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The cords fell away, and I tried to get up, but Sal grabbed me, hauling me up and I glared at him as I pulled the gag free with the other hand.
“You get me my money, bitch, you hear me?” He lifted the gun and pressed it between my eyes, staring me down. But I glared back, shaking and furious at that greedy, gutless, and power-hungry bastard. “I wondered why you didn’t seem more afraid. You’re more worried about your little demon boyfriend than of me, huh?”
Sal laughed and shoved me away from him, and I went to swing back, to punch him, when Danny was there, wrapping his arms around me.
“Shhh, Sara, stop, I got you—you’re okay,” he said as he pulled me backward.
“No, I won’t—you can go straight to hell, Sal,” I screamed, and the ugly old bastard chuckled. “I won’t.”
“You behave, bitch, or maybe I will find a few friends to teach you your place,” Sal said with a sneer.
“Sara, stop,” Danny said into my hair, and he shoved me around him, half-turned away from his father, who watched with interest. “Go. Please. And get that money.”
“Danny, I will not leave you,” I said, and I saw something crack in his eyes.
And a shockwave went through me.
If I’d stayed that morning, you would’ve given it all up.The anguish and yearning in Danny’s eyes said so. He’d wanted to. But he’d wanted to do right by Ty and Lia, too. His hands found my face and he gave a brief nod, as though capitulating to everything.
You love me as much as I love you.I shook my head as he nodded and brushed a kiss on my forehead.You’re going to die—for me.
“No, Danny, please,” I begged, my voice cracking. “Don’t do this, please don’t do this.”
Because whether or not Sal killed him tonight, or tomorrow, or at some point soon—working for Sal and stepping down as boss in this way would kill Danny. All his hard work undone, all the protection and money he’d made for Ty and Lia, everything he’d done for his guys—his father would destroy it.
“Go to California,” he whispered into my hair, and I jolted. “And forget about me. Be happy. Please.” He bent down lower as hisfather made a rude sound. “I’m so sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me—for all of it.”
His father snorted. “Christ, you’ve gone soft. But you were always soft—I could never get you to toughen up.”
I could see that Danny was slipping away, the dullness in his eyes coming from years and years of Sal’s abuse and torture and cruelty. My fingers tightened on his shirt and his eyes briefly cleared, his smile affectionate as he gazed down at me.
“Thanks for always having my back—or trying to,” Danny said. “I know I didn’t make it easy.”
But I could see why now. I understood. And Danny nodded as though he knew, too.
“Danny—”
“Bitch, if you don’t start making me money, I will start cutting off Danny’s fingers,” Sal said, and his son didn’t even flinch. Instead, a weariness filled Danny’s face, as though he’d heard that threat a thousand times before. Sal continued to rant, and my stomach twisted.
“The guys are waiting down the road,” Danny whispered. “Head north. Run. Please.” He tried to smile. “I’ll be fine.”
“What did I tell you about lying to me, Michaelson,” I whispered.
“I know,” he murmured and coasted his thumb over my cheek, wiping away my tears. “I should’ve listened to you, Sara. You were right all along.” He let his forehead touch mine.“Ti amo, tesoro. Saro’ per sempre tuo.”
“Enough,” Sal barked and the threat in his voice made us pull apart. He gestured with the gun. “Move. Call his phone when you’re done.”
“No.”
Sal went still, his jaw gaping, and Danny stiffened next to me. I stepped between them. “We all go.” My heart was pounding as Danny tried to grab me. “And I’ll get you a full million.”
A laugh huffed out of Sal, and he gave me a pitying look. “He doesn’t deserve to live, Sara.” My entire body went cold and hot. “And he sure as hell doesn’t deserve you.”
“No, Sal,” I spat. “I’d say what he never deserved was a fucked-up waste of a father like you--a coward and a bully who never learned a damn lesson.”
“You—”
“She’s right,” Danny said, and Sal’s jaw dropped, something like fear and uneasiness filling his face, as though he finally understood how rotten and reviling the world found him. “The only way that you could ever hope to run the family was by buying your way back in—and deep down, you know you’d haveto keep me alive to keep the guys loyal.” Sal gaped at his son, and Danny stepped around me suddenly, blocking my view. “And maybe if you had half a brain, you’d remember that Russians tend to be crack shots.”
