Page 116 of I Would Beg For You

Resolve and grit flow into me as I tighten my fists around the rail of the hospital bed.

This has been going on for too long. It has to end.

Right now, I know there’s no other way. For Valentino. For Serafina. For my family.

I turn toward my husband’s siblings and train my gaze over them one by one. I can see the men straightening, Francesca cocking her head in curiosity.

“There’s something we need to do,” I tell them.

“What?” Luciano asks.

“Joel Smith. He has to die.”

Chapter 36 Naomi

There’s nothing more Ican do for Valentino at the hospital, nothing else, really, so I decided to turn my attention to matters which can bring more immediate, and satisfying, results. Francesca’s keeping vigil at his bedside. Valentino’s three brothers come back to the house in Scarsdale with me, Antonio Bravi and Marco joining us there. All the way, Franco has been trying to convince me this is a bad idea with Luciano adding an argument or two, Victor contributing with a grunt here and there. I’m sure the two newcomers will just join the fray.

The only way to put a stop to this is to put my foot down.

“You know where the fucker is?” I ask once we’re all in the living room adjoining the open-plan kitchen.

“Signora Naomi,” Antonio says, tone patient and already grating on my nerves. “Think about this—”

“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing all this time?” I ask. “Ever since I woke up and was told my husband is fighting for his life because he had to yet again come save my ass.”

“No one’s said that,” Luciano counters.

“No one’s said it aloud,” I throw back. “This is the second time Valentino has had to come rescue me from something that bastard did to me. Not to mention he even had to marry me to make sure that asshat can’t close in on my money. Yet, look what happened. It didn’t stop him, did it?”

“You’re overwrought, I get it,” Antonio starts.

My glare cuts him short. “Are you about to tell me to calm down?”

“No,” he quickly adds. “But—”

I turn to Marco. “You were there both times, I gather. Is this how you, and all your crews, want to spend the rest of your days? Saving me, looking over your shoulders for the next plan that man is going to concoct to get his greedy paws on the Reeves fortune? Aren’t you tired of it?”

Marco winces. “That’s the Don’s decision.”

Seriously, are they for real? I roll my eyes at the ceiling, throwing my hands up. “You all are not listening to me!”

“Naomi,” Luciano says. “Let’s wait for Valentino to be in the clear—”

I whirl onto him. “How long is that going to take, huh? And what if he doesn’t wake up?”

“No.” Victor’s shaking his head.

“Every second we give Joel Smith, he’s gathering it to circle back around on us. This has to end. Now.”

When I’m met with silence, I huff. I actually want to yell, but doing so won’t help my case. They already think I’m ‘overwrought’ as Antonio so gracefully put it.

“Fine,” I bite out. “If none of you is going to help me, my uncle will. Maybe the notion of blood, sangre, will count for something there.”

“Naomi, come on,” Franco pleads.

“We’d protect you with our lives,” Victor says, in a rare display of speech.

“But you won’t help me avenge your brother, is that it?” I throw out.

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