When Ari’s face fell and a single tear slid down her perfect cheek, I couldn’t take it anymore. Jumping up, I crossed the room and gathered her in my arms. She was trembling, so I pulled her closer to me, whispering everything would be okay. Scooting her body a bit, I sat us down on one of the other sofas in the room. I lifted her chin up to see her eyes were red from crying. Her makeup was smeared on my shirt, I reached into my pocket and removed my handkerchief, wiping away the black marks which obscured my view of her perfect face.
“Baby, you okay?” I questioned in a soft voice. She was scared out of her mind for some reason so I was trying to tell her with my eyes and touch she was perfectly safe.
“You see, it was just after my refusal to unite the Families that I received a call notifying me one of my buildings downtown had been vandalized. I left this gorgeous woman in bed to go down there and see what was going on.” He smiled at his wife. “When I arrived, a young man was loitering around. He looked homeless and I thought, for a second, to give him money to either get drunk or find some food and shelter for the night. However, as I looked closer at the young man, I noticed his boots.”
Ari turned her head in Antonio’s direction keeping her face snuggled into my neck. Her hand intertwined in mine and I refused to question the turn of events. I didn’t give a fuck why she was clinging to me; I was going to enjoy it.
“My father, Dominick Senior, once told me you could tell a lot about a man by the kind of shoes he wore. This young man, whom I’d assumed was homeless, had on expensive hiking boots and, more importantly, they were new.”
I remembered that night. My father had been a target, and Anthony had taken a bullet for him. It was shortly after that Anthony came to work for my Family.
“It all seemed so coincidental. Anthony was at the right place, at the right time. He even managed to take the bullet in a manner so as not to require medical attention.” He was speaking to the entire room, not just to Miranda. Dad was gifted that way, always commanding a room, keeping everyone’s attention focused on him. “Then, he fed me a sob story about not having any family and his wife passing not long before. He seemed perfect to join the Family, too perfect for my liking.” His admission surprised me. My father had always treated Anthony like another son.
“It was Anthony who encouraged you to let Miranda deal from her house, wasn’t it? He told you her father had cut her off, leaving her with no real money and no place to live.” My father turned his attention from me to Sophia, blowing her a kiss and a quick wink. “But it was a lie, wasn’t it?” His eyes focused on a crying Miranda. “You weren’t penniless or homeless. You had a perfectly good husband taking care of you.”
“You see, Dominick, Tony didn’t send her away because she was getting into trouble. No, he found out his wife’s secret. When he had to have surgery, his doctor needed to give him a blood transfusion. Since his blood type was so rare, they told Vivian that Miranda was the most likely candidate for a match. However, once the testing was complete, there was no way, based on her parent’s blood types, she could have been Tony’s daughter. Once Tony was better he demanded a paternity test, and found out the truth about his wife and the affair she’d had.”
Turning to Alex, Antonio went on, “But you already knew who her father was, didn’t you?” Alex grew a smug look on his face and looked over to Miranda with a wink. “Miranda overheard her mother and Tony fighting and learned the truth of her real father. She went to her aunt’s house where she met Anthony Salluzzo, a local thug who just wanted a quick fuck, but you convinced him to help you with your plan.”
I couldn’t help but look over at Miranda. She had dried tears on her face and her eyes resembled a raccoon’s.
“You contacted Alex, told him you knew the truth about being his daughter, but he wouldn’t welcome you with open arms into his home, or his bank account. So, you conned Anthony into believing he could have it all if he just did what you told him.”
Ari moved slightly away as my father continued with his information. I pulled her back against me, needing her now more than she needed me.
“You used your… assets, to get the attention of Alex’s son. Using his addiction to cocaine, as well as his addiction to sex, to get him where you wanted him. I bet it didn’t take more than showing him that pussy of yours to get him on the roof top.” Antonio turned to Detective Gleason. “See, the reason you found similar DNA at the crime scene, was because he was killed by his half-sister, Miranda Salluzzo.”
