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“Females aren’t treated with the same amount of respect as the men are?”
“Not really.” Izzy shrugs. “It depends. The women in our world are typically supposed to be more submissive and obedient. I don’t know if you can tell, but that’s not me,” she says with a small laugh. “So while my brothers are used to it and allow me to be who I am, that doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone else. Sometimes you have to be domineering to prove a point. Force them to respect you. Let them know that you’re not one to fuck with.”
Izzy’s phone rings, snapping our attentions to it. “Hello?” she answers.
“Ms. DiMaggio, Angelo Mancini has just been let through the gates. He should be arriving shortly,” the guard says.
“Great, thank you so much!” she says in her bubbly voice before hanging up.
“C’mon,” she says as she climbs off the couch, “let’s go meet him at the door. He’ll probably be there any second now.”
We make our way to the front door, and just as she suspected, by the time we open it, Angelo’s walking up the front steps with a smile on his face. He immediately gives me a hug, which I reciprocate before he greets Izzy with a hello.
“You really didn’t have to come tonight, but I appreciate that you did,” I say as we make our way into the living room.
“I wouldn’t leave you to deal with this alone.” He glances over to Izzy who’s wearing a blank expression. I’ve never seen her be so. . . cold.
“Although, it seems I jumped the gun on that assumption. Looks like you already have company. You’re a good friend, Isabella. I’m glad my daughter has someone like you in her life.”
Izzy’s gaze darts between Angelo and me. “I’m going to go grab something to drink from the kitchen. Give you two a moment alone to catch up. Do you guys want me to bring you anything back?”
“I’m okay, thank you. And I appreciate you giving Luxtyn and I a moment.” He reaches out and places a hand on mine. I think it’s supposed to be comforting, but something feels off about it. “I have a lot of time to make up for, so take your time in the kitchen.”
The smallest twitch in Izzy’s temple grabs my attention, but before I can think anymore of it, she gives Angelo a tight smile and turns on her heel to head for the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone.
The energy in the room feels strange. Unlike the other times I’ve been with Angelo, this is the first time I’ve been alone with him, and my mind blanks on what to say.
“Well, Luxtyn,” Angelo says, and turns to face me. “Since I was unprepared for Isabella to be here with you, it looks like I’m going to have to take advantage of our time alone and speed up this process.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“You’re going to have to come with me,” he says, his tone unwavering and a smile still on his face.
“Come with you where?” Confusion laces my tone. “Teo asked me to stay here, so I can’t just leave with you right now.” I check the time on my phone and see it’s a little after 10:00p.m. “He should be calling me any minute to let me know he has my mom.”
Angelo releases an amused scoff. “Teo,” he repeats. “That boy’s lost all of his common sense since you came around. Who’d thought he’d be so easy to crack?”
I take a couple small steps back because that feeling in my gut telling me something is off is taking over.
“Stop backing away from me, Luxtyn. This can all be very easy for you. All you need to do is walk out of this house with me before your sister-in-law comes back.” This time, his voice comes out harsh and the rigid lines in his face flatten as his smile thins out. Like he’s changed the person he is.
I’m about to call out for Izzy but think otherwise. I don’t know what Angelo wants with me, but the darkness in his tone tells me that Izzy shouldn’t be here. If anything were to happen to her, I would never forgive myself.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Luxtyn.” Angelo holds his hand out towards me. “You’re going to come with me, and you’re going to keep quiet. Or else I’ll kill Isabella with one shot to the head. You got it?”
His words confirm my suspicions. I slowly nod, and before I can move my hand into his, he grabs me and drags me toward the front door.
“What’re you doing, Angelo?”
“Quiet,” he hisses as he pulls me out the front door, down the steps, and to the trunk of his silver Bentley, popping it open. Zip ties and duct tape lie on the floorboard, and I freeze. “Now, are you going to cooperate, or do I need to use those things on you?” he asks, and nods to the trunk.
Shaking my head, I say, “No. I’ll cooperate. Just, please. Don’t hurt Izzy.”
The frown on Angelo’s face turns up into a cruel and twisted smile, and the wicked gleam in his eyes shines brightunder the moonlight. “Give me your phone, and then get in the trunk, Luxtyn.”
Doing as I’m told, I fumble to pull my phone from my sweatshirt pocket and hand it to him before getting into the trunk. I lie on my side and watch as he chucks my phone somewhere into the night.
“Now keep quiet. We’re leaving and I can’t have the guards questioning why you’re coming with me. You make a sound, and I kill every single person who matters to you. Including your mother,” he threatens before shutting the door, making everything go black.
