by KL Donn
“What do you want to do with him?” Pace asks as we stare at the unconscious man. Passed out from blood loss or pain, I have no idea, nor do I care.
“Drop him on the steps of the commissariato with the tape.” We voice recorded the entire interrogation. The same recording will find its way to media outlets as well. If nothing is done, I’ll be back, and I won’t quit at limbs; I’ll rip his beating heart from his chest.
By the time news of the chief’s deception hits airwaves, I expect Salvatore to be on the run, and that’s when we plan to grab him. And the wife for Nicola. They both have a lot to answer for, and I intend to be their judge, jury, and, if requested by my woman, their executioner.
Tying the chief up, we load him back up in the trunk just as my burner phone begins to ring. Only my brothers have this number.
“What?” I bark.
“Well, you should know, your woman is a filthy liar, she’s sick, and she wants to burn down the house of the man who raised her. Which might have been my idea. How long are you going to be?” Donato’s rapid-fire words leave my head spinning.
“What do you mean she’s sick?” I focus on the most concerning matter.
“I was following behind her when she pulled over, and she was vomiting before her door was even open.” I can hear her in the background as she continues.
“What did she lie about?” I rub the bridge of my nose with two fingers.
“Said she needed to get books from school, then left. We’re currently sitting four houses down from Salvatore’s residence.” Fuck.
“Why the fuck would you even let her get that fucking far, Donato?” I shout the question, pissed he’d allow her so close to the man.
“Hey man, you never said restrain her. You, in fact, told us that if we put one fucking hand on her, you’d rip our limbs from our bodies. This is your fault.” Pace snorts at our brother’s explanation, shrugging a shoulder when I glare at him.
I can feel the headache growing the longer I listen to this bullshit. I’m the youngest of the lot; how are they so fucking dense?
“Take her home. Call the doctor, and for the love of fuck, don’t let her burn any houses down, or I’ll rip your head off your shoulders. Got it, Don?”
There’s a beat of silence before he says, “Got it,” and hangs up.
“Burn any houses down?” Pace questions as he slams the trunk shut on Mario Santini.
“Seems Donato put the idea in Nicola’s head after she took off to do god knows what.” I’m more worried about her being sick than what she could do to the man who ruined her life.
Pace’s laughter doesn’t help my headache as we slip into the car and head back to Palermo. If I’d known coming home was going to be so fucking complicated, I may not have come.
But then I remember the sight of Nicola standing in the parking lot of the detention center over a week ago, and I know I wouldn’t change anything about the events that have occurred.
Nicola
Lying on the couch with a cool cloth over my head, I know Domino is on his way home from whatever he was doing and also knows what I did. Which means he’s going to be furious with me. Again. Nothing new there. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“Could you be pregnant?” My entire body freezes at the doctor’s suggestion. Peeking out from under the washcloth, I meet his stare and nod briefly. “How far along do you think?”
That’s a no-brainer. “I had sex for the first time around nine days ago. Can you even tell that soon?” I don’t know anything about this kind of stuff.
“You can. Usually from severe morning sickness. I’m going to order some bloodwork that I want you to get done in two weeks, your hormone levels will be higher by then, and it’ll be a more definitive result than what we’d get now, so soon.” I barely listen as he speaks.
“Yeah, sure.” I agree to all the tests he wants to run, covering my eyes again.
“I’ll leave instructions for these.” I hear a pill bottle as it shakes in his hand while he pulls it from his bag of tricks. “I’m leaving a prescription for the morning sickness in case it continues to worsen or make your days unbearable.”
“Thank you.” I place a hand over my belly.
A baby.
It’s quiet a moment before he asks, “Do you want this child, Miss Salvatore?”
Pulling the cloth from my head completely, I sit up. That’s not something I would have thought about. I’m dumbstruck as he packs up his instruments.
“It’s not a question you need to answer right now, but you do have options.” I give a polite smile as he exits out the front door, and I stare after him.
“Do you?” My gaze swings to the kitchen entrance, where I see Santi standing. I didn’t even know he was there.
“You can’t tell him,” I say instead of answering his question. My gaze slips down to the few pieces of paper and a bottle that says prenatal vitamins.
“Give me your answer, and I won’t,” he bargains.
Picking up the bottle, I concentrate on the image of the pregnant woman, and I wonder if I’d make a good mother. If we’d make good parents. Does Domino want children?
“Do you think he could ever love me?” My voice hardly makes a sound in the noiseless room.
“I’d say he already does.” I look up to see Santi entering the room. Sitting next to me, he grips the hand holding the bottle. “Dom is different than the rest of us. His moral compass is straight as an arrow.” I frown; the implications of that are clear. “If you don’t want this baby, that’s your choice, Nicola. But don’t tell him until you’re sure of what you want.”
“Because he’ll want to do the right thing.” Marry me out of duty and not love.
Santi shrugs. “Yes and no. He’s already claimed you. In his eyes, you’re already a Cardarelli. He might want to make it official to protect you both from what comes with our name, but don’t for a second think he doesn’t choose you already, baby or not.”
