I know I’ve said I’ll force Samantha if I have to, but it’s the last thing I want to do. Especially after what that fucker did to her.
At least she hasn’t told me to leave her alone.
Where I think quick on my feet, Samantha is an overthinker. I’ll just have to be patient with her.
“I’m hungry,” Renzo complains as we walk toward the back of Angelo’s club, Fallen Angels, for a quick meeting.
“Grab something to eat while we’re here,” I mention while I ignore the half-naked women entertaining the customers.
Big Ricky, Angelo’s personal guard, gives us a chin lift and steps aside so we can get to the office.
Renzo stops to shake Big Ricky’s hand, then asks, “Can you get one of the servers to bring me a plate of hot spicy wings?”
“Sure,” Big Ricky replies. “Anything else?”
“Curly fries smothered in bacon and cheese,” Renzo adds.
Big Ricky glances at me, and it has me saying, “Nothing for me.”
We continue down the hallway, and walking into Angelo’s office, it’s to see Damiano and Dario already at the table with him.
“When did you get back?” I ask Damiano.
He looks tired as he replies, “Yesterday.”
“Everything okay in Sicily?”
He lets out a sigh. “Yeah.”
Renzo and I take our seats at the table, then Dario says, “I’ve filled them in on everything.”
“So you’ve managed to get the attention of Vargo?” Damiano asks as his eyes rest on me.
“Unfortunately. Apparently, the man is after Castro and Diaz. He figures if I’m out of the way he can take over supplying counterfeit notes to South America.”
Angelo shakes his head. “Surely the fuckers know if he comes after you, he’ll have to deal with all of us?”
“Maybe he’s not aware of how close we are,” Renzo mutters.
“We’ve been underestimated before,” Damiano grumbles. His eyes lock with mine. “We have to show a united front. We’ll send men to guard your companies so the Slovakian fucker sees he has to go through all of us to get to you.”
Nodding, I let out a sigh. “Thanks. I appreciate the help.” I shake my head. “I just wish Vargo would stop moving around so I can kill him.”
“His brother, Miro, is still in Miami,” Dario mentions. “Damiano is back, so I suggest we kidnap him.”
Damiano’s eyebrow lifts. “I can’t leave New York right now, but we can assemble a team to kidnap Miro.”
“That’s a good idea. I’d hate to leave Vittoria,” Angelo adds his two cents.
“I’m in,” Renzo agrees.
“Then it’s settled,” Damiano says. “Get the team together to bring Miro to our territory. Once Ivan surfaces, we take out the fucker and call it a day.”
“Does anyone else have something to discuss?” Angelo asks.
“I just became the proud owner of a ballet company,” Dario says with a grin on his face. “La Rosa Opera Ballet.”
“Ah…congrats,” Renzo chuckles. “But why?”
Dario gives him an incredulous look. “You clearly haven’t seen ballerinas. God’s masterpieces.”
“Ballerinas or a specific ballerina?” Angelo asks.
Darios’s grin widens. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Fucker,” Angelo mutters before turning his attention to me. “I hear you’re finally taken.” A mischievous smile curves his mouth. “Mystery man.”
My eyes flick to Renzo, and I slap him upside the head. “You fucking told them?”
He holds up his hand in the universal sign for peace. “Of course. I wasn’t going to keep that shit to myself.”
Even Damiano chuckles, which is rare. “Mystery man. Now I’ve heard it all.”
Just as Big Ricky brings Renzo’s food, I climb to my feet and mutter. “Fuck the whole lot of you.”
They all laugh at my expense, but I don’t mind. We need a bit of light-heartedness in the storm we’re facing.
“Are you going to Samantha?” Renzo asks.
I shake my head. “I have a meeting with Paulie. He’s been tracking Samantha’s ex.”
“Is the woman in trouble?” Damiano asks.
“No. I just want to kill the fucker for what he did to her in the past.”
“Let us know if you need help,” Angelo mentions.
“Thanks.” I give the men a chin lift, and leaving the office, I head out of the club to where Marcello and Milo are waiting for me.
Samantha
After work, I joined Jenny for a couple of drinks, and on my way home, I picked up an order of Chinese takeout for dinner.
Jenny is on cloud nine, planning the perfect wedding.
God, I can’t imagine having three hundred guests. She’s inviting people she’s never even spoken to just because they’re somehow related to her.