There was a tangible shift in the room. Alex snapped his fingers and the men who stood behind him started moving toward Miranda. Antonio raised his hands, putting a stop to their advancement.
“Let them pass, Antonio,” Alex demanded.
“In due time, my friend,” my father responded, his eyes cold and dark.
Alex waved for his men to return to their original positions.
Antonio walked across the room to place his hand in my mother’s hair. With soft strokes he caressed her, loving her with his gentle touches. It was a sight I’d witnessed a million times between them; the love they shared was bigger than this world. It was while I looked away, giving them their moment, that I found my fingers gliding through Ari’s locks, the silky feel calming me, grounding me.
“You grew tired of Anthony, didn’t you? His willingness to follow your every command. You felt certain Alex would have no other choice but to bring you into the Family, but you were wrong. So, you decided you would find another way in, a new game plan that included the possibility of getting rid of Anthony in the process. Killing two birds with one stone.”
My eyes flicked over to Miranda again; her skin was ashen. I no longer recognized the girl who sat across the room from me.
“But he was careless, and you had to keep reinventing your plan. First, you tried to use Marissa by befriending her, asking her questions about Dominick and what he was doing. However, that all changed when Ari moved to town.”
I kissed Ari’s temple, grateful she had indeed moved to New York. She had completely changed my world, and I never wanted to go back.
“You still had to get rid of Anthony, though; so you persuaded him to talk with Alex Gallo, get him to work a few deals and give him enough rope to hang himself. You reverted back to Kitty, complete with a fur coat and red wig. Anthony would’ve eaten that shit up, some sexual fantasy he had. Although, the most impressive part is you had him believing he was really going to take over the Gallo Family.”
Alex was now on his feet, his men less than a foot from him.
“It was pure luck on your part that morning you told Anthony to stop for coffee. You had him so twisted about Dominick’s interest in Ari, he actually believed he was doing Dominick a favor by hitting her. However, you had no idea Dominick had made her an Untouchable.”
Antonio’s confession made Miranda gasp and slap a hand over her mouth. Large tear drops began to fall as she shook her head back and forth.
“Oh, yes. Dominick declared she was Untouchable before she purchased the shop, but you wouldn’t have known that because he’d cut off all ties to you as soon as he saw her, giving you yet another reason to hate her. You became sloppy when you let that anger cloud your judgment, Miranda. You assumed London was your friend, but London has never trusted you. As a matter of fact, she has voiced her concerns to me several times, and she was right.”
Miranda was now violently crying, and with good reason. If the two detectives hadn’t still been standing in the room, I had no doubt she would have been dead ten minutes ago.
“Antonio, I do expect things to be handed over to me in a quick fashion,” Alex spoke as he placed his sunglasses back on his face.
“Oh, wait, my friend. We haven’t gotten to the best part yet.”
My curiosity was now piqued.
“Best part?” he questioned with a tilt of his head.
“Yes.” Antonio looked to the detectives, nodding for them to continue with Miranda’s arrest. Gleason again began reading
her rights as he placed her in handcuffs.
“You see, I know you think I have forgotten about your involvement with Anthony and basically stealing from my table. You accused my son for the death of yours for years. I think one good turn deserves another.” The door to the solarium opened again and in walked Uncle Carmine and Stephen. Both men were dressed in black leather jackets and jeans. Stephen still had his sunglasses perched on his face.
“Detective Gleason and I made our own deal. I gave him the person responsible for Daunte Gallo’s murder and in return, he gave me some information on you.” Alex removed his glasses from his face, giving my father a ‘go to hell’ smirk. “Tell me, old friend, what information could that possibly be?” His voice sounded disbelieving. Antonio nodded to Stephen who started walking across the room. “The fact that a federal warrant just went out for your arrest. You have a rather large bounty on your head, my friend. One Stephen, here, is about to collect.”
