Page 9 of Blood and Penance
I straddle his hips, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hard dick brushes against my stomach. With slurred words, he’s struggling to keep his eyes open. Drugs and alcohol don’t mix.
I lean forward. “Things change, husband.” I grind my hips against his erection, ignoring the fact that it's covered in that woman's spit. “Are you going to fuck me Lio, or should someone else do the honors?”
He groans, but his head lolls to the side. “Phoenix… some… something’s wrong.”
"What do you mean?" I ask with fake concern.
He’s breathing harder, and his skin is getting redder by the second.
“Help me.”
I ignore his plea for help. I ignore the alarm in his eyes, and the bluish tint of his lips. “Help you?” I chuckle. “I rather see you in hell, husband,” I whisper in his ear, then climb off his lap.
He’s not dead yet, but it won’t be long. Gazing at the large wall clock behind his desk, I have five minutes before Georgio comes looking for me. I tie the belt of my robe, then rush to the door of his office. I look back over my shoulder, and now he’s slumped over, his body leaning over the arm of the chair.
Good riddance, you bastard.
I take a deep breath, step into the hallway, then close the door behind me.
I make my way to the front door of our home as fast as I can. I don’t expect anyone to stop me because the staff are all gone home, and Lio’s men except for Georgio and Matteo are never inside the house unless he orders them to be.
I open the door, walk outside then run to one of Lio’s cars, idling in front of the house. I snatch the door open and slide into the passenger side then close the door behind me.
Matteo looks at me, then puts the car into drive. “Is it done?” he asks as he makes his way toward the front gate. It’s the last hurdle we have to cross, then I’m free.
“It’s done. Now hold up your end of the bargain.”
He smiles and turns his attention ahead as we approach the gate. I’m expecting us to be stopped, but instead it opens.
“How?” I ask as we go through the gate without anyone trying to stop us.
“You and I aren’t the only ones who has issues with Lio.”
Your enemies are always the ones closest to you.
I pull out my phone to send a quick text to my sister. This plan has been in the works for months. I wasn’t sure if I could trust Matteo, but I also know that he’s ambitious. It was risky approaching him, but with a little persuasion, and giving him a way to take over, he was all in. Now all that’s left for me to do is to make sure I’m far away when they find Lio’s body.
“It was nice doing business with you, Matteo. May this be the last time we ever cross paths.”
While he went along with the plan, I don’t trust him. But if I go down for Lio’s death, he’s going down with me.
Chapter Five
Gianni
I’ve spent more time with my family these past few days than I have in a very long time. I can’t say it’s been all that easy, but I’ve done it because my mother asked me to. For my father’s benefit, she made her wishes known, once again, in front of our entire family and Father Giraldi before she took her final breaths, so there wouldn’t be any confusion. I’m to preside over her funeral not Father Giraldi, as my father wants. There were a few grumbles from Sergio and my father, but neither would go against the wishes of my mother.
They aren’t the only ones unhappy with my presence. As I stand in front of the congregants as we prepare to commit my mother’s body to the ground, glares have been thrown my way from the Vitale family. I guess they still haven’t got over me calling off thearranged marriage with Arianna Vitale when I became a priest. Six years is a long time to hold a grudge especially since she’s married into another family with children. But by the sneers and glares coming from Don Vitale and his son, they haven’t forgotten or forgiven me.
As the rest of the funeral goers take their places, I compose myself. This is my duty, but it’s also my mother. It’s hard taking on such an important role when I should be grieving along with my family, but this isn’t just my duty to her. It’s also my duty to God.
“Our sister, Anna Romero Puglisi, has gone to rest in peace with our Lord.” I look out over the crowd. “May He now welcome her to the table of God’s children in heaven.”
While there are over fifty people standing graveside in the cemetery, which is far less than what packed the cathedral only moments ago, my eyes gravitate toward one person. A solitary figure standing toward the back. A woman who’s wearing large black sunglasses, and a large black hat that’s shielding some of her face. While I can’t see who she is, familiarity hits me at once.
“It can’t be,” I mumble under my breath.
“Gianni,” Father Giraldi calls out to me, breaking my focus on the woman.
