Page 30 of Sacred Blood

Believe that someone was finally on my side. The realization frightened me almost as much as the room full of mafia men.

Don…the boss…and… oh my goodness! This was the brother Romeo he’d mentioned before. Perplexed, I spared a glance for the man at my side. I could have sworn a moment ago, he was about to do battle, but his body suddenly relaxed and so did everyone else’s. Who was this guy that could shift his mood so quickly and cause others to do so too?

I wanted to open my mouth and tell Don Vitale where to go, and Tano must have known that, because he squeezed my hand painfully and instead, I bit my lip to keep from yelping aloud.

The menacing energy in the room appeared to have defused, at least for the moment, because a collective sigh was heard around the room. Tano pulled out a chair and had me sit, taking the one beside me. I was glad of his proximity. The warmth emanating from his body helped keep me warm in the freezing room, but more importantly, as the only one on Team Gabriella, I needed the reassurance his presence brought me.

Tano must have an eidetic memory because he repeated our breakfast conversation word for word, before adding his suspicions regarding an unsanctioned union between the Italians and the Russians, adding that we’d been lucky to have been made aware of the situation.

“Is it luck, Gaetano, or is this also a plant?” Romeo asked, his hard eyes swinging my way. “Knyazev is not a man to leave things to chance. Did you share your plan with your friend or anyone else, which hospital you planned to apply at, or the city to which you planned to travel?”

I gulped. “No, sir. She helped me get a bus ticket under my false name to Michigan, but once I was there, I purchased a ticket for Philadelphia. Mercy Hospital was one of many I interviewed for and I only ended up choosing it because I found a room only a block away from the hospital.”

“Is your name on the lease?”

“I’m subletting, with some other nurses. I think Shay Reynolds is the only one on the lease.”

Romeo sent a pointed look to the huge man who sat by his side. “Have Simon do deep background checks on the roommates. I don’t want anything missed.”

“On it, boss.” The big man left the room.

“Dante, I want her passport picked up and brought here. Take measures to ensure you can’t be tracked and don’t let those roommates see you. We may want to question them, and I don’t want them getting worried now and tipping anyone off.”

“Yes, Don Vitale,” he replied and left the room.

I was going to interject with my address, but really, who was I kidding? They already knew. In the time I’d been sitting here, I was sure someone was verifying everything I said.

Then I remembered a bit of intel I thought may be helpful. “Excuse me, Don Vitale, I’m not sure if this helps, but I know the apartment at this time of day is empty. My roommates are usually at their favorite restaurant just a block away from the hospital.”

Beside me, Tano once again tensed, and I wondered what I’d said to set him off.

Romeo smirked. “And what is the name of this favored eating place?”

“Buono Come Il Mamas. The food is delicious and authentic, even if the guy who runs the place looks like he’s from California. Funny right?”

My attempt at humor or familiarity or whatever the hell I’d been attempting flopped miserably. The energy in the room shifted, at once becoming dark and menacing again. Tano squeezed my hand and this time, I yelped. Exasperated and scared, my survival instincts finally kicked in.

“What?” I snapped, yanking my hand out of his grip. “I don’t know why you guys are treating me like the enemy, trying to scare me and acting all intimidating. I’m just trying to help! Is there something wrong with that restaurant I don’t know? Is it a front for something nefarious I’m not aware of?”

Tano stood up so quickly, his chair clattered to the stone floor, the sound like gunfire on my nerves, although no one else reacted in the slightest. “My apologies, Don Vitale. Please excuse us while I go and teach Gabriella a lesson on respect.”

He gripped my elbow and hauled me to my feet, practically dragging me from the room. In the hallway, he switched his grip and frog marched me down the hallway to another door. I almost passed out from the stench of fear when he opened the door. Closing it quickly, he shoved me toward a bench in the center of the room. People had been tortured here. Why would he take me to such an ugly place?

“Over the bench. Now!” he barked, snatching a cane from a row of implements on the wall.

I knew what that cane meant, but I didn’t dare argue as I placed myself over the bench. The swishing sound was the only warning I got of his intentions as, a moment later, a line of fire across my ass had me cry out.

“Do you have any idea how disrespectful you were?” Tano cracked the cane against my backside.

“No!” I cried. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it!”

Swish-crack, the cane landed with precision. The stripe of fire just overlapped the edge of the last one.

“Couldn’t help it, that’s your excuse?”

Another swish through the air landing with a crack against my ass.

“Ow, I’m sorry! Why did everything change when I mentioned the restaurant?”