rapist is not Antonio.
Confirmed: Una was
present and working
with the rapist.
Confirmed: I’m an asshole
for hooking you up with
Una. I fucking owe you.
Another text comes in as I’m reading them.
Antonio’s on the way.
Don’t be a dick. He’s got
a package for you. Call
me when you’re done.
We’re going to fucking war.
I stiffen, my voice rising. “Tommy, I can’t see him. Just one rapist doesn’t mean that Antonio didn’t—”
Tommy comes to me and pulls me into his arms. “Hey, you don’t have to, sweet girl. I’m going to put him and Una in the same room and figure out who’s lying. I don’t want you stressed out.” He kisses me then whispers in my ear, “It’s not good for our babies.”
I want to smile back at him, but I can’t. “What does Vin mean when he says Antonio is bringing a package?”
“A body,” my father slurs. “Antonio’s saying he’s bringing a body. Giovanna, you destroyed that boy’s life, you know that, don’t you? He had everything going for him until you came along. None of this would have happened if you would have just stayed with him like I told you to.”
“Dad—”
My dad rises unsteadily from the couch, his finger back in the air. “No. No, I’m serious. If you had stayed with him, you wouldn’t have been kidnapped. And Una wouldn’t have tried to use you to get to me—”
I turn toward him sharply. “What the fuck does that mean? It’s my fault that your little girlfriend got men to rape me? How the fuck does that help her ‘get to you?’”
My father slaps his hand to his forehead and mumbles, “Shouldn’t have said that. FUCK. I came here with one very specific thing to say, and I need to just say it. But I just don’tknow—I don’t know how to say what I have to say to you, Giovanna.”
He stumbles toward me, reaching for me, and Tommy cuts him off, gripping his elbow tightly and steering him toward the door.
“Mr. Marino, it would be best if you left,” Tommy says.
“No!” My dad shakes Tommy off. “I came here to say something, and I’m not leaving until I say it.”
“Say it then,” Tommy growls.
“Hold on a minute,” I snap. “Explain yourself. Why is Una trying to get to you? What does she want from you?”
Tommy begrudgingly steps back as my father throws his head back and stumbles a few steps back. “This isn’t why I’m here! Fuck Una! That bitch has ruined my life enough—”
“Dad!”
Yelling at him seems to break through his drunken rant, and he glowers at me. “Little girl, sometimes men say things they don’t mean after they come.”
“Oh my God,” I murmur, closing my eyes for a beat. “Can you please just answer the question?”
