A heavy, cloying grief had become a part of Melina’s life since the moment she’d learned of Neeya’s death.
That grief was now lifted and replaced with a myriad of emotions she wasn’t ready to deal with yet, especially saying goodbye again.
“You look exceptional … for a dead woman,” Melina said.
Neeya Pivetti lifted a well-manicured eyebrow. “You’re angry with me.”
Melina shook her head. “No. I was, but only for a minute. Some things don’t require an explanation.”
“You finally understand the most important lesson of all. Life without love is meaningless.”
Neeya’s gaze left Melina and fell on Luca. A subtle sheen of tears shined in the woman’s eyes.
“Yes, it is,” Melina agreed.
The older woman came closer and touched Melina’s face. “In the short time we have known each other, I have come to love and care for you as if you were a daughter of my own.”
“That means more to me than you know.”
Melina swallowed the lump in her throat, blinking away the tears forming in her own eyes.
Neeya opened her mouth to speak but closed it and nodded at someone off in the distance.
“Our time is short, but I must ask a favor of you, Melina. Something I dare not trust anyone else with.”
“Name it,” Melina managed around the lump in her throat.
“Look after my daughters while I’m gone.”
A tear slipped down Neeya’s cheek as her mask of refined elegance finally slipped.
A mother’s worry.
A mother’s naked fear.
Melina knew the feelings all too well. They’d become a part of her existence from the moment she’d become pregnant with her own child. She couldn’t imagine the depths of Neeya’s own emotions as she prepared to face a new life … without her daughters.
“Of course. Whatever they need.”
Neeya’s hand dropped away as she placed a soft kiss on Melina’s cheek. “Thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. You’d do the same for me.”
“Indeed I would.
Melina sighed. “Well, I guess this is goodbye.”
Neeya shook her head. “Not goodbye. Just an I’ll see you later and now that I know I have you looking out for my girls I can rest a little easier.”
The older woman held out her arms, and Melina went into them hugging the Pivetti Queen hard. She didn’t fight as tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Be safe, Neeya, wherever your journey takes you.”
The two women moved apart, each wiping away their tears that had fallen.
“The same to you, my dear. Just remember that the strongest piece on the board is always the Queen. Your time is now.”
Understanding dawned on Melina. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
“You’re a smart woman. I never speak unless I have something worth saying.”
Neeya patted Melina on the shoulder and gestured towards the helicopter. She understood immediately. The time for saying goodbyes was over. Each step seemed heavier than the last as the two women joined their husbands and the Pivetti daughters. Luca Pivetti’s eyes lit up as his wife came to his side. Wrapping his arm around her, the weary man placed a kiss atop her forehead before beckoning his girls to come closer.
Melina felt like an outsider as she watched the family exchange hugs and kisses. Tears misted in her eyes. The love the Pivettis had for their family was in the air. It dripped from their pores like a fine sweat, glistening and evident. The separation they would all be forced to endure was unjust, but maybe somehow, some way they would all be together again someday.
“It’s time.” Massimo’s voice cut over the sound of the helicopters blades.
Melina reached for her husband’s hand, sliding hers easily into his.
“It’s going to be all right, doll.” His lips brushed against her ear.
She turned to him and noted the emotion swimming in his own eyes. This was affecting him too. It would to anyone that had a heart.
“I hope so,” she said.
Massimo came forward and put his arms around his granddaughters. “Time to go, girls.”
The three young women nodded, and Melina bit her lip as she watched them hug and kiss their parents one final time before they were ushered into a waiting car by their grandfather. The two couples watched in silence as the girls were driven away. When they faced each other again, Melina noted the fresh tears going down Neeya’s cheeks.
“And now I too must take my leave,” Massimo said as he came to stand beside his son-in-law.
Luca held out his hand. “Thank you again … for everything.”
The two men shook.
“Take care of her. If not you’ll answer to me,” Massimo warned.
