Chapter 44
Gina
We’re in Palmero. I have no memories of the city, but when I saw the massive opera house—the Teatro Massimo—with its grand staircase, columns, and domed roof, memories of seeing it in pictures came back.
I’m in the heart of Cosa Nostra territory, another mafia syndicate.
My heart races as I try to decide how screwed I am.
I glance at Stefano, who is staring straight ahead as we ride in the limo. He and Arturo are part of the ‘Ndrangheta. I’m not sure if their syndicate is rivals or enemies with the Cosa Nostra, but I know they aren’t friends. So the fact that they brought me here is more than alarming.
How will Tommaso find me? Get to me?
Did I misunderstand Stefano’s mouthed message? Or maybe it was a warning and a threat; he’s doing everything to protect his family, but doesn’t view me as a Santoro, and I’m a threat that needs to be eliminated.
If I thought my heart was racing before, it’s nothing compared to when we pull up to a gate that’s a solid sheet of metal that pulls back to allow us to drive through. And hearing that metal echo as it seals shut, locking me inside with men who have very ill intentions.
The imposing house doesn’t help. Not only is the perimeter secure, keeping me inside, but the grand house signifies that this is someone powerful.
Arturo looks out the window. “Candreva knows how to impress.”
Stefano’s stoic gaze flicks to him, then resumes staring ahead. “Don’t embarrass me.”
Arturo bristles. “Fuck you, Stefano.”
His cold, blue eyes slide back to Arturo. “You have wealth and power in Texas, and you showcase that to the world. No need to fawn over another Don’s power and wealth.”
Arturo jerks on the cuffs of his suit jacket but remains silent.
The short exchange revealed that the owner of this place is a mafia Don who is an ally of Stefano’s. I’m just not clear on whether Stefano is my ally or my enemy.
We pull up to the house, and Arturo’s two soldiers get out from the front of the limo and open the door.
One of them reaches in to grab my arm and roughly pulls me out.
Neither Stefano nor Arturo rebukes him or intervenes, nor do they when he grips my ass and squeezes it painfully.
His fingers dig into my bare arm too, and I know I’ll have bruises in both places.
I shiver. When I was walking with Zeus, it was a warm day, and my light day dress was perfect. But now I’m cold and feeling more than a little exposed.
We climb the steps, and the door swings open.
A butler nods to the men, ignoring me completely.
The soldier shoves me inside, and I stumble across the threshold.
After I catch myself from falling, I try to scan my surroundings, looking for a way out or a weapon, but I only have time to see the Sicilian coast painted on the vaulted ceiling.
Which, while stunning, will do nothing to help me.
The guard grips my arm again, dragging me as we follow the butler, and it’s a struggle not to trip over my own feet.
The sound of the men coming up behind us tells me there’s no possibility of escape.
I’m vastly outnumbered, I could never overpower these men even if I knew how to fight like a badass vixen.
Plus, I’m in another Don’s house, who takes his security to the next level to ensure no one gets in or out.
My lips tremble as I fight back tears. But as we enter a large room that looks like it’s used for gatherings or parties, my spine snaps rigid, and the threat of tears recedes when I see who is waiting inside.
Rosa Altera.
God, I hate her.
Her perfectly poised, but malicious princess persona. The haughty look as she assesses me and clearly finds me lacking. The vicious viper smile while she taps her red fingernails against a glass of wine.
She walks toward me, her steps crossing over in front of one another like she’s a supermodel on a catwalk in her blood-red stilettos and in a form-fitting dress.
The gleam in her eyes is lethal.
When she reaches me, she stops and slaps me hard across the face.
No one moves to help me, but I don’t care. I react without thinking much beyond, Oh hell no, bitch.
I curl my hand, pull my arm back, and slam my fist into her perfectly beautiful fucking face.
Her wineglass shatters on the floor as she screams in shock and pain. Some of the blood from her now-bleeding nose hits my face, but I don’t have any time to wipe it off before my scalp screams in pain as my hair is fisted, and my head is yanked back.
The soldier who’s been manhandling me is going to rip my hair out, and my scar from my old head wound throbs in protest. But I don’t give him the satisfaction of crying out in pain, even though tears sting my eyes.
“Enough!” Stefano barks, looking like he’s annoyed with the whole charade and glares at Arturo. “Control your daughter and your dog.”
Arturo gives a harsh look to the guard pulling my hair, and he releases me. Then he turns to Rosa and slaps her.
I jerk like I was slapped, a brutal memory of my father doing that to me surging forth. Rosa’s eyes swell with tears, and she whispers, “Daddy.”
