Under alternate circumstances, things might have been different.
I didn’t beg permission when it came to things that were mine so I did not knock, simply put my hand to the lever and let myself in. Both women turned to look at me. I told myself I didn’t care that Vittoria had regained color to her cheeks, but the easing of my gut spoke otherwise.
“Come, Vittoria. It’s time to go.”
She stood with little hesitation, only stopping to thank and hug my sister, and then she came to me, standing dutifully by my side, awaiting instruction.
Fuck me. She would never understand what her passive nature did to me.
My cock jerked happily in my drawers.
We said our goodbyes and when I walked around the car, opening the door and holding my hand out to Vittoria, she did something… odd. Her expression softened, she placed her small hand in mine and when she was seated, offered a heartfelt but breathy thank you.
Her gratefulness for bare minimum was troubling and, quite frankly, pissed me off.
Who the fuck had treated my wife so poorly that opening a car door for her was some grand gesture?
I didn’t know, but when I found them, I’d kill them.
I would offer their heads to her on a pike as an act of devotion, bury them beneath the shadow of her sadness and craft her a crown from the midnight flowers that sprouted there.
My blood boiled. I slammed the car door harder than expected and my fury rose until I turned and saw my sister standing on the porch, wringing her fingers together, wearing a look of trepidation.
She stepped forward as I went to her, meeting me half way, and her eyes were heavy with woe. She spoke quietly so Vittoria wouldn’t hear her plea. “Don’t do this. She’s just a confused girl. She’s not a bad person, Tor. You see it, don’t you? I know you do.” My sister peeked around me, finding my wife. And then she gently took my hand and squeezed as she beseeched, “Please. As your sisteranda mother, I’m asking you not to do this.Pleasedon’t do this.”
I think deep down she knew my mind would not be changed, but she had to tell herself she tried.
My hands rose to hold her upper arms. I lowered my lips to her forehead and pressed a gentle kiss to it. Then, I pulled back, peered down at her and uttered regretfully, “I have to.”
Chapter10
Northport
Vittoria
Backingout of the driveway without Ettore’s children was my first clue that something was wrong. That small red flag did not stop waving the entire ride over.
Wherever we were driving to was farther away than I assumed it would be. I took note at twenty minutes, then thirty and when we reached an hour on the road, I sat anxiously in my seat thinking the worst.
The first sign we passed said Fort Salonga, and the next said Northport.
It was a residential area, but the moment I looked out of my window and saw water shimmering in the distance, I blanched.
Not good. Definitely not good.
Yeah. I was sure of it then and my gut sank.
Ettore had brought me out here to kill me.
The dread in my stomach twisted and turned until I felt ill, but outwardly, I remained unmoved. If this was going to happen, it was going to happen. Nothing I could say or do would change things.
In this world, an eye for an eye was the most common form of retaliation and I had a feeling that when Ettore lined up his shot and pulled the trigger, he would not miss.
Right then, I had many regrets, but my biggest would be not saying goodbye to my sister.
Vincenza was… difficult. She was strict, severe and unforgiving. Often times, she could be unknowingly cruel. But she did the best she could with a broken heart and an equally broken mind. Although she didn’t always give me what I needed, like a loving family with a sister who was kind and affectionate, I had to appreciate how hard it had been on her.
She was there that night. When it happened. And Vincenza witnessed it unfold.