Page 18 of A Vendetta That Ruins

Anna’s pulling a shirt over her head and slipping into a pair of Keds by the closet. “No, I don’t want you in danger.” All I need is for someone to see her out. “You stay here where my guards can protect you.”

She fucking shakes her pretty little head at me. “I’m not staying here when your mother is in trouble. Marriage means we’re family and I’m not hiding out in the ivory tower while your mother’s life hangs in the balance and everyone else in your family is there. I’m going.”

“Anna…”

She narrows her eyes at me. “You remember what happened the last time you left me alone. Don’t you make me threaten you, Vincenzo DeLuca. I’ll be ready in two minutes. I just need to brush my teeth.”

I exhale a deep breath. Never in my fucking life has someone outright told me no, completely disobeyed me, thrown words of threat in my face and came out on the winning side. Anna Cassone DeLuca. All the world has thrown at her and yet she faces taking care of those she loves with a passion that’s hard to believe. But I’d be worried about her every second she was out of my sight, so I get the best capo we have on the line.

“Change of plans, Saint. I want you with the family tonight, by our side. Meet us by the casino gates in ten minutes.”

“Yes boss.”

I was going to have Nicolo talk to him about some changes to assignments but it’s clear we’re going to need more of our most trusted men close to the vest if we’re going to keep the ladies safe and not keep them a prisoner in the ivory tower. I smirk at Anna’s portrayal of her situation.

I glance up as she walks out of the bathroom. True to her word she hasn’t been more than two minutes and she’s ready to go. Anna grabs one of my jackets and flips her hair into a twist before placing it beneath a ball cap.

My eyes narrow at the transformation and the genius of my wife.

“See, now I’m just one of the guys. I’ll go out behind Nicolo. Surrounded by your men. No one in their right mind will think you have let me out so soon, or that you would let your new wife dress in such a way.”

I pull my now manly looking wife to me and kiss her lips long and hard. “Trouble with a capital T. You are the most talented escape artist I’ve ever seen.”

She laughs, a sweet melodic laugh that hits me right in the heart. I take her hand. “Let’s go.” She has been trained well; that’s for damn sure. But it still didn’t keep her from getting duped by that bastard Barcelo, or kidnapped, so while she may feel confident, I’m going to make damn sure no one gets another chance to take her again, which may prove difficult with my very adventurous and brazen wife.

17

Anna

The minute we’re in the armored limo, Vincenzo introduces me to Terry, a man wearing a bright white backward cap, and to Saint, a tall dark-haired man with tattoos all over the place who gets into the passenger seat beside him. I gather that Terry knows exactly where we’re going and needs no further instruction from his boss.

Vincenzo’s eyes meet mine from across the seat. I lean over and touch his knee. “What did Nicolo say exactly? I only heard bits and pieces.”

“When you were eavesdropping and should have been asleep without a worry in your mind.”

I roll my eyes. “It was hard not to hear.”

“Mitral valve repair or replacement. Something like that.”

“She’s going to be okay. You would be surprised at the number of times someone has to go back into surgery for one thing or another. I’m not saying it’s not serious but it’s a surgery that’s very common and there’s no guesswork involved. Lanah must be beside herself though. Has she even left your mom at all?”

Vincenzo shakes his head. “No, after we know that Ma’s okay, I’m demanding Lanah come home. It’s been too long.”

He’s such a good big brother. “Your sister is where she wants to be, Vincenzo. Her heart is where your mom is, that’s where she needs to be or she’ll just be worried about her the entire time, like you, right? It’s only that you’ve had so many things to deal with, saving me from Gallini, our wedding, Massimo and getting things set up to be safe for your family that you’ve been able to deal with it differently. She doesn’t have all those things to occupy her mind right now. She may need to be there just as much for herself.”

“How did you get to be so insightful, Anna DeLuca?”

“I lost my mom, remember. It’s something Sophia and I have talked about a lot over the years. Everyone has different experiences but wishing that you were able to really be by her side, and remember the love and comfort you provided, not everyone gets that. Don’t take that away from her Vincenzo, because if something were to go wrong you would never be able to live with yourself.”

To my surprise, Vincenzo just nods and stays silent the rest of the way, but I see the way his eyes are constantly moving, watching the cars around us filled with his men who protect us.

They’re watching for danger because of me. Maybe I shouldn’t have forced the issue of coming along but I should be by his side, and perhaps there’s something I can help with, not to mention I feel the safest when I’m right next to Vincenzo.

The driver clears his throat. “We’re coming up to the swap.”

Vincenzo nods. “You’re going to hear police sirens in a few minutes, we’re going to be in a small chase and then we’re going to be on the road again. Don’t be afraid.”

My eyebrows lift, watching with interest as sirens begin to blare and the car picks up speed, but not a dangerous speed by far, and then turns off an exit ramp, takes a right and then another sharp right, veering down a treed road in the middle of nowhere until I see a huge warehouse up ahead.