Page 65 of Taken By the Mafia King
“I was just checking in.” My voice vibrated in a whisper.
“Do you want to get her killed? Do you even understand how easy it is for someone to listen in on these calls? You called your own number again, didn’t you? Did it ever cross your mind thatmore than one party is listening to that line, hoping to find any shred of information about where you are?”
“As if I’m such a threat!” I hissed. “Why would anyone want me? What is so special about me, Tommaso? Even Killian can’t seem to make up his mind about why he’s keeping me here.”
“You were Gabriele De Luca’s property. He bought you, and Killian killed him to retrieve you, Sera.”
“Forwhat?!” I shouted, stepping around him and throwing my hands in the air in surrender. “No one tells me anything! Do you all think I harbor some secrets pertaining to my father’s operations? Because I don’t. I never did. I put up with this life until I was brave enough to leave. I’d tell you, or Killian, or fucking Francesco anything you wanted to know about my dad and yet no one has asked me a thing about him.”
“We already know more than we need to know about Andre Bianchi.” Tommaso continued to glare at me, his eyes ablaze.
“Then why?” I was on the verge of breaking down. “Why am I still here?”
He said nothing but tugged on my arm, pulling me past him, and snapped his fingers like I was a puppy needing redirecting.
“Go to your room.”
“Tommaso,” I began, but he didn’t let me finish.
“I thought we were friends, Sera. I trusted you. You broke my trust, and there’s nothing you can do to repair that. Emma could be dead by tomorrow—or worse. How do you know the Marinos won’t come after her and auction her off next? You could be buried in a shallow grave and covered in concrete right now. Emma could find herself in a similar situation. Do you want that for your best friend?”
Tears glistened in my eyes as I realized he was right.
What the hell had I done?
CHAPTER 48
KILLIAN
“Her name is Roxy Longo,” Fred said as he paced along the terrace, his hands tucked into his old leather jacket. “No affiliations to any families that I know of.”
“Five million dollars is a lot for one dame,” I said dryly, leaning against one of the stone pillars supporting the arch over my front door. A moth fluttered around the light a few feet above my head. My eyes tracked back and forth, following Fred as he continued to pace, occasionally stopping to kick at a leaf or piece of gravel. I sighed. “Was she sold at an auction?”
“No, it was a private exchange, from what I understand, but Riccardo Marino did handle the logistics.”
“Why should I be interested in this, Fred? Andre’s new toy has nothing to do with me.”
“I think it has to do with Sera’s situation.” He came to a stop a few feet away from me, the chill in the air causing his cheeks to flush. “I went to him a few days ago to plead her case. He didn’t even give me the opportunity to ask why he wasn’t coming after you for taking his daughter, or burning the whole goddamn city to the ground looking for the men who kidnapped and sold her to the Marinos. That girl was all over him. He told me to get out, so I did.”
“So Andre isn’t coming for Sera?” I already knew this but saw no reason to show Fred my hand.
“Is that not clear enough by now?”
I gave him a cold look to remind him who he was talking to. He looked down at his feet.That’s better. “What do you want from me, Fred?”
“I want to make a deal.” He didn’t hesitate and looked back up at me. “How much do you want for Sera?”
I chuckled, running my tongue over my lower lip as I looked out over my front gardens.
“How much, Ricci?”
“We’ve discussed this before, Fred. I’m not selling her to you or anyone, and you know it. Go get yourself another dame,” I chided.
“She’s not a dame, and you know that.”
I studied the old man. “What is she to you?”
“More like a daughter than anything. I’ve known her since the day she was born. I can’t sleep knowing she’s in this situation.”
