Page 97 of Useless Love

“You shut up,” she snaps at me. “For all we know your fiance had him shot.”

Mother’s voice booms through the waiting room. “Stop bickering!”

I don’t know what to say. I just want to cry again, but my tears are useless, and Arianna will surely tell me so.

Nico sighs and then walks towards the head of Bencivenga security. Nico speaks a few words, and the men nod. Then he walks back to tell Arianna, “It’s done.” Then he stands in a corner, surrounded by a team of killers.

I glance at Ari, who is sitting by herself, thinking. I can always tell when she is thinking. It worries me.

I meet Mother’s gaze and we’re likely having the same thought: We’re supposed to be coming together as a family, not fighting with each other.

I look away and hug my waist, because if my husband really did this…ultimately, this is all my fault. It’s my fault if my father dies. If Arianna had married Carmine, he’d already be dead.

CHAPTER 28 — CHANGES

CARMINE

After threatening every member of my security team and accusing them all of being loyal to my old man, they finally showed me some surveillance. It looked like my wife snuck out on her own early this morning.

What the fuck? Where is she going? Is it me or does it look like she is crying? I’ve been calling her phone for hours. It’s not even ringing anymore—straight to fucking voicemail.

I’m pacing in the living room trying to figure things out.

“Maybe she is on a flight home,” Carla offers.

“Why the fuck would she be on a flight anywhere and not tell me?” I snap.

Carla frowns at me, sipping some coffee. “Don’t bite off my head; I’m just offering suggestions. If she’s on a flight, that could explain why you can’t reach her. I know Arianna and she wouldn’t leave like this unless something major happened.”

“Try to stay calm, son,” Mother interjects.

I run an angry hand through my hair. I don’t want to yell at my mother or my sister, but my wife fucking leaving without telling me is a big deal, even if there was a family emergency. We just talked yesterday about how she’s mine and I’m damn possessive about it. And she fucking leaves?

All plans have changed now and I’m leaving LA early; I’ll come back in the future to finish with business. I need some answers from my wife..

I return to my office and call Christopher. “I need you to look for Arianna and see if she’s at home with—”

“Antonio Bencivenga has been shot,” he cuts in. “Just heard and I was about to call you. We are at the top of the suspect list.”

I stare out my window for a moment, stunned. Shit! I have a suspicion now about why my wife ditched me.

“What do you want me to do?” Christopher asks.

“Just…fuck. Where’s Sammy?”

“He’s been keeping an eye on your old man.”

“Fine. I’m on my way back, so prepare the men to defend ourselves. Bencivenga has a lot of allies who will likely shoot first and ask questions later.”

“On it.”

I disconnect, the burden on my shoulders feeling too great. But unlike my old man, I’m not running away. I need to face the shit storm.

I send a text to my wife: I’m sorry to hear about your father. I truly am. But why the fuck did you marry me if you don’t trust me? You fucking run off at the first sign of trouble! I made a promise to make peace between our families, and it’s a punch to the gut that you think I’d betray that. Were you ever in love? Or was it a lie all along? I’m coming to collecting your ass because you’re MY wife and you don’t get to ditch our marriage on a whim!

After I hit send, I hit a vase, needing to release my frustration. It crashes to the floor and shatters. Till death do us part!

I rub my temples. This is the fucking life, isn’t it? One minute, my life looks better than I ever imagined. I have peace and a beautiful woman who claims to fucking love me. The next, everything is gone.

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