Alex made a move to charge at my father, but before he could move a muscle, five guns were pointed at his head. Stephen moved to place handcuffs on Alex, and it was no surprise to see his men had slipped out the door. “You think you have won, Antonio? You think this is the last you have heard of me?” Alex shouted while Stephen began dragging him out of the room. My father never said a word as Alex continued to shout how he would be back when we least expected it.
Miranda was being searched when my father turned his attention back to Ari. “One last thing.” His voice was even calmer than before this time. He closed the distance and took Ari’s hand in his. “Dominick killed Anthony, but not to frighten you or make you think he would do the same to you if you crossed him or disagreed with him. He did it because he is a man in love with a beautiful woman. In this Family, we protect the women we love, even if it’s from the men we trust the most.”
I’VE WATCHED MANY MOVIES where time seemed to stand still, trapping a particular moment. Just like those scenes, my world was frozen, hovering from what I thought I’d heard, and the truth. Holding my last breath, the one where I gasped with shock, I replayed the words over and over. Everything I had believed about Dominick hadn’t been real.
He did it to protect me. Not to warn me to keep my mouth shut or go along with what he had planned. So many answers, yet I still question so much of what seems to be the truth.
And just like in those movies, my world once again went back into motion.Detective Gleason placed a furious Miranda in handcuffs, her angry tears marring her perfect makeup and ruining her mask of deception. Her dress inched up her body, revealing what was already public knowledge.
Alex Gallo, not one to be outdone, screamed for his men to return and get him out of this situation. Stephen slammed him into a wall and told him in not so nice words, to remain quiet.
“You think you’ve seen the last of me?” Alex shouted spraying saliva down the front of his suit. “I will get you, Antonio, this isn’t over!”
Stephen didn’t let him finish, instead shoving Alex out the patio door to avoid the party still going on. Alex screamed at Stephen, threatening, “…don’t know who I am,” and, “You don’t know what will happen if you don’t release me.” The fading words fell on deaf ears, all his anger and energy wasted.
“Time to go, Mrs. Salluzzo,” Detective Gleason said to Miranda while securing the handcuffs behind her. The atmosphere in the room was full of astonishment and revelation.
I was still trying desperately to wrap my mind around everything. Dominick was rubbing his hand up and down my back, eliciting a calming feeling with every pass. How strange was this? This feeling taking over my body, sending me to a place I had never visited. Even with everything I had suspected and made myself to believe, the secrets and lies which had been unearthed had my thoughts and feelings toward Dominick shifting. What was once fear, was changing into something else, something…
“Just one moment, Detective,” Antonio interrupted the confusing thoughts running around my head.
The detective stopped in the middle of the room, his right hand still holding firm to Miranda’s secured hands.
Antonio approached, one of his hands rubbing his chin, a clear sign that he was pondering his next words. With a quick motion, Antonio grabbed Miranda’s tethered hands. “This doesn’t belong to you.” His words were full of accusation, anger, and even a hint of sadness.
I knew the second he tossed the object into the air then caught it, what it was. He clasped the object tightly in his hand as Miranda began to protest. “Hey, Tony gave me that! You’ve got no right.” Miranda started to struggle more against the detective, only to be jostled hard and told to knock it off.
Antonio held the ring between his thumb and index finger, the light from the ceiling trying to bounce off the surface of the diamond.
“That was his great grandmother’s. He gave it to me.”
Knowing what I knew about that ring, it most definitely had not been passed to her from any member of any family. It was oddly shaped and had a strange seam residing under the diamond. A cheap ring, it wasn’t likely a real diamond. To me, it was the symbol of a life I wanted nothing to do with. Miranda could have it for all I cared, it probably held good memories for her.
“Anthony may have given this to you, but it didn’t belong to any grandmother, alive or dead.” His tone was clipped as he turned the ring back and forth.
Miranda’s eyes widened, but her gaze never strayed from the ring being held inches from her face. She reminded me of that strange little guy from the books, the one who referred to his ring as, “My precious.”
