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There’s a ringing in my ears and a high–pitched squealing that makes it nearly impossible to hear anything. I can vaguely make out Gianni’s shouting. My father shouts something back, but I can’t make out the
words. It’s like trying to listen to someone speak while you’re underwater.
The smell of smoke tickles my nostrils. What is burning Gianni rushes towards me, his hands cup my cheeks and I want to tell him I’m okay but I can’t hear my own voice.
What happened?
The look on his face is pure terror, and his hands wrap tight around my arms as he pulls me through the kitchen, my Dad close behind us. Once outside, the fresh air helps a little, but I still can’t put the pieces together on what happened. All I know is that my heart’s pounding out of my chest, and I think I’m going to throw up
“Are you alright?” I can read Gianni’s lips even if it sounds like he’s talking to me from behind à closed door. He runs his hands over my arms, torso, face, and neck. “Were you injured?” I shake my head hard and he touches his forehead to mine for a moment before letting me go. My Dad gathers me in his arms.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice muffled. My head bobs up and down, and I lean against him when he wraps me in a protective hug. I can’t get my body to stop trembling.
A minute ago, Gianni was on one knee, looking up at me with so much love I didn’t know how I could take it. I was overwhelmed, overjoyed, and blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Everything was finally clicking into place; my happy ending was within sight.
Now, Gianni paces like a caged animal, shouting into his phone. He even kicks a patio chair into the pool in his rage.
“What happened?” That’s all I can say, over and over, while thin wisps of smoke begin drifting out through the partly opened sliding door.
“An explosion,” Dad says close to my ear. “Something exploded.”
“That fucking package!” Gianni roars.
“What package?” My question is swallowed up by Gianni’s continuous shouting. I’ve seen him like this before. He is ready to kill someone.
“There was a package.” Dad is probably shouting, too, since his ears are probably ringing as bad as mine are. “It came when you were in the bathroom.”
“I want you back here now!” Gianni bellows into the phone. “Right now, immediately, and on the way, call everybody in.”
Then he stops in his tracks, looking at me. “You still have eyes on Tatiana, right?” he asks the person on the other end–I’m guessing Roger. I tense up, gasping, and Dad’s arms tighten around me.
“She’s fine,” Gianni tells us before turning his attention back to the phone. “Get her here, now.”
He then puts his phone away, lacing his fingers together on top of his head. “I should have known. I should have fucking known!”
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“What the hell is going on?” Dad demands. “What the fuck did you get her into this time?”
“Dad, don’t,” I beg, but he doesn’t want to hear it.
Gianni throws Dad a steely glare. “Not now.” He reaches for me, yet Dad refuses to let me go.
“Please,” I plead. “I’m okay. Are you?” He looks tine, uninjured like Gianni and me, although he’s shaking from head to toe. I can only imagine what must be going through his head.
“I’m going back in there,” Gianni decides.
“No, don’t!” On impulse, I try to follow him, but Dad refuses to let me go no matter how much I twist and fight to escape his grasp. “Don’t go!”
“Let him do what he needs to do,” Dad insists.
“I don’t understand!” Though now that the shock is starting to clear from my mind, I think I get it. Somebody bombed the house. Somebody’s still trying to kill us. Trying to kill my baby.
I should be afraid–and I am. I’m scared to death that there will be another explosion while I stand here trying to make sense of the madness. I’m terrified of losing Gianni. What if he never comes back through that door? There’s a thin line between fear and rage. The rage is taking over, turning the terrified pounding of my heart into something murderous.
They tried to kill my baby, again.
And I don’t think it’s any mystery who’s behind it.
“We have to get away from the house,” Dad decides, pulling me along the patio, and around the pool until we’re standing at the far end. “Jesus, why do you want any part in this family?”
I ignore the question once Gianni emerges, waving at us “Come on. I want you to ret her out of here.”
“Is it safe?” Dad asks.
“The box was destroyed. There’s nothing left to detonate.” When Dad doesn’t move fast enough, Gianni charges at us, taking hold of me. “I mean it. I want her out of here, and you have to be the one to take her.”
“I’m not leaving you!” I may as well be talking to myself for all the good it does. Gianni pretty much ignores me as he rushes me through the house, where the alarm is still shrieking. It’s like an ice pick drilling into my eardrum. We hurry down the hall from the kitchen, where plaster dust is drifting through the air and the acrid smoke from a small fire flickering in what’s left of the entry hall.
