Book 1
Gia Salvatore does not like to feel tied down. Tired of answering to her controlling father, she ran away the night of her high school graduation and moved in with a secret older boyfriend, glad to cut ties with her toxic family.
But four...
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Gia's heart slammed into her chest at the thought of being dragged out onto the stage and she began her struggle against Dominic's grip once more. He may work for Carmine but there was no way he was acting on the Don's orders. The spotlight was the last thing her father would want on their family.
That had been their problem, she thought thinking back on her hospital visit. The problem she was in the midst of trying to solve and once again Carmine was in her way.
She pushed hard on the man's shoulder and began twisting her arm trying to get him to release her. She stopped walking as well, making him slow his own pace to drag her along. He attempted to do so for only a moment longer before, to Gia's surprise, he let go of her altogether. She fell to the ground, caught off guard, and landed on her bottom on the hard cement.
"I did my job, Carmine," he yelled out, hands up. "She's your problem now."
Gia looked around and spotted Carmine. He was standing a few yards away at the bottom of a set of metal stairs that led up to the stage. Next to him was a petite woman with a long blonde ponytail that reached to the end of her back. She had on a tiny pair of sequin shorts and held a bedazzled microphone in her hand. Gia could only assume this was Brittany, though she didn't know her face to recognize her.
Carmine couldn't hear over the rock show but a concert staffer nearby tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the commotion. Carmine glared daggers when he locked eyes with Gia on the ground as his soldier unceremoniously stepped over her to head back towards the boardwalk.
"I'm taking ten," he called out to noone and not turning back for confirmation.
Carmine spit angrily on the ground next to him. The blonde jumped backward in disgust and Carmine reflexively lunged forward, grabbing her and yanking her closer to him. He whispered something angrily into her ear, teeth bared, before shoving her in the direction of the stage steps. She stumbled forward but regained her balance quickly. Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, she plastered a smile on her face before heading up the stairs.
"You guys want one more song," she yelled into her microphone, disappearing from sight as she slipped onto the stage, the crowd roaring to life when they caught sight of who she was.
Carmine advance on Gia, fists balled at his sides. Images of the crime scene photos filled Gia's mind and pure hatred filled her inside. She raged forward off the ground, wishing she had thought to bring a weapon. She curled her fingers, intending to claw him but he moved faster and grabbed her wrists forcing them down and pinning them to her sides.
"I said do you guys wanna hear one more?" Brittany could be heard yelling over the loudspeaker. The crowd screamed louder than before, applauding and whistling.
"What the f-," Evan's voice is heard briefly before his feed is cut.
"I know I wasn't scheduled to be here tonight," Brittany bulldozed forward, but I just couldn't stay away from my home state." The crowd cheered again.
