Deadly Vows

by Haley Stuart

  The doctor says the hormones from her pregnancy are causing her dreams to be amplified. The doctor also says her term is four months, which means that the chances of the baby being mine are higher. I still am skeptical, though. When I’ve asked about a prenatal DNA test, the doctor has said the risk of miscarriage will be higher, so I’ve opted out of it. I will just wait until the baby is born. For Elise, I can do that.

  I watch her as she smiles at something Matteo says. She kicks her feet lightly, splashing water. She looks so … innocent. But her behavior sometimes says otherwise. It is almost as if she is losing herself. Sometimes she seems like a different person. Like she can conquer anything. And others, she is her usual self. Terrified of everything. Today is one of her better days. She is smiling and happy.

  I try to look at things from her perspective. She has gone through a rough time in that house with Alexander. This is her way of coping. I have to push back the plan with Agent Jeffries because she never lets me out of her sight.

  We have an appointment today to figure the sex of the baby. Maybe that is what is linked to her good mood. Sometimes when I find her alone, she’ll be looking at nothing with a blank expression. Just spaced out. I don’t know what to do. When she speaks to me, she sometimes seems like she isn’t all there.

  She seems to sense my gaze and turns to look at me. She looks stunning as she sits on the edge of the pool, the sun’s rays reflecting off her delicate skin. The bruises are beginning to fade, leaving her skin that lovely tone I love.

  I stand and make my way toward her.

  “It’s about time for us to go,” I say, carefully watching her reaction. She gives me a beaming smile and stands to head into the house. I watch her retreating figure. Hmmm.

  * * * * *

  The nurse is smiling at us as she presses the scope on Elise’s stomach. I hold her hand in mine. Today is a big day for the both of us. For Elise. She will be finding out the sex of her child. For me, I will be finding out the sex of what could possibly be my child. I know she has told me several times, and the records indicate how far along she is, but I am still skeptical. I try to push that thought aside as the nurse stares at the screen.

  I let out a breath I haven’t realized I have been holding as I look at the baby. I can see it. There, in black-and-white, on the screen. The life that is growing inside of Elise. The nurse pauses and stops moving the scope. She looks at us, smiling.

  “Are you ready to know what you’re having?”

  We both nod in unison.

  “It’s a healthy baby boy.” She smiles at us.

  I let out an exasperated laugh. A boy. I am having a boy. I am going to be a father. To a son. I look at Elise to see her smiling at me with a look of adoration. Something that I have longed for the two years we have been married. Tears are rolling down her cheeks.

  “We’re having a boy.” She laughs in joy.

  I smile back at her, bringing her hand to my lips and giving her a light kiss. I nod at her.

  “Yeah, we are. A healthy baby boy,” I say.

  “Would you like to hear the heartbeat?” the nurse asks.

  “Yes,” we both say.

  She flips a switch, and the sound of our son’s heart beating fills the room. A strong heartbeat. I can’t help the smile on my face as it grows bigger. I look at Elise, and she is smiling as she stares at the monitor.

  I look at the monitor in joy as a new feeling comes over me. I am having a boy. No matter the results of the DNA, he is mine. Mine to protect and mine to love. My son.

  Chapter 49

  Luca

  Watching Elise lately has been like a slow downhill spiral to insanity. I have tried to rein in my attitude to help her, but she is like a ticking time bomb. Yesterday I’ve caught her out in the middle of the yard just staring at the sky. She has this psychotic look on her face. And the day before that, she is in the bathroom, just staring at her face in the mirror.

  There are dark rings beginning to form around her eyes from lack of sleep, and quite honestly, I won’t be surprised if I catch her talking to herself. She seems as if she isn’t all there. Like her mind is drifting. Wandering.

  I have been standing in the doorway of our bedroom for about two minutes, and she has been staring at the wall behind me. I can’t even read her. There is no emotion behind her gaze. The only time she ever shows any kind of emotion is when she is with me. Which should make me happy. But in a deep sense, it is disturbing. She is constantly glued to my side. Afraid at every turn. I literally have to give her a pep talk for three minutes just so she’ll let me use the bathroom. She hates being alone, and she trusts no one but me.

  “Elise.” She looks up at her name, and when she spots me, a small smile flits onto her face. I have to admit, though, seeing her smile is uplifting because it is very rare these days.

  I step farther into the room, and she watches my every move. I take a seat next to her on the bed.

  “Are you feeling all right, Elise?” I ask. She only nods, scooting closer to my side. “If anything is bothering you, you can tell me, you know,” I say, trying to reassure her.

  “I know” is all I get as a response. “How do you think our lives would be if our fathers weren’t so … crazy?” she asks.

  I have to control my anger at her words about my father.

  “I don’t know,” I say.

  She begins tracing random patterns on my chest lazily.

  “Don’t you ever want to know what else you could’ve done with your life? Don’t you ever wonder if there was more destined for you than carnage and death?” she says.

  I have to really think about her words. When I have been younger maybe. But even then, I’ve never had the time to be anything other than what my father has wanted me to be. A killer.

  “Do you remember your mother?” she asks.

