Page 45 of Blood and Penance
Lio’s eyes zero in on Matteo and I know it won’t be long before Matteo is no longer with us. He should have helped me out when I asked.
“She’s lying, Lio. You can’t believe a word she says. I’ve been by your side for years. Who are you going to believe? The bitch who tried to kill you, or me?”
"How do you think I was able to get through the gate without any resistance?"
“Matteo, you said it had to be Georgio,” Lio says to Matteo his voice hardening. “You said, Georgio was the only one who could have given her the drugs and helped her escape.”
“No. It wasn’t Georgio.” My smile widens and Lio’s face flushes red. “All he’s guilty of is trying to fuck me, like most of your men, husband. Including Matteo. Do you know how many times I had to tell him no? He always tried to convince me you would never find out. That he would be a much better fuck than you. Even whipped out his dick so I could compare his with yours. It's much bigger by the way. Anyway, it’s a shame you trust him so much.”
That’s all it took. Lio repeatedly squeezes the trigger until the magazine is empty, each shot hitting Matteo.
Poor Matteo.
He falls to the floor, and I turn my attention back to my husband. “Lio…”
He throws his hand up in the air. “I don’t want you to say another fucking word, Phoenix. You tried to kill me! You’ve made me kill a man who was like a brother to me!”
“And you don’t think you’ve been killing me for years!”
“Killing you?” he asks with disbelief in his voice. “I gave you every fucking thing. Money! Cars! Trips! Anything you fucking wanted, I gave it to you! Any other woman would have been worshipping me. But what did you give me in return?”
“Did I ever ask you for any of that shit, Lio? All I ever wanted was your fucking love and loyalty. And what did I get in return dear husband? A motherfucker who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants for five damn minutes to make a life with me. We couldn’t even sleep in the same goddamn bed because you fucked other women in it!”
“So, you tried to kill me because of jealousy!”
This motherfucker is delusional.
“You wouldn’t let me leave!” I shout. “How many times did I try, Lio! How many times did I ask for a divorce?”
“You’re my wife!” He stood up so quickly, his large black leather chair hit the wall behind him before tipping over. “No, you don’t get to leave me! I’m fucking Lio D’Amico. Nobody leaves me!”
He stalks toward me and when he reaches me, he wrenches my head back by my hair so I can look into his eyes. “For better or worse, you are my wife, Phoenix. And only in death will I ever let you go.”
“Well get it over with then you bastard because I’m tired of fighting for something you were never willing to give me, Lio. This between us is over.”
“You don’t mean that,” he says with disbelief in his voice. "You love me!"
His eyes are wild and all I want is for him to end this bullshit. We are done. My son is with his family. I would rather die than live a life chained to this bastard.
“I mean every fucking word, Lio. I’d rather die than spend one more night in this world and be miserable with you. Do it!” I scream. “Fucking kill me!”
He releases my hair, then takes a step away from me. His deep dark laugh fills the room. “I hope you didn’t think I would let you off that easy. No dear wife, this will not end quickly for you. Death would be too easy. You will pay for your betrayal, Phoenix. Then and only then will I end your pathetic life.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gianni
Since we’ve landed, I haven’t been able to think about anything other than destroying Lio D’Amico. As my fingers continuously move over my rosary, I’ve prayed to God over and over again to cleanse me of all these negative thoughts swirling through my mind. Forgive me for the sins I’ve committed and those that will come. However, I don’t know if there will be any forgiveness for me this time. This entire ordeal ends today. Phoenix and my son are my family and I’m here to protect them. No matter in what form that protection comes, Lio D’Amico will no longer be a problem for us.
This has been a long hard road. My faith has been renewed and tested at every turn, but I seriously would not change any decision I’ve made. I’ve had some time to reflect on everyone of them on the trip over here. I’ve reflected on my time reconnecting with Phoenix and breaking my covenant with God, to putting an end to my father’s reign by killing him—breaking another one of the commandments. However, it had to be done because my father was not only a threat to my family but everyone around him. The world is a better place now that he’s gone.
The only thing I regret is not being able to spend more time with Giancarlo. It was hard walking away from him to come after Phoenix, but it needed to be done. I’ve had little time to spend with my son but the way he looks at me, like I hung the moon in the sky, makes me not regret a single choice I’ve made so far even if in the end those decisions may cost me my soul. The soul I’ve worked so hard to change.
Lorenzo says I am who I am, and no collar will change that. I’m starting to believe he may be right.
While I’m on my way to find Phoenix, Giancarlo is staying with my brother Dante and his wife, Maria. Not ideal, but I couldn’t bring Giancarlo with me just in case this didn’t turn out the way I wanted and Seraphina’s still not out of the woods. But she’s a fighter, I have no doubt she’ll pull through.
Lorenzo got permission from Vincenzo De Maio to take care of Lio without repercussions from the Camorra in exchange for a favor from the Puglisi’s in the future. Lorenzo agreed. While my brother hates owing anybody anything, he’s gone above and beyond for his nephew. For me. That’s more than I can say for Sergio. He was also wounded in Lio’s attack on the hospital, but it’s nothing he can’t recover from. But he better hope that I cansave Phoenix because if I can’t, he’ll be buried right next to our father.
