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“I’m Vivian Barone. And you can’t give anything away. Your father had his lawyers make sure our daughters and I will never get a thing from the estate. It’s yours alone.”
“But I don’t want any of it. All I want is to go back home to my husband. He’s not the kind of man who’ll take this lightly. I’m positive he’s already devised a plan to get even with you. I can help your daughters and probably you too. But only if you set me free. If not, he’ll make sure you all die horrible deaths. I don’t want that for any of you.”
“I know all about the self-proclaimed king of the New York Mafia. What a joke that is.” She laughs. “My husband was dead before you were picked up. Your husband has been made aware of that. I’m sure he’s looking elsewhere for you now.”
This isn’t good.
“My husband isn’t a stupid man. He might think someone else has me right now, but it won’t take long for him to come back to the Barone family. You’ll see. But you won’t have to face his wrath if you just let me go. I’ll protect all of you as best I can. But you have to let me go to do that.”
“And what would you do with that freedom, Isabella?” She tosses her long, dark hair over her shoulder and places her hands on her hips. “I’ll tell you what you would do. You would run to your husband, and he would take everything my family has worked so hard for all these years.”
“I swear to you I won’t do that.” I don’t understand why she won’t believe me. “I have no need for money, and neither does he. My husband has more than I can even imagine.”
“You have no inkling of the wealth you stand to inherit. But I do. And I know exactly what I want to do with the money. But I have to move fast. There is a power vacuum right now with Daniel’s death. While he made sure his money went to you, his power within the family wasn’t a thing he saw fit to handle yet, so there’s a small window of time before another man takes his place. For now, I’m in control. But that won’t last long.”
“I’ll just give you the money. All this is for nothing, Vivian.
“All I know is that you are the only heir of a fortune that’s rightfully mine.” She begins pacing and looks nervous. “If you had any idea the torture I have endured at your father’s hands, you would understand why I feel I’m owed that money.”
All I want is to go home. “Please, you have to believe me, Vivian. I’ll give you everything I get.”
“The only thing I know right now is that the man I’ve lived in fear of is dead, and I am finally free. And I want what’s mine.” She stops her incessant pacing and glares at me as if this is all my fault. “You keep saying you’ll give me everything, but the fact is that you won’t have any control over that. The control of my husband’s fortune will fall into your husband’s hands. And I know he won’t give me what I deserve.”
“You shouldn’t have kidnapped me. That was your worst mistake.”
“He has no idea I kidnapped you. Like I said, he’s been informed of Daniel’s death, and I’m sure he’s moved on to question other rivals about your disappearance.” She begins walking toward the door. “None of this will be easy. It has to be handled very delicately.”
“It is easy!” I shout, not wanting her to leave. “Please, I beg of you, don’t leave me here to die. I will give you everything you want. I can get my husband to agree to it—if you let me go right now. If not, I can’t make any promises. If you leave me to die, he will end you all.”
Her hand touches the doorknob, then she stops and turns to me, a grim expression on her face. “Leave you to die? You wish it would be that easy for you. You have to stay alive until the will is read and probated. After that, I will end your life.” The door flies open, and she leaves, closing and locking it behind her.
I try my best to hang on to the little strength that’s left in me. I keep replaying Carlo’s words in my head about not being afraid and being strong. “I will not be afraid. I will be strong. I will be strong for as long as it takes. I will get out of this place alive and be back with my husband soon. I will live. I will live. I will . . .” A sob interrupts my testament to inner strength.
The woman hates me. She hated my father. And now that I will inherit it all, she wants me as dead as he is.
Vivian is heartless, and those without hearts are the most dangerous kind of people. My father is surely to blame for what his wife has become. Not that this fact helps me at all.
Choking back my tears, I try to pull myself together. I have to stay strong. I can’t let weakness bring me down. I have to make it out of this alive. I have to.
A shadow moves over the room, and I look up to see a bird as it flies past the window. I notice the thin branches of a tree and realize I’m in a room that might be on the top level of the home.
Only it’s not just a home. I’m sure it’s a mansion. My father’s mansion. I think I’m in the attic or maybe a space inside the attic.
There must be something I can do from way up here to get someone’s attention on the floor below me. Even if they only come up to see what’s up here, I might be able to talk them into setting me free—especially when I offer them an enormous bribe to do it.
There may be hope for me yet!
Chapter 17
Carlo
Walking into the breakfast room, I greet my mother. “Good morning, Mother.” I take a seat, where a steaming cup of coffee waits for me.
Looking at me with concern, she sighs. “No word of Isabella’s whereabouts yet?”
“I know where she is. I just have to bide my time so things can fall into place.” I sip the hot coffee, thinking about the hell that’s going to rain down on the Barone estate.
“I hate waiting and being constantly worried. I wish I could be like you, so calm and fearless. I didn’t sleep at all last night, thinking about where she might be and how she’s being treated.”