A tic moved in Luca’s jaw, but the man wisely nodded. Massimo Dinunzio was a man you didn’t want to cross, even if you were a once formidable crime boss. Even now Luca was still wise enough to know that.
“Daddy,” Neeya said. A hint of a smile played on her face as she held out her arms to hug her father. The two embraced briefly before Massimo patted his daughter’s cheek and turned to Mac and Melina.
“Best of luck to the both of you. A shit storm’s coming.”
His piece said, Massimo got into the car that had brought him and was speedily driven away.
“Make me proud, Melina,” Neeya said.
“Always.”
Neeya reached for Melina’s hand briefly before letting go and turning to her husband.
“Ready?”
“I’ve never been more ready,” Luca said.
He nodded briefly towards Mac before he took Neeya’s hand and helped her into the helicopter. Taking a seat beside her, Luca closed the door and the blades began to twirl even faster. Mac pulled Melina back away from the force of the winds made by the blades as the helicopter rose into the air and sped off into the evening sky.
“Let’s go home, doll.”
Melina allowed Mac to lead her to the remaining car and opened the door for her. She climbed inside. When her husband joined her, she took Mac’s face in her hands and kissed him. He returned her kiss with equal enthusiasm before he stopped.
“Why did you stop?” Melina asked.
“Because I’m not inclined to give our driver a free show.” Mac reached for her hand and brought it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to it.
“Good point.” Melina was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “We have a lot to discuss.”
“Yeah, we do, but for now let’s just enjoy the ride.”
“Yes. Let’s.”
The world they knew was on the verge of changing forever, but how that change would be brought about was best discussed elsewhere. For now, she would enjoy the comfort of her husband’s arms as they silently contemplated the new future ahead of them.
Melina awoke reaching for her husband, but found the space beside her empty. After finally returning home yesterday evening, they’d spent a quiet few hours with their son before going to bed. They’d fallen asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms. Mac hadn’t said much yesterday, and she hadn’t pushed for anything. Sometimes a person just needed to be alone with their thoughts. But the time for silence was over.
Getting out of bed, Melina pulled on her robe, brushed her teeth and left through the bedroom in search of her husband. It didn’t take her long to find him. She leaned against the doorway frame. Mac leaned over Marquise’s crib watching their son as he slept, but there was a tenseness in his body. Unease curled all around him.
“Good morning, doll.”
Mac stretched to his full height and faced her. Shirtless, with a pair of pajama pants that hung low on his hips, the sight of her husband never failed to leave her a little bit breathless. And a whole lot grateful. She crossed the short distance to where he stood and placed her hands on his shoulders.
“Every morning with you is.”
Mac raised a brow. “What did I do to deserve you stroking my ego so early this morning?”
He kissed the tip of her nose and then twice on the lips. Melina smiled at him, momentarily lost in the hazel of his eyes.
“Nothing particular. I just felt like stroking your ego since you got out of bed before I could stroke something else this morning.”
“The day is still young,” Mac teased.
“Indeed it is, but there are some things we need to talk about first.” Her hands dropped from his shoulders.
“I know.”
“Let’s not have this conversation in front of little ears,” she said.
Mac nodded, taking her hand and leading her from their son’s nursery and into the kitchen. They sat down at the kitchen table, and the air between them was momentarily strained. Her husband’s eyes took on a hard glint.
“A lot happened yesterday.”
“Yeah, it did,” Melina said.
“When we walked into that funeral, the last thing I expected was what happened. Or what has the potential to happen now. But what I’m most concerned with is how everything will affect my family.”
“What happens to either of your families is ultimately up to you.”
“I know.”
“I think somewhere in the back of your mind, you knew that when Luca went in this time he wasn’t coming out. I also believe you knew what would happen, but what I didn’t know was that you were ready to completely accept his blessing.”
Mac leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest. “How do you know he gave me his blessing?”
