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

me and you won't fight me on this, I won’t leave you here. Am I understood?"

"Yes. I go where you go." I feel his muscles relax under my body as he lays back into the couch. He holds me in his arms until I fall asleep with his shirt still bunched in my hands.

***

When I wake, I groan, rolling over on the couch. Daveon is sitting in a chair opposite of me, and his eyes on me as I wake. "Morning." I say with sleep still heavy in my voice.

His eyes roam over my face before dropping back down to the ring. Seeing his eyes stuck on it, I move my hand, placing it out of his sight. He looks back up at me and I see traces of anger resonating in his eyes. Shoving himself up from the chair, he moves to the kitchen. “So, what do we do now?” I get up, following behind him.

15

DAVEON

I know it's time I tell Nico about what is going on. The fact that I have been keeping this from him in itself is something he could kill me. For putting the Familia at risk and breaking my oath, disrespecting him. Reaching for my phone, I call the one person who might be able to help me figure this mess out. I just hope he doesn’t let his anger get the best of him and kill me first.

“Daveon, I was just about to call you and check in. How did the last transfer go?” I try to gauge his mood through his tone.

“It was fine. We didn’t run into any issues as we finished it up last night; we can only take partials to avoid drawing attention.”

“Good, glad to hear it.” Hell, he sounds like he’s in an awfully good mood. Maybe I got lucky.

“Yeah, so I have a funny story for you.”

He remains silent on the other end. When he speaks I can hear his voice darken through the phone. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to find it funny at all?”

“Probably because you're a sadist.” I joke, trying to keep the mood light.

“Just fucking spit it out Daveon.” he says, sounding annoyed at my humor.

Fuck, here we go. “You want the story version or the blunt version.”

“What do you fucking think?”

“Alright then, long story short, I fucked Gianna when she came to New York.” Silence echoes through as he registers what I said.

“I’m sorry you did what?” I hear him hiss through his teeth at my admission. His tone drops a few notches, but I can tell he is still in control...for now.

“Gianna, Liliana’s friend, we.-”

“I know who the fuck she is Daveon, have you lost your fucking mind? Do you realize what could happen?” I hear his breathing pick up as he gets worked up over this. “I can’t fucking believe your dumbass.” He pauses for only a second before he continues. “Oh fuck is that why you offered to go there to do these jobs? Tell me you aren’t with her right now Daveon.”

“I am, but I need your help. That is why I called.”

“You have the fucking balls to ask for my help right now? I have half to mind to call the men to go get you and bring you back so I can fucking shoot you for betraying me. Do you know what you have done? You couldn’t manage to do the one thing I asked. I told you to keep her safe and protected. That order meant everyone, yourself included and you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants?”

“It’s not like that, she’s different.”

“You're joking right? Do you even hear yourself? This is fucking over. Now. You are to come home tonight and I’ll deal with you then.”

“Can’t, not without her. She belongs to me now.” I growl possessively through the phone.

“Oh fuck, Daveon. What do you even plan on doing now, kidnapping her or asking her father for his permission?” He spits out.

“That's the thing; she is already engaged, has been for a while now.”

His tone is ice cold. “With who Daveon?”

“Enzo Vastilli.” I don’t have to explain who he is, since he took over for his father he is known among the families.

“Figlio di puttana!” He roars out in Italian loud enough for me to have to pull the phone away from my ear. “I already know if I told you to come home again she would be coming with you, and I won’t have her step foot in my fucking city right now. I’m coming out there. I’ll be there in five hours and I want you at the beach house when I get there. You had better pray to God, Daveon because I haven’t made up my mind on what to do with you yet.” The line goes dead as he hangs up, leaving me with his threat.

Well, it could have been worse. I knew he would be pissed when he found out; it was to be expected. However, I’m not sure what to expect when I see him.

“I’m assuming he isn’t happy?” Gianna asks. I had forgotten she was standing behind me.

I run my hand over my face to my chin. “You could say that.”

“And is he going to help us?"

"Not sure yet."

"What do you mean? What did he say?"

"Aside from a continual string of curses? That he was coming here and wanted to meet. He's pissed Gianna, and he has every right to be. I broke my oath. I went behind his back and put us at risk. It's a betrayal to the Familia and, most of all, Nico. He trusted me. We are brothers. To be honest, I'm not even sure what he is going to do when he sees me. He could very well shoot me and end this problem instead of risking everything to help us." Her eyes widen as I lay out the possibilities.

"No he wouldn't, you're practically his brother you just said so yourself."

"Which makes