Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
“I have to go to the bathroom,” I say.
“Hold it,” Marcello commands. “Get inside.”
I inhale, knowing that this is the end. I hope Francisco finds us, and that he kills Marcello. I’m not usually so vindictive, but I feel justified in my outrage. I wonder if this is how my father felt when he died. Did he want someone to avenge him? Should I have tried harder to find his killer?
Marcello walks behind us, gun drawn. The door to the warehouse is gigantic, and it’s already slightly ajar. I’m able to slip through, and I almost make a run for it. But it’s so dark inside that I can’t really see. And by the time my eyes adjust, both Frankie and Marcello have joined me inside.
There’s not a lot of stuff in the warehouse, just a few boxes scattered around the corners. It looks abandoned. There’s a slick-looking guy standing about ten feet in front of me. I think I recognize him from somewhere, but I can’t put my finger on it. There are a bunch of other men, probably soldiers, standing around menacingly.
I keep my chin up. I am the wife of Don Corello. I’m not going to cower.
“Carlo,” Frankie says. He’s also calm, and I get the sense that maybe he’s been in this type of situation before. I wrote him off so easily, thinking that he had no connections to the criminal underground, but maybe that was too hasty. He has ice in his veins just like his father, and I’m glad he’s here with me.
“Frankie,” the man named Carlo says. “And this must be Marlena.”
I scowl at him. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”
“I am Carlo Andretti,” the man says. “Your father killed my brother.”
I gulp. This is too much. I don’t like the look of Carlo Andretti at all, and knowing that he has such a grievance against me is terrifying. “That wasn’t me,” I attempt to persuade him.
“It doesn’t matter,” he says. “Fruit from the poisoned tree.”
I hear a muffled shout from my right and glance over into the darkness. There are only a few lights strung high up on the ceiling, so not everything is illuminated. There’s someone tied up on the floor in the corner that I didn’t see before.
My heart sings when I realize that it’s Brandon. He’s alive! I found him! But the next moment, my hopes come crashing down. Because I haven’t rescued him, I’ve only inserted myself into a dangerous situation. Now we’re both in danger of dying at the hands of this man we’ve never met. And Francisco has no idea where we are.
I decide to make a run for it. I think I read on a blog once that it’s harder to hit a moving target with a bullet than one that’s standing still. My arms are still tied behind my back, but I’m going to do the best I can. I don’t bother signaling to Frankie. He’ll figure it out once I run.
I don’t get very far before someone grabs me. In fact, I can hardly take one step. A massive goon from behind grabs my shirt and holds me in place. Carlo Andretti steps close, his face a mask of fury.
He slaps me across the face and spits on my shoes. I’m petrified by the amount of hatred he’s packed into the simple act. I’ve never been spit on before. It feels demeaning.
My cheek is on fire from his blow. My eyeball feels like it’s going to pop out of my skull. I bite down on my teeth to keep from making a sound. I’m not going to give this bastard the satisfaction of hearing me scream.
From his corner, Brandon shouts again. I can’t tell if he’s trying to say something, or if he’s just screaming. Frankie steps between me and Carlo, his eyes flashing dangerously. I know there’s very little he can do in this situation, but I appreciate all the help I can get. If we ever get out of this alive, I’m going to tell his father how strong he was. I hope I’ll get a chance to sing his praises.
“Hey!” Marcello shouts from behind me.
I turn to look at him and see that he’s still got his gun. It’s still pointed at us and still extremely deadly. We’re not going anywhere. It looks like running isn’t going to work, and fighting is out of the picture. Even without my arms tied, there’s no way I could defeat so many strong men.
So, I decide to try a bit of negotiation. “I am married to Don Corello,” I say confidently. “Any move against me is a move against his family. And I didn’t know what business my father was in until recently. But I’ve discovered that both Brandon and I are members of the Rocca family. So by doing this, you’re declaring war against two powerful families.” I pause. The silence in the room is deafening. “Is that something you’re willing to risk?” I demand.