The night I attended Nicky’s ceremony, happy for her, wearing a gorgeous dress I’d always wanted was the night I’d first methimand learned I was nothing but a body for sale with a target on my back ticking like a bomb.
The first time I went out on Valentine’s Day and had my first real gig, the first time a boy told me he loved me, proposed to me, turned into a miserable night when he got punched in the face and went missing the next morning.
And now I waited like a prisoner for the rest of my miserable destiny, my punishment for sins I’d never committed, with zero power to stop it from coming.
I finished the song for the third time, and my phone remained as silent as death.
Tears came out of my eyes without an invitation. Of fear? Of sadness? Of helplessness? I didn’t care. What good were they now? They couldn’t save him. They couldn’t save me.
I set down the violin. “I wishhecould have just taken me that day.”
“Lina!” Nicky jumped out of the pool and covered her body with a towel. Then she rushed to my side and wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t say stuff like that, Sis.”
“Why not? It’s gonna happen sooner or later. Why would someone else have to suffer for it?”
“We don’t know what happened. Tino said it couldn’t behim.”
“Stop trying to sedate me, Nicky. We both know that’s not true.”
She rubbed my arms gently. “It’s awful of me to say what I’m about to say, but I really hope it’shimwho took Leo.”
“Why would you say such a terrible thing?”
“Because ifhedid, Tino would find and killhim, and it’d all be over.”
“At what expense? You don’t care if Leo died?”
“Of course I do. But if Leo had to die so you could live, so you could be safe, I can live with that.”
A lump clogged my throat, and more tears fell down my face. “I can’t. I can’t, Nicky.” My whole body trembled, and I sobbed in her arms, feeling like I was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.
“Angelina! Nicole!” Tino’s voice boomed as he entered the swimming pool area.
I jerked up, bracing for the worst.
He marched in our direction, his phone in his hand. “I found him.”
“Where? Is he okay?” I panted, my heart thundering.
“My men stopped him in San Francisco before he met the Lanzas. They’re bringing him back,” he said.
I fell to my knees, my face in my hands, a long sigh of relief wheezing out of me. “Thank God.”
“So he was going to break off the engagement?” Nicky exclaimed. “I thought this whole thing with my sister was a fling. I never thought it’d be so serious…”
“Fling or no fling, it needs to stop. We honor our words, and we’ve given our word to the Lanzas.” He gave me his phone as I wiped my face. “Call him.”
“And say what?”
“Fucking move on, for starters.”
I rose and nodded. Tino was right. I should push Leo away. I was no good for him. For anybody. He had to stay away from me for his safety. It was the least I could do to repay a fraction of my debt to Tino.
I tapped the green icon and put the phone on my ear. One ring. Two rings. Three… “Papà, I told you—”
“It’s me, Leo. Lina.”
“Oh amore, I’m so sorry I didn’t try to reach you earlier. You must have been scared.”
