Page 49 of Risky Vows

Bile rises in my throat. I swallow the unsavory lump and will myself calm down.

Wrench. I wouldn’t dare ask him where he got that nickname—something tells me the answer would be terrifying. "Listen, Wrench, you need to let us go. She's about to give birth, and this stress is bad for her. If something happens to this baby, your life is over."

He watches me quietly before erasing the gap between us. I recoil, stepping back until my knees touch the bed, and I find no more room to create a buffer zone. Then, he hits me in the face.

My skin burns from his strong punch. A powerful throb stabs the back of my eye, followed by a tingling ache in the area around it.

I fall on the bed, then worry he'll take advantage of me in this vulnerable position. I immediately try to get up, but he pushes me down again.

"Leave her alone," Andie spits out.

Wrench chuckles. "Look who's up."

"Please don't hurt her."

I've been through this kind of crap before. It sucks, but Andie won't be able to take it. And I won’t forgive myself if something happens to her baby.

Wrench turns to me, scratching his chin. "And I'm supposed to stop?" he snarls. "You two dumb bitches don't know why you're here, do you?"

I shake my head. I gather it's some mafia bullshit, but I don't have the details. Information is power right now.

"Your precious boyfriend killed my boss's son," he says, looking at Andie.

Andie gasps.

"Fuck," I hiss. This situation is growing worse by the minute.

Panic arrows through me. Shit. We have to find a way out of here—but how? Flashes of Ugo beating me senseless populate my mind, each one lowering my internal temperature. Currents of fear wash over me, each stronger like violent waves on a remote shore.

I bite my inner cheek. What do I say? That it was all a misunderstanding? Did Dante not mean to kill the heir of a loose-cannon mafia boss?

"My husband is loaded. I can call him—he'll give you enough money for a new life anywhere you choose," I say.

He snorts. "Your husband would fry my balls at the first opportunity."

Truth."Not if he learns you spared us. That you went against your boss. Think about it. My husband listens to me,” I say coolly, hoping he’ll believe me. Does Massimo trust me? I’m not his favorite person after what happened, but I like to think that if it meant saving my life, he would listen.

"I bet he does, sweetheart. Those tits look like they tell a good story," he says, licking his lips. "And I'd love to hear it."

Nausea settles in my stomach. "No, you don't understand… he really listens to me. We’re a team. I can prove it."

He leans closer. "How?"

"I’m not sure you’re familiar with this, but… my brother Alonzo Montefiore was in a coma… and Massimo was going to kill him when he woke up. But I asked him to spare his life. Told him my brother would benefit our business, and now they're working together." I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot, but my bullshitting is the only weapon I have at my disposal, so I have to use it. Our lives depend on it.

He listens to me in silence for a while, looking up at the ceiling like he's considering the idea. The following creepy chuckle isn't reassuring. "You think I'll believe you?"

"No. I wouldn't believe it either," I say, hoping I'm at least buying us time. "Let's call my mom. She knows. I'll talk to her about Alonzo."

"Nice try, tits," he says. "Not happening."

"What's the harm in verifying? I'm sure you have a burner phone. I'll ask how he is, and you'll know." At least he’ll know my brother is alive. And I can buy time or maybe warn my mom. I’m not sure—I’m taking each moment at a time.

He erases the distance between us and spits on me. "That's the harm, bitch. I was told to get your friend, but when you called, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Two mafia bitches at once. Trust me, I'll be rewarded for that."

I smooth my hand over the wet spot where he spat. Anger hits me harder than this motherfucker’s punch. My heart throbs, each beat a deeper stab of apprehension. Why hasn’t he killed us yet? He's not feeding us or letting us out.

He's waiting for something… or someone.

---