The sight of it stops me dead in my tracks. The windows to either side of the front door are blown out, and the table next to it is in pieces. The artwork blasted off the walls, and a glance toward the living room shows the same thing happened in there–even the big flat screen was knocked off its mounting and is now on the
floor.
All that rushes passed me in a blur as Gianni sprints through the house with me in tow. I don’t think I take a breath until we’re outside again, where Roger’s car is flying up the driveway.
“What the fuck happened here?” Tatiana jumps out of the passenger seat while Roger barely has the car in park before flinging the door open.
“Where were you?” I can’t believe that with everything going on, that’s the first question I have as Tatiana
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runs toward me.
“I was just out.” After hugging me, she stares through the open door into the house. Her mouth hangs open briefly before she whispers, “What happened?”
Gianni clamps a hand over her shoulder and turns her toward him. “Were you expecting a package tonight?”
Her brows draw together, her gaze darting to the destruction again and again like she can’t make sense of it. That makes two of us. “Yeah? I think so. It was supposed to come today.”
“Where was it from? Where did you order it from?” Gianni barks.
“Are you accusing me of doing something wrong?”
“That’s not what he’s saying,” Roger insists as he joins us, standing at her side. “Whoever sent it either made a big mistake, or they always intended to send you a bomb.”
“A bomb? I ordered a couple of bras, for fuck’s sake!”
It’s Dad who cuts through the growing panic. “It’s obvious what happened.” A change comes over him–his eyes go narrow, unyielding, and now I see the longtime detective. Like he slid back into the role. “Whoever did this must have intercepted the UPS truck. It would be best if you had your men search nearby. They could have killed the driver and left the body somewhere. They placed the explosive in the box and left the mailing label intact to make it look legitimate.”
With his hands on his hips, he turns in a slow circle. “You can’t see this place from the street. They could have used a timer, or someone might have remotely detonated it after a certain amount of time. How long would you say it was?”
Gianni shrugs. “Five minutes?”
“That sounds about right. Was the box heavy?”
“Not very. You saw it. I practically tossed it onto the table.” His eyes close, brow furrowing like he’s in pain. “I fucking tossed it.” My blood runs cold at the thought. What if it had detonated then and there? I could have lost the two most important men in my life.
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“Who would do this?” Dad demands.
“Who do you think? The same fuckers who took them.”
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Gianni must not see the effect his words have on us, but Dad does. He wraps an arm around me, draping the other over Tatiana’s shoulders. She wraps her arms around herself and tucks her body close to his while I do
the same.
By now, Gianni’s men are swarming the house, searching for any signs of further damage. The two men posted to the front gate come running up the drive, both shouting excuses before they reach us. “It looked legit! The guy had ID and everything!”
“It was a regular UPS truck,” the second guard insists. Both of them look scared to death, pale–faced and jumpy.
“Oh, it looked legit? Did the person have an ID?” Gianni’s fist collides with the second man’s jaw, knocking him on his ass. Tatiana lets out a whimper while I flinch at the sound of bone crunching. I’m surprised Dad doesn’t react, but then he looks like he wants to take a turn throwing fists, too, his nostrils flared beneath steely cold eyes.
“Come on, beating the shit out of these guys isn’t going to help.” Roger pulls Gianni back while he snarls and curses at the two guards. “We’ve got to think about what to do next. Whoever did this, they’ll be in the area. They’re going to want to see the outcome.”
“A fucking bomb. They sent a fuckingbomb! To myhome! These motherfuckers. I’m going to skin them. alive.” Gianni takes Roger by the shirt collar, pulling him close. “And you’re the one who wanted to be cautious. You’re the one who thought I was moving too fast.”
“Dad, stop!” Tatiana begs. “It’s not his fault!”
Gianni shoves him away, snarling, but Roger only brushes himself off. “Blame me all you want, but that won’t change what needs to happen now. We need to make sure they’re safe.” He nods toward Tatiana and
- me.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I don’t know where that came from–the words poured out of me before they were a conscious thought.
“You can’t stay here,” Dad growls. “Either of you. This place isn’t safe right now.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Tatiana weeps. “Dad, it’s happening again. Why is it happening again?”
That’s what does it. That tearful, pleading question snaps Gianni out of his enraged haze. He is absolutely in anguish as he turns our way, and for a split second, I think he’s going to cry, too. I know him so well I can practically read his thoughts, and he is blaming himself for this.
“Charles’s right,” he announces. “You and Caterina should go, at least for the time being. Not forever, just for now.”
