Page 46 of Beguiled and Broken

I ran around to the front and took a deep breath, thinking, I’mcoming Bianca.I knocked on the front door but it took a minute before Sophia finally answered. Every second was agonizing. I tried not to look worried and pissed. I wanted to snatch her up right there and call the cops, but she’d never tell us or them where Bianca was tied up. I thought, if Bianca isn’t in this house, I don’t know how else we’ll find her without Sophia telling us. I needed to give Cole as much time as I could to find Bianca, and hope she was in the house.

Sophia opened the door and said, “Vinny, my love. Come in. It took you long enough to get here. I kinda figured you found out that I live close by.”

I walked inside and there was absolutely nothing there. No furniture, no photos, no lights except one little lamp on the floor in the living room. It was desolate and bone chillingly cold.

“Sophia…where is Bianca?”

She giggled and clapped her hands. “You figured out my name! It sounds so good to hear you call me by it. How did you find out what it was?”

Her laughter was like nails on a chalkboard. “Your diary. It wasn’t hard to figure out once I read that.”

“Ya know, Vinny, you really shouldn’t read a girl’s diary. That was so rude of Bianca. It’s such an invasion of privacy.”

“Privacy?” I raised my voice and she jumped, so I quickly realized I needed to reign it in. “Sophia, you invaded our entire life. You lied to me, to us.”

“I didn’t lie! It’s all true! Wearesupposed to be together, Vinny. You were always saving me. You just made one little mistake. You weren’t supposed to marry Bianca. You werepromisedtome.” Her head dropped and her voice lowered. Then she yelled “Mine!” She looked completely psychotic. If that wasn’t enough, she turned and started skipping around the living room.

“Where’s Bianca?” I asked her again.

She stopped skipping. “Oh, Vinny. You were always so impatient. That’s how we got into this mess. If you hadn’t been in such a hurry to marry Bianca, I could’ve gotten to you in time. You didn’t even give me a chance.”

“I didn’t know about you, Sophia.” She snapped her head to the side and looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

“Everyone knew you were mine. You knew. Your mother knew, but she ignored my phone calls. Your Nonno knew. Poor man. I hope he rests in peace. I wish I could’ve gotten to know him more.”

“Don’t. Don’t speak about either of them. You know who else knew, Sophia? Your father. He’s the one who put a stop to the wedding. He said it couldn’t happen. What would your mother say about you doing this?”

“YOU DON’T SPEAK ABOUT MY MOTHER!” she screamed, then shook her head and smacked the side of it. “My father doesn’t know anything. He was wrong. He had no right to take you from me.”

“Sophia, I know this is hard, and I know you miss your mother, but this isn’t how to do this. This is wrong.” I looked up and saw Cole tiptoeing between the rooms, looking for Bianca. Sophia started to turn toward him, so I spoke up fast to distract her. “I’m saying it’s wrong but maybe…” making her turn back to me. “...maybe we can start over and do it therightway.” I looked up to see Cole going into another room.

“Vinny, don’t play games with me.” She grabbed the sides of her head with her hands, like a robot on the fritz. She was a ticking time bomb.

“I’m…I’m not playing games, Sophia. You said it yourself. I was always saving you and we got along so well. It’s like we were magnets. We were just drawn to each other and I’m sorry I denied it.” I hoped she was buying into that shit. I fucking hated myself for even having to say it. It was going to make her spiral even more when she realized none of it was true. I needed to save my wife though. My wife and my family were all that mattered to me.

She dropped her hands and looked at me. When she started walking toward me it took everything in me to not take a step back to keep distance between us, but I didn’t want to upset her. “You mean it, Vinny? Because I’ve felt a connection to you the whole time. The times we would bump into each other in the kitchen and hallway. I knew you felt it too. We just couldn’t act on it because Bianca was right there.”

What the fuck had she imagined? I knew this was bad, but it felt like it was getting worse and worse, and my blind ass hadn’t seen any of it coming. “Of course, Sophia. Remember when you called my name out during sex?”

Her face lit up as she jumped up and down, making a squealing noise. “Did you love it? I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you even though I had to fuck that guy. It was you I wanted and wished for. He was nothing compared to how I know you’ll be when we’re finallytogether.” I was really hoping Cole found Bianca. “Tell me, Vinny,” She moved closer to me and brought her hand up to my face, rubbing her fingers along my jaw. “How did it make you feel? Did you imagine it wasusfucking? Did it turn you on when I called your name?” Before I could answer, her voice dipped down and she sounded sad. “Because you avoided me. You didn’t speak to me for so long. You made me feel like I was wrong when I was just trying to bring us closer together.”

I wanted to remove her hand. I wanted her to stop touching me. I just needed to get through it. This was penance for my sins. “I’m sorry, Sophia. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I just didn’t know what to do. You know, with Bianca so close by.”

Sophia ran her hand down my chest and stepped even closer to me. She reached for my belt when I grabbed her wrist. “What, Vinny?! I knew you were full of shit! Do you think I’m stupid? That’s why I have Bianca. I had to make you see. She’s not right for you. She keeps standing between us and I won’t have it anymore. I want to get our kids and leave.”

Our kids. What the fuck?“Sophia, I’m not…I’m just nervous.” I looked over, not letting go of her wrist and saw Cole carrying Bianca. When Sophia looked at me, she realized I wasn’t looking at her and snapped her head toward Cole and Bianca. She tried to snatch her wrist away but I didn’t let go.

“Cole! Don’t fucking move another inch,” Sophia yelled. Before I could react, Sophia pulled a gun out from behind her and pointed it at my best friend and my wife. I felt like my heart fell into my stomach. “Vinny, fucking let me go, or I will kill them both and not feel an ounce of regret.” I couldn’t reach the gun, so I let her wrist go instantly.

Sophia backed away from me and ushered me to where Cole and Bianca were. “Get over there with them. It didn’t have to be like this, Vinny. I just wanted us to be together. Me and you and our kids.” She waved the gun around while she gripped the side of her head.

Cole asked her, “Sophia, is something wrong? Why are you holding your head. Maybe I can help?” Cole handed me Bianca and turned toward her, trying to take a step forward so Sophia wouldn’t shoot me and Bianca.

Sophia cried out, “No! No, no, no! Don’t you move a fucking muscle, Cole.” Cole stopped as Sophia turned her attention back to us. “Vinny, why? Why are you holding Bianca?” she sobbed.

“She’s…she’s my wife, Sophia and she’s hurt.” Bianca had blood on the side of her head. Cole had ripped off part of his sleeve and wrapped her head with it.

“Liar!I’myour wife, Vinny! ME! Not Bianca! She’s an intruder. She’s a fake and she stole you from me. You were supposed to lovemeand marryme! Why? Why won’t you love me?” Cole had taken a step back toward us and crouched down on the floor. I looked at him as he stared at Sophia intently. Then I noticed two men standing behind Sophia, both had their fingers to their lips, motioning us to be quiet. Sophia didn’t hear them over her sobs.

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