“Because one thing Luca Pivetti is not is a fool. He may no longer be in a position to run the organization he built, but there is no way he wants everything he worked for to go to shit. It doesn’t take a genius to know you are the only option for the continued survival of la famiglia.”
Her husband ran a hand over his face. “For so long I’ve been trying to navigate my own path. To find my way out of the shadow that James’ name cast over me.”
“And you’ve done that your own way, but that doesn’t stop now. It can’t stop if either of your families are to survive. You know the kind of threat we face. I’m tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, Mac. Something has to be done.”
Mac pushed away from the table and stood up. Melina watched silently as he moved about the kitchen fixing a pot of coffee before he finally sat back down.
“And it will be, but taking care of this kind of problem is not just black and white. There are certain things that just can’t be done on a whim.”
“A made man is one that can’t be arbitrarily killed. The consequences for an unsanctioned hit by someone connected would be dire, I suppose.”
“Yes, they would.”
“You can’t kill him, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone else who can.”
The coffee pot stopped, and Melina quickly moved to pour her and Mac a cup each. He remained quiet as she added one creamer and sugar to his and Cinnabon creamer to her own cup. She bit her lip as the unsaid words she hadn’t voiced hung in the air between them. Her husband was a smart man, but she knew that even he had his limits.
“What if I’m not comfortable with what you’re suggesting?”
Melina placed his cup of coffee in front of him on the table, before she sat back down with her own cup. Taking a long swallow of the sweet and creamy, hot drink, she took a moment to choose her words.
“We have no choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Melina.”
“Not this time. The longer he has to gather men closer to him, the more danger there is for us and our son. There is a threat that needs to be eliminated, and I am in the prime position to do it.”
Mac took three long hard swallows of his coffee, before he set the mug back down on the table and pushed it away.
“I know that when you married me you were aware of what becoming a part of this lifestyle entailed. That there would be danger and sometimes we would have to get dirty, but blood on your hands was something I never wanted. Especially the blood of a snake like Anthony.”
“I appreciate all of that, but it doesn’t change our current situation. There are some things that need to be done, and sometimes the only person to do those things is a woman.”
“I don’t like it, doll.”
“You don’t have to. You just have to agree to it.”
Melina finished her cup of coffee and waited, watching her husband. The war of emotions ranged across his face. Her husband loved her, valued, and respected her. He was also fully aware of what she was capable of, and that was where his indecision lay. To allow his wife to get her hands bloody or remain at a stalemate with a target on his back. There was only one option.
“Okay.”
One simple word.
So much said without being spoken.
So many undercutting emotions.
“All right.”
She stood, taking their coffee mugs from the table to wash them in the sink. Releasing a breath, she turned on the water at the sink and began washing the two cups. It was time to put things right. To protect her family. To cut the head off a snake once and for all. Melina was under no illusions about what she had to do and the aftermath that would follow.
“We’ll make it through this.”
Mac’s arms wrapped around her and she leaned back against him, savoring in the warmth of his embrace. As long as they had each other, there was no threat they couldn’t face. No challenge they couldn’t handle.
“You look good enough to eat, doll.”
Melina did a slow twirl in front of the mirror as her husband came to stand behind her.
“I’ll make time for you to do that later,” Melina teased.
“If you want, I can make time right now.”
Mac’s hands slid around her waist and up to cup her breasts through the red silk that covered them. His thumbs rubbed slow circles over her nipples, and Melina arched her back against him.
“I should’ve known you’d try and play dirty.”
“Never that, doll. I’m only offering to give you what you asked for.”
Regretfully, Melina moved his hands away and faced him. “If we weren’t already running late, I’d take you up on your offer, but I for one am looking forward to opening night at Rosemarie’s.”
“Then we’d better get going.”
Melina nodded, turning back to the mirror to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Tonight her hair was tousled in soft curls that fell down her back. A pair of black diamond studs sparkled at her ears. The red silk dress she wore ended at mid-thigh and hugged her every curve. Mac hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her ever since she’d donned the designer gown. She supposed the deep cut that showcased her cleavage didn’t hurt things either.
