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I dropped all my pride and begged my mom to make sure Tessie was okay.
She wasn’t.
My cousin hadn’t noticed Tessie had slipped out the back door to chase a squirrel, and Tessie had broken her foot on a log far into the wooded backyard of the secluded cabin we owned.
The temperatures had dropped so low that night, and by the time they’d found her in the snow, Tessie barely had any breath in her.
I had that same feeling gnawing at my gut now.
That bone-deep, heart-chilling feeling of doom.
Tessie sat in the break room, drawing something on the walls in what she swore was washable marker. She assured me she was fine, which I saw with my own eyes.
I texted Everett, who told me he had tutoring in a few minutes and would video call me later.
Gio and Ma replied within an instant, and Uncle Frankie and Uncle Eli’s security teams confirmed their safety within seconds. I debated for another minute before shooting a group text to Asher, Lucy, and Vince.
My eyes shifted to Ari as I waited for their responses.
She hadn’t looked at me all day. Not because she’d been busy. It was like she was actively avoiding all things to do with me, her eyes darting around the restaurant every few seconds like a skittish shelter dog.
My phone rang as I took my first step to her. Asher. He’d just gotten married, and it was supposed to be a happy occasion, but I couldn’t shake this feeling.
It wasn’t Elsa’s visit. If anything, that excited me. It renewed my hope for some blackmail material to loom over her head, something to get Everett back in New York.
I answered Asher’s call, feeling a little guilty that I’d interrupted his honeymoon.
“Honeymoon going that bad?” I joked.
“We’re not on our honeymoon.” His words had a bite to them.
My back stiffened as I paused my path to Ariana and straightened.
“What? What happened? Are you okay? Is Lucy okay?”
I knew.
I just knew something was wrong.
“He’s gone.”
“Who’s gone?”
“Vince.”
Laughter bubbled in my throat.
This had to be a joke.
Vince was the one Romano I could depend on to always be there.
He couldn’t be gone.
“Did you check with his security?”
“Of course. He’s just… gone. Look, shit went down with Niccolaio. Something to do with the bounty. I don’t know. It’s not looking good. No one has seen Vince.”
I heard a clock ticking. Not here. Physically. But inside me.
