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“Now shut the fuck up and get strapped in. You behave and I’ll let Fleur live. Even feed her from time to time. She can be like our pet. An insurance policy, if you will. You try and run and I’ll kill her. Make it slow. Film it and sell that. Make almost as much as I would from the movies of you.”
He sits beside me, strapping himself in, a huge shit eating grin on his face. The helicopter takes off.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he says through the headset, shoving mine over my ears. “You’re still thinking that Leo will save you.”
He shakes his head. “That shit is for the fairytales. Leo thinks he’s about to trap me in my house. I’ve made it look like I’m home. He’ll walk in and my people will pounce on him, show him the video you just made.
“Then, while he’s coming to terms with the fact that all of this was for nothing, I’m going to have him tortured and killed. After that it’s all simple. Your father inherits the Barone empire, as per Romeo’s will. With you widowed, we’re free to marry which we will. You inherit when your father dies which will be a death conveniently arranged for shortly after our wedding.
“I get the Barone and Caruso empires. All of them. Didn’t have to lift a finger to do the work but I get the spoils. Won’t that be something?”
He nudges me in the ribs with his elbow. “You want to know the kicker? I don’t even need the money. I just wanted to see if I could do it and guess what? I could. Took Leo’s wife from him. Took his empire from him. Took it all. I get everything and he gets to bleed to death thinking you hate him. Isn’t that something?”
I stare back at him, saying nothing, wondering what Leo will think when he sees the video. Will he think I was telling the truth or will he see through the lies? See the message I tried to send him. Depends on how well he knows me and how clear he’s thinking when he watches it, I guess.
I wish I could find out the truth about how he interprets the video but I get the feeling the best I can hope for is that he is granted a quick death before he even sees it.
I wanted our marriage over. I didn’t want to stay with him. Once again, my wish has been granted but it’s a bitter victory. I’d give anything to be back on the island with him. I should have stayed there, like he told me.
Sergio betrayed him, took me all the way to Montana to be kidnapped by Giorgio. Or George. Or whatever his real name is.
I walked into this. Straight into the trap. So much for thinking I was intelligent. I couldn’t be much stupider. Didn’t see any of this coming. Didn’t dream that Sergio, the gardener I said good morning to when I was a kid, was a snake in the grass.
I close my eyes and think hard. Maybe I can get Fleur out. Maybe get us both out. If I’m lucky. If I play this right. If I lull Giorgio into a false sense of security. Hell, if I die trying, it’s got to be better than accepting the alternative. A life with this evil son of a bitch.
19
Leonardo
“It’s a set up,” I shout as Greg goes to open the front door. I spotted the wire too late to warn him in time.
There’s an explosion and the door’s gone, Greg too. All that remains is a red mist floating down slowly to the ground.
His death is my fault. I made the decision to take Amato. He’s dead because of me.
An instant later, I hear another explosion around the back. I’ve no doubt that’s Vinny down. Only leaves me and Monty alive to deal with this.
I roll through the open front door, jumping to my feet behind a cabinet, gun in my hand.
Bullets fire in front of me. I count at least three weapons, the muzzle flashes reflected in the mirror further down the corridor. “Put down your weapon,” someone shouts. “Or Anna gets killed.”
I don’t stay still. Remain in one place and I’m dead. I roll out, bullets flying once again. I crash into the nearest room, leaning back out and firing fast. I’m rewarded by a scream.
More bullets fire, splintering wood in the door and sending fragments showering down on me. I get to the back of the room, pulling the window open.
I climb through. I’m back outside the house. In the distance I can hear sirens. I’ve not got long before the cops get here. I need to find out where Anna is. I can’t leave until I capture at least one of these bastards alive.
I go to the back of the house, moving fast. Vinny’s dead on the ground, split in half. I jump over him, getting in the back and almost shooting Monty in the face. He’s holed up in the kitchen. “On my count,” I tell him.
“Got it.”
I count off in my head. One two three. On three, I move. Monty fires covering shots over my head as I run into the hall. I fire two shots, landing both. The bulk of the work is done. There’s one guy still out there, screaming at us to give it up, that the cops are coming to take us to Amato.
His noise gives away his location. Monty runs past me, silently making his way up the stairs. I’ve never known anyone for moving so quietly. I’d hate to be on the wrong side of that guy.
A thump and then more shots firing. I listen above my head, judge my aim, and then fire upward. My bullet flies through the ceiling. A moment later, blood drips down through the hole.
“You got him,” Monty shouts.
