Chapter 20

The men yanked us through what felt like a maze of corridors before shoving us into chairs. When they ripped off my blindfold, I blinked against the dim light. My heart dropped – we were in my grandfather’s shed.

“Welcome home, principessa.” Joey’s gravelly voice echoed through the space. He pulled up a chair, sitting backwards on it to face us. “Let me properly introduce myself. Joey Mineo, the man who should’ve been running New York’s underworld after your grandfather’s passing.”

Vincent strained against the ropes binding his wrists. “You lost that right when-”

“When you orchestrated that coup?” Joey’s lips twisted. “Nearly killed me too. Had to spend years abroad rebuilding my empire.” He leaned forward. “But someone gave me a reason to return. Someone who knew exactly when to strike.”

Footsteps clicked against the concrete floor. A familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows, and my blood ran cold.

“Thomas?” The name left my lips in a whisper.

My ex–husband stepped into the light, a smug smile playing across his face. “Hello, Cheryl. Surprised?”

“You’re working with him?” I glanced between Thomas and Joey. “You were the one who-”

“Told him about the wedding? Of course.” Thomas straightened his tie. “When I discovered Joey’s connection to Vincent, well… let’s just say our interests aligned perfectly. I told you I’ll get have my revenge”

Joey’s laugh bounced off the walls. “Your ex–husband has been quite helpful. Though I must admit, I never expected Vincent to marry the granddaughter of the man he failed to protect. It’s almost poetic, isn’t it?”

“Your grandfather…” Joey’s eyes glinted with malice. “Such a proud man, even when the cancer was eating away at his lungs.”

My breath caught. Grandfather had died of lung cancer – that’s what Vincent had told.

“But waiting for nature to take its course?” Joey shook his head. “Too slow for my taste. So I put a bullet in his chest. Made it look natural – after all, what’s one more failed organ when you’re already dying?”

“Shut up!” Vincent lunged forward in his chair, the ropes cutting into his wrists. “Don’t you dare-”

“What’s wrong, Viper?” Joey’s smile widened. “Don’t want your bride knowing how you failed to protect her beloved grandfather? How you were too late?”

Heat rushed through my veins. “You murdered him?” The words came out in a snarl I barely recognized as my own voice.

“Cheryl, don’t-” Vincent warned, but I was beyond hearing.

“He was dying anyway!” I screamed, thrashing against my restraints. “He was suffering, and you- you-”

Joey leaned closer, his breath hot on my face. “I put him out of his misery. Should’ve seen the look in his eyes when he realized who was holding the gun. ‘Not in front of my granddaughter’s picture,‘ he begged. So I turned the frame down before pulling the trigger.”

“I’ll kill you,” I whispered, tears burning my eyes. “I swear to God, I’ll kill you.”

“Cheryl, please.” Vincent’s voice cracked with desperation. “Don’t let him-”

“Oh, let her rage,” Joey laughed. “She has her grandfather’s spirit. Maybe I should put her down too, save us all the trouble.”

The cold metal pressed against my forehead. My heart hammered in my chest, but I refused to give Joey the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.

“No!” Vincent’s voice cracked with desperation. “Leave her out of this!”

Thomas stepped forward and struck Vincent across the face once, twice. Blood trickled from Vincent’s split lip, but his eyes never left mine.

“Look at your precious mafia boss now,” Thomas sneered. “Not so tough anymore, is he?”

Joey’s laugh echoed through the warehouse. He pulled the gun away from my forehead and pressed it against Vincent’s temple.

“What do you say, sweetheart?” Joey’s fingers tightened on the trigger. “Should I paint these walls with your husband’s brains? Say yes, and you walk out of here alive. Simple choice, really.”

Vincent’s blue eyes locked with mine. Despite the blood on his face, despite the ropes cutting into his wrists, he looked at me with such tenderness it made my chest ache.