“Enough,” I hiss. “You’re not selling Livvie’s horses, or anything else. Look at me.”
He refuses, keeping his eyes on the floor. It’s clear he’s still not feeling well, sweat beading at his temples, his skin pale and the broken blood vessels visible on his cheeks and nose. I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for him, though. Something inside me has come unleashed.
Digging my fingers into his shirt, I pull violently, trying to get him to look up. He’s a big man, more than capable on a good day of holding me off. But he’s fucked up and weak and I’m very, very pissed.
“I saidlook at me, Dad!”
A soft hand touches my shoulder. I smell Charlie’s perfume. Her fingers curl over my shoulder and she pulls back, taking me with her. But I won’t relent. I shrug her off and cross my arms, glaring down at my father on the floor.
“Who killed Enzo Bellanti?” I demand.
Behind me, Charlie gasps.
“The hell should I know?” he says.
I’m out of patience. Moving eye level with him, I speak again, slowly and clearly. “Who. Killed. Enzo. Bellanti.”
Dad just smiles. His lower lip has a scab down the center, as if it had been split and healed up some. If he smiles any wider, it’ll probably bust open again. He doesn’t answer, so I press a finger to the scab. He sucks in a breath.
“I asked you a question.”
“I’m warning you, Frankie,” he says.
“You have nothing to threaten me with. Do you understand that? You’re not a threat. Not a parent. And certainly not someone I give a shit about. What you are is asource of informationand you’re either going to tell me what I need to know, or I’ll let my husband get it out of you.”
Beside me, Charlie shifts. “And mine. And trust me, he won’t be as gentle as Frankie.”
Dad squints, his jaw working just enough that I know he fully comprehends the meaning of what we just said.
“You married me off into the mob, Dad. You think I won’t use that to my advantage?” I prod. “Who tampered with that car?Give me the fucking name.”
I’m breathing hard, barely able to contain my rage.
“Fine,” I say with a fake smile. “I’m calling Dante. By the way, have you seen the underground wine cellars the Bellantis have? They’re huge. And dark. And cold. It’s probably really easy to get lost down there. I doubt you’d even be able to hear anyone yelling for help.”
I pull out my phone, and my dad suddenly yells, “Wait!”
He motions me closer. I consider that maybe he’s going to try to strangle me as I lower onto my haunches and put my ear to his lips. Charlie must be considering that, too, because she’s got a death grip on me as if she can singlehandedly pull me up from the lion’s den.
Sighing deeply, he whispers a name. Then he pulls back, brows arching as if to gauge my reaction. He’s breathing hard, still visibly sweating. It looks like he might vomit again.
I cross to the mantel to grab another vase. This one’s undamaged.
Handing it to him, I say, “Try not to choke to death.”
Taking my sister’s arm, I guide her out into the sunshine. We leave Dad back in the den with his vase and his misery. Alone.
26
Dante
Where the helldoes she think she’s going?
I lower my coffee mug mid-sip and watch from my office balcony as my wife flies down the driveway in her little red Jag. She must have managed to get around Donovan somehow—I should send him after her. Or go get her myself. There’s a tracker on her car for situations like this, so it wouldn’t take long to find her.
And since our handover deal with the Bruno clan isn’t going as smoothly as I’d anticipated, I can’t be too careful. One misstep could mean trouble, and I’d never forgive myself if Francesca was at the receiving end. I’m not about to let that happen. My line of work is exactly why, between her phone and her car, I know where she is at all times. Just in case.
Phone in hand, I’m about to call Donovan, but something stops me. I’m not sure what it is…but I can’t think back on last night without feeling…something. The look in her eyes, the way she just…gave in. Like all the fight suddenly went out of her. It got to me. I can’t help worrying that I broke something important in her—something that made her important to me.
