’d allowed him to do to her. He’d worked his tongue in ways that probably would have put a porn star to shame.

She wasn’t sure what was worse, breaking her own rule about keeping a professional distance between herself and her boarders, or the fact that John Chandler was still basically a stranger. She hadn’t known him that long, and what did she actually know about him she’d learned through the agency she used to do background checks. Sure he’d shared some information on the brother he’d lost, but that didn’t exactly mean she was well-versed in John’s life.

She didn’t know what made him tick, what it had been like for him growing up, his favorite color, just basic things one should learn about a person before jumping in bed with them. But yet she felt a pull to him that she couldn’t explain. Whenever she was in his presence, besides the overwhelming lust she experienced, he had a calming effect on her. She felt safe. Still, what had happened between them shouldn’t have.

Sydney was absolutely mortified at her own behavior and she wasn’t exactly sure how she would face him, or anyone else in the house for that matter. It wasn’t as if they’d been quiet. They’d probably awoken a few people.

What would Ida say? She was certain her friend wouldn’t be quiet on the matter. And then there was Dylan to contend with. She’d already decided that she would ask him to leave the house. Now that would be nearly impossible to do. The last thing Sydney wanted to do was make waves with Ida when she herself had screwed up so badly.

But the worst part was that if she could do it all again, there was no doubt in her mind that she would. Even though the situation had been wrong, it had felt oh so right. Even now as she thought about it now, heat rushed to her core.

As much as Sydney wanted to wallow in bed for the rest of the day and avoid everyone, she had things to do around the house. Sydney winced as she slid out of bed. It suddenly occurred to her that John must have returned her to her bedroom. She remembered passing out in his room after the most incredible orgasm she’d even experienced. Her pajamas were back on, so he must have dressed her as well. She squirmed at the thought of his hands on her body. Sydney wondered if he’d touched her while she was unconscious. Somehow that thought turned her on way more than it shoulder have. As she moved toward the bathroom to wash up, her body ached, but it was a nice kind of ache that could only come from sexual exertion.

Once she was under her shower’s spray she could think more coherently, but that didn’t help much because all her thoughts centered on John, on her and inside of her. Sydney moaned as she soaped her body, imagining that it was John in the stall with her, caressing her body and making her feel more alive than she had in years.

She cupped her breasts in her palms and tweaked her nipples. “John,” she whispered his name, remembering what it felt like to have his hands on her body. Slowly, she eased one hand down the center of her body and slipped a finger inside her throbbing pussy. She planted her other hand against the wall to support herself as she worked her finger in and out of her now dripping channel. She wiggled and squirmed, her hips pushing herself to a quick climax. Sydney leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

This had to stop. Somehow she was going to have to stay away from John or else she might have to give him a refund on his rent and tell him to leave. There didn’t seem to be any other solution.

By the time she made her way downstairs Ida was already in the kitchen fixing breakfast. Sydney walked to the fridge to get some orange juice as was her morning ritual. “Good morning, Ida,” she greeted, feeling unsure about the reception she would receive. Ida wasn’t one to bite her tongue so if she’d heard anything the night before the older woman wouldn’t be hesitant to say it.

“Morning,” Ida mumbled.

“I was going to start breakfast, but I see you beat me to it. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“No. I’ve got it under control. I’m surprised you’re even up this early considering the night you had.” Ida’s words dripped with accusation and Sydney could hear her friend’s disappointment.

“Ida, look—”

“Sydney, you don’t have to explain anything to me. You’re welcome to live your life how you choose. If you want to sleep around that’s on you, but I’d think you’d be a little more discreet considering we have a houseful of people. Anyway, I thought you were a little more sensitive than that.”

Sydney sighed. She’d prepared herself for Ida’s lecture but hearing this scathing dismissal made her feel even guiltier. “I’m sorry to have caused such a disturbance. It won’t happen again.”

Ida snorted. “You’re worried about the noise? That’s all you care about? That you might have interrupted people’s sleep? If it were only that I could overlook it but you know Dylan is in the house and you know how he feels about you. Did you think about what you might be doing to him?”

Now it was Sydney’s turn to get angry. Yes, she was wrong for what she did with John, but she owed nothing to Dylan. “Dylan has nothing to do with this because he and I aren’t together. That didn’t work out, remember? Because he nearly killed someone for just talking to me. And I wish you would stop acting like that was some minor offense. He’s lucky he’s not rotting somewhere in a prison cell. The fact that I even allow him in my house after that is because of you and for no other reason. Dylan and I are never going to be a thing ever again. That’s a mistake I don’t intend to repeat. And furthermore—Argh!” Sydney clutched her head as she felt a sharp stabbing pain in her head.

She fell to her knees because the ache was almost unbearable.

“Sydney!” Ida was at her side immediately. “Are you okay?”

Sydney couldn’t think or move. The pain was paralyzing. “Head,” she managed to whisper. “Hurts.”

“I’m going to call 911. Just hold tight.”

Sydney wanted to shake her head no but the slightest movement was jarring. It had been a struggle to get her last two words out. The throbbing in her head seemed to spread throughout her entire body, making her wish she was dead.

<><><><><>

Giovanni had every intention of being gone by the time the sun rose, but his conversation with Cutter and Blade had got him to thinking. Though they didn’t specify what the dark force was, it could have been any number of things. Giovanni decided he couldn’t leave Sydney vulnerable to it, at least not until someone else was here to take his place.

