Michael
On Thursday evening, I set out with two of my father’s top capos. I trusted them completely and knew they would help me protect Bianca. I’d promised them very generous compensation to accompany her to Italy and protect her until I could bring her home.
Once I rebuilt my father’s empire, I would proudly introduce Bianca as my wife to the world. Many would think I married her because she was a Santoro, but in reality, I just wantedher. The woman was an obsession I didn’t understand, but I was a man who trusted my instincts, and this time would be no different.
Never in my life had I felt such a magnetic pull toward a woman. I wasn’t an impulsive man, but when I knew something deep in my bones, I followed that intuition. And I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Bianca was meant to bemine.
The black town car I was in came to a stop, and my eyebrows drew together as I noticed we weren’t in front of the warehouse where I was supposed to meet Bianca.
“Wrong place, Grady,” I said to the driver. “We’re supposed to be at 1600 Atlantic Avenue.”
Suddenly, a gun cocked next to me, and I turned to see Frank, one of the men I’d entrusted to help me, holding a gun on his thigh.
“Out,” Frank snapped, his voice cold as he reached over and opened my door.
Anger filled my veins as I realized his deception. My gaze swerved to James, and he flashed the gun in his hand so it glinted in the dim light. I had been betrayed by my own men.
Furious at their disloyalty, I stepped out of the car and reached for my gun.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Frank said, aiming straight at my heart from inside the car. “Hands up, Michael.”
Knowing that I needed to be alive to get myself out of the situation, I lifted my hands and James quickly rushed over to disarm me. Once he’d removed my gun, he pushed me to stand on the sidewalk, and they both pointed their guns at me as they spoke.
“How much did Victor pay you?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Much more than you,” Frank said. “He was quite angry at your dalliance with his fiancé on the beach last Saturday.”
Shit. I knew I’d lingered with Bianca too long, but the woman was an addiction I couldn’t deny.
“She’s too young for him, and he won’t be kind to her. We all know this. There was a time when our families stood for the honor of women. Now, Victor exploits young girls to make a profit. It makes me sick, and it should disgust you too.”
“I’m not a fan of the trafficking, but money talks, Michael. Victor paid us to teach you a lesson.”
Arching an eyebrow, I contemplated them. “So, you’re going to torture me? And then kill me?”
“We’ve been instructed toremindyou never to cross Victor,” Frank said before his lips curved into a sinister smile. “He wants you to remain alive so you can fully observe his marriage to Bianca. He wants to savor knowing he owns something you want so badly and will never have.”
“He’ll never own her,” I gritted as anger filled my chest. “And he must know that antagonizing me will only make me more determined to save her and end his hold on the families. The Caruso family is rebuilding, and I won’t be the heir forever. When I become the boss and achieve my goal, I’ll kill him.”
“He looks forward to the challenge,” Frank said with a dismissive nod. “For now, we’ve been instructed to take you into that warehouse, dispense with your fingernails and toenails, and rough you up a bit. We’ll hold you there for several days so you can’t approach Bianca. It’s imperative she believes you betrayed her.”
“You fucking bastards!” I screamed. “I’ll tell her the first second I see her—”
“Come within fifty feet of her, and she’s dead,” Frank said, his tone void of emotion. “Victor wasveryclear on that directive.”
I searched my brain for some way out of the mess I’d created; some way to save Bianca even though I knew it was futile. A shaft of pain shot through my heart at the knowledge that she would believe I hadn’t shown up for her; that I hadn’t come to save her. God, she would most likely hate me. What a clusterfuck.
Understanding that I couldn’t do anything about that at the present moment, I sighed with resignation as my shoulders drooped.
“Let’s get this over with so we can all get back to our lives. I’m not particularly fond of my fingernails anyway.”
Frank’s lips twitched in a humorless laugh. “Fair enough. Come on.”
Mentally preparing myself for the torture that awaited, I sent a silent apology to Bianca, hoping she might sense it somewhere in her young, innocent heart. Sadly, she wouldn’t be innocent for much longer. That bastard would strip it away, and she would learn the harsh realities I’d wished to save her from.
But life was long, and I was nothing if not stubborn. I wouldn’t be able to save Bianca today, but perhaps, in time, I could find other ways to help the woman who’d captured me under her spell.
“How long will you torture me?” I asked as Frank walked me toward a chair and pushed me to sit before James began tying ropes around my ankles and wrists.
