She was happy to hear from me and happy Willow and I had gotten back together. She sounded so hopeful and excited. All the while I was the devil in disguise.
I make my way downstairs and stop in the hallway, gazing out to the floor-to-ceiling windows before me. We’re at the beach house in Marsala. The house I loved as a boy. The house Pa gave me. The place I should be calling home.
The idea to flee here came to me in those moments as I tied Willow up in the back of my car. I can’t believe I did that to her. Then I had to give her some chloroform when she started to stir. Monster. That’s what I felt like. Like a fucker exerting my strength over her and abusing her trust.
The house will be a refuge from danger. Only a select few know about it, so it’s as good as a safehouse. Not even my friends know about it, that works because we don’t tell each other the locations of our safe houses. It’s protocol to keep it secret. Doing so ensures optimum safety.
“Is she okay?” Pa asks, and I turn to face him.
He arrived this morning. He came as soon as I called him, and when he got here, I told him what was going on.
He’s the only person who’ll know I’m here and that she’s here too. That’s how I’ll keep it, regardless of how much I trust the others. She’s a liability and I have to make sure I keep her safe from everyone.
“No… she’s not,” I answer.
He frowns. “Son, this is… well, I’m not going to say I agree with it, but it was the safest thing to do.”
I knew he would see things my way, and the person I’ll be trusting to take care of her when I’m not here is him.
“Pa, I have to get back out there. You couldn’t have been more right when you told me to watch my back. Not even a week later, and look at me hiding my girl to keep her safe.”
A slight smile lifts the corners of his mouth. I’m not sure what he would be smiling about, then I realize it’s in regard to how I referred to Willow. I keep calling her my girl.
“I didn’t realize this would be how I’d meet her,” he states.
“No, Pa. It was just a slip of the tongue. I have to let her go when this is over. I can’t keep her.” Even if I wanted to, she hates me. I saw it in her eyes, and she wishes she’d never met me.
She meant what she said, and she has every reason to be pissed as fuck.
Pa sighs. His lack of comment is enough to tell me he agrees.
“I’ll take care of her. I have men on the lookout around the perimeter. They’ll be able to tell me if trouble’s on the way.”
“Thank you. I’ll call when I’m on my way back.”
He rests a reassuring hand on my arm and nods. “Be careful, son.”
I nod and leave him.
When I get outside, I take one last look up at the second-floor balcony. That’s where her room is. She’ll see that what surrounds us is the sea. Except for the thin strip of road leading into the woods, that’s it. As a child, that was why this house was such an adventure. It was the beach and the sea and nobody anywhere for miles.
I’ll aim to get back tomorrow. It’s difficult to think of tomorrow or ahead amidst so much uncertainty.
I head to the car.
* * *
It takes me six hours to get back to the city. I called Gibbs on the way. He’s supposed to be waiting for me back at the office.
Traffic was a bitch, and then a storm blew in, slowing me down even more.
I park in front of the office, wary and careful. I feel for my guns before I get out of my car, making sure I can get them quickly in case one of the bastards who want me dead comes for me. Normally, Lois and Saul wouldn’t be far away, but since they are, I’m flying blind. This is the first time in a while that I’ve had to go it on my own. Back in Chicago, everyone has each other’s backs.
I screwed up big time, and because of that, everybody is spread out. I still want to achieve this goal of mine to run the business here, but who knows what will happen now. I’ve got Amadeo on my ass and Mario playing chicken with me.
That fucker. I can’t wait to get my hands on him. I will skin his ass alive and hang him out to dry for what he’s done.
I walk in gritting my teeth. The place has been quiet since I got rid of the staff. It’s just the few club staff now who are getting things ready.
My office door is open, and I hear talking. When I get to the door, relief washes over me but only to some degree. Inside with Gibbs are Alex, Dante and Gio.
They stand like the unit of fearsome capos they are, all looking similar with the tattoo of the cross on the side of their necks. It’s a reminder of their fallen ones. Claudius has his on his cheek. I have one inked on my heart for my mother.
“Jesus, look at him. You look like shit,” Dante says with a chuckle, and Gio nods in agreement.
The lightheartedness makes me more relieved because it means they aren’t mad or here in the capacity as my seniors.
“I feel like shit,” I say.
“Well, the cavalry is here. We took care of the situation in Calabria. Now we’re here to help,” Gio says. “Gibbs gave us the rundown.”
I look at Gibbs, and he raises his brows.
“I just don’t know who Willow is,” Gibbs says and eyes me with caution. They all do. And curiosity. This is the first time there would have been any mention of a woman in my life important enough for anybody to have a name. These guys all know what it’s like to have their women in danger.
I don’t know if they did what I did, though, by kidnapping them to keep them safe. So, I’ll leave out that part.
“She’s, um… she’s a woman who should never have gotten involved with me. She’s safe for the moment, but Amadeo wants her dead. He sent men to take her last night at her aunt’s restaurant.”
“Fuck,” Alex curses. “This is Mario’s doing. If I’d known that fucker was going to cause all this trouble, I would have ended him that night we spoke.”
