A little away from the circle of men helping to save a life, I glanced around, making sure we hadn’t missed anything. Something still felt off, but it could have been because there had been no reports of Ricco on the premises. It wasn’t unheard of, but for some reason, I was sure he would be there.
When a wave of fatigue rolled over me as the rush of adrenaline faded, I moved to lean against the building, careful to stay out of their way but not straying too far. A van pulled to the curb. One of the Chicago soldiers jumped out of the passenger seat and rounded to the back, flinging open the doors. Another man barreled past me with a mattress tucked under his arm then flung it into the back of the van. Someone spread a blanket on it, and I watched as Trey and Tom carefully lifted Tony and slid him into the van.
I felt rather than heard a presence at my back and went to turn but was stopped when a hand holding a cloyingly sweet rag clapped over my mouth. A wave of dizziness overcame me, and my knees buckled. I knew I’d made a grave mistake by distancing myself from the safety of my newfound family.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MIA
Disoriented, I slowly inhaled, deciphering why I felt so horrible. With a rush of adrenaline, it came to me. My shitty stepbrother had drugged me again. I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t the first time I’d fallen prey to that. Anger burned through me, helping to chase the cobwebs away but not the dull chloroform headache. What I found most interesting though was the lack of restraints. I cracked open my eyelids, gradually letting the light in.
It was quiet, aside from the faint rhythmic sound of waves.Am I at the Jersey Shore?That was the only fathomable explanation as I remembered that Ricco’s family had once owned a home here, unless he had flown us somewhere. But I couldn’t get behind that thought. He craved power, and to remove himself from his Mafia dream of becoming boss seemed farfetched.
I guessed it was early in the morning, given how the light cut through the partially opened blinds. There were bars on the window.Is that a new addition or something that was original to the house?Either way, it effectively shut down any thought to escape through there.
The room was sparse—a dresser, bed, lamp, and two doors. My guess was that one was for the closet, the other for the exit. That was the one I wanted. I ran my hands down my thighs, delighted that I was still wearing the same clothes I’d had on the night before. My guns were missing, but I found the choke wire and several small knives intact when I checked the hidden pockets. A slow grin spread across my lips in anticipation of surprising Ricco with them.
Pots banged, and my stomach growled. I didn’t care. What got my attention was the slight scent of brewed coffee coming from somewhere in the house. If Ricco didn’t bring me a cup, I would kill him on principle.
The walls were thin, and I could hear sounds clearly from what I could only guess was the kitchen. Needing to stretch my legs and hopefully break out of there, I curled my toes, testing for numbness. I found none, so I pushed to a sitting position and slid my legs over the bed to the wood floor. It was cold, and I shivered from the chill.
As I stood, the door opened. My asshole stepbrother filled the opening with his bulky body, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand. I decided his execution could wait a few minutes.
“I brought you coffee.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, my need to harm him warring with wariness. “I’m not stupid enough to drink anything you give me.”
He rolled his eyes and took a sip before extending his arm to pass it to me. “There. Not poisoned.”
I snorted. “It is now.” But I was too desperate for the caffeine hit to turn it down. I made sure to position my lips on the opposite side of the mug then took a satisfying gulp.
It was rich and strong, with only a hint of creamer, exactly how I liked my first cup. The second could be sweeter, but that first hit needed to kick-start my morning with a jolt. “Why am I here? I’m already married, so your evil plot won’t work.”
He leaned against the doorjamb, crossing his legs at the ankles in a very relaxed pose that made me hyperaware of whatever he would say. Everything he did was for a reason. And to lull me into a sense of security with the lack of bindings, the coffee, and his relaxed body language… It couldn’t be good.
“I brought you here so we could have a little chat. There are many things Joey has kept from you.”
He got me there. I was going to bite, even though it wasn’t in my best interest. “Like what?” Another fortifying sip of coffee. Maybe a little more. I downed all but a quarter of it, needing the powerful punch it packed.
His deep chuckle filled the room. “In time. For now, come join me for breakfast.”
My stomach cheered him on while the rest of me couldn’t decide if I should attack him now or after eating. So I followed him, well aware that it wouldn’t end well for me.
Since I had the time, I thought I would fish for a little information. “Nice touch with the bomb at one of the Chicago-owned clubs.”
Ricco chuckled. “That was Guido’s doing.” He met my gaze with cold, dead eyes. “You underestimate him too often.”
Warning received.
It wasn’t until we were in the small eat-in kitchen area that I saw what he had in store for me—Guido sat casually at the table with his cup of coffee. The former Amato underboss probably still thought that marrying me could help him win back his position in the family.
“What’s he doing here?” I stopped before I got too close. They were both snakes. I had no idea what they would do next.
“Don’t be rude, sister dear.”
I made a gagging sound. “So sorry, I just threw up in my mouth.”“Sister.” Please.
Guido curled his lip, clearly disgusted. Good. I wanted him to stay far away from me. I glanced around the space. It was homey but small. “Where am I?”