Page 2 of Vicious Redemption

His concern for me warms my heart, and I’m sorely tempted to reach out and squeeze his arm to show my appreciation as I near the doorway. In a world of cold, ruthless men, Mayor Romney is still trying to look out for me. But I have no doubt that would only get me in further trouble.

But my father simply shrugs in response to the mayor’s concern. “The Morettis won’t hurt Tia while she’s carrying his child.”

Heat radiates through my body as yet another secret I’ve kept for my family’s sake is obliterated, the truth exposed for everyone to see. And the look of satisfaction on my father’s face tells me this is my true punishment for having disobeyed him. The night I snuck out of the house, the night I gave my virginity to Leo, the night I got pregnant—that created a far more definitive divide in my relationship with my father than I had realized.

I thought we could recover from it.

I thought marrying Leo would be enough.

I thought my father had forgiven me.

But the punches keep on coming.

Mayor Romney looks stunned as his wide eyes shift to my face. My stomach knots as I think of all the lies I’ve been collecting lately. I hesitate, wishing I could say something to defend myself. But I can’t think of anything.

Glancing over my shoulder, I will Leo to look at me, to see the apology that consumes my face. And when he continues to glare at my cousin Maury, I know he won’t. Strong hands wrap around my upper arms as the men Leo assigned to me take charge. They steer me from the room when I refuse to go on my own.

“Wait, Leo. Leo!” I call as they drag me through the door. I don’t want to leave the scene as it is—with the man I love in a standoff with my own father’s men. Anything could happen in my absence, and I fear things could go terribly wrong if I’m not here to intervene.

“Let go of me!” I command, jerking in my escorts’ hands in an effort to break free.

But they’re so much stronger than me; my escape attempt is little more than a joke.

They take me out the front doors of the town hall and down the cement steps to the black SUV waiting at the curb. Neither says a word to me as one opens the door, and they form a wall behind me, corralling me into the vehicle.

Heart throbbing as I think of what might be going on inside the silent auction room, I resign myself and climb into the car. My freshly assigned prison guards slip onto the leather seats a moment later, surrounding me with their bulk as they close the doors.

The driver pulls onto the road, taking me away from the evening that had started out so magical and ended so horribly. As I watch the grand town hall building grow smaller in the rear window, all I can think about is the utter look of betrayal on Leo’s face—and his promise to deal with me later.

Anxiety sits like a cold rock in my belly. I don’t know what might come next. My past experience with Leo would tell me that I won’t enjoy whatever “dealing with me” might entail. But worse than my anticipation of his wrath is my fear that what I’ve done has destroyed the connection we developed over the past weeks.

I would hate more than anything if I got a small taste of happiness and then killed it stone dead out of past resentment.

My guards don’t say a thing as I turn to face forward once again, dropping my face into my palms as I fight off the tears that strangle me.

When we arrive home, I climb from the Escalade without argument and let Leo’s men follow me up the front steps. Luigi greets me with a solemn face, his lips pressed into a straight line that only intensifies my anxiety. Though I can’t say why.

Finally, my escorts leave me at the door to the room I share with Leo. And only after I shut it soundly behind me do I allow the tears to fall.

2

LEO

“I hardly think Signor Moretti’s men should be holding anyone in custody at this point, Mayor Romney,” Don Guerra insists, his lip curling in disgust as he pronounces my name.

“The police will be here to take them into custody momentarily,” he assures the don, his apologetic tone curdling my stomach.

It seems the mayor’s view is too easily swayed by tricks and schemes. I’ll admit, I find it frustrating that, for all the time and effort I put into winning his favor, it took nothing for Don Guerra to turn him against me. I remain the villain in Mayor Romney’s book, though Tia’s father is anything but innocent and still seems to hold the politician’s ear.

Holstering my gun, I square my shoulders, determined not to let my fury show. That would only be another victory for Tia’s father.

Just thinking her name puts my stomach in knots. I shove all thoughts of her aside. Right now is not the time to deal with that emotional can of worms. Not if I intend to leave this scene with my freedom and my men intact—and not on their way into police custody. Any of us could easily end up in handcuffs if I don’t keep my cool.

A moment later, the boys in blue start to flood into the room, fanning out around Mayor Romney and Don Guerra as they take custody of the don’s men by order of the police chief.

“Let’s go,” I state to my men as soon as I watch the Guerra men get cuffed. I can do little else right now, and the less time we stick around, the less likely we are to get slapped with charges.

My men move with smooth precision, forming a protective circle around me as we filter past the police and their charges. Mayor Romney levels me with a cold gaze as I pass him near the door, his friendly demeanor as of late frozen into a block of ice.

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