“If you keep admiring yourself in the mirror, doll, I’m going to change my mind.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m ready.”
Melina allowed her husband to lead her from their bedroom and into the living room. The sound of baby giggles drew them even quicker. They found Victoria and Enric tickling Marquise whose face was stretched wide with laughter. For a moment, she and Mac just stood there watching the scene unfold in front of them. The joy on their son’s face as he played with his aunt and his father’s subordinate was wide and clear. Melina didn’t miss the long looks Enric and Victoria cast at each other when the other wasn’t looking. Something was brewing between them, and it had been for a while. She only hoped when the storm finally hit, the young man and woman would be prepared for the winds that would follow.
“You two are in for a long night,” Mac said breaking the silence.
“Meaning what?” Victoria challenged.
“Meaning Marquise is normally in his crib by now and yet you two have him up playing. It’s going to be a while before he sleeps.”
“I don’t mind,” Enric said.
“Me, neither.”
Mac laughed. “The both of you will soon learn.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be gone fifteen minutes ago?” Victoria prodded as Marquise lay in her arms smiling.
“We get the hint,” Melina said.
Quickly she and Mac kissed their son goodbye and hurried out the front door. Mac opened the back door of the car and helped her inside. When their car was pulling out of the driveway, Mac shook his head.
“What is it?” Melina asked.
“I’m going to have to have a talk with Enric.”
“About?”
“My sister.”
“What is there to talk about? They like each other, even if they’re not ready to admit it. They’ll come to each other in their own time. The last thing Victoria needs is you sticking your nose in her business.”
“She’s my sister. She will always be my damn business.”
“Careful, Mac. You’re about to start sounding like a patriarchal jackass.”
Mac looked at her, eyes glittering in the dark. “That’s a new one, doll.”
Melina shrugged. “Just calling it how I see it.”
“I take it you see Enric and Vic as a good match.”
She took her husband’s hand in hers. “They remind me of us,” she said quietly.
“In what way?”
“Well I didn’t particularly like you much when we first met either although it was obvious you were pretty crazy about me.”
Tracing the curve of her cheek, Mac kissed her softly on the lips. “No argument there.”
“Yes, and somehow we found our way to one another when the time was right.”
“Yeah, we did.” Mac sighed. “Fine. I’ll butt out when it comes to Vic and Enric.”
“Good. I’m sure they both will appreciate it.”
It wasn’t long before they arrived at Rosemarie’s. The old fashioned Italian style eatery was celebrating its grand opening tonight. Mac had explained that Raphael Arogosa came from an old Italian family and had grown up in the same neighborhood as Mac. He was one of the few boys in the neighborhood that hadn’t become a part of organized crime in some way.
Instead the man had gone to culinary school and decided to open a restaurant in honor of his late grandmother. Her husband had been more than happy to help finance the endeavor with no strings attached. There was a line of people wrapped around the red brick building as their car cruised to a stop at the front entrance.
“Standing room only,” Melina said.
“Good thing we’re on the short list then.”
The town car came to a stop, and Mac helped her from the vehicle. All eyes were on them as they walked up to the front of the line where two burly men were watching the doors and doing their best to keep the eager crowd in line.
“Maccari,” Mac said.
One of the men grabbed the heavy brass door handles and held the door open for them.
“Thank you,” Melina said.
“Welcome, ma’am.”
They entered the building, and the soft strands of Italian opera played over loud speakers. Pictures of historic places in Italy lined either side of the wall. The smells of garlic and freshly baked bread filled the air.
“My mouth is starting to water,” Melina said.
“Cynthia wouldn’t be happy to hear you say that,” Mac teased.
“What? I can’t be excited about tasting anyone else’s food but your mother’s?”
“No.”
“Asshole.” She smiled.
