Amore (66 page)

“Kei—”

He slammed his fist on the table, so hard the plates and dishes clinked. Mirabella flinched. She held back from speaking.

“As I was saying. I was arrested and thrown into a prison cell with criminals. And one day while lined up for the showers I was jumped. I think they used the sharpened edge of a spoon to cut my face and take out my eye. All the while they told me it was a gift for your husband’s wedding day.”

Mirabella lowered her gaze.

“The insult of my arrest reached the top of the mountain. My uncle Dao saved my life. And I was returned to China.” He lifted his hand. “This was my welcome home present from the Triad.”

“Your arrest and assault was wrong. I never meant for any of that to happen to you. I never blamed you. I never thought things between us would go this far. I begged for your life.”

“Shhhh.” He pressed an iron finger to his lips. He picked up the remote. “Let’s see what you really thought.” He pressed a button and a projector screen lowered. Mirabella frowned. The automatic shades for the windows around the upper deck were lowered. The sunlight was effectively blocked out.

He pressed play.

The screen flashed on with the image of her seated next to Giovanni. She glanced to Kei. He turned his head up so he could see with his good eye. “This right here is my favorite part!” he said and amped up the volume.

Mirabella squeezed Giovanni’s hand. She knew this part of the interview would come. She had hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon.
“It was awful. What do you want me to say? My best friend died in a terrible accident. And the man I trusted, Kei Hyogo, he made me believe that disappearing from my life was the only way to cope with my trauma. The press has lied and exaggerated my story to sell magazines and papers. The truth is I fell in love with this man, and made a life for myself. A life I wouldn’t trade for anyone or thing in the world.”

“Wait for it… wait for it…” Kei grinned. The report continued with a flash of Kei Hyogo being escorted into court in an orange prison jumper. And then they replayed the footage of Mirabella standing in front of the Battaglia gates calling out Kei’s crimes, and lauding her husband as her hero. The news reporter then gave commentary on Kei’s exile back to China.

“Turn it off,” Mirabella said as tears clouded her vision.

Kei grinned at the video footage of Mirabella smiling on screen.

“Turn it off!” Mirabella yelled.

He did as she asked. “So? You were saying?”

“Don’t sit there and pretend you aren’t responsible for this, Kei. You lied to me. You knew the entire time we were together that I was in love with him. You lied. You then sent a killer after my husband. He let you go and you sent a killer after him.”

“Fabiana was dead. You barely survived a bomb attack. You begged me to be your hero, and then decided to take my daughter, and my heart away from me. And I am the monster?”

“She’s not your daughter,” Mirabella mumbled.

“How’s my little rabbit doing,” Kei tossed a strawberry into his mouth. “Is she still fond of Captain Hook?”

“What did you say?” Mirabella asked.

“Peter Pan. Her favorite book?”

“You’ve been spying on my children? Who told you? Santo! That bastard!”

Kei chuckled. “No. Santo didn’t tell me. He brought me to her at the Diana. Left me with her. I told her that I was coming back for her and her mommy. She was happy to see me, Mira. Because she’s mine.”

“You’re insane. Insane!”

“I was there when you first felt her kick. I was there when she was delivered. I held her when you wouldn’t because you were too weak with guilt and grief over Fabiana. I am her father!”

Mirabella couldn’t speak. Giovanni was right about Kei. She refused to believe it. Even after she knew about his lies, and his attempts to take Giovanni’s life. There was madness in his eye. She didn’t know him at all.

“Did you rape me?” she asked and her voice quivered at the end.

He didn’t answer.

She looked up into his eyes. “Did you?”

“Am I a rapist? In the two years I longed for you, did everything to have you love me again, did I touch you?”

“That man is dead,” she said. “I don’t know who is before me now.”

Kei smiled. “True.”

“You drugged me. You undressed me. You had a video camera pointed at the bed.”

Kei kicked out the chair to the side of him and put his feet in it. “Oh that? That was for your husband.”

“He’ll kill you, Kei, if you taunt him this way.”

“And that makes you sad?” Kei asked.

“I am sad. I’m sad about who you are now. I’m sad that you had to rape me to make yourself feel important!”

He glared at her. “I didn’t rape you. But I will have you. After I’m done with Giovanni, you and Eve will return home with me. And you will be mine, willingly. There are so many ways to make that true without me touching you,” he winked.

**

“Has anyone heard anything?” Marietta chewed on her fingernail.

Catalina walked into the parlor. She shook her head sadly. She sat down and Rocco put his arm around her. Marietta looked away. They agreed they wouldn’t cry and scare the kids.

“Eve, how about some ice cream?” Marietta asked.

“Yay!” she said and stood up from the floor with her doll. Zia was rocking with Gianni in her arms. She glanced to Marietta who smiled.

“Let’s give them some ice cream, and then we can get in the pool.” She looked over to Cecilia who nodded that she understood. She took Eve by the hand. Marietta picked up Gino from the floor, and Zia was able to rise and follow. They all went to the kitchen. Marietta made sure the kids were settled in their chairs and smiling before she left and returned to the parlor. She now knew why Lorenzo was missing. She saw the video image of Carlo fighting with a mob in the boxing ring. He was missing too. It was a nightmare.

Catalina was now by the window staring out toward the gates. So many men had arrived. The place was guarded like a fortress. “I don’t understand this. Domi wouldn’t tell me how something like this could have happened.”

“The news report says that Ciro was killed in the boxing fight. And the other fighter was killed in the chaos.” Marietta said.

“And the shootings. Who was shot? Where is Gio?” Catalina wiped at her tears. “What the hell is going on?”

Marietta looked to Rocco. “Can you find out what happened? Anything, Zio Rocco. Please?”

