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I shoved him against the wall. With one final squeeze, I let him go. He dropped to the floor, spluttering as he clutched his throat.
I stood over him, my nostrils flared. “Fuck you.”
I slammed the door on my way out and flew down the stairs. Climbing on my motorcycle, I sped off, making it to the closest service station, though I had no idea how I got there. It took me three tries to shove a coin into the payphone just outside the entrance to the mini-mart. My fingers trembled as I pressed the worn-out buttons.
“Salvatore.”
“He killed her,” I said breathlessly. My eyes stung with the acknowledgment. “He killed her.” This time my voice was barely above a whisper.
“Slow down, son.” The calm in Donato’s voice helped a little.
I sagged against the concrete block wall, stretching the phone cord as far as it would go. My vision went blurry. My chest heaved. One thought was on repeat in my head.
“He killed her.” Speaking the truth didn’t make it any easier. I doubled over, barely able to stand.
“Where are you? I’m coming for you.”
I swiped at my eyes, the back of my hand wet. “No. No.”
“Daniel.” The sympathy in his voice nearly sent me over the edge. I couldn’t stand it. Didn’t want it.
I straightened and held the phone away from me as I sucked in a deep breath. At least I could see again. “We’ll meet as planned.” The crack in my voice betrayed me.
A long pause floated across the line. “I’ll see you at three-thirty,” Donato finally said.
I hung up the phone with a limp arm and leaned against the wall for support. He killed her. He fucking killed my mother. And I couldn’t return the favor because that’s not what she would have wanted me to do.
My chest squeezed, and I swallowed hard. There’s no reason she shouldn’t be here with me now. I thought she died because she was sick, but he’d grown tired of her.
He killed her.
He killed her.
He killed her.
* * *
Three forty-five.Where was he? I stood from the chair I’d been waiting in for half an hour and went to the water fountain. I punched the button, a pathetic stream of liquid spurting from the spigot. I bent, wetting my lips.
I didn’t have the paperwork. If Donato didn’t show, I wouldn’t get my passport. Then I couldn’t get away from here. I needed to go to Vienna with him. The more distance I put between me and the monster who’s blood ran through my veins, the better.
I sat down again.God, these chairs suck.I tried to adjust to a more comfortable position on the plastic, but that was impossible.
If I’d gotten my driver’s license, I wouldn’t have needed him for this. It never occurred to me that Donato would let me down, especially on something this important. When we got back from our trip, I was headed straight to the DMV. I drove without a license all the time, but I was almost eighteen, and I needed legal ID so if I got pulled over, the police wouldn’t have an excuse to arrest me. I almost had enough saved to buy an apartment, one with enough space that I’d never feel cramped again. A whole floor. If I kept at it, I could buy a whole floor.
The glass door to the waiting room swung open. Donato came in, immediately finding me. I stood and met him halfway.
“I got held up,” he said.
My brows dipped, surprised he’d offered any explanation at all.
“They haven’t called me yet.”
He squeezed my neck affectionately and steered me toward the chair I’d vacated. “Ready for this? We’ll be gone a week. Maybe a little longer depending on how things go.”
I nodded, anxious to get away from New York, if only temporarily. “It’s just the two of us going?”
Donato had barely briefed me on the trip. We were going. That was about all I knew.
