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“You’re prisoners.”
Ari pushes herself to her feet slowly, and I watch our captor slide his hand inside his jacket. I’m down for the whole ballsy princess act but think she might be taking it a smidge too far.
“We both know that the level of retribution my family will rain down on your perfectly coiffed head depends solely on my review.” She reaches out and straightens his tie. “Kinda like Yelp. Five stars means your family gets to live. Three stars will result in losing half of those who share your blood. But two,” she shakes her head slowly, “is scorched earth. Not one person will remain.”
“That act may work on some men, but it means nothing to me.”
“I’ve done what I can.” Ari steps back and shrugs casually. “Tell the men I prefer turkey, no mayo.”
“How about I let them have an hour with you?”
“Clearly, you know nothing about Sicilans…and what happens to men who dare to try and take something from aStregathat she doesn’t willingly give.” She gives him a slow once over and then rejoins me on the ground. “I wish people would educate themselves before running willy-nilly into the fray.” She waves her hand. “Raw dogging it doesn’t work in our world.” She sighs dramatically. “Unfortunately, you won’t survive and make better choices on the next go around.”
Turning on his heel, he strides out of the room, letting the door slam behind him. “That went well.”
“South American. Cartel.” She leans against the wall. “The cologne he’s wearing is favored by all the Columbian drug dealers. Probably middle management. Definitely not the brains of the operation. He must be an enforcer or something equally unimportant.”
The cold concrete sends a chill up my back. “Is that good news or bad news?”
“Good news. Lots of money. Little influence. The Columbians have product that probably needs to be moved through the family territory. Whoever talked him into this farce didn’t give him a full picture of what happens when you cross the Bianchis. He’ll be dead before the sun comes up.” She crosses her legs. “I’m guessing he was sent up here to make a deal and somehow got talked into this shit show by Rodrigo.”
“I think we try a life-saving sleight of hand and see if we can at least make it out of the cell.”
“Lucky for us, I’m fully prepared. She tilts her head slightly, and I see a glint of gold beneath her hair. “Poison,” she says with a grim smile. “Enough to kill a half-dozen men.”
She pulls a heavy gold chain from under her shirt, and I notice a large stone hanging from it. “Wow.”
“Nonna believes in ensuring the women of the family can defend themselves no matter the circumstance.” Wriggling her finger, I notice a large gold ring. “There’s a blade inside that is enough to end a man’s life if I can get close enough.”
Seeing the deadly weapons fills me with a strange mix of hope and dread. It’s terrifying to think of the lengths we might have to go to in order to survive, but if it means finding a way out of here, then so be it.
My mind unwillingly drifts back to the high-stakes poker game where I first crossed Rodrigo – a mistake I’ll regret until the last day of my life. “This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not.” Shaking out her hair, Ari straightens her back. “Let’s decide on a plan.”
“We need something to distract the guards.” I reach into my pocket and smile when my fingers close around the worn metal of my lucky lighter. “We can start a small fire in that corner,” I suggest. “That should cause enough confusion for us to get a head start.”
“Perfect.” She looks around. “But what are we going to use as fuel?”
Standing, I pull the hem of my dress up. “I knew wearing double Spanx would come in handy one day.”
Her strained laugh fills the room. “You don’t need one pair, much less two.”
“My figure shouts that I leave no fry behind, and wearing these only whispers it.”
“When we get out of here, I will teach you about false narratives that suggest smaller is better.”
“My brother is a chef, and I’m half Italian, so I know better than to let medium ugly men dictate how I feel about myself.”
“Good!”
I hand her my lighter and then do the complicated wiggle dance that allows me to peel one pair of the Spanx off. Once it’s pooling at my feet, I take a big breath. “So much better.”
“I suggest you get rid of them when you get home.”
Leaning down, I pick them up. “Are we going to make it home?”
“Absolutely.” She moves her wrist from side to side. “Fausto made me wear this, and when I see his stupid face, I’m gonna kiss it and tell him that he was right.”
