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“I haven’t finished training him, yet,” my father objects. Not because of my age or any other excuse, he objects because it would reflect poorly on him if I don’t pass right now. He’s only concerned about himself. As I said, there’s no room for feelings in the mafia. Everyone is cold. Brutal. Lethal.
“Are you questioning your Don’s decision?”
“Absolutely not, sir. Vander will prove himself, above and beyond.” He doesn’t say the ‘or else’, but I heard it loud and clear. No pressure or anything.
The men move to various points around the room, wanting to watch the show about to unfold. The Don stands only a few feet behind me, determined to have a clear line of sight to Frank’s face, ready to see any deception himself.
I discreetly take a deep breath. This isn’t the time to be showing any hints of weakness. A game all the way. With my nerves settled, and a mask of calm rage in place, I walk up to Frank and whip off the black hood. He immediately winces, trying to blink away the obnoxious light blinding him. I glance over my shoulder, silently asking the Don with a look if he wants to do the questioning. He gestures for me to continue, giving me full rein to execute this how I feel fit.
What if I don’t ask the right questions? Or if he doesn’t answer anything? What if I’m a complete joke and end up bleeding out on the ground, never knowing if my Reginetta was ever saved? Then there’s always the possibility I get provoked and accidentally kill him before we get anything from him. Goddamn it. I shouldn’t be the one who does this.
“Tell us what happened today,” I order him, folding my arms over my chest. He can’t see me, but I give him my worst glare, settling in knowing this question should get an answer. We aren’t to the part where I accuse him of being a part of the kidnapping. There were subtle hints, but most of all, my gut tells me he’s a traitor.
“Oh, shit. Vander, is that you? Why would you let the little shit whose fault this is ask me questions? He should be the one tied to this chair, not me.” Frank glances around, trying to see past the light shining on him, searching for someone who bites at the bait he’s laid out.
For a fraction of a second, I tense, waiting for the Don to come up behind me and put lead in my head. It doesn’t happen. He knows I’d protect his figlia with my life. I’d never do something to put her in danger.
Nice try, Frank. Fucking bastard.
As the silence draws out, his smug confidence dwindles until his nerves get the better of him. “I had the Principessa playing calmly at the park when he showed up and had to rile her up. She started going nuts and when I tried to take her home, he grabbed her from me and took off. Next thing I know they’re both missing. I’ve been looking for her since,“ he spews, lying through his teeth.
It feels like I’m put in an impossible situation. If I try any tactics to get the truth out of him, it could come off as retaliation. But I also can’t leave it at what he said.
“Then why did we find you at a bar?” someone asks from the other side of the room.
The simple question bolsters my confidence. I’m not the only one seeing through his lies, they are too. Frank sputters, trying to backpedal from his lies and explain away why he was there. I’m not listening though. Pulling a knuckle duster from my pocket, I slide my fingers through it, making sure it sits comfortably.
My fist pulls back, and I sock him right on the cheekbone. There’s an audible crunch of his bone breaking, but I haven’t earned a sound from him yet. He may have betrayed the family, but he’s a tough motherfucker. He had to be—how else would he have survived for so long. Pussies don’t make it. They’re thrown away like collateral damage.
I don’t want to injure his face too badly and risk him passing out or breaking his jaw, so instead, I focus my next several punches to his paunchy stomach and ribs. The breath gets knocked out of him, and I’m certain I’ve broken a few ribs by the time I pause the beating.
“No one’s buying your bullshit, Frank. So why don’t we cut past it and get to the part where you tell us the truth? Save everyone some time, and yourself a lot of pain,” I growl at him, pulling the metal from my fingers and storing it in my pocket once more. I have plans to move on to something more substantial next…
Gasping for air, I wake with a pounding in my chest, my heart racing with panic. It’s been a long time since I’ve dreamed of what happened when my Reginetta was gone. The true fear I’m facing of her cutting me out of her life throwing me back to the last time I felt this way.
It took me hours to break Frank, to get him to the point he told us the truth of what happened. He despised the Don for being given the job of babysitter, not realizing it was the highest honor he could have received. The mafia life is a hard one… for everyone, that is, except the Principessa.
The Don never let anyone else see it, but I caught him in the softest of moments with her. She could make the strongest men fall to their knees and lay their hearts on the ground next to her feet. Nothing’s changed in that regard.
My heart rate slows after a few minutes of deep breathing. The weight of her head laying on my chest helps as well. Being so close soothes the deep and never-ending wounds from losing her as a child. As long as she lives, I’ll never give up trying to be with her, but I know I’ll be an empty shell of a man until she forgives me for the truth I’m about to share.
I hold her close, enjoying the time I have. It won’t be long until she wakes up and will be demanding to know why I was insisting she forgives me. And if she isn’t asking, the other guys will be wanting to know why I ordered we fly into NYC.
A carefully constructed tower of lies is about to come tumbling down.
My fingertips glide across her skin, up and down, needing to constantly touch her, while my other hand strokes her hair. Everything about her is so addictive. Even if I had an eternity, it would never be enough time with her.
Before too long, her eyelids flutter and blink open, shining her gorgeous blue eyes on me. A small teasing smile curls at her lips. “I thought for sure you would have jumped ship while I was out,” she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep.
My thoughts go to the real possibility of me having to put on a show of distance between us, and then the even greater likelihood that she will be the one keeping me away. Part of me wants to rip off the bandage and get this over with, and the other wants a few more minutes with her. One more taste. “Let’s take a shower before the others demand our presence.”
Her brows pinch together in disbelief. “As if a plane would have a shower that could fit the two of us. Nice try, big guy. Your ass would be hanging out at the very least.” She lets out a laugh, probably picturing the very thing.
“Hmm… I still think we should give it a try. Worst case, I can’t get mad if you laugh your ass off.” I pull her up my body and nip her cheek when she gives a happy giggle. My heart drops into my stomach… How long will it be until I get to see it again? “Better get in there first, or it’ll be your ass sticking out, not mine.”
She immediately gets up from the bed, running for the shower, but I don’t move, too entranced with watching her firm little ass running away from me. When she’s through the door, I get up to follow, desperately needing her one more time.
The water is already running when I walk into the tiny bathroom. She’s wringing out her hair and reaching to dispense the shampoo that’s in a container on the wall, when I close my hand around her wrist. “Let me,” I grumble, pressing my chest against her back.
