CLXXI

I approached Gio. “What’s going on? Why does my sister seem to be angry with Dario? Did something happen while I was gone?”
“Sienna’s visit was sudden, and she caught Dario talking to one of your friends. Laurence, was it?”
“Laura,” I corrected him.
“Yes, whatever. Your sister got mad.”
I pursed my lips, thinking that Sienna was probably jealous, which led to her current behavior.
“We don’t have extra rooms here, Sienna. It’s better for you to stay in the hotel where Dario and the others are, while you’re here,” Gio suggested.
“What? You’re letting my sister stay with your men?” I complained because it didn’t sound right to me.
“She will have her own hotel room. She’ll be safe,” Gio reassured me.
Sienna shrugged but still seemed to avoid Dario. Did they have a label that made her jealous? But then again, jealousy is something you can’t control.
Gio suggested that we hang out at the beach, and we all agreed. We set up at the beachside. It was rare for Gio to suggest something like this, so we seized the opportunity.
“I’m so glad I brought plenty of swimsuits!” she shouted in delight. The beach was indeed beautiful. I just hadn’t had the chance to swim here because I’d been preoccupied with thoughts since I arrived.
“For now, we’ll assume our lives are not being threatened,” Gio said, indicating that it’s okay for us to enjoy ourselves. He assured us that he would make sure everything is safe.
I’m not sure why he’s so confident right now. He was always confident, but when it came to my safety, he seemed a bit more cautious. However, right now, there was no trace of fear in his eyes. It’s as if he had calculated everything.
It’s just us by the seaside. Elliott was grilling the meat and chicken we’d be eating later.
Sienna removed her cover-up dress, leaving her in a two-piece swimsuit.
“Sis, let’s swim.”
My sister is in her early twenties, but her body has matured faster than her actual age. She has a curvy body, which she sometimes dislikes, feeling it’s too revealing. She often gets harassed because of her figure, as boys are attracted to her. But I told her that if someone harasses her, it’s not her fault; it’s the fault of those disrespectful individuals.
Elliott whistled, so I looked at them. After the whistle, they laughed loudly and looked at Dario, who was just gazing at the sea.
“Stop whistling! That’s bad!” Sienna shouted when she heard what Elliott did.
“Sorry, Miss!” Elliott shouted back. “Do you have a boyfriend, Miss Sienna? Can I apply?”
Elliott and David laughed loudly, especially when they noticed Dario’s stern look at them.
I shook my head, knowing they were teasing Dario.
“Can I?” I looked at Gio to ask for permission. He often didn’t want me to wear a swimsuit in front of other people. Who knows if he felt the same way now?
“Sure,” he said. I smiled at him and removed the oversized shirt I was using as a cover-up over my bikini.
Elliott whistled again, but it didn’t last.
“Try doing that to my wife, and I’m going to cut your freaking tongue, Elliott.”
I chuckled as Elliott closed his mouth.
Sienna and I were enjoying ourselves in the sea when I suddenly heard Gio and Dario.
“Millie! Sienna!” they yelled and quickly ran to us. We sat in the water while Gio and Dario’s bodies shielded us, as if they were protecting us.
Things happened so quickly that I was surprised when I heard an explosion. Right before my eyes, I saw an explosion near the back of my house. There was a loud impact, and parts of the house were damaged.
Those who witnessed this were in chaos while Gio and his men surrounded us, ensuring our safety.
“G-Gio,” my voice quivered from shock. “Wh-what happened? There was an explosion.”
Gio assisted me as I struggled to stand properly. My knees felt weak from what I had just witnessed. Suddenly, it crossed my mind that if we hadn’t decided to go on this outing, we might have been… caught in the explosion. And then, it hit me. I looked at Gio. Did he know something was going to happen? Did he foresee this?
I gazed at Gio, expecting to see shock and anger in his eyes, but I was even more taken aback by the poker face he wore, as if he were unaffected.
Gio signaled to Elliott, and they quickly moved toward the scene. I wanted to stop them because there might be another explosion, but it seemed they knew exactly what to do. They wouldn’t have taken action if they thought we noticed their plans.
“Act dumber but move smarter,” Gio said, referring, I guess, to the enemies.
I looked back at the house. In a moment, I saw Elliott bringing some unfamiliar men.
“They are starting to move, and I am about to start my game, too. This will be war, but a one-sided annihilation.”
~***~
It’s been a while since I felt fear for Gio. In fact, I had grown accustomed to his better side. But now, he suddenly reminded me that Gio isn’t a nice man. He can pretend to be kind, but he will never be that. He will use any means to destroy those who oppose him.
I only now noticed that Gio had many men on the island. Some were taking care of the witnesses to the explosion, but thankfully, no one was injured.
“Do you know where to take them?” Gio inquired, addressing the injured men. They must have sustained their injuries from the powerful explosion earlier. The bomb wasn’t planted by their enemies but by Gio.
“And the others?” Gio asked when he noticed that only a few of the men had been apprehended.
“Dead on the spot, Sir.” Gio nodded and then signaled to guard the two captured men closely.
“Who are they, Gio?” I had a hunch, but I wanted to hear it from Gio himself.
“Men working for Marion Huff and the Belleza family,” Gio stated. His cold eyes shifted to me, sending shivers down my spine. “They were attempting to kill us right at our own home, so I gave them a welcoming surprise.”
Gio inspected the state of our house. Parts of it had been damaged due to the explosion, and it seemed uninhabitable.
“Dario,” Gio called out, his tone filled with authority. “Call someone who can repair the house. Millie, you’re coming with me. We’ll stay at the hotel until the last day of our stay here. We’re going back to New York.”
My eyes widened at his words. “Huh? Going back to Nee York? But-” I wanted to express my reluctance to leave until we knew where Marion was, but Gio’s stare silenced me.
“Don’t worry about someone like him. He’s already under my control. If you were hesitating to go home because of him, consider him done, Millie.”
He held my hand and handed me my t-shirt. We walked together. I glanced at Sienna, who still seemed surprised by what had happened, but I was relieved to see that Dario was with her.
Consider him done? What was Gio planning? We didn’t even know Marion’s whereabouts.
At first, I wondered where we were headed. It became clear when we entered a hotel room. Gio’s men were waiting for us, and the two injured men were tied up.
Gio released my hand and approached the men. One of them looked intently at Gio.
“If you think we’ll spill the beans about where Sir Marion is, you’re mistaken. You won’t find out where he is, and we’ll make sure that our plan will bring you down!”
I looked at Gio. All I could see was his back, so I wasn’t sure of his expression. But suddenly, Gio burst into laughter.
My eyes widened as I heard his laughter. I had never heard Gio laugh like this before. It was a mocking laugh, as if he were making fun of what the men had said. But his laughter also sent shivers down my spine.
His laugh could make your hair stand on end. I hugged myself as my skin prickled. Gio’s laugh was like a demon mocking a foolish human.
“I don’t need information; I already know.” Gio’s tone turned cold and chilling after his laughter.