Mac pinched her arm as they walked up to the distressed brown podium. A bubbly hostess directed a solitary man to a table near the front. When the blonde saw Mac, her eyes immediately took on a predatory gaze. Melina fought down the urge to slap the woman across her smiling face.
“Table for two,” Mac said.
“Welcome to Rosemarie’s. What’s the name?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Maccari,” Melina said pointedly.
“Down, tiger,” Mac whispered in her ear before pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“Mac.”
They turned towards the sound of the voice. A dark-haired man, with a slim build and shining green eyes came towards them wearing a red buttoned up shirt and black pants.
“Raphael.”
Mac released her hand and turned to greet the man with a handshake and hug.
“I’m so glad you could make it. I assume this is your lovely wife, Melina.”
“You’d be right. This is my queen. Melina, meet Raphael, one of the best chiefs on the east coast.”
Melina smiled, extending her hand. “Pleasure to meet you Raphael. If Mac praises your cooking, then it must be good.”
“Let’s hope I live up to his expectations. There’s a table set up for the two of you. Whatever you want is on the house,” Raphael said.
“I appreciate that very much.”
“It’s just a little token of my appreciation for everything you’ve done.”
“No need to thank me. You deserve this, and your grandmother would be proud.”
“Thank you. Let me escort the two of you to your table,” Raphael said.
Mac tucked Melina’s arm through his as they followed Raphael to their table, situated near the center of the room. The textured earth tone walls and dark wood gave the place a homely feel. The dark red table runners that covered the cherry wood tables reminded Melina of marinara sauce and further reminded her of just how hungry she was.
As Raphael stopped at their table, Melina noted that they could see everyone around them. Mac pulled out a chair for Melina. He stiffened looking past her into the distance. She followed his gaze and saw Anthony Corelli at a table on the other side of the room surrounded by several men. Spotting Melina, he smiled and raised a glass of red wine in the air.
“How long has he been here?” Mac asked Raphael. The strain was evident in his voice.
“Long enough for me to be ready for him to get the hell out. He’s been acting like some goddamn king holding court all night.”
“Have a seat, doll,” Mac said gentling his voice.
Melina did as her husband asked.
“Thanks again, Raphael.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll send a waiter right over.”
Mac nodded before taking his seat across the table from her, where he was able to keep an eye on Anthony.
“The bastard doesn’t know when to quit, does he?” Mac said.
“He’s only doing this to provoke you.”
“I know, but here of all places. Fucking here. This was deliberate. He knew I’d be here to support Raphael.”
“He wants you to make a scene in an effort to bolster his own image. Let the interloper pretend to be a king. You and I both know who the real king is, so we are going to enjoy our night out just like we intended. Nothing has changed.”
“You’ve learned this game well.”
“Indeed I have, and first thing in the morning I’m going to make a phone call that is going to put us one step closer to having a problem taken care of once and for all.”
Melina perused the menu that was left on their table as a waiter came over to get their drink and appetizer orders. She chose fried lasagna bites and left the wine selection up to the waiter. Mac went for fried calamari. When the waiter left, Melina did her best to engage Mac in conversation, but his attention was divided between her and whatever Anthony was doing across the room.
“All right, now I’m starting to feel a little pissed off,” she said. Melina tapped his shin with the edge of her heel.
Mac reached for her hand across the table. “I’m sorry, but if you could see what I see right now.” A muscle in his jaw tensed.
“Perhaps I should.”
Discretely moving her chair so that she was now sitting on Mac’s left hand side, it took less than a minute before she could see what had her husband still so riled up. Corelli held out his hand and Melina watched disbelievingly as two men greeted Anthony by kissing the ring on his hand.
“This almost leaves me speechless. Almost,” Melina said.
“I’ve never seen a power play like this before. Luca not publicly naming a successor has this whole organization in an uproar.”
“Think of it this way, Mac. In some ways, Luca did you a favor. By not publicly throwing his weight behind you, he gave you the opportunity to create your own legacy. To show that you don’t need anyone to give you anything. That you are perfectly able to prove your capability on your own terms.”
