“And?”
He holds up the phone, and Gigi’s voice comes through the speaker.
“You need to find her, Dad.”
“What do you think I’m trying to do?” I snap.
“I’m calling Antonio,” Gigi says.
“Why the fuck would you call Vinny’s brother?” Benny yells, inching closer to the phone.
Gigi ends the call.
Later, I’ll question why my daughter has contact with anyone having the Lombardi name. It’s normal for men from families to attempt to use women as pawns to get to rivals—just like Vinny did with Carmela … and me also with Natalia. Over my dead motherfucking body will that ever happen with my daughter.
“All right, let’s clear our heads and think about where he could’ve taken her,” Benny says.
Clear our heads.
It’s where Vinny goes to clear his head.
“I know where she is.” I hold my hand out to Francis. “Keys.”
“Where are we going?”
I shake my head. “I’m going alone. If Vinny is there and sees us, he might kill her. I’ll let you know if I need backup.”
“Dad—”
“I will call you.”
Benny sighs. “Here lies the war of Natalia.”
“A war we’re about to win.”
CHAPTER 35
NATALIA
Vinny is calm.
Well, calm for Vinny.
His hands are knife- and gun-free.
But his weapons are still within reach, just in case he needs to use them on me—per his words. I need to be smart with every move I make. Like I told him, escaping won’t be easy.
I’ve run several strategies through my head. I settle on convincing him to drink with me. I’ll get him drunk and steal his car. Easier said than done. Vinny’s known for his high alcohol tolerance.
He’s next to me—too close for my liking—with his feet kicked up on the coffee table as we watch TV. After kissing me, he attempted some groping, but I stopped him and complained of a headache from the chloroform. His not disputing that it was chloroform answered my question on what was on the rag that’d been shoved against my face.
I smile when my stomach growls. “I’m starving.”
He pauses the show. “I had Greta stock the kitchen yesterday. Anything sound good?”
“What are my options?” I start to stand but pause. “Am I allowed in the kitchen?”
“Yeah, but I need to go everywhere with you until you prove you can be trusted.” He draws himself to his feet before holding out his hand and helping me up.
“You had Greta stock the kitchen … had you planned on bringing me here all along?”
He nods and leads me into the kitchen. “I told Rocky he had three days to bring you to me unless he wanted trouble.”
“How did that come about? You, Carmela, and Rocky?”
“Do you really want to hear that?”
Quick breaths leave me. “Do I want to hear it? No. But I feel like I need to.” I squeeze his arm and lean into him. “I was open and honest with what happened with Cristian. Will you please do the same with me?” I pout my lower lip.
Do I care what he did with Carmela? Hell no.
He could’ve married Carmela and had twenty babies, and there wouldn’t have been an ounce of jealousy in my bones.
What is in my bones? Curiosity.
How this came to be.
Rocky deserves an Emmy for his false allegiance to Cristian.
Vinny leans against a cabinet and smirks. “Everyone knows Carmela was Cristian’s fuck buddy, but she wanted more. I used his rejection of her to my advantage. I contacted her, asked her out, and she fed me information. Eventually, I convinced her that we’d marry, but to do that, we needed to get rid of you. In doing so, we needed Rocky’s help. He was the key to getting what I wanted.”
I stare at him, speechless, and digest his words.
Yep, Vinny is calculated as hell—maybe a little underestimated.
“The plan was always to get you here,” he continues, crossing his ankles. “I needed to spend time with you to talk things over. We had too much miscommunication.”
“But I thought you wanted me dead?”
“Dead or mine.”
I recoil, and a shiver runs over my arm. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”
There’s nothing harder than apologizing to a man who just admitted he wants you dead if you don’t stay with him. But for my life, that’s what I have to do.
I hook a thumb toward the refrigerator. “I’m thirsty. Can I grab something?”
“Make yourself at home, baby.”
I rush to the fridge as repulsion slithers up my throat and grab a bottle of water. My hands tremble as I untwist the cap and take a long gulp.
That repulsion intensifies when he comes up behind me, wraps his insincere arms around my waist, and digs his chin into my shoulder.
“How about we open a bottle of wine?” His mouth goes to my ear, and he grins as I shiver—although for a different reason than what he thinks. “For old times’ sake.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Anything in particular?”
I tap my finger along the side of my lip. “What was that bottle we drank when we came here for the first time?”
He wiggles his fingers at me. “Ah, you want the good stuff.”
I soften my gaze. “I like the memories of it.”
“That’s in the wine cellar.” He pulls away but freezes. “Are you going to pull something tricky?”
“Of course not.” I brush my hand along his arm. “I can go with you. Or I can make grilled cheese—your favorite.”
“With bacon?”
“With bacon. Extra crispy.”
He smacks a kiss on my cheek. “You’re the best, baby. Be right back.”
“I’ll be right here,” I call to his back.
As soon as he turns the corner, I open a drawer, snatch a knife, and shove it into my back pocket. This dummy is making it easier than I thought. He’d never make it as the boss of his family.
He’s bringing his guard down, so now, I’ll wait for the perfect time to escape.
My heart thunders when I hurriedly open the refrigerator and gather grilled cheese ingredients.
Vinny returns and holds up a wine bottle. “Found it. It’s a different year, but close enough.”
I grin. “Close enough.”
He settles the wine onto the marble countertop while I open the pantry for bread.
“Are you okay with me grabbing a butter knife?” I toss the loaf next to the cheese and bacon.
“I doubt you can do much damage with a butter knife, baby.”
I playfully poke his shoulder before opening the drawer.
He uncorks the wine, pours two glasses, and hands me one. I make a cheers motion before taking a tiny sip. He brings the glass to his lips, downs the contents, and pours himself another.
I fake another drink, and he freezes mid-swallow when an alarm sound blares from his phone.
“What’s that?” I chew on my lower lip and rest my glass on the counter.
Vinny picks up his phone. “The alarm. It alerts when someone comes in the vicinity of the house.”