A Burning Flame by Daniella Kunz (book recommendations txt) 📕

should bow down to him. I would probably choke to death on his ego after only five minutes with him." I grumble as my father fixes me with a stern look.

"Gianna, I thought you would work with me on this. Please don't make me have to revoke my promise.”

“Fine. Can I at least have a little time to decide?"

He watches me as if trying to read me. To see if I am just trying to delay the inevitable decision. Though I am, I will still decide, but I would like to think it over first. After staring at me between calculating eyes, he speaks. "I will allow you some time, but you won't be able to drag this out forever. Dante will be holding a banquet dinner for the Chicago Outfit to celebrate our alliances with them in welcoming the upcoming Capo. It is in a couple of weeks. I expect you to have a decision made by the time it is over. Understood?"

My lips pursed in distaste. "Okay, I will."

Leaning back in his chair, satisfied with my acceptance, he folds his hands in his lap. "Good. I'm glad we went over this. Now I have some things I need to wrap up before I go meet up with Dante later. Be sure to go say hi to your mother before you leave." I stand up, being dismissed from our conversation. Walking out of his office searching for my mother, I ponder over the decision I will soon be faced to make.

2

GIANNA

I grab out two glasses and a bottle of wine as I wait for Liliana to arrive. After today with my father, I am desperate to get out and mingle. To flirt and pretend I am just an average girl and not weighing the pros and cons of marriage between two men, I would otherwise never pick. I mean, Amo is kind and gentle, but he is so dreadfully dull.

Could I handle spending day in and day out with someone like that? Besides that, I am not attracted to him in the least, but he would treat me well. Then there is Rafael. While he is considered good looking, he has an ego the size of a meteor. I'm sure sex would be more natural until he opened his big mouth and said something about how lucky I am to please someone like him. He probably doesn't even know how to use his own cock. I roll my eyes. Ugh, do I suffer through the sexual aspect and be treated like a queen, or live with a narcissist and at least not cringe at his affection?

My doorbell rings, pulling me from my internal back and forth. Jumping up, I grasp the door, not bothering to check as I fling it open. I grab hold of Liliana's wrist as I drag her in and slam the door shut in her guards’ faces. I can't stand any of them; they are all horrible, just like her father.

I pull her into a quick hug before leading her back to the master room and bathroom to get ready, grabbing the glasses and wine from the kitchenette on the way. She seemed to be in a slightly sour mood still, even after our shopping trip yesterday. I wonder if she saw something else that hurt her from that reincarnation of Hades she has to marry. As we begin to get ready, it doesn't take long before she opens up, telling me what has her so pissed off, spilling out all the details. By the time she is finished, I am gapping at her, surprised that Nicoli came back.

"Are you fuckin serious? He showed up here yesterday? Like he is in L.A. now?" I paused, getting over my shock and dissatisfaction that I shouldn’t be feeling. A selfish part of me secretly hoped he wouldn't, and she would be allowed to stay here in L.A. with me.

I decide to switch the direction and focus on something else. "What was his expression like when he saw you, though?" I’d have killed to know his reaction when he saw her in the bikini I picked out—my chest boasters with pride. I’m so proud that she wore it. She is gorgeous; she just needs the confidence to flaunt it. It shows she is starting to be more sure of herself, getting more of a backbone.

“G, did you not hear anything else I said?" She fixes me with a look of unbelief that that was what I'm concerned about.

“Yes, of course I did.” I tone it down trying to sound more sympathetic. “Do you think Nico killed him?” I ask her, knowing that she feels guilty over it. Nico didn't have to harm him. She may have flirted with the man to get a rise out of Nico but it wasn’t really her fault. She has too kind a heart to be a part of the mafia. She possesses something rare; kindness and compassion for most everyone.

“I don’t think so, but I know he had one of his men beat him up pretty bad.”

"You must have looked fucking hot in that bikini for him to go off the rails so bad.” I wink at her knowing she looked damn good in it just as I knew she would. She shakes her head in disbelief at me. I lost that kind of kindness and innocence a long time ago. Every time I would stand up to someone for her, I grew a little harder each time. I don’t resent her for it; in fact, I am grateful. You have to be indifferent to the things around you. If not, this world will break you, and I’ll be damned if this world or anyone else does.

We shuffle back into the room to finish getting ready before heading out for the night. We spend the night dancing together, and I try to pull Liliana out of her shell some more. When a couple of guys begin