Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
FRANCESCA
The ache in my shoulder feels immediate relief the second the rope is removed from my wrists.
Not that I’d tell anyone the truth, but there are still some lingering side effects of getting stabbed a couple of years ago.
Vinny hands me the bottle of water.
“Thank you.” I say before gulping down half of the water.
The water is cool and refreshing, easing the hoarseness in my dry throat. I was thirstier than I thought I was. I twist the cap back on and place the bottle of water on the floor.
I glance around the office. It’s pretty bland compared to the rest of the house, with a cheap-looking desk and office chair on the left side of the room and two armchairs and an end table on the right side of the room.
The walls are a boring gray, and the marble flooring of the foyer stops at the doorway. The nice mahogany wood flooring of the office is covered with a pretty ugly white and gray floral rug.
There are no paintings or pictures hanging on the walls. There isn’t even a computer on the desk.
It’s almost as if this is a holding room of sorts. A place for prisoners to be held and questioned until the real interrogation happens.
Vinny steps closer to me with his gaze locked on my every move. “What do you know about your father’s shipping business?”
“Nothing.” I roll my shoulders forward, relieving the stiffness and ache.
He doesn’t believe me. “So I am just supposed to believe that you have no idea about the business, but you were at the shipyard tonight?”
I need to lie better if there’s any hope of Dad and Rhett finding me.
“Why do you think I was sneaking around behind the building? I followed some of the guys. On foot, mind you, because I don’t have a car. I wanted to know what’s been going on. I guess you aren’t the only one that wants to keep women out of the business.”
I clench my teeth as anger builds in my veins. None of this would have happened if Dad and Joey just let me in on what was going on with the family business.
If they trusted me enough with the truth, then I wouldn’t have had to seek it out on my own.
The nicer man chimes in. “But you are his daughter. His only girl.”
“And why should that matter? I’ve been gone for two years. I was dating a man who I didn’t even know his true identity because my father kept me in the dark and out of the family business. ”
“He’s just trying to keep you safe.” He pulls the chair out from behind the desk and sits down.
I scoff. “He wanted to protect me by keeping me in the dark, but look where that got me. I’ve had a gun pointed straight at me. I was dragged down the concrete, got cut up, bruised, kidnapped, and slapped.”
The nice man drops both of his hands onto the desk and glares at Vinny. “The slap should have never happened.”
I roll my eyes. “That was the least offensive thing that happened to me tonight.”
Vinny takes a few steps to his right, blocking my view of the nice man.
“If you don’t know anything about the shipping business, tell us about the hockey team.”
What could he possibly want to know about the team? What does he think happens at the arena?
“What about the hockey team?”
He bends forward, putting his hands on the arms of my chair. “What kind of activities happen with the team?”
“They skate and practice. Hell, they even fight one another. I don’t know what you think happens, but so far that’s all I’ve seen.”
I’ve heard some rumors, but that’s all they are so far. Just rumors.
“What about your brother, Joseph?”
“What about him?” I challenge.
He doesn’t answer my question. He glares at me as if he knows I am dragging out our conversation and keeping secrets from him.
I want to drag this out as long as I can. Maybe Rhett and Joey are getting answers from Jax right now. Hopefully, I can figure out a way to escape, so I can give Jax a piece of my mind.
“My brother plays for the team just like any other player. And just like any other player, he is expected to be at every team meeting, practice, and interview.”
My voice is strong and confident because that is the truth, whether he believes it or not.
Of course Joey has more leniency than other players because sometimes he has to leave practice early to do a job or go to a meeting with dad, but he’s still expected to show up and practice with the team.
“Look, I don’t know what you think happens in the arena, but I can tell you that normal day-to-day operations happen. We have a team to manage and run. An arena to keep open and successful. Events to plan and order supplies and personnel for.”
Vinny steps to the side and leans against the wall as the nice man stands and makes his way over to me.
“We know that you still have a business to run. We have front businesses, too. Every mafia family does. What we want to know is what happens behind closed doors? What deals are being made? What is your father trying to cover up by buying a hockey team?”
“That’s what I’m also trying to find out. I don’t know anything. They aren’t telling me anything.”
“But you work for the team. ”
“I just started working for the team, and I’ve been too busy trying to learn who the players are, who the press are, and how things run. I have yet to dig into past financial records or eavesdrop on any closed door meetings, but as soon as I can, I will.”
I won’t give up any family secrets, especially to a rival family, but I do plan on looking into everything. Including the club and what goes on there.
I glance from one man to the other and let out a sigh. “Trust me, I want to know everything as much, if not more, than you do. I want to know why my dad and brother don’t trust me with the truth, and why I have to sneak around just to be a part of the family.”
My heart aches as I think about the only family member to include me in operations, Uncle Tony.
I should have called him tonight. He would have driven me to the shipyard and protected me.
Like Dad and Joey should have.
The two men stare at each other for several minutes.
The nice man glances at me and nods. “I believe you, but if I were you, I’d want nothing to do with what’s going on. Bad things are coming to your father and brother, and if you get involved, I can’t promise you will make it out safely.”
His words are like ice water being injected into my veins.
What are they planning to do to Dad and Joey?
“I wish I could make that decision based on what I find, but I have a feeling you guys will find out the truth long before I do. ”
If they even let me go.
His expression softens, and his eyes fill with sorrow as he heads to the door. Stepping through the open door, he says, “That’s probably for the best.”
I can’t return his sentiment because I don’t think being in the dark is beneficial.
Either Dad, Joey, and Rhett are going to tell me everything that has happened and every business they’ve purchased since the day I left, or I will go to Uncle Tony and demand he get involved.
He needs to be involved if Mom is still alive.
Mom.
My heart splits open at the thought of her faking her own death.
