Gina Takes Bangkok (The Femme Vendettas) by S. M. Stelmack Read Free Book Online Page A

Wakai would take him back at this point? Friends or not, he’d assume Jarun betrayed him. The only way our buddy can make it out of this situation is by getting on our good side.”
    She looked so put out, so much like she’d been as a teenager, that Vincenzo laughed. “Don’t ride Kannon for telling it as he sees it. Few people left like that. Anyway, I actually approve of your plan, bambina. We’ll see how things go.”
    Gina smiled. “So, you’re okay with me helping Kannon then?”
    Vincenzo sighed. “Absolutely not.”
    “What! You said—”
    “I gave you a chance to impress me, and you have. I like how you handled the situation. Like your plan. You’re smart and you’re fearless and you’ve got heart.”
    Gina rolled her hand impatiently. “But?”
    “But you’re also an undisciplined brat. You’ll be getting in Kannon’s way. I can’t see it working out.”
    On a howl of frustration from Gina, Darae spoke up from the other side. “So you plan on living forever?”
    He cranked himself awkwardly around in the chair to face her. Damn, it was hard to do anything anymore. “What do you mean?”
    “You know exactly what I mean. When you go, are you expecting me to carry on alone?” Her voice hitched on the last word, then swept on. “And then when I’m gone? Who’s going to keep the businesses going and protect the girls? Who’s going to be Tasanee’s friend, and help her keep order if Alak doesn’t make it out of this? Hmm?”
    “So you’re saying it should be Gina?” he asked. “She’s still barely more than a girl herself. Just look at her hair.”
    Gina scowled. “I’m right here you know.”
    Darae didn’t relent. “Then let her grow up, Vincenzo. Give her a chance. I know you don’t want to be the last of the Zaffinis, and if Gina were a son you’d have her involved.”
    “It’s nothing to do with that,” he answered, turning away from his wife.
    “Then why?”
    He closed his eyes wearily. “Because I may have already lost a good friend to Wakai. I’m not losing my daughter to him, too. And besides, I was under the impression Gina didn’t want to live the life of a criminal. She made that abundantly clear when she moved to California.”
    Before Darae could speak again, Gina raised a hand to each of them.
    “Look, the last thing we need to worry about right now is my future career. That bastard’s a huge threat to our family. To us, Tas, and all the people who work for us. Both of you taught me that nothing’s more important than family. That you fight for family to the very end, even if you know you’re going to lose.”
    Vincenzo chopped the air with his hand. “Yes, yes. That’s all very eloquent, Gina. You’ve got your mother’s silver tongue. She could have sold sand to Arabs.”
    “It’s easy to sell an idea when you know you’re right,” she shot back.
    Why couldn’t they let him die in peace? Not having any children of her own, Darae loved his daughter every bit as much as Gina’s mother had. Despite her delicate appearance, Darae had the balls of a brass monkey. And she’d passed those brass balls onto Gina.
    Besieged by the women, he looked to Kannon.
    Even though he wore his sunglasses, Vincenzo knew damn well where his eyes were aimed. When it came to his daughter, the man was far from neutral. Gina was no longer alone. And, if she didn’t blow it, might never be alone again. Besides which, the girl did have a point. This was no time for argument.
    “Promise me you’ll be careful, stay smart and do what Kannon tells you.”
    Gina flashed Kannon the smile that had Vincenzo kicking boys overboard the day she hit puberty. “Well, I promise the first two, anyway.”
    The man was a goner.
    “Then it’s settled,” Darae crowed, she and Gina high-fiving each other right in front of his face.
    Damn women.
     

     
    It was late at night when Gina, Kannon, Ryota and Jarun ventured into a part of Bangkok known as 70 Rai, a dark slum that spilled from