It’s insane.
My phone beeps, and I dig it out of my bag as I walk into my apartment building. Seeing a text from Mom, I smile.
Mom: Matt and Wendy had a baby boy. I was right.
Mom: He’s so beautiful!!!
I look at the photo of her holding her first grandchild and love how happy she looks.
I type out a reply and press send.
Sammie: He’s so adorable. Congratulations, Grandma. Tell Matt I’ll call him.
Placing my phone in my handbag, I dig my keys out. When I reach my apartment door, I unlock it, and as I push it open, I’m hit with the smell of flowers.
Thank God Franco stopped leaving the flowers at my window.
I place the takeout bag on the side table, and when I turn around to shut the door, I startle so badly a shriek escapes me.
A man is standing in my doorway, and it takes me a moment to recognize him.
Todd.
Where he used to have dark blonde hair, it’s now white. There’s a scar across his nose, and it looks like he’s aged ten years.
I dart forward, and grabbing hold of the door, I try to close it on him, but he uses a cane to stop me.
“Did you think I wouldn’t find you?” Todd sneers.
“Leave me alone!” I shriek.
My breaths explode over my lips, and my heart hammers in my chest as he forces his way into my apartment.
“Why did you run from me, Sam?” Todd asks, his tone that of a deranged man.
Letting go of the door, I spin around and make a run for the fire escape.
The cane wacks me against the side of my head, and I fall over the side of the couch and plow into a side table. The vase with roses falls with me, and as the glass shatters, my palm lands on it.
The broken glass stabs into my hand, and I let out a cry from the sharp pain.
“Now look what you’ve done!” he chastises me as if I’m a petulant child.
The shock of seeing Todd and having him attack me shudders through my soul, but my body is in flight or fight mode, and I dart back to my feet.
Knowing I won’t be able to open the window before Todd gets to me, I rush to the kitchen so I can grab a knife.
“You know we’re meant to be together,” Todd shouts behind me.
As I reach for the drawer where I keep my cutlery, the cane hits my back, and I slam into the table.
The wooden legs of the chairs and table screech across the floor as they move. The pans hanging from a rack mounted to the ceiling sway, and one falls, knocking against my left shoulder.
Before I can catch my balance, I’m shoved to the floor. I manage to turn around, and as Todd climbs on me, I fight with all my strength.
I slap and claw at him.
My breaths burst in hot puffs over my dry lips.
My heart hammers against my ribs.
My eyes are frozen in horror on the man who’s destroyed me once before.
He wraps his hands around my throat, and as he squeezes hard, he shouts, “Look what you’ve done to me! Because you ran, I had to go after you. I totaled my car because of you. I spent ten months in the hospital because of you.”
He leans so close to me I can smell his breath, and his voice is shaking with rage as he says, “Look. What. You’ve. Done. To. Me.”
He tightens his fingers around my neck as if he’s trying to crush my windpipe, and I gasp for air.
Todd leans closer, and as I see the deranged look in his eyes, he whispers, “Shhh…shhh… we’ll be together soon, Sam. Shhhhh…”
I’ve heard your life flashes in front of your eyes in your final moments, but as I’m being strangled, I see my future.
Franco kissing me.
Us making love.
Dad walking me down the aisle.
Franco putting his ring on my finger.
Holding our baby.
A strength born from my will to survive courses through my veins, and I slam my fists against Todd. Realizing it’s not helping, I frantically search the floor around me for the pan.
My vision goes spotty, and my lungs scream for air.
Todd’s deranged face will not be the last thing I see!
My body bucks beneath his, attempting to throw him off, then my fingers touch the handle of the pan, and gripping it tightly, I swing it through the air.
The base of the pan connects with the side of Todd’s head, and he sprawls onto the floor beside me.
My throat aches as I suck in desperate breaths of air, and scrambling to my feet, I run for the front door.
It feels as if Todd’s right behind me, and it has me sprinting down the stairs. When I burst through the exit of the building, I run up the sidewalk and flag down the first cab I see.
The moment the car pulls over to the curb, I yank the door open and dive into the backseat. “Go!” I shout, the terror of Todd getting to me all I can think of.
The cab pulls away, and the driver keeps glancing over his shoulder at me. “To the hospital?” he asks.
Todd can get to me at the hospital. I won’t be safe there.
I shake my head wildly and give him Franco’s address.