  I literally don’t know how to respond to her. She doesn’t wait for my response, though.

  “I don’t remember mine. I can’t even remember her face. Is that awful of me?”

  I open my mouth to respond, but she cuts me off.

  “Did you see her face? You know, when you …” She trails off. I clear my throat.

  “Elise, this isn’t something we should be discussing,” I say.

  “Hmmm.” She grunts, rolling away from me. I close my eyes, trying to rein in my emotions.

  After a moment, she speaks.

  “Do I look like her?” she says.

  “I don’t remember much about her, Elise,” I say honestly. “She was just a target. Another job.”

  She rolls over, facing me head-on.

  “Do you remember what your mother looked like?” she asks.

  I nod slowly. She smiles softly at me.

  “Do you have any pictures of her?”

  I slowly get out of bed and walk over to my top drawer, pulling out the photo underneath my clothes. I walk back to the bed, handing it to her. I haven’t looked at that picture in years. And now that I look, I can feel strong emotions coming back. I watch as Elise holds my mother’s picture in her hands, tracing her soft features.

  A small smile is curved on her face. “You look just like her.”

  I actually smile at that.

  “Luca, will our son know me?” Her question catches me completely off guard.

  “What on earth are you talking about?” I say.

  “It’s just that, in this line of living, our mothers don’t live for very long. And sons rarely know their mothers. We’ve barely been married for two years, and people are already out to kill me. I just want you to promise me that if something happens to me, you will tell him about me.” She looks up at me with a sad smile.

  I reach out, pushing her loose strands away from her face. I look her straight in the eyes.

  “Elise, I love you. No matter what, I will protect you. Nothing will happen to you, I promise.”

  Her smile drops.

  “Luca, I almost died. I almost died. The whole time I was trapped in t
hat house, I just knew you were going to come save me, to protect me and not let anything bad happen to me. But I was wrong.”

  She could’ve jammed a knife through my heart and it would have hurt less than her words. Her body jumps, and I know she is crying.

  “He locked me in a room right under your feet, and he chained me to the column. I had to break the stair with my bare fist to beat it against the ceiling, but by the time I got it, you were gone.”

  I feel my heart sink in my chest. That was her. Those three hard knocks. They were her. And I was so caught up in my anger that I didn’t bother to check it out. I assumed it was Alexander.

  “He said the room was soundproof. You couldn’t hear me screaming your name, and when you left, he didn’t unchain me from the column. He raped me against it.”

  Her voice chokes, and she looks at me with true heartbreak in her eyes.

  “I know you’ll do everything in your power to protect me. You made that clear when you took a bullet for me. But sometimes it’s going to be out of your power, and there will be nothing you can do about it. So I want you to promise me that our son will know me. Even when I’m gone. And please, Luca, don’t let him forget my face.”

  I just watch her. I can feel my eyes stinging, and then I can feel the water as the tears roll down my face. She is right. And I hate it. Women in this line of important heads of families don’t live very long. It has happened with her mother, and it has happened with mine.

  She smiles at me, and a small laugh escapes her lips. She reaches out to wipe the tears that roll down my face.

  “The big bad capo crying about his wife’s fate?” she all but whispers to me.

  I grab her hand, bringing it to my face to caress. She is looking at me in confusion.

  “I think I’m losing my mind, Luca,” she whispers. “Every time I close my eyes, I’m back there … back with him.”

  “He’s gone, Elise. He’s never coming back.”

  “Tell that to my brain,” she says. “There are other men out there just like him. They put me in a room, and they were selling me. You should have heard the bids. All because I was your wife.” She rolls on her back, staring at the ceiling.

  “Elise, look at me,” I say.

  She rolls over, looking me dead-on. I grab her palm and put it under my shirt over my heart. We sit in silence as she gets used to the rhythm.

  “You feel that? As long as it’s beating, nothing will happen to you. I will protect you with every breath I have in my body. You are everything. I love you more than my own life. Our son will know you and be raised by you. He will, I promise.”

  She gives me a small smile and looks as though she is about to say something, but she pauses, a light gasp escaping her lip.

  “I think he agrees with you. He just kicked.”

  I can’t help the excitement that flashes on my face. She reaches out, grabbing my hand. She lifts her shirt, exposing her swollen belly, and places my hand on a spot. After a moment, I feel it. A tiny thump. And it drags across my palm. I let out a laugh of disbelief.

  My phone vibrates on the nightstand, ruining the small moment we have. I have to roll away from her to answer it.

  “Yeah?”

  “Boss, it’s now or never. Everything is in order. It’s your decision now.” Romelo’s voice comes through the line.

  I look over to Elise, who is watching me with wide eyes. I have been putting off getting that agent because she can’t be alone for very long. But today, I have made some arrangements.

  “Yeah, okay, I’ll see you in twenty minutes,” I say, hanging up the phone.

  I look at Elise, and she has a worried expression on her face. I give her a comforting smile and hold my hand out to her.

  “Come,” I say.

  She tenses as she hears those words but reluctantly walks toward me. We head down the stairs, where Nicolai is waiting. He smiles at Elise, giving her a nod.