“Have I told you how much I love how your mind works?” Mac offered her a smile.
Melina shook her head. “No. Not lately.”
She laughed as their waiter returned with a bottle of wine, their appetizers, and a bowl of fresh garlic knots.
“Well let me rectify that. I love your mind and everything else about you,” Mac said.
“That’s better.”
Melina shared a quick kiss with her husband before they put in their orders for the main course, Eggplant Parmesan for Mac and Chicken Marsala for her. Popping a lasagna bite in her mouth, Melina moaned.
“This is divine.”
“Glad you like it, doll. Try some of my calamari.”
Melina allowed Mac to feed her. The calamari was perfectly cooked and tender enough to melt in her mouth.
“From the rapturous expression on your face, I’d say the calamari is a hit, too,” Mac said.
“And you would be right.”
His gaze momentarily strayed from her to Anthony’s corner again, and she put a lasagna bite in his mouth to refocus his attention.
“No more of that tonight, Mac. Appearances are everything.”
Mac nodded, refocusing his attention. Melina hated the way Anthony was getting to her husband. Mac was usually calm and collected on even his worst days, but somehow Corelli seemed to have gotten under his skin in a way no one else ever had. It wasn’t what he needed and certainly was not a good start for a future boss. Anthony was like a fly, annoying and always buzzing around. An irritant. But like with flies, all it took was one good swat to finally get rid of the irritant permanently. Anthony’s swat was coming sooner than he realized.
“Are you sure about this? It’s not too late to back out,” Mac said.
Melina shook her head. “It’s all going to be fine. You have to trust me to get this done.”
“I do.”
“Then everything else will work itself out,” Melina assured her nervous husband.
Mac took both of her hands in his and brought them to his lips, pressing soft kisses on them.
“A man is supposed to protect his family.”
“That’s exactly what you’re doing in a circumvent way.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, doll.”
“Of course, I am. A woman is always right.” Melina winked at him to lighten the tension in the room.
“I’m slowly learning that.”
“Learn it a little bit faster then,” she teased before becoming serious. “Is everything ready?”
Mac nodded. “Yeah. Downstairs in the car.”
“All right, then I’d better be going. I need to get there first.”
Turning, Melina headed out of their bedroom and down the hallway.
“You don’t want to see Marquise before you go?”
She stopped momentarily and shook her head before she kept walking. “No. I’ll see him when I get back.”
She would have loved nothing more than to hold her son.
To kiss his cheeks and inhale his scent.
But that would only make her soft and right now she needed to be harder than she’d ever been before. There was no room for softness now.
Melina remained silent as Mac followed her out of the house to where an indistinctive black sedan with dark tinted windows waited for her. Not even an emblem to identify the make and model of the car was evident.
“Everything you need is inside,” Mac said.
“Thanks.”
“Do we need to go over things one more time?”
She faced her husband. “No. I’m good.”
Mac swallowed hard. “Come back to me.”
It was half order, half question. For a split second, Melina considered abandoning the whole thing. The half concealed fear on Mac’s face was enough to undo even the firmest of resolves, but she couldn’t give in to her emotions. There was too much at stake. Instead she smiled and wrapped her arms around him holding him close.
“Always.”
Their lips met in a kiss that was full of all the things they were momentarily incapable of saying.
A forever love.
A fearsome passion.
A hope for a future beyond their dreams.
All the reasons why quitting now was not an option.
Melina stepped away from Mac. “I’d better go.”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t miss the gruffness in his voice as he opened the driver’s side door for her. Soon it would all be over, and their lives could get back to normal. Their new normal anyway. Sliding into the car, Melina turned the key that was already in the ignition and started the vehicle.
“I’ll be back soon. Okay.”
“I love you, doll.”
“I love you too, Mac.”