He nodded and reached for his cane. He started using it over the past year. He walked out and Marietta went to Catalina. She hugged her. Marietta forced bravery to her voice when she spoke. “I paged Lorenzo several times. They’ll call us.”

“How can you be so calm?” Catalina wept. “I’m so scared.”

Marietta cupped Catalina’s face. “I’m her twin. I’d know if she was dead or hurt. I’d feel it.”

“You sure about that?” Catalina asked. “Two years ago you didn’t know she existed.”

Marietta wavered in her confidence. How could she be sure? “Yes,” she lied.

Catalina hugged her once more. “I just want her to come home. I want my brother.”

“Me too, sweetie.” Marietta said. She closed her eyes and prayed hard for her sister. Wherever she was he wanted her to have courage and strength. The same courage she gave Marietta the past week. There was no one sweeter than Mirabella. Without her they would all be lost.

“I’ll page Lorenzo again. We’ll get answers,” Marietta assured Catalina. “I promise.”

**

The men all stood around the bed of their boss glaring. Giovanni looked Benicia in the eye. “Leave us,” the clan boss said to his men.

“I won’t leave your side, brother,” Benicia’s younger brother Mateo said. He was shorter than his brother, and much leaner.

“Get the fuck out. We have business to discuss.” Don Benicia said.

Mateo glared at Giovanni. He nodded his respect and left. Giovanni found a chair and brought it over to the bed.

“Have they found her?” Benicia asked.

“They haven’t.” Giovanni answered dryly. He stared at the bruises and scarring all over Benicia’s face. Both of the man’s eyes were blackened and nearly swollen shut.

“I’m here to make an offer.”

“I thought you were here to apologize,” Benicia chuckled.

Giovanni did not.

“Gio, I meant no disrespect earlier. It was a slip of the tongue. My men are looking and will help to find—”

“You want more power. The money is in the export that’s leaving out through Salerno.”

“Drugs?” Benicia frowned.

“I know your interests,” Giovanni said.

“But Racchini is working with Lorenzo. That pie has already been sliced,” Benicia said.

Giovanni stood. “I’ll cut you a piece, a larger piece.”

“And what is asked of me in exchange?” Benicia asked.

“My wife. The boss who finds her unharmed and returns her to me gets forty percent of the business.”

Benicia’s eyes stretched, which was painful for him. He looked at Giovanni astounded. At most the clan bosses were able to negotiate fifteen percent with any business dealings with the Battaglias. “So you are going to expand from bringing it in, to distributing? We’re getting in the business. Fully.”

Giovanni nodded. “Think of what it means for you and your clan. Show me your loyalty and I’ll be willing to give you the rewards.”

“We’ll find her,” Benicia managed a crooked smile. “I’ll make sure of it.”

The clan boss extended his hand. Giovanni accepted the deal with a firm handshake. Giovanni turned and went to the door. He paused. He looked back. “I meant no disrespect to you, Benicia. But let’s be clear, if she is harmed in any way, I’ll show no mercy to any of those who failed me. That is the other side of the coin.”

He opened the door and left.

**

Mirabella sat behind a locked door in the cabin. She tried everything to pry it open. After an hour she gave up. All she could do was wait. The boat was moving fast. Where was he taking her now? The doorknob turned. She stood and waited with a fingernail file behind her back. She held it the way one would hold a dagger.

Kei entered. He looked at her and then to the bed where she tossed the hanger. “You haven’t changed.”

“I’m not putting that on. I want you to take me back,” she said defiantly. “Now!”

“If you haven’t figured it out by now, Mirabella, what you want no longer matters. I have other ways to convince you to accept what I want,” Kei said. “You did so, so nicely last night.”

“I know you. I’ve loved you. I grew up in our love. Built a company and reputation because of our love. This is not you!” she shouted through her tears. She turned the file on him. Held it out as a weapon to keep him back. “I’m warning you! I won’t let you do this to me! I won’t!”

“It’s done,” he reassured her.

“No!”

“Yes. You’re in the middle of the ocean. My men are all over this boat. I get so much as a paper cut because of you, and they won’t hesitate to throw you over. Remember how afraid you are of water.”

“So that’s why you brought me out here. Because of my fear of water? Are you so damn sadistic that you’re enjoying this?” she asked.

“I’m the same man who loved you inside. Who will protect you. And when I strip you of everything that has poisoned you against me you’ll see my sacrifices and honor me for it.”

“I’m scared, for us both! You can’t play games with Giovanni. I have tried to protect you, begged him to let you go. He did. But now, he’ll kill you. Do you understand? There will be no place you can hide and he won’t find you! Kei, stop it. Now! Let me go.”

He walked over to her. She held out the nail file and stepped back. He grabbed her wrist and took the weapon with little effort. He tossed it. He kissed her hand and she snatched it away from his reach.

“Put the fucking dress on,” he told her.

She looked to the garment splayed out on the bed. She wiped her tears and picked it up. The material was thin. The dress was familiar. She glanced over to him. “Where did you get this?”

“I had some of my things returned to me after I was exiled from the States. Funny they sent your things too. Remember when you wore that?”

“Kei—”

“The trip to Santorini. When we sailed to Mykonos. You were terrified of the water. But you wanted to look pretty for me. You made that dress for me. We fucked on top of the sea, and you told me you’d marry me. Only to change your mind by the time we arrived home.”

“I never said that. You remember it wrong. You forced me to sail in Greece when you knew I was terrified. And you kept after me about marriage. I told you I would think about it. That’s how it happened.”

“Everything, Mirabella, has to be a challenge with you. Not because you can’t make a decision, but because you can’t trust yourself to believe in your decisions. You knew who I was, and who I wasn’t. You always knew. And if Giovanni hadn’t turned your head you would be my wife, having my children.”