  “Go wait for me on the patio, okay?” I say.

  She gives me a weak nod and heads outside. I walk toward Nicolai.

  “We’re getting this done tonight. I’ve made for some people to come over to keep Elise company. High security is staying here while Romelo, and I go ahead alone.”

  Nicolai looks as though he doesn’t like the idea, but he doesn’t say anything.

  “I want you to be near Elise at all times. Do not leave her under any circumstances. I also want you to make sure Matteo doesn’t cause any trouble trying to act like a guard.”

  Nicolai nods at me in understanding. What I am doing is very risky. I am going to murder an agent of the government for my own personal gain, and the only backup I am bringing is Romelo. I want everyone here guarding Elise so that nothing will happen to her or our unborn child.

  There is a knock on the door, and one of my men emerges seconds later with our valued guest. The man I’ve shot in the mountain and his dog. He is walking with crutches due to his leg injury. Which I am not sorry for. And I can’t believe I am trusting him in my home with my wife. But from what Elise has told me, I assume his presence will make her forget that I am even gone. He narrows his eyes distastefully at me as he approaches.

  “Welcome to my home,” I say.

  He still doesn’t respond, which causes my contained anger to finally erupt. I step forward, kicking his crutch out from underneath him, causing him to lose balance and stumble on his hurt leg, collapsing. The dog growls at me, but I don’t listen. It is obviously a trained dog that will only attack on this man’s command.

  “Do not disrespect me in my own home. I said welcome,” I growl out.

  “Thank you,” he mutters back from the floor.

  “Your job is to make my wife feel safe. The way she talks about you, your presence seems to calm her down. That is your role. Nothing else.” I study him closely as I speak, and he studies me too. “Do you understand?” I say out loud. He only nods in return to me.

  I walk to the patio and see Elise once again looking at nothing. I stand in the doorway, studying her. She doesn’t seem to be just looking because she is bored; she is zoned out. She always does that.

  “Elise.” She turns at the sound of my voice. I walk to her, taking a seat in front of her. I grab her chair, pulling her closer to mine so that my legs are in between hers.

  “I have to go for a while. To take care of some business.”

  Her eyes immediately widen, and pure terror blooms. “What? No, no, please don’t leave me.”

  “Nicolai will be here to guard you, along with everyone else. No one is coming through that gate.” Her eyes turn angry, and she grabs my collar, yanking me close to her.

  “Do not leave me … please.” Her eyes look crazed, and her voice is shaking uncontrollably.

  I slowly put my hands around hers, and they are shaking as well as the rest of her body. I clasp both of her hands in mine and take a deep breath, looking her in the eyes.

  “Elise, I have to go. I won’t say it again.” I let my authority seep into my voice. I have been lenient with her as of late, but she is beginning to forget who I am. Either that or she is just that scared out of her mind.

  Her bottom lip begins to tremble, and I can feel my heart beginning to melt. But I have to fight it. This is important. I let out a deep sigh, placing her hands between mine.

  “Elise, I will be back before you know it, okay? I promise. Nothing is going to happen to you. I brought you a friend.” I motion for Eli to step outside. Before he can really step, the dog is running out of the house toward Elise, and her face lights up.

  “Rocco? Eli?” she says, watching them. Her reaction almost makes me want to change my mind and shoot the man and the dog.

  “You can have your afternoon with your friend, and by the time you eat, shower, and go to sleep, I’ll be home. Okay?”

  She looks back at me and timidly nods.

  I lean forward, giving her a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”

  I stand to leave and walk
away from her but falter midstep when I hear the faintest whisper. It almost sounds as if she has said she loves me. But when I turn around, her attention is already focused on the dog. I must have imagined it.

  * * * * *

  The easy part about these things is getting the target and making them pay. The hardest part is infiltrating the target’s home, workspace, or just anywhere you can get the target without being noticed. Getting in this guy’s house is easy. Unlocking the house code is simple, and once we were in, he has to tamper with the video cameras the guy has set up. Nothing can be out of place.

  And now here the bastard is. Tied to a chair, mouth duct-taped, naked, and ready for death. His eyes slowly flutter open, and once he sees me, he jumps in his seat and begins struggling.

  “I think you may want to save your struggling for later.”

  He stops and stares at me with a hateful gaze. I step forward, placing my hand on the tape covering his mouth.

  “Now I’m going to remove the tape. And if you make a sound, I will kill you.” I wait for him to take in the meaning of my words. Then I rip the tape off.

  “Help!” He begins to shout and scream and cry and plead, and I sit there and wait.

  When his throat finally turns raw, he looks at me with wide eyes. I smile back, and a hysterical laugh escapes my throat. This is truly amusing to me. He thinks there is someone around that can help him. I will be an idiot if I bring him somewhere people can hear his cries.

  “You are really something, Agent Jeffries. You must really take me for a fool. Like I’d bring you somewhere people could hear your screams.”

  His eyes widen at the revelation I’ve purposely let out. I walk to the table, picking up the handheld power drill. His breathing speeds up when I move even closer to him.

  “Now, I want to know why you put my wife in a motherfucking auction house.”