There were very few people he trusted for that task. He’d employed many over the years to aid him in the task of protecting his brothers but he wasn’t particularly close to any of them. If he knew of her whereabouts, he’d contact Nya to come and check on Sydney herself, after all this was her relative. He thought about reaching out to Dante and his other brothers but that wouldn’t have been fair. They were all leading happy lives and the last thing he wanted to do was involve them in his problems. It wasn’t as if he had the right to anyway.

After the twins had left, Giovanni wasn’t sure what to do with himself so he left the house to go for a long walk. The one thing about the southern region of US that he liked was how quiet everything was at night. Unlike the big cities where the hustle and bustle never stopped, he enjoyed the stillness giving one the ability to reflect and meditate.

Giovanni must have walked for hours and had even crossed the city limits as he contemplated his next move. He could ask the twins to come back and do a more thorough search of the house to figure out where the source of the danger lurked but he’d already called in so many favors with the Romanovs he couldn’t ask them for help yet again.

And there within lay his dilemma. He couldn’t trust himself around Sydney until he was fully himself again. It would kill him if he hurt her in any way. Once had been enough. When he thought he’d killed her, it felt like his world was caving in on him. He couldn’t take it if he’d actually succeeded.

As he walked the night it struck him how utterly alone he felt. He didn’t count the handful of people in his life that he occasionally associated with, he meant in the here and now. He wasn’t close to his brothers and his one good friend was missing in action. If he were to die tonight would anyone really care? Would he be mourned? He realized he’d spent most of his life in isolation, and he wondered if his reluctance to reach out to anyone for help was because he was just so used to going it alone. He remembered one of the last cordial conversations he had with Adonis which brought that to mind. It had been sometime around the ninetieth century and it was the first time he actually faced the idea that it might be too late to save his brother.

“You know you’re wasting your time trying to save them.”

Giovanni sat before the fire place, sipping on an Irish whiskey he’d grown fond of. Though he wasn’t capable of getting drunk, it gave him a nice warm feeling inside. And for the rare moments when he forced himself to relax, it served to calm his nerves. Though he was surprised by his brother’s appearance, he didn’t want to give too much away. They hadn’t had a proper conversation in years.

“What brings you to this part of the world? I thought you hated Venice.”

“I never said I hated it. I would prefer a warmer climate. Besides, I’d rather walk on dry land than to be constantly navigating my way around in a boat.”

A smile titled Giovanni’s lips. It wasn’t his favorite thing either but he’d purchased this house because it put him in close proximity to the ones he wanted to keep an eye on. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Adonis? We haven’t spoken in years. As a matter of fact I do believe the last time we talked you called me a traitor for foiling your plan, so I’m sure you didn’t come to exchange pleasantries.”

Adonis walked further into the room and took the seat directly across from Giovanni. “You sound so sure of that.”

“As sure as I know that when you walk out this door, it will be a very long time when we next speak.”

“Perhaps that’s something we should amend.”

Giovanni raised a brow in surprise. “What’s changed from the last time we spoke? Have you decided to drop this vendetta you have against our younger brothers?”

Adonis narrowed his golden eyes and flared his nostrils. “They are no brothers of mine.”

Giovanni sighed. Adonis refused to acknowledge the offspring their natural father Gio had produced with his bloodmate. During that last visit with the Don’s sisters and cousins, there had been an upheaval in their home when their mother had been caught in a compromising position with Gio, their stable master.

Fabricio brought forth the charge that Beatrice was not only an adulteress, but the sons she had borne were not the Don’s. Once people acknowledged the uncanny resemblance he and Adonis had to Gio, it was hard to deny. It all made sense as to Giovanni why he’d felt so close to the stable master. Gio was his true papa, and it made him happy knowing he had no blood ties to Don Sarducci. Adonis, being the favored one, however, was devastated by the news. He was no longer the son of a powerful Duca. He was the bastard son of a servant and a whore who’d managed to wiggle her way into a nobleman’s affections.

Giovanni, Adonis and Beatrice were thrown off the estate with only the clothes on their backs. The villagers who once revered them and bowed whenever they rode through town, would now whisper behind their backs, throw things at them and spit on them. They had to rely on the kindness of strangers to get by those first few years. It was during that time when Giovanni and Adonis had clung to each other but it was also marked the change in Adonis’s personality. Their mother began to toy with Adonis’s mind. Since Giovanni and Beatrice had never been close it was difficult for her to manipulate him.

Giovanni cared for his mother for the simple fact that she’d given birth to him, but he saw right through her. She was a selfish woman who would do anything and use anyone to get what she wanted, even her own son. He watched helplessly as Beatrice manipulated and brainwashed Adonis into believing things that simply weren’t reality. The laughing, generous boy that Adonis had once been became the man before him now. He was cold, callous and a murderer. Despite this, Giovanni refused to give up hope that he could help Adonis see the error of his ways.

“Let’s not argue, Adonis. Tell me, why did you come here?”

“Would you believe it’s because I wanted to talk?”

“That’s odd you’d seek me out after nearly a century. What did you have in mind?”

Adonis hesitated, a look of uncertainty crossed his face and in that very moment Giovanni caught a glance of the brother he once know. It was just as he thought, Adonis was still in there somewhere. “I think about how we would talk all night until the sun rose. We’d be so exhausted during our lessons we could barely keep our eyes open.”

A smile touched Giovanni’s lips. “Yes. I remember. And when we’d fall asleep during the lessons, our instructor would rap our knuckles with a cane.”