I nod as he stands, gripping his hand before he leaves the room. “I want the baby. I want any part of Domino I can have.” A beaming grin spreads across the man’s face. “Please don’t tell him. Not yet. I need time to process everything. There’s so much happening, and I’m barely holding it together.”
“I’ll keep your secret, for now. But you have to promise not to take any more risks. You can’t do anything to put yourself or the nugget in danger. Deal?” He holds out a hand as I hear the garage door opening.
“Deal.” I shake before rushing up to my room and stashing the pills and paperwork. I don’t want to hide this news from Domino, but I’d prefer to tell him at the right time and after I’ve had confirmation with the bloodwork.
Heading back downstairs, I find Domino in the hallway to the garage entrance, speaking with Pace and Donato. His head pops up as soon as he hears me.
My heart races as his intense stare bores into me. My body tingles as his gaze works me from head to toe, searching for something.
Dismissing his brothers, Domino stalks towards me, his body primed and prowling like a hunter who’s zeroed in on his prey. Retreating as he progresses, my back hits a wall, and his mouth descends on mine. Thankfully, I’ve brushed my teeth enough that I’ll taste mint for a month.
His hands are considerate as he holds me close. His fingers clenching into my spine, the need rippling through his body for us to be as close as possible only makes my frantic breathing tighten.
“Are you okay?” he growls, pulling back slightly. Only allowing air to pass between our lips.
“Very. I miss you at night,” I confess. Sleeping in his arms is one of the few places I feel safe. I’m slowly coming to realize that if I want Domino to be more open with his emotions with me, I have to be vulnerable with him in a way I’ve never been before. He has to know I’m all-in with us as much as he is.
Which has me blurting out, “Roberto Ciro.”
His brows draw together. “Who is that?”
Gripping the front of his
shirt, which I’m just noticing has blood on it, I pull him closer until our heads touch. “The guard who marked me is Roberto Ciro.”
I can already see his primal mind working out the best way to fit the man’s punishment into his busy schedule. Picking me up so my legs are wrapped around his waist, I capture his face in my slender hands, holding him until he meets my stare.
“Whatever you plan to do to him, you make sure you come back to me, Domino. I need you here. With me, always.”
“I’ll always come back to you, cara mia.” Leaning forward, I kiss him this time. Slowly at first, allowing him to hone into my feelings until he takes over and devours my mouth.
I viscerally vibrate with my desire to be taken by this man who holds so much of me in the palm of his hand. “Good,” I murmur. “Because I don’t want to lose you, Domino Cardarelli, I can’t.”
Domino
There’s a change in her. One I can’t accurately describe, but something is different about Nicola. She isn’t as hesitant or combatant when I give her an order or ask the simplest of questions. It has me wary about her motives. At first, I simply thought it was because she lied to my brothers and nearly went after Salvatore on her own, but she apologized and meant it.
Santi and Donato have been watching her closely all day, and I have to wonder if there’s something I’ve not been told. Pace and I spend the rest of the day waiting for the police to come bursting through the door after the way we dropped off the chief, but there’s been nothing as of yet.
As the evening news comes on, I turn the television up slightly to listen to reports of Santini’s kidnapping and torture, and I’m surprised when the confession wasn’t suppressed. The tape plays over and over.
“Is that where you were?” Nicola gazes up at me from where she’s lying with her head on my leg, tired.
“Yes.” I won’t lie to her. Not after all she told me this afternoon. Lying to this woman will only bring her a heartache I have no desire to incite.
Sitting up, I watch her swallow roughly, struggling to ask a question I don’t want to answer. “Did he tell you wh–why he chose my family?”
Pace stares at me, remorse in the pointed look as he gets up to leave the room. Maso and Donato do the same as Santi’s phone rings, and he follows suit. Alone, I pull Nicola into my lap and cup her cheek.
“He did. I don’t have to tell you, though. This isn’t something you have to hear right this minute.” I’d do anything to save her the heartache.
Chewing on her lip, I can see her rolling it over in her mind. “No, I need to know.”
“A few months before their deaths, a man was persistent in his pursuit of your mother. No warnings, no threats would deter him until your father beat him so severely, he was unconscious in the hospital for days.” Her sharp inhale precedes the tears in her eyes. “Pace and I believe Santini used the system to find attractive couples who in all likelihood had attractive children. Salvatore took over from there.”
Her shaking doesn’t stop her from asking the next, obvious question. “Why did they keep me? I saw everything...in my nightmares. I remember it now. The blood, so much blood. His evil eyes. I watched. Why would Vincenzo want me around?”
“That’s a question we’re going to have to ask him.”
“When?” Nicola gets to her feet, too worked up to remain still. “Why are you waiting?”
“His home in Cinisi may be heavily guarded, but we believe that the chief’s exposure will force him into hiding, away from his stronghold. Because the prick sure as hell won’t stay silent for long. He’s going to want to cut a deal with anyone he can after today.”
Chapter 11
Nicola
I spent the night in Domino’s arms, exactly like I wanted, but I don’t think I slept more than a few minutes at a time. My mind was too worked up over all the information I’ve been given over the past few days. I’m on overload and can’t slow my thoughts down enough to sleep.
