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Antonio
“We need to talk.”
I clenched my teeth at Salvatore’s voice. That was the first thing he said as I answered the phone. I knew I should have ignored it. I was too angry to talk to him.
After all the chaos today’s graveyard visit created, I was hoping for silence. I was hoping to focus on my work. I was going to go back to an empty house and sleep after sending Priscilla a goodnight text. It was going to be a very calm day.
Well, no shit.
Isabella was the one that called me. She told me things got a little heated there and that Priscilla left. Since I dropped her off, I knew Dario was not there. When I asked Isabella if one of their bodyguards had taken her home, she told me she didn’t know.
I didn’t even say goodbye. I hung up on her. I was on the brink of losing it. My nightmare was coming back. Luckily, before I started pacing around the city, I managed to inform the receptionist of my building and Dario.
Before I could list all the places she could go to in Chicago, the receptionist called me to say she was in the building. After a few minutes, Dario called to report she was okay, but she seemed a little upset. She told him she was tired and wanted to take a nap. I instructed Dario to stay in the apartment until I got there. I needed to see her, touch her.
I needed to know she was safe and okay.
In conclusion, I didn’t have time for Salvatore. “I need to see Priscilla.
“No, we need to talk first. I am your Capo.”
I flexed my jaw so hard that I felt a faint ache in my temples. “Do you want to talk to me as my Capo or as a friend who let my wife take a cab only weeks after she almost got killed and lost my baby?”
Salvatore released a breath at the other end. “Fuck, that was a low blow.”
“That was the truth. I need to take care of my wife.”
“Antonio, I wanted you to hear what happened from me first. We need to talk. If she wanted to see you, she would have called you instead of taking a cab. Am I wrong?”
He was right. I knew the logical answer was yes, but I couldn’t care about the logical answer. “I will call her,” I said, giving him more than he deserved. I never let him down before. It was almost an addiction. “If she, in fact, doesn’t want me close, I will give you an hour because she will get me even if she doesn’t want to.”
"You really don’t sound like yourself.”
I hung up.
I dialed Priscilla’s number.Don’t cry, I repeated to myself. If she was crying, I would probably lose it and kill Salvatore for upsetting her. Her crying was the most horrible thing in the world.
Most horrible after finding her bloodied body in the middle of the woods. Probably nothing could ever top that.
“Antonio?” she answered. Thank God she was not crying, but I still didn’t like the tone of her voice.
“I am coming home. I lost my mind hearing you take a cab.”
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I just didn’t want to see anyone. I had a fight with Mia and Salvatore. I don’t want to talk about it.”
I wanted her to talk about it. I didn’t want her to close herself off to me. She was so used to doing that, but it had to change. I wanted to change it forever. Unfortunately, I couldn’t force her.
“You don’t want me?”
“No, no,” she said quickly, and I could almost see her shaking her head. “Don’t say that. I don’t want to play the victim. I started it. You don’t have to come home just for me. I am going to take a nap anyway.”
My fingers flexed on the wheel. I was so close to our penthouse. “Doesn’t matter if you are the victim or not. If you need me, I’ll be there.”
“I know,” she sniffed, and I almost lost myself. “Please don’t come. I feel even worse if I interrupt your work. I’ll see you at night. Okay?”
I didn’t like that at all. I wanted to hold her now, but I always respected people’s wishes. I always gave them whatever they wanted. Priscilla deserved a decision too. If she didn’t want me, I was going to give her the needed space. For a while, at least.
“If that’s what you want.”
