A couple of them opened their mouths but didn’t speak which was a wise decision.
“She is mine, in every way that matters, and to the world she will be mine. Sheismine, are we all clear?”
A chorus of yeses followed before Carlo grabbed the phone and began arranging things.
“So, what next, Gino?” Carlo asked.
“I want to kill him, to rip him limb from limb, but that would be too easy, plus, Anna doesn’t want that.”
“Aldo had the right idea,” Tony said.
“Shame he didn’t speak to us,” Joey said with a shake of his head. “He should have trusted us.”
“Anna forbade him. Again, her story to tell, not his.”
Joey didn’t look convinced. “She chose to have him cast out and a target put on his back.”
“I am not discussing this. We need to discuss what happens now, not then.”
“Okay, tell us how we do this then.”
Within an hour I was knocking at Gino’s door. Cara and the children greeted me warmly, although Cara looked nervous, presumably after what happened with Anna. I couldn’t help but notice the bruise rising on her cheek, presumably the result of Anna’s punch.
“Can we talk?” I asked her and she looked unsettled by my request. “There’s nothing to worry about, I want to check you’re okay and to explain a few things.”
She shooed the children into their playroom and led me into the garden.
“I know you and Anna met this afternoon.”
She laughed. “That’s one way to put it, Dante.”
“I have no issue with you and the kids and you are all welcome to stay here, but Gino has to go.” It would probably be easier for her and Anna if she left, but if she didn’t want to, then I would honour my offer.
She looked ready to interrupt but I continued with my prepared speech.
“Non-negotiable. He attacked Anna, hurt her and lied to her about me . . . she was pregnant with my baby. Nobody knew, not even me at the time, but he hurt her and when Aldo found out, well you know what happened, but he wanted to protect Anna so remained silent, and he didn’t want you and your children to be faced with the knowledge that your husband, their father was a bad man, but he is.”
“But where will we go if he can’t remain here?”
It was my preference that they all left but I wouldn’t put an innocent woman, and she was innocent, and her children out on the streets. “For you, I will buy you a home away from here, and you can either allow Gino to live there with you or if you would prefer, I can arrange for him to remain in a facility where he can be cared for until his death.”
Her eyes were wide and a little wild as she tried to work out if I had a time frame on his death. I did. Gino’s life expectancy had been reduced by the extent of his injuries and now his actions would reduce it even further, but it would be done in a way that to the outside world it would be an infection he couldn’t fight, or more likely a health complication.
“It’s hard to care for him.”
With a nod, I pulled her in and hugged her. “Then let me know where you’d like to move to and how close you want his facility to be and it will be done by the end of the week. Oh, and Cara, don’t worry about you and the children, your allowance is safe, unless you decide you no longer want it, perhaps if you remarry in the future.”
I was up on my feet, phase one of the future already executed.
“Thank you, Dante, and please apologise to Anna, for earlier, and congratulations on the baby.”
“Thank you, but before I go, I’ll see Gino for the final time.”
My feet carried me with speed to the room at the back of the house that was now Gino’s bedroom. Usually I would knock, but not today, I walked in without a second thought and unlike on previous occasions, I felt no pity or sorrow at the sight of him in his hospital bed. Rage was the only thing I felt, so much so that I had to pause and take a deep, calming breath as I allowed thoughts of Anna and Amina waiting for me back home to enter my head. Gino looked at me and although it was fleeting, fear entered his eyes.
I wasted no time in striding towards him, looming over him. “You absolute piece of shit!” In an instant I was raging. “I should fucking slaughter you, to tell everyone what a cunt you are and the depths you sank to. Anna. She wasmyAnna. What you allowed me to do to Aldo . . . and all of the time I should have rewarded him for what he did to you. So, what is going to happen now is that you are going to leave here, you and your family.”
Tears glistened in his eyes at the mention of his family.
