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We settle on a time.
“Bring Matteo with you.”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Vincenzi says mildly. “But don’t worry, Antony. If all goes well, Matteo will be handed over to you shortly after our meeting.”
I don’t ask him what will happen if all does not go well. It’s implied.
“You come with Matteo,” I bark. “Simple as that. If I don’t see him standing next to you when I enter that warehouse, I walk.”
I hang up the phone before he can answer.
Then I place a critical call.
Because there is no way Giovanni will leave that warehouse alive.
“Antony,” Salvatore answers immediately. “What do you need?”
“Sal, we got a problem.”
I explain everything in as few words as possible. Sal listens, grunting periodically. When I’m finished, he pauses a second, thinking.
“Could be a setup.”
“Yeah. Count on it. I need you to send some men, have them sweep the warehouse before the meeting, make sure everything’s copacetic. But have them stick around. Get themselves into position. Giovanni is supposed to show up alone, but we both know how likely that is.”
Vincenzi will always be a threat, no matter what nonsense he says about a truce. Not just to me and my family, but to Sera and Tina. I won’t have it.
“Listen, Sal, one more thing. You tell the men that nobody touches Giovanni Vincenzi but me. This is personal. You hear me?”
“Absolutely, Antony. Hey, you okay? You don’t sound too good.”
I consider his words. Am I okay?
“No,” I tell him, just before I hang up. “But I will be.”
Once Matteo is back safe.
And once Giovanni Vincenzi’s heart is no longer pumping blood through his veins.
24
SERA
Thank God I’ve been to Antony’s penthouse before. I tried to call him once and his phone went straight to voicemail. Which means either he has turned it off, or he has blocked me. I try hard not to let myself think of the second possibility as Stan weaves in and out of traffic at a pace that normally would terrify me. But I’m the one who told him to go as fast as he can.
It’s only once I arrive at Antony’s building that it occurs to me that whoever is in charge of security here, they might not let me in. But I can’t let that stop me. Stan parks, and moves to come around and open my door for me, but I’m out of the car like a shot and practically running for the building. “Wait here!” I shout behind me, not listening for a reply.
I push open the heavy front doors and rush through the gleaming lobby to the front desk, where a uniformed guard is stationed. “I have to speak to Antony D’Agostino,” I say breathlessly. “I’m his fiancé.”
The man, tall and built like a linebacker, gives me an appraising look. “Name?”
“Serafina Mucci.” My right hand instinctively moves to cover my left, hoping he won’t notice the lack of ring.
The guard makes an elaborate show of scrolling through a screen and tapping keys. Presumably, he’s looking for an approved list of guests that Antony has okayed to come up to his penthouse. My heart sinks. There’s no way I’m on it. The only time I’ve ever been here is with him. But to my surprise, the man glances up at me and nods. “I’ll call up and let him know you’re arriving.”
“Oh, no!” I stammer. “It’s just…” I give the man a coquettish, flirty look. “Well, I’d like to surprise him. I’m sure you understand. I promise you won’t get in trouble.”
Once again, I’m half-shocked that my ploy works. Grunting his okay, he walks me over to a small elevator off to the side of the main ones and presses a button. The doors glide open, and the guard pulls an unmarked card from a retractable lanyard, sliding it into an unlabeled slot. “Here you go.”