It had escaped my notice that London had joined our little party until she crossed the room and took the ring from Antonio. He smiled at her and freely let go. Like a magician, London pulled a jeweler’s loop from thin air to examine the ring. She turned the ring this way and that, studying it, memorizing it.
“Hmm,” she murmured after several turns.
“What did you find?” Antonio questioned.
Slowly, she lowered the loop while keeping the ring near her face. Antonio seemed to want her opinion, so I wondered if London had studied gemology or if she worked for a jewelry store, or pawn shop, to know how to use that loop so well.
“It’s definitely not old.” Turning toward Miranda she said, “So, he lied about where he got it.”
I knew where it came from. Corey had more than likely traded drugs for it, taking it as payment for money owed. Stupid ass hadn’t even known it was fake.
“It’s also got these strange numbers inside the glass.” London pulled the loop back to her eye to take another look. “29.9667 degrees north, 90.0500 degrees west,” she read off. She removed the loop and handed the ring back to Antonio. “It also has a black spot right under those numbers. I have no idea what any of it means, though.”
“They’re longitude and latitude coordinates, for New Orleans.” The words were out before I realized they had left my mouth. I closed my eyes, clenching them tightly as my reality collided thanks to words I couldn’t take back. I had been so close to freedom, so close to living my life the way I wanted to. Eight words. Alone they held no danger, but placed in the order I had just had, they were the nails in my coffin.
“Baby, how do you know?” Dominick questioned soft as a prayer, burning my soul for the truth.
There was no point in trying to lie; I’d said too much to turn back. “You can’t live through a hurricane like Katrina and not know the location for where you are in respect to where the storm is coming. When the call went out and the shelters began to fill, my family took refuge in an abandoned airplane storage facility. With no lights and no windows, we used the HAM radio we’d found to get info on where the storm was. My father wrote the numbers on the wall above the radio so we could all recognize them. After the roof came off, forcing us to run to another part of the building, I chanted the numbers inside my head.”
Antonio leaned over, kissing London on her cheek. She smiled when he whispered something in her ear.
She shrugged her shoulders like a three-year-old feeling shy. She turned on her heels and took her place next to a waiting Marco. Antonio walked over to me, his facial expression that of a man filled with hope and love. As he stood majestically before me, he reached slowly and carefully for my hand.
With shaky fingers and butterflies the size of Texas, I let him hold it. “You may not want it, but it was given to you for safekeeping.” He placed the ring in my palm and folded my freezing fingers inside his warm, soft ones. His grasp tightened as he leaned down and whispered into my ear, “Things happen for a reason, Ari. Keep this, just in case.”
Antonio’s words, I’m sure, were meant to be comforting. However, his knowledge of what had been revealed there tonight, and that he knew this was my ring, made me want to beg him to tell me the truth. Tell me how he knew this was a gift from a man Dominick had killed. How he knew, well, everything.
I nodded my head before turning to look at Dominick whose gaze was fixed on my closed fist. I didn’t like the way his eyes looked distant and hopeless. Even with all the fear and intimidation, I turned toward him and placed my free hand on his face, bringing his gaze to me. Something deep inside me ached at the thought of him in pain. “Dominick?” I said in a soft whisper. I didn’t understand why I wanted to free him of the pain etched across his face. A face, which up until this very moment, had held fear for me. But I did, and most surprising of all, the idea didn’t scare me.
His soulful brown eyes met mine as my hand caressed his soft cheek. I wondered what he would look like with stubble. It would only personify his bad boy image. Why my thoughts drifted to that, I could not admit, even to myself.
Dominick reached up with the hand on my back and grasped mine trying so hard to soothe his anguish. He closed his eyes, turning his lips to kiss my palm, slowly and gently caressing my flesh. With calculated torture, his face turns, eyes open at a snales pace, locking his eyes with mine, giving my palm a final kiss. “Ari, I have to make a phone call. Will you please excuse me?”
Stolen Secrets Page 22
