While she tried on outfit after outfit, I discussed the message and the information with Joey. He almost lost his mind when I told him about his brother’s real activities. “How were you not aware of his bullshit?”
“We had a falling out years ago and the only reason I came around was for her.”
“So you didn’t bother to talk to him when you were there?”
“Every time she called for help, he wasn’t around.” He probably used that time to stay far away from Joey. “He’d be on what I believed was another bender.”
“What caused you to have a falling out?”
“We had several. One after his wife died and then one right before she went off to college. He’d hit her and I beat the shit out of him. I didn’t want her to help him ever again, but she went back, thinking she could fix him.”
I scoffed and looked at him like he was nuts, my brows furrowed. “He never hit her again, or so she said, but I think she lied to me because I would probably kill my own brother.”
“You should have because he wasn’t a drunk. The bastard is the head of the Houston Mafia.”
“What?” Ana stood in front of me in the sexiest red dress that hugged the lines of her body so exquisitely that I almost forgot the raging anger etched on her face. “What do you mean my father is a mafia boss?”
“He is. He’s not missing or dead.” Her expression flipped and anger fled and hurt replaced it so visibly that I knew I fucked up big time.
“I need to get out of this dress.” She rushed back into the fitting room without looking back at either of us.
I was on my feet about to go after her, but I had no idea how to fix this. “Fuck, what the hell was I thinking?” I slapped my hand against my forehead for being so damn careless.
“You were thinking about how to handle our problem.”
“Yes, but I should have been more discreet. It wasn’t time to tell her about her father.”
“No, but she wouldn’t have been pleased to learn of it either way.”
“Yes, but I would have appreciated our marriage already over and the license signed before she wanted to rip my heart out.”
“I don’t think it’s your heart that’s being ripped out.”
“I know that. She’s upset and even more so at me.”
“No, she’s not.”
“Yes, she is. I promised her that she could trust me. Her eyes said it all. I betrayed her.” Ana was taking too fucking long to come out of the changing room area, and it made me nervous. Not only did I need her, I had to make sure she was safe. I stood up and rushed to the area, tossing back the curtain that had her shoes still on the ground, but Ana wasn’t there.
I rushed to the sales assistant and asked, “Did you see my fiancée?”
“Yes, she just left with a man who said that she was feeling ill and you would be handling the bill.”
“I am, but I need to know who the man was.” Not a single one of my capos, soldiers, or anyone in my employ would dare take her without telling me.
Marco called my phone at that moment.
“I just saw her get into a vehicle; I’m keeping at a distance.”
“Marco, who took her?”
“It looked like Frankie. I would have gotten to them, but the street was crowded and by the time I’d reached them, the SUV pulled out.”
“Stay back, I don’t want that sick fuck harming her. I should have killed him the first time he insulted her.” In my heart I understood this was my fault.
“Yes, you should have, but that doesn’t matter. We get her back and then you destroy all those that had a part in her abduction.”
“Where’s Gio?” He should have been guarding the entrance while Marco stayed in the vehicle.
