CHAPTER 23 - ARIANNA
CHAPTER
Arianna
OSCAR’S FOOTSTEPS FADE down the hallway. The front door slams. He’s gone, but Red hasn’t said a word.
Nor have I because I don’t know what to say. What I heard and what’s on this note has turned everything upside down.
I can’t think. The continued fear and confusion throw me. My brother has blatantly stated he’s returning for me. I am not safe.
Neither is Maria.
And then there’s Red...
I was wrong - Red hasn’t been on my brother’s side or worked for them at all. Then there’s the things Oscar said Red has done - all the things he’s sacrificed for me.
My eyes scan Red although I don’t want them to. I can’t see any hint of him being shot. He took a bullet for me that night in the car park when one of his men was killed, but he’s not moving awkwardly like he’s injured.
But then again, would he? Red Bateman has the strange ability to outwardly function like nothing is amiss. But Oscar said he could have been killed...
My wavering resolve hardens. Now is not the time to backtrack or make excuses. Whatever I had with Red, if anything, has gone and can never be again.
But Red told Oscar that he loved me. He didn’t say it to me to gain pretend trust - he said it to his brother, unaware I could hear...
“You weren’t supposed to see that note.”
Red’s voice pulls me from the parallel universe I’ve just been inhabiting. His eyes are focused on the crumpled note still in my hand. I let it drop to the floor, not wanting contact with anything my brother has touched.
“You weren’t supposed to hear our conversation either.” His voice is tired but guarded.
The confusing realizations I’m bombarded with don’t stop my clamoring sense of indignation. “Maria will not marry Luca Bristoni.” My voice doesn’t sound like mine; it sounds raw, hoarse, hard. “She is not being taken to be used, and neither am I!”
“I don’t intend to let any of that happen, Arianna.”
“No?” I sneer. “Like you didn’t intend it to happen in the first place?”
Damn it. I’ve just overheard what he said and how much he blames himself for me being taken and.
.. and I think I believe that. I also overheard that he’d allow his business to go down the pan to protect me; that he’d kill anyone who has an issue with that, including his brothers, yet I’ve turned into a callous bitch, throwing shit at him regardless.
Well, that’s just me now. Caring about anyone else gets you nowhere. It’s how it has to be because I’m incapable of anything else now. I’m too raw and damaged and think I always will be.
I center my harsh glare on Red, but despite what he proclaims to “feel” for me, my scathing comments don’t dent the six-inch-thick skin that is now firmly back in place.
I worked out that feelings were overrated years ago, yet I was too stupid to heed my own knowledge.
Not anymore.
“I’ve already told you I’ll ensure you come to no harm, Arianna,” Red states. “I also intend to make sure your sister’s wedding to Bristoni doesn’t go ahead.”
“How so?” I raise an eyebrow, taunting him. “Are you finally going to kill him?”
Red’s jaw stiffens, but his eyes remain locked on mine. “Something like that.”
I shake my head slightly amused. “Something like that?”
“All you need to know is that it will be sorted. Both for you and your sister.”
I don’t prevent my eyes from narrowing. “Why do you assume that’s all I need to know?”
Red Bateman’s version of “love” isn’t how I’d once upon a time describe it to mean. In his world, love is about ego: protect those who “belong” to you or lose face. Perhaps that’s how I feel about it now too. Perhaps I should start using his professed “love” to my advantage?
Deciding I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain, I make a decision, which for the first time in several days empowers me.
Maybe only within myself but fuck it - I’ll take whatever I can get for a blast of power to push me through to the next stage and stop my head from over-analyzing anything and everything.
I’ve made a decision about what to do, and I’m damned well going to do it! Red opened the door to freedom earlier by giving me the option to leave, should I wish to take it.
And I will.
But now the route to that freedom is clear for me to take on my own terms.
I move past Red. The underlying scent of musk and aftershave, which once rendered me powerless, is still about his person, despite him looking like he hasn’t showered for almost as long as I hadn’t until today. The difference is that now his scent has no effect.
Reaching the bottle of Scotch on the sideboard, I pour myself a glass, confident my hands won’t betray me by trembling. And they don’t.
I know he’s staring at me. I can feel it. I glance over my shoulder and gesture to the Scotch. “One for you?”
At the abrupt shake of his head, I resume pouring my own drink. He’s surprised at my about-turn. He’ll be even more surprised by what I say next.
Sipping the whiskey, I turn to find Red still watching me intently.
“You didn’t answer what you meant by saying that you dealing with Matteo and Luca was ‘all I needed to know’, but it doesn’t matter.
” I pause to take another sip. I hate whiskey, but I don’t care right now.
“Let me explain... You said earlier that I was free to leave whenever I want. That I will do but gone are the days of hiding from reprisals. Gone are the times of living in fear and looking over my shoulder. My first husband, my brother and Luca Bristoni might have branded me, but they will take nothing else.”
Red goes to speak, but I silence him with his hand - the same way he’s done to me in the past and the same way he does to many people. It’s my turn now.
“Matteo and Luca will not take me again, and they won’t get my sister. We both agree on that, right?”
Red’s frown deepens, but he nods. “Arianna, wh...”
“But,” I interrupt, “I’ll be the one to ensure that happens, not you. I’m going to be the one to kill them.”
Red blinks. If he’s waiting for a punchline, he’ll have a long wait because I’m deadly serious. I take a long drink, lick my lips and place the empty glass down.
Red shakes his head, a cross between a half-smile and a grimace on his face.
“I understand what you’re saying, Arianna, but surely you can see that regardless of what you feel like doing, you’re not equipped to take on the likes of Matteo and Luca.
And before you get on your high horse, unless I’m mistaken, you haven’t the first clue how to deal with something like this. ”
That’s true, but annoyance rumbles. “Give me one of your guns.”
This time Red does laugh. “What, so you can shoot me? For God’s sake, have you ever fired a gun before?”
Red won’t break me down. It’s gone too far for that. “No, but what does that matter when you’re going to show me?” I point at him. “You will train me, and then I’ll kill Matteo and Luca.”
Red blinks once again. He must think he’s hallucinating. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life! You must tell and show me everything I need to know. And quickly. There is no time to lose. I also want another phone. I want to call Maria. I need to hear with my own ears that she is safe and unharmed.”
Red rakes his fingers through his loose, curly hair and sighs. “Arianna, this is madness. It’s...”
“It’s the only way. It’s also the way I need it to happen, so if you want to do anything for me, as you professed to your brother that you do, then this is it. Show me how to kill my brother and Luca, and then I’ll leave so we can both have our freedom.”
I wait for Red to agree, but he says nothing. I even think for a second I see a flash of regret on his face.
A flutter of fresh panic shimmers. Will he not agree? It’s my only chance of redeeming a shred of myself, but I won’t beg. Instead, I’ll take a leaf out of his book. “Okay, so if you’d rather not do things my way, I’ll take my freedom and my chances myself alone. Right now!”
I move towards the door. Threatening isn’t my style. At least, it wasn’t. The silence becomes cloying as I reach the door, my heart sinking to accept that my bluff has failed. Now I must leave and...
“Arianna...”
Red’s hand grips my arm. “If that is what you want, then I’ll do it.” His voice is clear but monotone. “I’ll sort out what’s needed, and we’ll start tomorrow.”
Keeping my eyes averted, I nod curtly, leave the room and make my way up the stairs back to my bedroom to sit alone and ready myself for what I’ve just forced into reality.