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I grab my fork and spear a bacon slice. Leo points his knife at me. “Did you tell your father where you were?”
“How would I do that? You’ve got my phone.”
“I don’t know if I can trust you, Anna. That helicopter didn’t come from nowhere. What if it had landed here while I was out?”
“I guess you would have lost me.”
He shakes his head. “You seem remarkably calm about all this. You want to know what happens if your father gets you back?”
“What happens?”
“He’s been made an offer for you. Two million. The exact amount he owes me.”
“An offer? What am I? Cattle?”
“There’s been a few offers but two mil was the top one. He put it out to tender, so to speak. There’s a guy out there willing to pay two mil to marry into the Caruso famiglia. He gets hold of you and you’re in a worse place than you are now. You’re married to someone else, someone much worse than me.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“You think I’m bad? Have I tried to fuck you? Have I forced you to suck my cock while you wept? Have I torn your clothes off and beaten the shit out of you until you gave in? Fucked your asshole while you sobbed into the pillow under you? Filmed it and sold the footage for other fuckwits to watch? Made you work in a brothel?” He drains his coffee, getting to his feet. “Trust me, Anna. There are men out there far worse than me.”
I don’t know how to reply.
I feel like an icy hand is gripping my vocal chords.
Leo walks over to the doorway, stopping to look back at me. “You think the choice is between me and your old life? It’s not. It’s me or Giorgio Amato. Trust me when I tell you that you’re better off here with me. Even with the spanking you’re going to undergo tonight for trying to escape yet again, losing my only fishing boat in the process.”
He walks out, closing the door behind him. At once, Imogen appears, gathering up his plate and coffee mug.
“Imogen,” I say, making her drop the plate in surprise. “Can I talk to you?”
“I’m not supposed to speak to you,” she replies.
“He’s gone. He won’t know.”
“I mustn’t, Mrs. Barone.”
The name. I never thought of it. That’s who I am now. I’m his wife, ring or no ring. “Have you heard of Giorgio Amato?” I ask.
Her face turns white, all the color draining from it. “Please,” she says, running over to me and grabbing my arm. “Don’t make me go back to him. I’m sorry, I’m doing my best here. Please, Mrs. Barone. I’m begging you.” She’s on the verge of tears.
“It’s all right,” I say, squeezing her hands. “You’re safe here. No one’s sending you back.”
She collapses into the nearest chair, fighting to control her breathing.
“Thank God,” she says, looking up at the sky, sniffing loudly.
“Who is he?” I ask.
“Amato? The most evil man I’ve ever had the misfortune to work for.” She lifts her top, revealing a long ugly jagged scar that runs across her stomach. “He gave me this.”
“Oh my God. Why would he do that?”
“Jessica had it worse.” She lowers her voice. “Can’t have kids because of him. Leo took us in when we ran, protected us. Please don’t make us go back.”
“Jesus. Who is this guy? How does he know my father?”
“He knows everyone. He’s got fingers in everything illegal in the country. Fence for all the mafia families except the Barones. Leo’s father refused to work with him, knew the type of person he was.”
