“Yeah, we’ll see how wrong I am. Walk!”
I can hear Clara apologizing to the woman, who keeps saying it’s fine, and I lead the man into the changing room.
“In here.” I push him inside and move the knife to his neck. “Now, slowly, with your hands above your head, turn around.”
“Ma’am, you’ve got this wrong. I’m…”
“Don’t talk. Slowly turn around.” He exhales and turns. I push my knife against his neck. “Why are you following me?”
“This is what I’m trying to tell you, senora.” I narrow my eyes at him.
“Diego?” Clara’s ask from behind me.
“You know him?” I ask Clara, but my eyes are on the man.
“That’s Diego. He is one of your husband’s men. And my cousin.”
I don’t let go of him; if anything, I press the knife deeper into his neck. “Why are you following me?”
“Gabriel told me to keep an eye on you.”
“Why? He didn’t tell me anything.”
“I don’t know, but there is a situation, and I was told to watch you and call him if you go out.”
“What situation?”
“I’m not sure, but it's an all-men-on-deck situation. I’m also waiting for backup. I don’t know why and what’s going on. I’m just following orders.”
I let go of him, taking a step back, and put my knife away. Now that I see him face to face, I see this is no man. Even though he is tall and broad, his face says he’s just a boy. Not even older than me, with acne on his face. I’m almost sure he is barely of legal age.
“You're just a kid.” I look at Clara. Her eyes are filled with disbelief. “How old is he?”
“He just turned eighteen. He’s supposed to be in school.”
“I’m where I need to be. I’m helping, and that’s what matters. The boss said this is the only chance he’s giving me, and I need to get this right.”
“What do you need to get right?”
“Protecting you.”
I snort. “If I could approach you and threaten you, how could you protect me?”
“I can fight. I have a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. I wasn’t supposed to fight you or anyone else, just keep an eye on you. I heard someone has been kidnapped.” He closes his mouth at once. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
My eyes narrow. “But you did. Who has been kidnapped?”
“I don’t know.”
My voice hardens as I urge him to give me an answer. “Yes, you do. Think. and think hard, or I’ll tell Gabriel you failed in protecting me.”
“But…”
I cut him off. “Who?”
He takes a breath and looks from me to Clara. “The don’s wife.”
Isabella Catalano, whom I met on my wedding day and haven’t seen since. Not that I ever had the chance to. I don’t know what I should feel. If the don’s wife isn't safe, could we also be in danger? Has Sabatini done this?
