Pow.
Benny and I jump at Michele’s howl.
“Ahhh!My leg!“ he squeals in Italian.
I peek over Benny’s shoulder. Stephanie has a gun raised at Michele. She assumes a wide stance with her eyes trained on her target. She’d look terrifying if her baby hairs weren’t curling under her wig cap.
“B, I’mma need you to move two steps to the right in case my aim is off,” she says. “This motherfucker is about to catch all these bullets. Matter of fact, where’s that assault rifle you had, Tonio?”
“I got a few. You want the one with the grenade launcher?” he answers. A slap connects to the back of his head.
“Fuhgeddaboudthat, you idiot.”
“Vince!” I can’t reach him fast enough and throw my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?”
He hugs me tightly. “No one messes with my baby girl. You alright? He touch you?”
“He grabbed me by the hair and pushed me,” I admit and cover my ears when Vince pulls out a gun.
Two shots go off.
“My legs!” Michele cries.
“I’ll feed you your fucking eyes for laying a hand on my wife,” Benny says, inches from Michele’s face. He twists his gun into the wound.
Vince kisses my forehead and moves me behind him. “Take her home, Salvatore. I’ll finish him.”
“Vince—“
“Bianca, I’m not arguing with you. Go.”
“No.”
Every eye in the room is on me. Except for Michele, who’s curled into a ball on the ground in his own blood.
I cup Vince’s face. “I’m not the little girl you have to protect anymore. You taught me how to handle myself. I got me.”
His eyes shine. He stares a beat before wrapping his arms around me. “Thank God you’re okay.”
Benny holsters his weapon. “Do you want him in the basement or the kill container, my love?”
“Basement,” I say, pulling away from Vince. Michele flinches when I squat in front of him. “I’m not killing you today, tomorrow, or next week. I’ll take my time with you. When your body gives out, I’ll revive you. Suffering is only the beginning. I’m a spiteful bitch who will make you wish I was weak.”
Andrea whistles. “Damn, cuz,” he says, helping my grandfather from the chair. “I knew we were related.”
My eyes bug. “You’re on my family tree too?”
He nods with a goofy grin. “First cousin once removed. Michele’s dad was mine, unfortunately.”
I’ll be damned.
“Bianca.” Elio motions for me. Tears glitter my eyes at his wrinkled smile. He lifts a hand to caress my cheek. “Sei la mia gioia.”
You are my joy.
I kiss his hand and hug him hard.
“I’ve waited for this moment,” he says into my ear in Italian. “If it’s not too late, I’d love to get to know you.”
