Gino looked at me and then back to my father. He kept his silence.
“If you know anything about this situation, Gino, I’m going to come down hard on you. This is your opportunity to tell the truth. If you lie to me, I will forget the fact that we are blood. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I understand, Papa. I can assure you that I have no idea who’s responsible. It’s no secret that Joe and I don’t get along, Father. It has been a strained relationship from the get-go. But I would never do anything to harm Ella. I would not disrespect you like that, Papa. Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“I’ve had word that your mother is behind this. I know that you two are close. I’m giving you one more chance to come clean.”
Gino’s face was gray. He was either a fucking accomplished actor, or he was as shocked about the revelation as we were.
“My mother? Are you sure? It must be a mistake.”
“There’s no mistake, Gino. Your bitch of a mother has taken my wife. If she harms even one hair on her head, I’m going to kill her. And if you are in cahoots with her, I’m going to forget that we are brothers and kill you too.” I glowered at Gino. He saw the rage in my eyes and visibly backed up in his chair. He turned to my father and spoke.
“Papa, I swear. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never disrespect you like that. Never!”
“Joe, I swear it’s not me. I have nothing to do with this. I love my mother, but she’s always been a loose cannon. She does what she pleases. I’m sure you know that better than anyone, Papa.”
“Gino, I want you to keep your silence on this. If we’re going to get Ella back, safely, we cannot let your mother know that we have wind of her plot. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Papa, I understand. If I can help get her back, I will.”
“Joe, I swear to you this is not my doing. I will help you in any way I can.”
“You better be telling the truth, Gino.”
“I am.”
ELEANORA
I must have fallen asleep from pure exhaustion. I woke up to the sounds of keys rattling in the lock. Abriana entered unannounced. Her ubiquitous presence filled the room as she looked down at me as one would at a small bug.
“I hear your husband is desperate to find you. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Smile while you still can, Abriana. Pretty soon, you’ll be laughing out the other side of your face.”
Her expression took a dark turn—Cruella was pissed. Good. Come closer, bitch. I dare you. The nail will make a beautiful mess of your ugly face.
“You’re rather brave considering where you are. Feisty only serves when you’re in a position of power, my dear.”
“What do you want, Abriana?” I was tired of her rhetoric.
“I thought I’d check in on my bait. You can’t catch a fish if the worm is dead.”
“An interesting analogy, Abriana, seeing as you’ll be swimming with the fishes, real soon.”
She let out a genuine cackle. “Oh, my goodness. It’s a pity I have to kill you. I could use a vicious little mouth like yours in different circumstances.”
“The only useful thing that will come out of this mouth, Abriana, is for you to fuck off.”
Her expression hardened. Her eyes shone with lava. She turned, walked out, and slammed the door behind her. The familiar sound of rattling keys announced her departure. If I were determined to kick her ass before, I was practically gagging for it at that moment.
Ugh! Again with the nausea. What the hell did Mama put in that lasagna?
JOE
A note came. No name, no reason, just an instruction for me to bring five hundred thousand dollars in a bag and deliver it by myself to the address scribbled below. Very clever, Abriana; make it look like some illiterate lowlife threw the note together. The spelling was appalling.
“There’s absolutely no way you’re going anywhere by yourself, Joe,” my father stated, unequivocally.
“Papa, if Abriana suspects that I’m with muscle, Ella is dead.”
“Son, we both know that she’s not short on cash. It’s not about the money. What do you think is going to happen when you go alone? She’s going to kill you is what’s going to happen.”
“Papa, for now, she still thinks we have no idea that she’s behind this. That works in our favor.”
“I agree, my son, but I can’t, I won’t, send you to your death.”
“I won’t be alone, Papa. I’ll have Mario and Franco with me. Mario’s father has taught him well. He knows how to handle himself.”
“That may be so, but you don’t know how many of her men will be waiting for you.”
“I’m going with them, Papa.” Gino came and stood next to me. “I’m going with you, Joe. I want to help.”
I looked him up and down. There had to be a reason he’d turn on his mother. I supposed that choosing the Coli family power and prestige was more his speed than being the illegitimate son of a Ferrari. His lack of loyalty to the woman who brought him up was despicable. Fortunately, it worked in my favor. I was cool with that.
“I’m sending my best men with you. They will be discrete and hang back, out of sight, just in case you need them.”
“But, Papa I …”
He cut me off mid-sentence. “But, nothing. It’s my way or no way. End of discussion.”
There was no point in arguing with Antonio Coli. He was the poster child for “Because I said so!”
“Si, Papa.”
***
Fabio, Mario, and Franco were gobsmacked when I told them of Abriana’s betrayal. The first