“Should they be together, though?” Roger asks.
Tatiana and I exchange a glance. I don’t want to leave without her. It’s bad enough I have to leave at all. This is where I belong, with the man I love. I didn’t get into this life to run away when things get bad–I might have before, but that was then. I’ve changed. I know where I belong. But I also can’t be selfish. There’s a life
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growing inside me, and until my baby can make their own choices, I have to do what’s best for them. They come first, then me.
“You’re right,” Gianni decides. “Charles, I’m going to give you the address of one of our safe houses.”
“What about me?” Tatiana whispers while her eyes well up again.
“I’ll take you to a separate house,” Roger offers. “You’ll both be safe.”
Safe. I’m starting to wonder if that word means anything. I’ve heard it so many times, but once again, the illusion has shattered. I don’t know if I will ever feel safe again.
Dad pulls out his phone for Gianni to rattle off an address which he programs into his GPS. “It’s twenty minutes away. I’ll get her there in fifteen,” he vows.
“I’m scared. I’m scared for you.”
((
Gianni takes my face between his hands and touches his forehead to mind while I whisper frantically. Come with us. Please. Let your guys take care of this. I need you with me. Our baby needs its daddy.”
“I’m going to be alright.” He presses a quick, fervent kiss against my lips and wraps his arms around me. I can feel his thundering heartbeat against my own. “I have too much to live for. I’m going to be fine. I’ll be better and able to think clearer knowing you’re safe. Your father will protect you until we’re together again. I believe that.”
That doesn’t stop him from looking over my shoulder toward Dad. “Are you carrying?”
“I have it in the glove box.”
“Hopefully, you won’t need it, but I’ll feel better knowing you have it.”
Dad tugs my elbow. “Honey, we should go now. This won’t be forever.”
Right now? This second? Though I know it’s the right thing to do, my feet don’t want to move. “My things! I don’t have anything with me!” I might as well be talking to myself as Dad drags me away toward his waiting car.
“As soon as it’s safe, I’ll send somebody with a bag,” Ginni vows. “Everything’s going to be okay.” He wraps his arms around Tatiana, who I wave to before Dal practically throws me into the passenger’s seat. I can’t stop the sobs from tearing themselves from my chest as Dad gets in the car and turns it around, pointing it toward the road,
I twist around in my seat, desperate for one more look a Gianni before the driveway bends, and I lose sight of him, of them. When will I see them again?
“It’s going to be okay,” Dad grunts while he navigates the winding, gravel path. “We’re going to get you through this. Everything will be fine.”
If I wasn’t crying so hard, I’d ask who he’s trying to convince, me or himself.
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146
GIANNI
There she goes. Theretheygo. She’s taking part of my heart with her. I doubt I could live through sending her away with anyone else. Roger, maybe, but that’s as far as it goes. Charles better hope he hasn’t gotten rusty during his time away from the job, because if anything happens to her, I will paint this town in blood.
A cold breeze blows over me, chilling my skin. Tatiana shivers in my arms. “Dad?” Her soft voice brings my thoughts back to her. “What should I do?”
She needs me to pull my shit together. I can’t upset her by blowing up now. As calmly as possible, I respond, “I want you to go to your room and pack a few things while Roger and I make plans. Okay? Can you do that for me?”
“Okay. Is it safe in there?”
I turn to the pair of men exiting the house, my brows litting in a silent question. “All clear,” one of them announces. “We got what was left of the device out through the back.”
“Go ahead–but don’t waste any time.” With a kiss on her forehead, I send her inside with one of them while Roger mutters into his phone. I haven’t seen him this intense since our time at the hospital. He ends the call and turns to me. “I just sent out word that we want Moroni. Both of them.”
Hearing the name twists my guts until I’m sure I’ll be sick. Sick with rage, disgust, and disbelief. “A fucking bomb. Just when I think he can’t stoop any lower.”
“He’s a fucking animal.” Roger’s face is a mask of rage once we enter the house, and he gets a good look at the damage. “He’s going to find out how fucking animals die.”
I still can’t make sense of it. “There was no way of knowing who would pick up that package,” I muse. There are bits of cardboard on the floor, most of it charred. At least the alarm has been silenced, allowing me to hear myself think. “How long do you think it would take to get an idea of the sort of device they used?”
