Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Tell me it isn’t true!” Nonna yells suddenly.
“It’s true!” Giuseppe shouts back. “But we were just kids and we didn’t understand the consequences of what we were doing. We were jealous of him. You showed him more love than you did to us. You pretended it was because he was a poor motherless kid, but he was clearly your favorite. He could do no wrong.”
Zio Marco looks at him despairingly. “You’re a disappointment. A disappointment. All of you. Valentino is your brother. How could you?”
“He was cocky and arrogant,” Giuseppe fires back. “He still is, but we’ve all learned to live with it. When we were children, it was unbearable.”
“So you plotted to have him killed?” Zio Marco shook his head. “Oh Dio!”
“I was not cocky and unbearable,” I say to Giuseppe. “You just wanted what was mine. You still do.”
“No, I don’t,” he denies hotly.
I laugh with disbelief. “Don’t tell me you don’t want La Terra De Barbieri.”
“Everyone wants that,” he snaps back angrily.
“There you go, but no worries. You don’t deserve it, but you’ll get a piece of it.”
“Valentino, you must find it in your heart to forgive and forg-” Nonna Isadora starts.
I shake my head. The hurt I felt that day has never gone away and made me distrustful of people. “Don’t worry, Nonna. Nothing has changed. You called me an ungrateful child so I showed you why I am this way.”
“Valentino,” Zio Marco walks towards me. “Please. Let’s—”
My phone beeps in my pocket and I take it out to see Vance’s name on the screen. I immediately turn away from Zio Marco and take the call.
“Vance.” My voice is sharp and urgent. I’d told him to let me know when Francesca leaves our bedroom, and I’m certain that’s why he’s calling.
“Your wife has come down to the kitchen.”
“Then give the phone to her,” I say impatiently.
There’s a shuffle on Vance’s end, then I hear him say, “La Signora Barone, the Boss wants to speak to you.”
To my shock, Francesca shuts him down in a cold voice. “Get that phone away from me and tell your boss to fuck off.”
The blood in my veins turns to ice. Her harsh words crush my heart. What the fuck? Where did that come from? What has happened to cause such venom? When I left home this morning, we were happy. What could have happened between the time I left the house and now?
“Did you hear that, Boss?” Vance asks sheepishly.
“Yeah, step away from her,” I order.
“Hmmm… she’s gone back upstairs.” Vance sounds upset, and I know it’s because Francesca has openly disrespected me and my authority. If it were someone else, they'd be dead by now, but he knows better than to touch Francesca.
“What the fuck happened?” I growl at Vance. “Did she leave the house?”
“No, Boss.” He pauses. “Boss?”
“What?”
“Federico came by the house. He left his phone on the dining table and she saw something on it. A video.”
“A video? What was it about?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see it, but it must have been bad because she changed after watching it. I made him delete it from his phone.”
I run a hand down my face. There’s no way in hell I’ll remain in Italy because it’s Matteo’s last wish to see me when Francesca is mad at me. I don’t know what she saw on that phone, but I must fix it before it festers and she closes up and becomes the Francesca she was when we first married.
“Don’t let her leave the house. I'm on my way.”
“Okay.”
I head for the door, forgetting there are others in the room with me until they speak.
“You’re leaving?” Zio Marco asks.
“Yes. I have urgent matters to attend to,” I answer as I rush outside.
I cannot believe I’m flying back to New York when I only just got here, but there’s nothing that’s going to keep me from Francesca. Nothing! I see Dutch flicking glances at me through the rearview mirror, but I ignore him and dial Federico’s number. It rings for a long time before he takes the call.
“When I call you, Federico, you do not keep me waiting. The next time this happens, I’ll make sure you don’t have a hand to take calls again in your miserable life.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line before Federico slurs. “Yes, Boss. What can I do for you?”
I realize the bastard is blind drunk or high on something.
“What video did Francesca see on your phone?” I demand furiously.
“What video? What phone?” he asks groggily. In the background, a woman’s voice says, “Come on, baby.”
I’m wasting my time. He is too gone. Cursing, I hang up and call Roberto.
“What’s up?” Roberto asks.
“Go to my house. Keep watch until I return.”
“Is everything alright?” he asks worriedly.
“I’m not sure.” I swallow my vulnerability and get into boss mode again. “Do as I say, ask me questions later.”