Chapter 24 Gabriella #2
I hold his gaze, forcing myself not to look away, not to blink too much, not to show any sign that might betray me.
"Something doesn't add up.” He checks his watch again.
He shakes his head and begins to circle me like a predator, his eyes never leaving my face.
I swear I can see the wheels turning in his head, recalculating the situation and slowly becoming suspicious of me.
“Maybe you’re playing both sides,” he says.
I shake my head, forcing indignation into my voice. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it?" Frank stops directly in front of me. "You spend weeks with Marco, supposedly as his prisoner, and suddenly, you're back home just in time for Christmas parties?"
"I told you I don’t trust him—”
“And you seem cozy with him. Your father still thinks Marco is his savior.” He shakes his head. “Your father is slipping away and you saw an opportunity, didn’t you? If Luca comes back, everything goes to him, but with Marco’s help you can finally get what you think you deserve.”
“What?” I force myself to remember that he works for my father. He owes me respect. “If my father heard you talking to me like that—”
“He’ll forget it in a minute.” He shakes his head. “That’s it. Marco fed you some line and you fell for it. Maybe fell for him too.”
“You’re getting paranoid, Frank.”
His laugh is hollow. "You're sleeping with the enemy. The man who's trying to take everything from your father."
He throws up his hand. “It makes perfect sense. You feed Blackwood false information, pretending to help while actually protecting Marco."
He steps closer, forcing me to take a step back. "Your father has always indulged you, but this? Betraying your own blood for a man who will discard you the moment you're no longer useful?"
I can see it in his eyes. Frank truly believes I've betrayed my family.
And that is a crime punishable by death.
As the daughter of a Don, my death would need to be ordered by a Don, but I imagine Frank would see killing me as protecting my father.
He’ll probably blame Marco.
"You're wrong. I would never betray my father."
Frank's eyes have a wild, unfocused quality that sends ice through my veins. “Then we call Marco. Get him down here and I’ll take care of him. Get him out of your father’s life for good.”
“What?”
“I might have failed the last time, but I won’t this time because I’ll end him myself.”
“You ordered the ambush?” It makes sense when I think about it.
He called Roman and Marco to come to the warehouse.
He was there to oversee it.
“I had help, but yes. I've protected your father while I’ve watched Marco circle like a vulture. No more waiting."
I raise my hands in a placating gesture. "Frank, I understand wanting to protect my father.
That's what I want too.
But luring Marco here isn’t the answer.
The fact that your hired men failed is proof of that."
“You want a job done, do it yourself. I’m going to do it. Call him."
"Think about what you're doing," I plead. "You’re planning to kill a Don. La Corona will hunt you down. There won't be anywhere safe—"
"La Corona." He spits the words. "They never wanted Calabresi in the first place. Like father, like son.”
The words strike something deep in my soul. Is that what Marco believes too? Is that why he doesn’t want to be a father? He fears he’s like his own father?
“Call him!”
My mind races.
If I refuse, Frank will accuse me of being on Marco’s side and might shoot me right now.
If I call Marco and he actually comes…
With trembling fingers, I pull out my phone. Marco's contact is still open from my earlier text. I hit Dial.
One ring. Two rings. Three.
Voicemail.
I look up at Frank. “He’s not answering.” I need someone to know I’m here. “Let me try his other number.”
He studies me for a moment, then nods.
I scroll to my father's contact and press dial.
"Gabriella?" My father's voice comes through. “Where are you? I thought we could—"
I take a deep breath and launch into my performance. "Marco, it's me. I need to meet with you." I glance at Frank, who watches me intently. "I'm at the east warehouse. Frank and I know what you’re doing—”
Frank shakes his head as if he doesn’t like me outing him.
"Gabriella, what are you—" my father begins, sounding bewildered.
I hate that making him confused might trigger another episode.
“I mean it, Marco, you need to come down here and explain this to me.”
Frank nods approvingly at my performance.
"I'll be waiting," I continue.
Frank makes a motion to cut the call, so I hang up before my father can respond.
I pray my father will understand something is wrong and call Marco.
"He'll come," I tell Frank, trying to sound confident. “He hates to be accused by me.”
Frank's expression shifts, something dark and dangerous crossing his features. “I think you must be a good actress.”
I tilt my head, looking at him in confusion, while deep down, I’m afraid he’s figured me out.
“If Marco comes and I kill him, no harm, no foul, right? You’re still in a good position with the family. But if he lives, you can spread your legs for Marco—”
“Watch yourself, Frank.”
“Or what?” He shakes his head. “I should have seen it sooner.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Marco always pawns off all his dirty work. He forced Don Ferraza’s daughter to marry that brute, Roman, so he didn’t have to.
Why would he agree to take you in his home…
to guard you? That’s not his style. No. This is all an elaborate plan.
The two of you are working together, including giving false information to the FBI. Am I right?”
“I’m the one who forced my way into Marco’s home.” It’s the truth, although I’m afraid Frank won’t believe me. “He wanted to send me to Italy. I can’t protect my father from Italy.”
But he’s not listening to me. “I can't believe you're working against your own father," he continues, his voice rising. "The man who gave you everything. Who let you go to law school when other Dons would have married you off at eighteen."
"Frank—"
"I've been loyal to Antonio for thirty years. Watching his back, following his orders, even when I disagreed. And you, his precious daughter, you betray him for what? For Marco's cock?"
"You're the one who's been attacking my father's business!" The accusation escapes before I can think better of it.
Frank's face contorts with rage.
He raises his hand, and I flinch, bracing for the blow. It never comes.
"That's a lie," he hisses, his voice low and dangerous. "I've dedicated my life to your father. Everything I've done has been to protect what's his."
“I’m his and you’re threatening me.” But then his words filter in.
If he’s protecting my father, who is attacking our business?
“You’re working with Calabresi, you ungrateful bitch.”
My thoughts spin wildly.
If not Frank and not Marco, who is orchestrating these attacks?
Who benefits from weakening both the Monti and Calabresi families?
Frank sucks in a breath. "Such betrayal needs to be punished.” He lifts his gun toward me. "Antonio will understand. Eventually."
The barrel points directly at my stomach, at my unborn child, and terror rips through me.
My breath stalls. Time stands still.
I wait to die.