Ringo tapped on his phone and held it in front of Ellie.
She sucked in a breath. “That’s her. The wicked queen.”
Mario’s eyes drifted from staring at the wall to me, then to Ellie. “You met her in Chicago?”
“Practically tossed her ass into next Sunday at the club where she was smearing her tits all over my boyfriend.” She frowned and muttered, “Ex-boyfriend.”
Ringo smiled. But Mario didn’t.
His eyes locked on me. “Allie?”
I didn’t understand what he was asking of me, but whatever it was, he’d exposed a major vulnerability. His body language spoke volumes. I stood, approaching close and gently pulling his face to mine.
His lips brushed my wrist and lingered there. “Protect the home,” he whispered against my skin. His eyes locked with mine.
“Tomorrow, Loppa and Firenze will take you to a boat. You will cross to Sardinia. Understand?”
I searched his eyes. “No. Why are you sending me away?”
“Don Manca was kidnapped as he was leaving my father’s home this evening. He’s being held for ransom.”
“Damn. This is like a movie.” While Ellie marveled at the situation, I worried about his grandfather’s health. Yet there was more than Mario was telling me.
“How much?” I asked. I’d pay it with my share of the inheritance.
Mario’s eyes were black in the low light. “Not money, me.”
“No,” I told him.
17
Mario
Questa vita che volevo darti si è sgretolata tra le mie dita. —This life I wanted to give to you has crumbled between my fingers.
Ringo stepped forward. “That’s exactly what I said.”
He continued before I could argue with him again. “We will not pay a ransom, no money, no you. We’ll go in our way. Eliminate the source. This is bigger than your problems, Mario.”
My words were cold. “And sacrifice the patriarch of the family? Never.”
Even as I spoke them, I pulled Allie closer.
“Don Conti wants me. That’s all. It is a small price.”
Allie tugged free. “The hell it is!”
She didn’t understand?—
Ellie raised a hand and pointed at her sister. “I’m with her. And fucking Ringo here, go in guns blazing. Where do I sign up?”
These women were infuriating. “They want me. If that is what stops a war, then?—”
“Hell no. We wage war, our way.” Ringo’s voice was almost as cold as mine.
Allie spat at him, “Who wages war? Him? No. You? You tried to kill him. You have no say.”
“He’s still family,” I said, but everyone ignored me.
