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“What happened after they left?”
“Your dad packed a bag and drove off the property. We haven’t seen him since last night.”
I thought about the account in the Bahamas and the plane ticket he wanted me to buy. Was he going to the islands? And if so, where the fuck was he going? Until I could access his home safe, I had no way of knowing the plan in its entirety.
“Please come home,bambina,” Angelina said in a hushed tone. “Your birthday is next weekend. Enzo and I want to see you.”
“I’ll be there,” I assured her. “But I can’t stay the night.”
“We can have cake and ice cream and open presents,” she said with delight. “I will see you then.”
After we hung up, I stared at the wall for a solid hour, trying to control my breathing. Every year since my fourteenth birthday, I had dreaded the day. That was when Dad sent my mom away. It was the last time I saw her.
I hated celebrating my birthday.
Why would this year be any different from the others? My absentee father was on the run. My mom was at a wellness spa in California. It was another year I would celebrate with the staff.
Happy fucking birthday to me.
ChapterFourteen
DANTE
Around midnight, my cell phone rang with a call from Nicodemus. He knew better than to disturb me after hours unless it was an emergency.
I slid my finger across the screen and raised the phone to my ear. “What, Nicodemus?”
“It’s Giancarlo. Two of the Vitales’ hitmen visited him last night. He left with a go-bag an hour later.”
I sat up and slid my legs off the side of the bed. “What business does Giancarlo have with the Vitales?”
“I don’t know,” he breathed into the phone. “But he could be working with them. That would explain why he’s been so jumpy around us. Maybe it’s about more than the money he stole.”
“It’s time to accelerate our plans for Ava. She’s caused too much of a disruption in our lives.”
“No, don’t hurt her,” he pleaded. “Whatever Giancarlo is up to, it has nothing to do with Ava.”
“We need information.” I headed downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “I’m done playing games with that girl.”
“At least give Ava a chance to defend herself before you accuse her of wrongdoing.”
“No,” I snapped. “Her father is an enemy of our family. And by association, she’s as good as dead.”
“Then let me deal with her,” he insisted. “Ava will talk to me.”
“Not anymore.” I slammed the refrigerator door. “You’re engaged to Vittoria, and she hates you for it.”
“Then let one of the twins talk to her,” he begged. “Don’t fucking hurt her, Dante.”
“I’m the underboss,” I reminded him. “You take orders from me. And if I tell you to put a bullet between her eyes, you will do it without questioning me. Do you understand me, Nicodemus?”
He breathed loudly into the phone. “Yes.”
“Get some eyes on Giancarlo. Have our men track him down and bring him back to AC.”
“I’ll call you when I have an update.”
I dropped the phone on the kitchen island and ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the ends. Sometimes, I hated being the boss. But, it wasn’t just the casino or the hotel. I had hundreds of men, soldiers in our army, who answered to me.