But being held in Domino’s arms after we made love long into the night, I feel rejuvenated as I slip from bed in the early morning light. Silently, I wrap a robe around my body and go to my room to grab one of the vitamins, then head down to the kitchen for water and to let Capo outside.
I would prefer to take him for a long walk in the dewy morning, but I promised Domino I wouldn’t go anywhere alone until he and his brothers took care of Salvatore. Apparently, Natale Morello sent out a message stating that anyone who helps the man escape justice would face his wrath. After the stories I’ve been told over the years, I suspect that’s not something a man wants to do.
The house is peaceful as I grab a water from the fridge and meet up with Capo outside. Sitting on the settee I’ve found most comfortable since coming here, I bask in the early rays of the sun as I listen to the sounds of the ferries in the bay. Barely discernable from here, but without the bustle of traffic, I can hear them enough to lull me into a sleepy sense of security.
With my eyes closed and my senses dulled from exhaustion, my only warning that something is amiss is Capo’s yelp of pain before a calloused hand is placed over my mouth.
Staring up into the eyes of the man who has caused a lifetime’s worth of pain, tangible fear courses through me.
“Never thought letting you live would come back to bite me so thoroughly in the ass,” Vincenzo Salvatore curses out as a needle digs into my arm. Hissing, I’m immediately dizzy as I’m lifted into someone else’s arms and carried off the property.
Tossed into the trunk of a large vehicle, I don’t have the sense to fight these men off. I barely have control of my limbs. Riding in silence only leaves me time to worry about what they did to Capo and wonder how this drug will affect the baby. I feel so stupid as I stare at the roof of the trunk. I should have woken Domino up this morning to accompany me outside. I shouldn’t have assumed I was safe simply because I was on the Cardarelli property.
I don’t think we drive for long because when the breaks are slammed on, I lurch forward and hit the back of the seat. Groaning as my stomach does somersaults, I know I’m about to vomit. The opportunity comes when the trunk lid is opened, and I see my captors. Bile spews all over their pants and feet as I nearly fall out, only stopped by the harsh slap across my face.
“What the fuck!” Vincenzo shouts, slapping me again.
Pain radiates through my head. “Shouldn’t have drugged me and shoved me in the trunk,” I grumble as the other guy yanks me out by my hair.
Stumbling around, I try to gain my bearings and see where I’m at. Unfortunately, I don’t know how long it will be until Domino realizes I’m missing and something is wrong, so I have to prepare for the possibility that I’m on my own.
Ignoring the two men bickering as they drag me along for the ride, I can feel my stomach revolting again, and I’ve never been so grateful for morning sickness because when I throw up this time, it hits dear old mother right in the chest as she opens the front door. Her screech would make me laugh if it weren’t for the fact I still feel ill. Instead, I only want to lie down with a bottle of water and a cool cloth on my head.
“You spiteful bitch!” Aida’s hand connects with my face this time. My teeth clatter together, and I taste blood, which makes my stomach worse.
“If you guys keep hitting me, and I keep tasting blood, the puke isn’t going to stop.” I’m ignored as I get shoved in the door from behind.
Tripping, I hit the ground on my knees, and I have a sick sense of déjà vu as I see the shadows of the Salvatores around me. I don’t need to look up to know how it played out last time. The memory now lives on replay in my head every day of my life.
“I hope when Domino finds you, he tears you all to pieces,” I hiss between clenched teeth, doing my best not to upchuck again.
Lifted by a death grip in my hair, I’m forced along a hallway, through an open door, and down a flight of stairs into what I assume is a basement. Holding my hands protectively over my belly, I land with a thud on the chilly wood
floor.
When no one makes a move to follow me down, I relax marginally, needing a few minutes to catch my breath before I try to find a way out. I have no idea what the drug they could have given me was, so I don’t know the effects, but I do know I won’t stop searching for an escape until I’m free or dead.
Domino
My eyes pop open, and I’m suddenly wide awake with a sick sense of dread as my hand reaches over to find the other side of the bed cool to the touch. I don’t know why, but I realize something has happened to Nicola, and I fucking slept through it.
Darting from bed, I slip into my jeans from last night and rush to get downstairs, pounding on my brothers’ doors as I go. Demanding they wake up, I hear cursing but ignore them as I rush down the steps two or more at a time. Reflexively, I head to the kitchen and the patio doors, knowing Nicola would have taken Capo out before doing anything else.
Spotting the dog lying motionless on the ground by the settee Nic favors, my fear is brought to reality. Frozen in place, I sense a figure behind me.
“They took her.” I don’t have to voice who they are. We all know. Salvatore came for her before I could gut him.
“We’ll get her back.” Pace sounds so sure.
Nicola is the only pure thing in my life, and I’ve let her down in the most monumental way possible. I failed to protect her. Striding towards Capo, her best friend, I’m relieved when I see his chest rising and falling. At least, they didn’t kill the beast. I’m shocked they were able to get close enough to sedate him.
Picking the animal up, I hear Santi shouting on the phone with someone as I enter the house. Placing him on his bed in the kitchen, I nod at Donato, who is immediately on the phone to get a vet out here.