“Where is my wife?” I growled, trying to keep my composure. If I grew any angrier, I’d shoot her before I got any information.
“My daughter is in the care of her father now. She’s none of your concern.” The sick grin that crossed her face made me see red. Lunging at her, I grab her arm as she turns, and that’s when I see the gun on the dresser. She would have been better off holding it; at least she’d have hope then.
Wrenching her arm, I turn her and twist it behind her back. Her shrieks fill the space, and I grab the rope from Anton’s hand.Grabbing the other arm, I tie them together and push her into the corner of the room. Watching Francesca stumble and fall gave me some sense of pleasure knowing she’s now feeling some of the terror she allowed her daughter to deal with.
The older woman scrambled back until she was leaning against the wall. Her dark eyes narrowed on me, her jaw clamped shut, but she was calm. Eerily calm.
“I will ask you one more time before I start removing appendages. Where. Is. My. Wife?” My final word was said through clenched teeth.
“God willing, she’ll already be dead.” The woman smirked.
“I’ll ask you again, where is Emilia?” I leaned over her and waited. “You allowed your husband and son to abuse my powerful, strong, amazing wife. She sacrificed herself for her sisters, and you allowed that so I suggest you talk,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Don’t be so dramatic, Mr. Venosa; it’s not a good look on you.” She glared at me. Pointing my gun at the woman’s leg, I was ready to shoot until Lorenzo’s hand landed on my shoulder. Glancing behind me, I knew without a word from him what he wanted to say.
I could take her life, but I needed to save Emilia’s first. “I’m running out of patience, Francesca,” I assure her.
“She was ungrateful. All we did for her, and what did she do? Turn on us the second she had an opportunity. That girl made this entire family look like fools.” She spat as I drew closer to her.
“That’s where you’re wrong. Emilia brought validity to your family, brought honour back to the Carminatti name.” I crouched where she was sitting, tied up, her piercing eyes staring at me. “The night after our wedding, the four other heads of the Cosa Nostra met in my home. They all spoke to your daughter, and she was forthcoming and open about what was happening here. When she retired for the night, every man who sat atmy table knew your daughter had more power than they’d ever thought of. She was who they wanted leading your family.” Taking a deep breath, I knew she wasn’t going to make it out of this house alive; hell, she wasn’t even going to make it out of this corner.
“The meeting I was at today was to organize a hit on your husband. He’s a loose cannon, Francesca, and needed to be taken out. You would have been collateral damage also. Emilia loves her sisters, so I made sure they would be safe. I’ll move them into my home until they find their footing, but you, your husband, and this organization will cease to exist when I find her. I suggest you talk before I decide to bring your other daughters down here and change my mind about them living.”
“It was Mathias who took her. Vincent’s orders, obviously, but Mathias has been in love with her for years. She was promised to him until you changed the plan. He was the only one who knew it was her running this family, so he knew all her intel also.” The woman was talking fast, and I knew from experience that the faster people talked, the more they hoped I wouldn’t end their life. But I wasn’t a man who went back on his word.
Every person I’d promised to kill, I had. The woman snivelling before me would be no different. Even just to get revenge for my wife being raised by her. “What else?” I growled.
“They’d been stalking your home for weeks, when you found out the girls had worn wires to your home, Vincent was livid. It sent him into a tailspin, and he decided to strike. Emilia told Alessia that you were going out of town. Such a stupid girl, what she would say over the phone I’ll never know. So much for being the smart doña.” Francesca rolled her eyes.
“Where is she?”
“Nico, the tracker just turned on. We know where she is and have a team on their way.” Anto said quietly in my ear.
“You just lost the upper hand, Mrs. Carminatti. The funny thing is, with your daughter leading your family, you would have been exactly what you’d always wanted. Under Emilia, the Carminatti family was feared, and the people in high positions had taken notice of things that had never happened under your husband. He was a joke, a liability, who would never have been given access to any position higher than what he has now.” Standing from my crouching position, I raised my gun toward my mother-in-law. “Emilia was your ticket out, but you were all too narrow-minded to see it.” Without another word, I pulled the trigger, and she slumped in the corner.
Her death was much quicker than she deserved, and for that, I would always be filled with regret. One last glance at her, and I turned to the door. “Get her sisters out and blow it up. I want nothing left of this place in the morning.” I walked past Lorenzo, knowing I didn’t need to give him any more orders than that.
CHAPTER 35
EMILIA
He pulledthe gun out of the holster he wore at his side and looked at it. It was black, and I’d seen it all my life. It was always within reach, always threatening what he could do with his power. “Your mother begged me not to do this; she was sure you’d come back to the family, but I know better.”
My father’s back was to the door, but I saw it open, a sliver of light, and I clamped my eyes closed. All hell was about to break loose, and my father’s idiot men had no idea.
The lights went out, bathing the room in darkness, before a bright flash made the warehouse glow, and an ear-piercing bang followed. Opening my eyes, the door flew open, and shooting started immediately. My father ducked behind me, using me as a shield, holding his gun across me, ready to protect himself.
Before I had time to think, his gun fell out of his hand, and he was wailing behind me. The gunfire quieted, and the plastic that made a room was pulled down as the large overhead lights in the warehouse flickered back on.
“Amore.” His low voice calmed me and sent butterflies swarming through my stomach, all at the same time. “You’re notsupposed to cause trouble when I’m out of town.” He stepped on the plastic, making it scrunch and crackle under his feet.
“What took you so long?” I said grinning up at him. My father’s groan as he rolled around on the floor, clutching his hand to his chest, broke the moment I wanted with my husband.
“You’re welcome, wife, I’m sure you meant to say thank you.” He grasped my shoulders and tipped the chair up. He looked down at the plastic and saw blood trickling down the side of my head. Nico felt around my skull until he found the spot. “Are you okay?” His voice filled with panic, and all I could do was nod.
Nico got the zip-ties off my wrists and ankles. I hadn’t realized my hands had gone to sleep until they started tingling. Balling my hands and opening them, I felt the feeling return. The feeling of pins and needles was worse than being slapped.
I held my hand out, and I looked over at Nico. There were no words needed; I didn’t have to tell him my plan, he knew. He handed me the gun he’d tucked in the waistband of his pants.