“You and me both,” I agree.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Alex says and looks at each of us. “How about a split?” He looks at Dante because he’s the most senior in rank.
Dante nods, agreeing. “Yeah. Splitting off is best. Me and Gio will take care of Mario and Xiou. That seems a little bit more complex.”
“And I’ll help with Amedeo,” Alex says. “He’s declared war on us, so it’s kill on sight. I’ll get some guys together, and we’ll go hunting.”
“Thank you,” I answer, and Alex nods.
Kill on sight is the right term. In situations like these, it’s kill or be killed. I have to end him before he kills anybody I care about. I can’t allow this to happen to me again. I already feel that helplessness creeping in. It’s made me desperate.
Desperation made me do anything to protect Willow.
I just hope I can.
Chapter Fifteen
Willow
My stomach grumbles as the scent of freshly baked bread wafts into the room.
It’s morning again.
Yesterday, I fell asleep after Donny left, and when I woke up, there was a tray of cooked food waiting for me on the little table near the dresser.
I didn’t touch it. I didn’t know if Donny was still here and cooked for me, but I decided that I wasn’t going to eat.
Now, hunger has gotten the better of me, and I notice that the food is gone. The door is also slightly ajar. It’s a way of taunting me, daring me to go
downstairs. Go to him and I don’t even know what.
My mind has been numb since yesterday. I can’t think straight, and being alone has never done me any good.
My stomach grumbles again. This time, it’s to the strong scent of bacon and eggs. It smells like an omelet, and I imagine Donny making one for me the way he did when I stayed with him last week.
No… don’t do that, Willow.
Don’t remember those things. This guy is bad news. He might sound all noble because he wants to protect me, but he’s not noble. He’s the kind of ma
n who’s bad for me, regardless of how he made me feel.
It wouldn’t be wise to trust him. It wouldn’t be wise to think that I can open my heart the way I nearly did and let him in. I can’t trust him because I don’t know him.
At the same time, I can’t starve. I can’t weaken myself any more than I am by starving and withering away.
Swallowing my pride and my rage, I get up and make my way across the room. I would normally shower first thing, but I feel like I might faint in the shower if I don’t get food into my body. I haven’t eaten since the day before yesterday, and that was at lunchtime. I’d decided to join Lurlene on her Paleo diet, so I was supposed to have dinner with her back at home the night I got taken.
This is the first time that I’d be venturing through the door. It creaks as I open it wider. I step onto marble flooring. The room has a light burgundy carpet that’s soft under the soles of my feet. The marble is cool in contrast. I have no idea where my shoes are, but I’ll have to find them. I don’t like walking around on a stone floor even when it’s hot. It reminds me of being outside. I at least like to wear slippers.
The hallway is grand and beautiful. I could already guess that I was in a massive house from what I saw outside, but seeing more details of the interior décor is breathtaking. The walls are cream, and wrought iron chandeliers hang from the ceiling. It’s very gothic looking, definitely in keeping with the old European appearance that I adore. I’d love to paint it. What a shame I’m in this situation. There are several large rooms down the hallway and another set of stairs that goes up another flight. I’m tempted to explore, but I have to eat and realistically, I’m being held captive here. It’s not appealing in the least.
I walk down the stairs, and the aroma gets stronger. There’s a clatter of cutlery and a hum. It’s a man, but I’m not so sure now it’s Donny.
The thought of another man being here puts my nerves on edge, and caution grips me. It could be another mafia guy, someone Donny left here to watch me.
Carefully, I take my next steps, my heart racing as the humming gets louder. I recognize the tune. It’s an old jazz band tune. Something from the forties. It reminds me of my grandparents, something they would love. They were always dancing. The hum is almost soothing. It would be if not for my nerves and the anxiety that tightens my chest.
When I reach the kitchen door, I see I’m right. It’s not Donny. It’s an older man with thick silver hair and a large frame standing in front of the stove. He’s scrambling eggs that smell delicious. On the table is a feast comparable to what you’d find in a five-star hotel. There’s fried bacon, eggs, French toast, pastries, and three different types of omelets.
I stare, and my stomach grumbles so loud the man glances over his shoulder and smiles at me. Seeing his face and his eyes, I guess straightaway that he has to be Donny’s father. The resemblance is striking, but he carries an old school presence of authority that reminds me of a character from The Godfather.
Maybe it’s just me because my mind is working overtime and conjuring up all sorts of things. I’ve never seen anyone in the mafia before, much less spoken to anyone. There’s no doubt in my mind from the looks of this guy that he’s a mobster too.
“Buongiorno, Bellissima,” he says with a curt bow of his head.
“Good morning,” I say, remembering my manners.
He smiles, and his silver eyes light up the way Donny’s do. “I am Armand Caporetti, Donny’s father.”
“Hi. My name is Willow,” I answer. I’m sure he knows my name though.
“Hello, Willow. Are you ready to eat? I guessed that maybe you were a little displaced last night, so I put the food in the fridge should you want it at a later time.”
“That was you?” I ask, and he nods.
“My son said you liked omelets, so I hoped this would get you to come downstairs. Last night I made an old recipe my wife used to make.”
