“What is this?” I asked.
“One more word and I’ll kill you myself,” Israel said coolly.
My jaw dropped open in shock as I continued listening to the botched recording.
“You heard me right,” my voice said, “once I have his trust, that’s when we strike. When he least expects it. You know he’ll never see it coming. And we’ll finally win this.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say this. This isn’t me.”
Israel pointed. “That’s not your voice?”
I scoffed. “It is my voice, but it’s edited. Can you not hear that?” The room fell silent as I leaned back against the breakfast nook booth. “Are you kidding me right now? You can’t hear how edited that recording is? It’s as plain as day!”
Israel’s eyes drilled into me. “All those times I saved you.”
I shook my head, thoroughly confused. Why was I fighting so hard for this man who gave so little of himself? “I’m telling you, this isn’t what it seems. Your brother is trying t—”
Israel slowly stood. “All the times I risked my hide to save your life, and now I have to contend with something like this?”
I shot to my feet. “Dig down deep. Listen to this again. This. Is. Edited. I never said anything like this. I don’t even talk like this.”
Giovanni shrugged. “A voice never lies.”
I glared at him. “It does when it’s edited and spliced together to say whatever you want to. Israel, look at me.”
His eyes diverted. “I can’t right now.”
I reached out for him. “Israel, my uncle did this shit all the time. He would record people, conversations, phone calls, anything. And when he needed to burn someone, he’d take their voices and—”
He stepped away from me. “Shut up, Bonnie.”
I dropped back into my seat and fed up with this game. “Your brother has been hounding me and cornering me for two weeks now. Ever since he got back into town, he’s always found his way upstairs, or back in this penthouse, or seemingly around the corner from me. And always my fault.”
“Silence!” Israel roared.
I shrugged. “You’re going to kill me anyway, so why should I go silent?”
Giovanni chuckled.
Israel quieted him with a piercing look. “Bonnie, look at me.”
I did as he commanded. “What?”
He pointed at me. “This is what I was talking about.”
“I’ve done nothing.”
“You’ve shown me how you can’t be trusted, and while my brother is a slimy sack of shit, he’s also my brother. And there were times during our childhood where he bent over backward to save me from shit I never even saw coming. So now, even with the evening we just shared, I have reason to doubt you when I have no reason to doubt him. This is what I was talking about. This rocky foundation you and I have. It doesn't play out in your favor, especially when you aren’t watching your steps.”
I had no idea if he was defending Giovanni or me. But at that point, I didn’t care. I was done defending myself to someone who obviously didn’t care.
“And now, I don’t know what to believe out of the two of you. You’ve been at one another’s throats since he got here, and I’ve got no clue whose side to take!”
Giovanni snorted and rolled his eyes. “We’re family, Israel. I’d never lie to you about something like this.”
I scoffed. “Says the man who showed me Israel and Alice at the wedding party only to try and convince me that Israel didn’t want me.”
Israel turned a pointed look at his brother.
Giovanni shook his head. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I stumbled upon this recorded phone call—”
“Who was I talking to, then? Hmm? Why can’t you hear another voice?” I asked.
“Enough!” Israel bellowed.
We both looked at him as he stepped away from the nook.
“I need some time to think,” he murmured.
“Israel, wait,” I said.
“Of course, brother. Whatever you need,” Giovanni said with a smug smirk.
I wanted to wring the man’s fucking throat. I wanted to slaughter him where he stood. But I kept my eyes on Israel as he walked out of the kitchen, leaving this python and me alone. Together. With knives surrounding us.
I’m good with knives.
Giovanni chuckled. “Once Israel kicks you out, I’m sending you back to your uncle. He’s been waiting for you, you know.”
I nodded slowly. “You don’t want to kill me to get me out of the picture, so you’re going to let him do that. Wonderful. Coward.”
“You know damn good and well your uncle’s been waiting for this moment. Why would I rob him of the vengeance he deserves?”
I looked up at him. “Tell me, were you wire-tapping my phone? Did you have recording devices placed in this penthouse? Because I’d really like to know how many hours’ worth of footage you had to comb through to come up with that fifteen-second piece of shit.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re going back to your uncle. Your death warrant just needs to be signed. And once I hand you over, everything can go back to normal.”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t shock me that you’re working with Pava, you know.”
He made a comic sad face. “It’s time for you to come with me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
He gripped my arm. “You’re coming with me. Israel’s going to want you out of his place immediately.”
I fought against him. “I’m not going anywhere until he comes down here and tells me to get out himself.”
“Get up, you stupid bitch.”
“Israel,” I called. He couldn’t really be so upset that’d let his brother take me away to be murdered. Help!”
“I said, get up!”
When he wrenched me out of my seat, I yelled at the top of my lungs. Hoping and praying, that Israel would come to my rescue, that he would come to his senses. That he helped me instead of throwing me to the damn dogs as he’d always done. But no matter how hard I screamed and no matter how hard I fought, Giovanni got me into the elevator.
I wouldn’t
