Where had he gone?
“I know where he is.”
I slowly turned around and glared at Giovanni. “I don’t have time for you.”
He held out his arm for me. “Come with me. I know where he is, but you’re not going to like it.”
I looked down at his arm. I knew I shouldn’t have been lured by his words. I was, though. I was curious. Together, we started back down the hallway. The plush carpet gave beneath my heels as the smell of food and drinks wafted from the ballroom and beneath my nose. He led me past the main door as if we were headed for the bathrooms
“I already checked here. He wasn’t—”
“Just be patient,” Giovanni said.
We turned a darkened corner I hadn’t realized was there and walked down the hallway. We passed sprawling doors, indicating the opulent suites the hotel boasted of, despite the fact that they were on the first floor.
Something didn’t feel right. “Where are you taking me?”
He held out his hand.
I followed where his hand was ushering me to, and my stomach dropped to the floor. He slipped my arm away from his and stood behind me, giving me an unobstructed view of what was happening. Israel was still with Alice, all right. At the end of this hallway, through a set of double doors. I saw them out on some sort of patio, sitting and drinking and smiling. He looked down at her and laughed a laugh I’d never heard before. And when her head fell back with giggles, I felt a piece of my soul break off.
“Israel?” I asked softly.
I knew he couldn't hear me. Not above the laughter he was sharing with this woman. I held my hand out, catching myself against the wall as the two of them continued to laugh. Israel said something, and Alice snorted. She threw something back, and his shoulders shook. The sight was sickening, and I wanted no part of it.
So, I turned around and closed my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Giovanni said, but his tone lacked apology.
My eyes whipped open. “No, you’re not.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I’m not. Despite what those two have been through, they were always well-suited for each other. Hell, I didn’t even know Israel was over her until he agreed to marry you.”
I blinked. “What?”
He snickered. “Yeah. Israel had it bad for her. I mean, her name was Alice Shaeffer back then. But now that we know she’s the daughter of Carmela Esposito? Well, that simply makes her perfect.”
I swallowed down my own vomit. “I have to go.”
“You sure you don’t want to—”
I shoved my hand against Giovanni’s face, stumbling off balance. I felt him grip my wrist, and I fumbled on my feet, but not before I jammed the crook of my thumb and my pointer finger directly against his throat. “I know you set this up. I know you and your father are cut from the same cloth, you disgusting piece of shit. You don’t give a damn other than overthrowing Israel and taking his spot. But I have a little surprise for you.”
Giovanni held his throat as he tried to catch his breath.
“Your brother already knows that,” I whispered.
I gathered my dress and walked off as I clutched my purse. I walked straight past the entrance to the ballroom and started for the elevator, ready to get to my room. I wanted nothing more to do with this night. I refused to be paraded around a second longer. I loved Israel, that much was for certain. So, if what he wanted was Alice, then I’d let him go.
But that was a conversation he and I would have.
Not a conversation that would be had for us.
16
Bonnie
My eyes opened the next morning and the sun burned. I groaned as I rolled over, looking towards the bathroom door. I didn’t even know what room I was in any longer. One minute, I was with Israel, and the next minute I was sleeping downstairs. The sun streamed harshly through the windows, so I turned back over, tossing the comforter over my head.
Until I heard my cell phone buzzing on the bedside table.
“What now?” I grumbled.
I threw the covers off and sat up. The sun was out in a full-on spectacle, which meant I probably needed to get up anyway. I looked at my heels tossed onto the floor and my dress hanging over the edge of the bed. I looked over at the pillow and saw my day-old makeup strewn all over the white satin pillowcase. I reached for my buzzing phone and cleared my throat, but I didn’t check to see who was calling.
I really should have.
“Hello?” I asked.
“You’re in way over your head, Bon.”
I froze. “Pava?”
He chuckled. “What, I’m not even your uncle anymore?”
My back straightened. “Not after you tried to have me killed. Twice.”
“That’s the price of doing business. And you’ve been doing business on the wrong side of the fence.”
I rose to my feet. “I take it this is you calling me and telling me I have another chance to reconsider?”
“Oh, no. This isn’t that kind of phone call. You already had your chance, and even your cousin couldn't talk any sort of sense into you. This is another kind of phone call.”
“Are you about to set this penthouse on fire and go for round two? Because I’m pretty sure Israel’s upstairs.”
“You’re pretty sure? Are you sure you’re ‘pretty sure’? Even after the deal you two made?”
A shiver rushed up my spine. “What are you talking about?”
He chuckled. “You really shouldn't have gone and fucked with my businesses, Bonnie. I have ears and people in places you could never dream of, and I know more than you could ever want me to know.”
“Why are you doing this? Why the hell can’t you just leave us alone? Haven’t you killed enough people in your climb up the ranks? Weren’t my parents enough?”
The phone call fell silent before my uncle cleared
