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As I gaze around the back of the house, it appears more camouflaged with furniture and bushes, but the spacious patio doors looking into a dining room that’s open to the rest of the house aren’t comforting. Desperate, I begin testing the fence boards to see if any are loose and I can fit through. I need to escape this yard and quickly. I only have seconds, minutes if I’m lucky, before they discover I’m missing, and I’m more than terrified of what will happen when they do.
Sure enough, I come across a loose enough board that I can tug from the bottom until the nail comes out, and I force my body through the narrow crack. Thankfully, the neighbor’s yard has more coverage, and I can sneak around to the opposite side, where I notice a smaller fence to hop over into the next yard. I don’t know how long I continue to do this, yard hopping, but when I hear voices shouting, I slowly make my way to the street in time to spot Vincenzo’s henchman speeding past. Hidden by a large bush, he doesn’t capture the sight of me.
With my escape discovered, I know it’s only a matter of time before I’m found. I don’t know if it’s luck or the universe finally on my side, but as I’m about to turn back around and find a better hiding spot, I recognize a familiar vehicle slowly rolling up to the Salvatore home.
Stepping out of my hiding spot, I rush to the road so I’m not missed. Tires squeal as breaks are jammed, and as soon as Domino is out of the vehicle, all my emotions catch up with me, and I fall into his arms.
“You found me,” I cry, wrapping my arms around his neck so tightly that I’m almost sure he can’t breathe.
“What the fuck did they do to you?” he snaps as the tattered robe falls from my body.
If I let him go or he releases me, I’m going to hit the ground. “I did this. Well, not on purpose. I had to break a window to get out, and the cuts were unavoidable. I have to tell you something, though.” I’m getting dizzy again, and I think this time is because of the adrenaline crash.
Picking me up, Domino places me in the backseat of one of the vehicles. He clasps my face in his hands, his worried gaze examining my eyes. “Cara mia”— leaning forward, he places a tender kiss on my lips—“I was fucking worried.”
“I know,” I whisper, exhaustion pulling at every line of my body.
“Hate to interrupt, but how many are in there?” Santi asks.
“Three,” I mumble, then shake my head. “No, two. Vincenzo and Aida. The other guy just sped off before I saw you guys.”
“Dom, you coming?” Santi asks, impatient to permanently end this nightmare.
“Go.” I push Domino after his brother. “Get them. End this.”
“Pace, stay with my girl.” The man scowls but nods as he watches his brothers and who I believe is Natale Morello race down the street to the house of horrors I just escaped from.
“So, this is her.” An older voice draws my attention as he approaches us. Staring up at the man, who looks a lot like Natale, I don’t have the energy to be polite, glib, or anything else, so I smile and watch the direction Domino shot off in, praying he comes back in one piece.
* * *
Domino
If I’d known gettingNic back was going to be so fucking easy, I wouldn’t have brought an arsenal with us.
“Nat and I will take the front. Donato, you watch the street. Santi, Maso, go around back.” Once everyone’s in place, I kick in the front door in time to see Vincenzo haul ass up the stairs. Two shots at the knees and he’s falling backwards down the steps and landing at my feet.
Aida screams from behind us, and as Natale spins, I spot her gun. The kid lets off a shot, hitting her wrist, and she faints.
“I like when it’s easy.” Natale grins as he picks up the woman’s gun. “All clear!” he calls out as I stand over Vincenzo’s groaning body.
“Can I burn the house down now?” Donato jokes.
“Go for it,” I tell him as I place zip ties on Salvatore’s wrists and feet. Maso duct tapes his mouth and hoists the man on his shoulders as I immobilize the wife next. Santi takes her as Natale and I walk out the front door, watching as Donato, indeed, sets the house ablaze.
Swift steps take me back to my woman to find her eyes closed as she leans her head against the seat. “Doc’s already been called,” Pace says before I can ask.
Nodding at my brother, I pick Nicola up and place her in my lap. Wrapping my arms around her delicate frame, I’m still livid at everything that’s happened. But, knowing she’s safe allows me to focus on things like, how am I going to punish Salvatore and his wife. How isshegoing to want to punish them?
As everyone loads into their vehicles and we begin the drive back home, I feel like the day was anticlimactic and wonder if we missed something. It’s not until Santi starts cursing in the front seat that I succumb to the temptation to voice my opinion.
“What is it?” He hands his phone back to me.
I watch news footage, slightly stunned as they announce the murder of Chief Mario Santini in prison and the arrest of more than one hundred men who were assumed to be a part of the trafficking ring the cousins had going on.
“It’s up to you now, whether Salvatore gets crucified for one or for all,” Carlo Morello tells me as he nods at the phone.
“This was you?” I shouldn’t be shocked.