“I’m sure I know somebody.” He looks at his phone again, scrolling through his contacts. “Though I have to say, I don’t know how much good it will do. I doubt we could track whoever manufactured it, and it isn’t like we have any doubt of who’s responsible.” He checks the time, grunting in frustration. “She needs to hurry. I’ll feel better once she’s out of here. For all we know, they’re planning to send guys in here now, while we’re all running around like chickens with our heads cut off.”
And there I was, prepared to propose. Ready to eat dessert, drink some coffee, and bid my future father–in- law goodnight before taking his daughter upstairs. I was going to spend the rest of the night basking in the warmth of her love.
The thought stirs my memory, and I dart to the kitchen, where I dropped the ring box when the bomb went off. A short search reveals it’s lying under the table. To think, I had been moments away from placing the ring on her finger. The symbol of my devotion to her.
Now she’s on her way to a safe house, because being to lose to me is a liability, and I let Moroni go too far. I underestimated him, thinking he was nothing more than a useful idiot. I’ve done some unforgivable things in my life, but that underestimation has to be the worst
“Boss? I have Costello on the phone.”
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Sliding the box into my pocket, I join him in the hall. Sebastian’s voice filters through the speaker loud and clear. “A bomb? Was anyone hurt?”
I exchange a look with Roger, that tells me he believes the concern is real. “No, everyone’s fine. There’s damage to the house but nothing severe.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It’s a good thing Moroni’s a fuck up, or else it might have been worse.”
“If you know anything…”
“I swear, I didn’t know a thing. I would’ve warned you immediately if I had. I assumed it was Moroni because, you know. Everything that’s been going on.”
I’m going to have to take his word for it. “Does he still consider you a friend?” I can’t bring myself to say the bastard’s name.
“He’s dragging his feet on the deal, but we’re cordial.”
“Call him up. Tell him you heard there was an explosion but you don’t have any details on the extent of the damage. I want confirmation, and I want to know where the fuck we can pick them up and yank their beating hearts from their chests.”
“Got it. I’ll get back to you as soon as I know something
Roger locks eyes with me upon ending the call. “Do you trust him?”
“You heard him. He was ready to piss his pants.” My answer seems to be sufficient enough, as he nods before moving on to the next phone call.
It’s only been a few minutes since I watched Caterina drive away. The fear in her eyes, the worry flashing at the forefront of my thoughts when I need to focus on ending this shit.Ending them, both of them, father and son. All the while, though, I receive updates from my men and wonder what the hell is taking Tatiana so long.
My thoughts keep returning to my little bird. Is Caterina glad she didn’t have the chance to give me an official answer before the bomb went off? I can’t afford to think that way, yet I can’t help it. She has the baby to think about now, as do I.
But while I want nothing more than to keep her close, she could very well decide this is the final straw. I believe she loves me, that she knows as well as I do that there’s no killing what’s between us.
However, she’s also a realist.
Get it together. Whatever she’s thinking, we can work it out, but not until I know both Moroni men are dead and buried six feet deep. I won’t be taking chances with my family again.
“Where’s Tatiana?” Roger mutters between phone calls “I would like to get out of here with her like tive minutes ago.”
“I’ll light a fire under her.” I have no doubt she understands how crucial it is to leave now. It I were in her shoes, I’d be packed and out the door by now. This is not the time for her stubbornness.
“Tatiana! Let’s go!” Her bedroom door is open, and I hear the argument going on inside as I approach. ” What is taking you so long?” I demand, entering the room.
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“I’m not loving without her.”
Craig scratches his head, groaning “I don’t know if you can keep it safe. It’s better to leave something important like that here for now.
He reaches for her, and she jerks herself away. “I’ll cut your fucking hands off.”
“What the hell is going on?” bark, startling them both “We don’t have time for this, Tatiana.”
She whirls on me, holding Amalia’s urn, clutching it to her chest like a shield. “I’m bringing this.
For tuck’s sake, Nobody has ever less deserved this level of devotion.
My jaw aches from the effort of grinding my teeth. “Honey. He’s right. What it something happened to it? It’s safer to leave it here. And it isn’t like you’ll never return.”
I shouldn’t be surprised when she barks out a disbelieving laugh. “How do you know? There’s no such thing as protection.”
I need this like I need a hole in the head. “Fine,” I grit through my teeth. “Take it with you.” The moment Craig grimaces, the look I give him clears it up on the spot. This is not the time for him to be squeamish.
“Where am I going?” she asks, trotting beside me down the hall. With her bag slung over one shoulder and Amalia’s ashes still clutched like a teddy bear, she’s never looked so much like a little girl. A lost, confused little girl.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