Closing the door, Melina quickly put on her seatbelt and pulled away from the house. She glanced in the rearview mirror, watching her husband become smaller and smaller in the distance. She hated to see the internal struggle Mac was having with himself, especially when it was unwarranted. But after tonight it would all be over. Melina was sure of it.
Her drive to The Dollhouse seemed to be shorter than usual. In no time at all, she was parking the sedan in an alley two blocks away. The small handbag she carried was a heavy weight against her shoulder. A reminder. Melina watched her surroundings as she made it closer to the rear entrance and let herself in. It hadn’t been hard to convince her employees to take a day off. She closed and locked the back door behind her before turning on the lights and doing a quick walk through the place.
Melina unlocked the front door before going behind the bar to pour herself a drink. The rum and Coke was soothing as it went down her throat. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It wouldn’t be long now. Downing the rest of the drink, Melina washed the glass and put it away before heading to the last room on the right. The one Erika usually frequented. Stepping side, she turned on the light and deposited her bag on the plush queen sized bed as she sat in the lounge chair next to it. The only bed she had an interest in being in was her own.
Minutes ticked by and she wondered for the first time if perhaps things might not go the way she wanted. Then she heard footsteps, and the door opened. Anthony Corelli stood in the doorway.
“Melina, what an unexpected surprise.”
Anthony entered the room, removing his jacket.
“I’m sure it is.”
“Did something happen with Erika?” he asked. His eyes roved over her.
“She had a family emergency.”
“And she couldn’t have called?” he pressed.
“Actually I asked her not to. I wanted to see you.” Honey dripped from her voice.
Anthony sat down on the bed. “Hell must have frozen over. Why would you want to see me, Melina?”
Melina crossed her legs and smiled at Anthony. “Because we have something to discuss. Something important.”
“Dare I hope you’ve finally come to your senses and realized that it’s time to switch to the winning side?”
“And you’re the winning side?”
Anthony moved closer to where she sat, leaning close enough to stroke the outside of her thigh. “A war is coming, Melina, and I will be the winner. I’d hate for you to be caught in the fallout, especially when you have a much more attractive option.”
“And that would be aligning myself with you?” she pressed.
“I’m thinking something more permanent … like marriage.”
The man had no shame. No shame at all.
“I’m already married.”
“You’ll be a lovely widow, Melina, and then an even more beautiful wife.”
His hand rose higher on her leg, toying with the hem of her skirt.
“What about my son? How does he figure into your plans?”
“He’s half yours and young enough to not remember his father. Marquise is in no danger from me, especially if you agree to give me a child of our own. I’ll need a boy off you.”
She had to give it to him. Anthony had everything figured out. In his mind, he could have whatever he wanted and that included her. To a man like him, her husband was only a bump in the short road to his rise to the top. It was obvious from the cool, predatory manner in which he watched her that he expected no pushback. From her. From anyone.
“You seem to have this all figured out.”
“A man with ambition always makes time to think his plans through.”
“Is that so?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Catching his hand, Melina removed it from her thigh and stood up.
“Well there is one thing you didn’t consider.”
“And what’s that, dear?”
“Just how much I love my husband.”
In one fluid motion, Melina reached between her thighs and unsnapped the black Ruger 380 and aimed it at Anthony’s head.
“You bitch!”
Before he could move, Melina squeezed the trigger. She watched dispassionately as Anthony fell back on the bed, dead. A bullet between the eyes signaled the end of a man that had never deserved to lead. A man who had discussed murdering her husband like someone discussed the weather. Inconsequential. She was glad he was dead. Opening up the bag that lay on the bed beside his dead body, Melina fished out the burner phone and pressed one.
“It’s done,” Melina said.
“We’re on our way.”
She ended the call and threw the phone on top of the bag. Anthony’s blood continued to seep into the bedding but it didn’t matter. Soon this room would be cleaned and scrubbed as if nothing had ever happened. And Anthony … Anthony Corelli was just another piece of trash lying in the gutter. His reign was over.