He seems harmless, but I still need to be careful. “What was it?”
“Ratatouille. Her version, though, with lots of cheese. If you want, we can have it for lunch. It’s quite tasty the day after, unlike some dishes.”
“Oh…” We stare at each other. He smiles while I just keep my eye on him because I’m not quite sure what to make of him yet. “Where’s Donny?”
“He left yesterday. I imagine he’ll be back as soon as he can. It’s quite a distance from the city.”
“How far?” I try to ask as nonchalantly as possible.
“Very far. It’s not walking distance. Please… sit,” he says, gesturing for me to take a seat near the cheese omelet.
I walk over to the chair and sit.
He lowers to sit opposite me and waves his hand over the feast. “Eat, eat what you want, and don’t hold back. You must be starving.”
I am, and on his word, I start to eat. I feel like a pig as I devour the food, scarfing it down unable to get it inside me fast enough.
I can sense him watching me out of the corner of my eye, but I continue eating until my head doesn’t feel light and the hunger that weakened me passes.
As it does and my brain absorbs the new energy garnered from the food, I think about what I’m going to say.
He’s watching me while he eats. I notice that he’s a slow eater. He cuts his food up real small too then takes small bites.
“Armand, I can’t stay here,” I say, focusing my gaze on him. “You seem like a nice person. You have to agree that this is wrong. I can’t be kept here against my will.”
He sighs. “My dear girl, I understand completely. I’m sure that you must understand too that being kept here is what is keeping you alive. My son seems to care deeply for you to protect you in this way.”
“Why would you say that? This can’t be right.”
“Sometimes a thing might not feel right, but it’s the only way. He’s left me in charge of taking care of you because I’m the only person he trusts with your whereabouts.”
“I appreciate that, but I have family who could be in danger.” Every time I think of Lurlene, my heart squeezes. I can’t believe that I’ve practically gone from the frying pan into the flames of hell. There I was, starting my journey worried about William and my paintings, and all that he’d taken away from me. Now I’m worried for my life and Lurlene’s too.
“I understand. Donny will make sure your aunt is safe. This is a bad situation we’re trying to fix. Please, can you just try to trust what we’re doing and trust that we’re doing our best to ensure your safety?”
Trust. There’s that damn word again.
“I don’t want to stay here.”
His face tenses. “I’m sorry, my dear, but you’ll have to.”
That’s it. No choice, no option, no further discussion.
“I want to speak to my aunt.”
“That would not be wise, Willow. I can’t allow you to do that.”
Shit. This is such shit. I stare back at him until he looks away and returns his attention to eating his food.
I can’t just stay here and be expected to trust people I don’t know. Dangerous people. Armand has that cool edge I sensed with Donny. The same edge that alerted me to danger that I chose to ignore. I can’t believe this is happening to me, and yet the sting of betrayal is what cuts me deep.
Once again, I’m mad at myself. I allowed myself to fall for a guy who I couldn’t be with. And damn it, this time somehow feels worse to me.
I don’t care where we are, and I don’t care what any of them say. I have to be sensible and try to leave. Escape. I’ll contact Lurlene, and then I’ll get myself back to LA. I never even got the chance to warn her that she might be in danger.
I have to try and leave this place. I’ve already been foolish. I won’t be careless too.
Chapter Sixteen
Donny
“Donny, I want these people eliminated,” Claudius says through the phone.
Although his voice comes across with a bit of static on the line, I can feel his power an
d authority. He’s always been like that for as long as I’ve known him.
“I hear you, boss,” I answer and glance at Alex as he stares at me.
We just sat down for a break on the upper deck of the yacht when Claudius called me.
“Donny, if you want to prove to me that you can handle business in Italia, you do this. It’s a big job.”
“I can handle it,” I assure him, but I know I don’t sound sure. It’s not because I lack confidence; it’s more to do with the fact that I’m worried about Willow. I spoke to Pa earlier, and he told me that while she came down to eat, she was talking about leaving.
“Don’t disappoint me. Get rid of the scum and get everything back in order. You did good firing the staff. You can’t work with men you can’t trust. At the same time, we need people there to run the place. Get some temps in, and if they’re good, keep them. Get your father to help if he’s able to, and anyone else you see fit.”
At least he’s talking to me like he still trusts me to handle the affairs here.
“I will, and thanks.”
“I want a report of the Amadeo situation by nightfall. His relatives here have pulled out of business on his word. They’ve received threats. I haven’t actioned anything yet. I’ll let you know what I decide. I want him dead, Donny, and Mario too. They both screwed with us in a way that requires death.”
“I got it. I’ll provide you with a full report tonight.”
“Eight o’clock sharp, not a minute later.” He hangs up, and I release the breath I was holding.
Alex straightens up, and my shoulders slump. I don’t even feel like taking a break now. I feel like I’m wasting time.
We started looking for Amadeo at the crack of dawn, and surprise, surprise, we came up with nothing. It’s just gone midday, and we plan to continue our search for as long as we can.
“Was he mad?” Alex asks.
I chuckle. “Isn’t he always?”
The Sting of Love: USA Today Bestselling Author Page 13