How could she do that? How could she leave dad and move in with the family that has caused us so many problems?
I remember hearing Mom and Dad talk about the Rossis when I was a child. I remember hearing the vile ways they tortured our family and took over our territory.
They were completely ruthless, and by the way they kidnapped me, I’d say there was definitely some truth in what I overheard.
Vinny steps in front of my chair once again. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“What do you mean?”
He wraps his hands around my wrists and pins them to the arms of the chair. “You are keeping things from us still. What else do you know?”
I try to remove his hands, but his grip only gets tighter. My heart races as he steps closer, pressing his leg against mine.
“Besides personal things like when I started walking, lost my first tooth, found out what the mafia really is, and my last menstrual cycle was and the age, nothing. I was actually just remembering my mom and wondering what kind of heartless bitch could fake her own death and make her kids grow up without a mother.”
His eyes narrow as he continues to stare at me. When I don’t flinch, look away, or back down, he releases his grip on my wrists and backs up several paces.
Loud voices echo throughout the foyer as yelling and commotion at the front door gets both of our attention.
I stay seated, not wanting to give Vinny an opportunity to slap me again.
Or worse.
Vinny glares at me, but stays frozen in his spot as someone or something slams into the wall in the foyer.
I glance at the door, expecting it to bust open at any moment.
“They’re here.” Someone yells from right outside the office door.
Who’s here?
A menacing grin forms on Vinny’s face. “Well, this should be fun. Let’s stay here and see who comes through the door. The first person who walks in will be shot. ”
He pulls his gun from the waistband of his pants and lays it down on the desk.
“What if it’s someone from your own team?”
“Oh well. The next person to walk through that door is a dead man.”
I know my eyes must resemble saucers right now because I can’t believe he would shoot his own man. He must be joking, right?
“You’d shoot your own man? Kill him in cold blood?”
“We are about to be at war. There will be a great loss. It’s best if you don’t get too attached to the people you work with.”
Who the fuck can think like that?
Am I just supposed to be so calm about losing Dad? Joey? Rhett?
I shake my head as something smashes just right outside the office door. “That’s a really fucked up outlook you have on life.”
He shrugs. “That’s the life of a mafia man.”
There’s no way people are really like this. Is he just putting up a front to look more intimidating?
To me, he just seems like an idiot.
“Being in the mafia is more than just being tough. It’s about family and being there for each other no matter what, and sharing common goals. You live, work, and die together for the greater good of the family.”
Of course, I don’t know what it’s really like because every time I work a job with Uncle Tony and AJ, I leave feeling guilty for going behind Dad’s and Joey’s backs.
“Maybe, but at the end of the day, you will be alone in that coffin, and eventually, everyone will forget about you and move on with their lives.”
Vinny wants to seem unaffected, like he simply doesn’t care about anyone or anything except himself, but his eyes tell a different story.
He looks lost, like he’s deep in thought.
While he’s distracted, I jump out of my chair, sprint across the room to where he’s standing, and kick him in his balls.
He lets out a long, pain-filled groan as his hands move to his crotch. “Son of a fucking bitch!”
Without giving him much time to recover, I kick him hard on his right knee, wincing slightly when I hear his bones crunch.
“You fucking whore! Just wait until I get my hands on you.” He yells as he falls to the ground.
He tries to sit up and reach for the desk, but before he can reach for his gun, I kick him in his chest.
I let anger fill my veins.
The anger from them kidnapping me.
The anger from him slapping me.
The anger for the war they are about to bring to my family.
I kick him again and again and again until he’s no longer screaming in pain but lying motionless on the floor while whimpering.
Grabbing his gun off the desk, I slowly move towards the door .
I press myself against the wall just as the door flings open. I raise the gun, ready to fight someone else, when Rhett rushes toward me.
“Chessie, thank God you’re alright. Come on. We’ve got to get you out of here.”
He lifts his gun and shoots the guy writhing on the floor.
The both of us watch the life drain from his body as his blood seeps into the gray and white rug.
Rhett picks me up and throws me over his shoulder as he rushes to the front yard before throwing me into the backseat of his truck.
I barely have time to scoot over before he is jumping in beside me.
“Hit it.” He yells as he slams his door shut.
I glance at the driver, surprised to see my brother driving Rhett’s pickup truck. Spencer Reed is in the passenger seat with his phone glued to his hands. His fingers furiously type out a long message.
As soon as my brother drives through the front gate, I lean over and kiss Rhett like my life depends on it.
He doesn’t hold back. His lips press against mine and his hands wrap around the back of my neck, pulling me closer to his body.
Fuck. I needed this.
The safety. The protection.
Rhett’s kiss breathes life into me, restoring the hope I felt earlier, but a lot has changed since our last conversation.
After a while, we break apart. Rhett rests his head against my forehead and I can’t help but to swoon at this tiny gesture.
I whisper, “Thank you for coming to save me.”
“Anytime, baby girl.”
My heart flutters for a moment at the nickname.
I want to be his more than anything in the world, but the truth is, he lied to me.
For two years!
Spencer clears his throat and turns around in his seat to grin at the two of us.
Rhett pulls away and laughs. “Chessie, this is Spencer Reed, fellow winger for the Sharks, and my best friend. Spence, this is Chessie.”
“Nice to meet you, Spencer. Officially, of course.”
Spencer says, “Ah, the infamous Francesca Marino.”
I’m infamous?
“Infamous because of my father?”
He shakes his head. “No, because this fucker here has talked my ear off about you for the past two years.”
Rhett punches him in his arm, but Spencer only laughs in return. “Take us home, Joey. There’s a long list of things I need to do, and an even longer list that Chess and I need to discuss.”
He’s right. We can’t put this off any longer.