“I said,” Romeo’s voice was dark and cold. “It’s not an issue.”
“And you informed her about the wedding?” he asked.
“I’ve told her it’s going forward,” Romeo responded.
It was then, that I realized I’d truly been kept from the loop. All I’d ever heard was that Romeo and Lucia were getting married. It being called off for any reason was something I was unaware of.
“Is she agreeable?” Marcello asked, and it was surprising to hear the question from his lips. It was almost as if he was searching for the answer to a different question by asking that one.
“We’ve reached an understanding and the appropriate arrangements will be made,” Romeo replied.
Taking care of rats, the negotiation of marriage, making arrangements – they were things I had no idea of, and yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that they affected Giorgio. For the better or for the worse remained to be seen.
Not wanting to hear more, I slunk my way up to my bedroom and made sure to text Savio to come to say goodnight before bed. I wanted more information, at least to know if any of what they were discussing would be an issue for Giorgio. I expected that he might come up immediately, but after about half an hour passed, I knew it would be a little more time. I took a quick shower in my bathroom, changed into my favorite satin pajamas, and climbed into bed.
I’d nearly nodded off when there was a knock at my door, followed by it slowly opening. Savio peeked his head around the corner and offered a warm grin. “Oh, I thought you might be asleep already.”
His forehead was matted with hair held there by sweat, and I was unsure of what else had been discussed at that table, but it wasn’t good. “I almost was.”
“Sorry,” he responded. “Business.” He walked into the room and sat in the armchair not far from my bed. “What’s up?”
“What was that all about?” I asked.
His eyes thinned and lips pursed. “You know…”
“I know? I know you’re not supposed to talk about it with me, but just tell me. Did something happen?”
An exhausted sigh slipped from his lips. “Yes. Lucia attempted to escape with Antonio.”
“Just him?”
Savio’s fingers dug into the fabric of the chair. “She knew he was suffering the most. They might have doubled back for Giorio had they not been caught. Vittorio was killed by Romeo, but not before Vittorio killed Antonio.”
My heart fell into my stomach like heavy lead and my mind got dizzy. “Antonio’s dead?”
Several questions burned into my mind, but my body was too overcome with fear, though not the kind I was expecting. If Lucia had made an escape attempt with Antonio, it could reasonably be determined that having Giorgio around was a risk.
How long did he have until they went back to kill him too?
6
Giorgio
My arms were so sore they were numb. I’d been granted the luxury, if one could even call it that, of not being strung up in the chains and manacles in my room for the past few weeks, but in the wake of Lucia and Antonio’s attempt to escape I’d been locked back in and had been hanging there for so long, I’d lost count of the days.
The slap of a whip cracked against my stomach and I let out a howl. I was trying my hardest to keep my screams back, but there was no need to be strong for Antonio anymore.
He was gone.
After all of that. Everything he’d given up. All my attempts to remain strong from him. We were just one room apart from one another, but I couldn’t get to him. I’d tried my hardest to bear both of our burdens. As long as he could hear me not giving in to the torture, things would eventually turn around. Things would be okay. That was what I honestly believed.
I was wrong.
Blood trickled down my back and the new wound stung, more so when someone walked up behind me and poured lemon juice down over me. I let out a cry and tears filled my eyes and I could start to feel myself losing steam. My eyes were blurring and barely able to keep a clear focus on anything. That didn’t stop a heavy hand from gripping my head and yanking it backward.
“I don’t even have anything to ask you,” an evil voice growled in my ear. “Your brother gave everything up, but I see he was your last thread. Maybe I should have killed him long ago and I might have broken you sooner.”
My head lulled off to the side, but powerless though I was in that moment, I had more than enough reasons to hang on. One day, maybe not this week or even this year, I was going to find myself out of that dungeon. I was going to escape the hold that the Cavettis had over me, and then I was going to make them pay for all the pain they’d caused my family. For Antonio, for my parents, for my sisters, I was going to stick a blade deep into Angelo Bonifacio’s chest and make his family watch as I slowly cut him open.
