Chapter 45 – Gabriella
My sister said that this last week my father had been…civil. I was utterly shocked. I expected to hear of my mother’s death, of Carmela ending up in the hospital, or something equally as horrific. When nothing happened, I drew a long breath. Maybe things would change.
I could leave Boston, run away, and my family would be safe. That was always an ache, a flaw in my plans. The knowledge that I was leaving them in danger. But maybe now I didn’t have to worry about it, which meant there was nothing stopping me from choosing which path to take.
It’s time to plan.
I had to quit avoiding the heartache that came with my decisions.
But I refused to think about it.
Instead, I went to bed with a romance novel. A lighthearted read about a football player dating a flamingo zookeeper for social media recognition. Still dressed, because I was waiting for my husband to come home, I fell asleep to fictional problems, avoiding the ones in my real life. I didn’t want to think aboutleaving Liam. Or stay and never know Luca. That was something I could face tomorrow. So, I slept.
And woke to the sound of growling.
Sitting bolt upright, I whipped my gaze around the room. Storm, poised at the foot of the bed, growled at the closed bedroom door. His hackles were raised. Those pointy puppy teeth were bared.
Cold washed through me.
Carefully climbing out of bed, I pulled my gun from the nightstand drawer. As I jacked a bullet into the chamber, I whispered a prayer of thanks that I hadn’t gone to sleep naked as I usually did.
“Stay,” I commanded the pup.
He immediately jumped from the bed and raced to the bedroom door. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the puppy by the collar and, careful of the loaded weapon, dragged the pup to the en suite. Once he was safely there, something he yipped in protest about, I cracked the bedroom door open.
The shadows stretched across the hall. An eager crowd, they waited for the night’s destruction. I crept into their inky embrace. While they offered me cover, they weren’t my friends. They didn’t reveal the threat.
At the top of the stairs, I heard the sound of angry male voices.
Both Irish.
But only one belonged to my monster.
I tiptoed down the steps, pausing every time they creaked. The warning fell on deaf ears, neither male heard my approach.
“You’re so fecking gullible,” Liam scoffed, setting his book down on the coffee table in the library. “Kevin set you up, and you played right into his hand.”
The other male’s voice was tight with anger. He took a step forward, bumping into my couch with his shin. “That sniveling weasel had nothing to do with this! You killed my brother.”
“And now, I’m going to kill you too.”
How could Liam be so calm? The blond giant had a gun drawn and pointed it at my husband.
My heart slammed against my ribs. My unarmed husband.
No, no, NO!
Where were the guards? How had the man who’d cornered me weeks and weeks ago at Don Morelli’s dinner gotten inside the house?
It didn’t matter.
I slid through the shadows, going around the foyer to find a better angle. At least the doorway to the library was large. The pocket door was fully closed, which left the archway open to make a clear shot.
If only my hands would stop freaking trembling.
“You’re not going to be the boss,” Liam asserted. “I’m the king here.”
“Really? You going to stop me?” Johny sneered. “Say your prayers, cousin.”
