Page 13 of Violent Pawn

So when Zeno told me he was bringing back Vanessa as his captive, I was excited because I knew she’d come for her friend.

As I kneel on the ground in front of her with guns trained on me, nothing else matters but the fact of my past being here. Her gun falters the longer she watches me.

Even if I didn’t know her name, I’d recognize her. Her face, though older, still retains the same beauty it did back then. The same fierceness in her eyes captivates me. The daylight streaming into the mansion behind her back lights her up, the same way the stage lights I watched her dance beneath once did.

Cazzo. She’s even more beautiful now than in my memories.

As our friends talk, I watch her watch me. Does she recognize me? I fucking hope so.

When she turns to leave after Vanessa’s order, it isn’t without glancing backwards twice. It’s a win.

Because even as Vanessa stalks from the mansion, cursing Zeno out, I know this is far from over. They’ll have to interact again, and once they do, I’ll have an excuse to talk to Anastasia.

I’ll make her remember me.

The ballerina from my past.

10

A NIGHT IN ITALY

Anastasia

Nero Amato continues to torment my life.

Some-fucking-how, I’ve found myself back at the Mancini villa.

Vanessa and Zeno figured their shit out with my help. We were all going nuts dealing with her indecision between love, heartbreak, and hatred. Since the war ended, the organizations grew so close that my neurotic people-hating brother agreed to guard Serafina while she was off at school.

Yet Serafina found herself forcibly engaged to Alessio Vitale of a rival mob—much to my brother’s loss of sanity. After the meeting where Vitale gave her the ring, Zeno opted to drag us all to his house to spend more time with Vanessa and his sister.

As happy as I am for them, this alliance-slash-relationship means the inevitable: being near Nero.

He exits the villa with a Doberman jogging beside him as Zeno parks the car that I’m about to steal and drive away to avoid him. I haven’t seen Nero since the day we saved Vanessa from this place, minus a recent video call we all had with him and Zeno. I could do with another ten years passing before I do.

I hate to admit he has consumed my thoughts since that day.

He greets Zeno with a nod and hugs Serafina as she flashes him the engagement ring Vitale forced on her hand. A fierce protectiveness makes his body rigid in the way that speaks to his brotherly affection for her.

“That won’t suit you at all,” he mutters.

Once he finishes greeting the others, he finds me in the back despite trying to use Lev to hide. He shoots me a cocky grin he clearly expects me to return, but he’ll be waiting a while for that one.

Past aside, his arrogance immediately pisses me off. I’ve lived with it once. I certainly won’t again. He assumes he’s owed a greeting, which is every reason I won’t give him one. The men Papa placed in my life once believed they were owed my cunt—and look where we all ended up. Nero won’t win, not like Papa’s brutal games.

I’ve stopped playing the men’s games and follow my own rules now. One where I’m no longer a pawn, no longer a piece to be kidnapped and shuffled for the sickness of others.

Nero Amato is no different.

Since Vanessa and Zeno seem set for life, and now Lev and Serafina are becoming a secretive thing, it’s clearly inevitable I’ll be expected to play sort-of nice with him.

He sidles closer, his cologne setting him apart from the men of my past. It’s…warm. Gentle, almost. If a hug had a scent, this would be it.

“Long time no see.” He juts his hand in an offer of a shake. Since everyone’s watching, I rest my palm against his, my teeth sinking into my tongue before accidentally saying all the other things I’m tempted to.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.”

He falls into step beside me as I trail Zeno and Vanessa to the front doors. “Then I’ll have to make you remember.”