His features harden and his gaze narrows, but he doesn’t say anything.
"That’s what I thought."
Remember, I said I can’t kill him or the balance of power will go to shit? Well, it goes the other way, as well. The pigs can’t touch us, unless they want to invite the wrath of theCosa Nostraon themselves.
"Elsa, let’s go." I turn to find her face ashen. She’s standing motionless, her gaze on the door beyond him.
"Elsa?" I lower my voice, "Let’s leave, right now."
She draws in a breath, then turns and walks toward the gate.
I close the distance to Fabio so we’re standing chest to chest. "If you dare touch her again, I will kill you, regardless of the consequences, this I promise. She is under my protection from now on, youfaccia di merda."
His features contort. "I am going to come after you, youfetente, and I’m going to make your life miserable."
I laugh. "I’d like to see you try." Turning, I follow her to the street.
Thanks to Adrian, my car is parked in front of the house. When I help her inside, she glances to the backseat, spies the car seat, and almost dissolves in tears.
“Shh-shh-shh, baby. It’s okay.”
I hold her while sobs wrack her body. Within a few moments, she takes a deep breath, pushes away from me, and sits down in the car.
“Okay, let’s go,” she says.
We drive for ten minutes without saying another word to each other. I glance at her, and find her staring straight ahead. Her shoulders are stiff and her hands are folded in her lap.
"Elsa, are you okay?"
She doesn’t reply.
"Princess?"
She turns away and glances out the window. "Can we go by my apartment first, please… I… I forgot something."
I am almost positive she’s lying, but that’s okay. I’m not going to push things, given our recent interaction with her ex-husband. I’m also not going to tell her I’ve already arranged for everything she could possibly need to be at my place. For now, I’m going to take her to her apartment, so she feels a little more at ease.
For the rest of the drive, she stays quiet. I reach her home, turn into the small parking lot, and pull into a space adjacent to the steps that lead to her building.
She makes no move to leave the car.
"Elsa..." I turn to her. "Talk to me; tell me what you’re thinking."
"Don’t you want to know why he said that?"
“Said what?”
“That you shouldn’t want a piece of ass like me.”
I shake my head.
"Aren’t you the least bit curious about why he doesn’t want me to see my own daughter?" she asks.
"Firstly, I don’t believe a word of what he said, and secondly—"
"Let me stop you right there. What if there is truth to what he said? What if I am such a horrible mother that I agree I shouldn’t be allowed to have custody of my daughter? Maybe I shouldn't be trusted with her."
"I wouldn’t agree with that."