Page 36 of Deadly Don's Baby Contract

“I wasn’t arguing, Franco. I just know Dominique isn’t very well suited to looking after me. Not like that. He might be my Godfather, but I just don’t feel safe anywhere without you.”

“Aria!” I snap, and she stops talking and packs her bags in silence, with tears falling down her cheeks. I am being a dick, not listening to her, but I am afraid that I am not willing to risk her and my child. “Just go, it’s not like it’s forever.” I try to ease the tension. I won’t sleep if we leave things like this.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s for a minute or forever. It’ll be without you. Dominique is no fighter. He was good to me, but he was the only one who ever was.” The thought of anyone being anything but good to her makes me homicidal.

“Dom is a friend of my family. You’ll be safe there.”

“Safe from whom?” she snaps at me. “Because trading one killer for another really is not that comforting, thank you.”

If I didn’t love her so much, I’d throttle her.

“You ran to Loredana when you ran. Why?” Something about her Sunday school story still doesn’t add up, and Loredana wasn’t forthcoming with anything more than she had something of mine.

“Because we were friends, and I never thought anyone would look there.” She’s lying to me, but I have no time to be angry with her. I have dirty laundry to deal with, and my sister will only be able to hold her own for so long.

“When you come home, we’re going to discuss the way you lie to me with a straight face.” I’m too wound up now.

“Franco,” she looks at me with fire in her eyes, “is the murderer really pointing a finger at the liar?”

“Aria, just fucking go!” I slam her half-packed suitcase closed and zip it for her. “Now, before I say something I can’t take back.”

“Say it,” she says. “I dare you.” The challenge in her eyes and the simmering anger in me are a Molotov cocktail about to ignite. I turn and walk away before it can. My sister needs me. This fight can wait. I watch her car drive off from the window upstairs. She stares daggers at me until she can’t anymore.

While I wait for my men to report back from their fact-finding mission this morning, another unanswered question plagues me. Vito’s sudden interest in my family coincides with Aria’s arrival in our lives. She’s been an anxious wreck since I mentioned his name—and I know she’s lying to me.

“I have a job for you,” I say to my rat when he answers the phone.

“Don’t you always?” he asks. “What can I do for you, boss?”

“My wife,” I pause. I should wait and ask her, but she is already lying, “She’s got skeletons in her closet. I want to become better acquainted with them.”

“You want me to investigate your wife after you married her?” he scoffs. “You know most men in your position do the digging before they buy the cow.”

“Don’t call her a cow, and keep this discreet.” I shouldn’t have to say that, but this time it feels important.

“Boss, Franco—are you sure you want to know? Before I look and find something you don’t like?”

“I don’t like skeletons, secrets, or lies. And most days I don’t like you. Do your fucking job.” Rat: he is the lowest form of life. A professional snitch. I feel dirty just talking to him, but I have to know what is niggling at my gut.

“Yes, boss,” he says and hangs up on me. Two cars pull up in front of the house, and I hold my breath, hoping my sister will climb out of one of them, but when she doesn’t, I know I need to do more.

Vito needs to feel my wrath because I am getting tired of playing this stupid game with him. I’m a sore loser—just ask my brother.

“Franco,” my cousin Luca calls from the open door. “Nothing, but we heard a rumor he’s got her at one of his wash shops on the wrong side of the tracks.”

“Have we got anyone close?”

“The intel is good, Franco. We thought it would be best if you came with us. It’s your sister.” What he’s not saying is that if she were dead, they don’t want to have to tell me. “We have cars waiting, and the boys from that side of town will meet you there.” I hate going into the slummy side of the city. It’s rank, and the desperation hangs in the air like the smell of cheap perfume and whores.

“Let’s go,” I say.

“Should I stay with Aria?” he asks.

“She’s gone to stay with Dom. You can drive with me.”

He looks shocked that I sent her away.

“I’ll send for Aria once my sister is safe and Vito is handled.”

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