I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. But she’s here with these men who are a threat to my unborn child and me, and who are involved in human trafficking. Any empathy I might have felt for her dies a swift death.
Rosa wipes the blood from her nose, her cheeks blooming red with humiliation, and she glares at me, her moment of vulnerability vanishing. “I want her gone.”
A man chuckles, drawing my attention to him as he pours a glass of whiskey at the bar. He looks to be a similar age to Stefano. His dark hair is smoothed back, and his eyes are sharp.
“Rosa, you have no voice, child,” he says coldly. “Let your father and the grown-ups handle this.”
Her cheeks now flame with humiliation, but she closes her mouth.
The man sips his whiskey as he regards me. “So. This is the woman Tommaso would burn the world for.” He lifts his glass in salute to me. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“I wish I could say the same.” I lift my chin, refusing to cower. “And you are?”
“Oh, I like you.” His mouth curls into a sinister smile. “I’m Vittorio Candreva, my dear. Welcome to Palmero, my territory, and my home.”
I scan the room, making it look like I’m checking out the luxurious space when I’m really looking for some way to escape. “It’s a beautiful home. A shame I wasn’t here under different circumstances.”
“Yes.” His eyes move to Stefano before coming back to me. “A shame.”
“Arturo,” Stefano says. “We have Gina here; she’s his security and his prize.”
I don’t like how he said prize, and I have absolutely no idea who ‘he’ is, but I remain quiet.
“I’m ready for this to be over with so I can deal with my wayward son,” Stefano growls. He nods toward Rosa. “And proceed with our arrangement.”
Arturo looks at his watch. “He’ll be here any minute.”
“Well, in the meantime, drinks?” Vittorio eyes my stomach before lifting his gaze back to mine. “I’d offer you something, but I hear congratulations are in order.”
“Until they abort her baby,” Rosa hisses, and my hand instinctively falls to my stomach. “A pregnant whore won’t go for much.”
“Oh, you’re wrong.” Arturo’s soldier eyes me with a gleam in his eye and licks his lips. “A pregnant woman is top-dollar for some.”
Bile rushes into my throat and burns, making my eyes water.
Stefano ignores what’s being said to me—his son’s wife and the mother of his grandchild—and goes to help Vittorio with pouring and handing out the drinks to the men.
Arturo looks at his watch and takes a gulp of his whiskey. “He’ll be here any minute,” he says, taking another drink while he eyes me. “He’s waited a long time for you.”
“Who?” I ask, forcing the word out through my parched throat.
And what will happen to me when the man gets here?
A shudder wracks through me, and I try to control it so it’s not noticeable. I was chilled before, but I’m breaking out into a sweat now.
It looks like I’m not the only one, because sweat is dotting the brows of both Arturo’s guards. Then one of them holds his chest while the other pulls at the collar of his jacket, and Arturo flashes them a warning look.
I hear the sound of shoes walking on the marble floor, each step coming closer. My heart rate accelerates, knowing that when the mystery man arrives, my future is going to take a drastic turn for the worse.
I spin around, feeling like prey caught in the lion’s den, and frantically search for a way to escape. A body stumbles into me, almost taking both of us to the floor.
I turn to see it’s one of Arturo’s men. Sweat drips down the side of his face, and his eyes are bloodshot. Blood starts to dribble out from his nose as I stare at him.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Arturo demands, then gasps when he gets a better look at him.
The other soldier falls to his knees, clutching his stomach and crying out in pain. Both my eyes and Rosa’s are wide in shock, but Arturo whirls to Vittorio.
“What the hell did you give them?” he shouts.
Vittorio shrugs and sips his whiskey. “I call it Seraphin Extract…a nice little poison that causes internal bleeding and organ shutdown.” He nods at the two men now lying on the floor. “I’d say it works remarkably well.”
Arturo stares at the drink in his hand, then throws it across the room. The echo of the shoes on the marble floor gets closer.
He glares menacingly at Stefano. “Are you fucking double crossing me?”
“Your dogs needed to be put down,” Stefano answers impassively. “The deal still stands.”
I back away instinctively from everyone in the room. The shock that Vittorio just emotionlessly and easily killed two men only adds to my panic, which grows with every footstep on the marble floor.
I’m almost hyperventilating, my back pressed against the wall when the door swings open. A man—nearly as wide as he is tall—walks in. His eyes immediately fall on me.
His smile makes it feel like snakes are slithering over my skin. “Gina. My love.”