Page 83 of Vendetta
‘What do you mean, with you?’ I jiggled the back door handle to make sure it was locked.
‘I can’t go into it now. I’ve sent Eric Cain for you. He’ll keep you safe. You’ve met him before, at my birthday a few years ago.’
‘I remember,’ I said, vaguely recalling a small, effeminate man with enviable dark-red hair. How exactly was he supposed to keep me safe?
‘I’ll meet you somewhere outside of Cedar Hill and we’ll talk about it.’
‘What about Mom?’ I asked.
My uncle had the audacity to laugh. I balled my fist until my nails dug into my palm.
‘They wouldn’t go near Celine,’ he said dismissively. ‘She’s got nothing to do with me. It’s common knowledge your mother loathes the ground I walk on. And they’re not interested in punishing your dad, Sophie. Have you locked the doors?’
‘Yes.’ I was in the hall again. I took the stairs two at a time,deciding to lock all the second-floor windows just in case. ‘Why are you taking me away if I’m not in danger? At least tell me something so I can be prepared.’
‘It’s a precaution, Sophie.’ He laboured over the word ‘precaution’ like it would make me feel better. It didn’t. ‘They would never go after you for what your dad did. The very idea is ridiculous. And even if theydid, which theywouldn’t, the Falcone Mafia doesn’t hurt innocents. It’s one of their almighty, crap-loaded, self-righteous rules. And they justlovebeing self-righteous.’
I could practically taste the venom. So Jack knew everything I did, and he had decided to be coy about it. And did that mean hewasn’tinnocent? What exactly had he done to make it on to the Deserves-to-Die list? ‘Sounds like you know a lot about them. Thanks for the heads-up.’You could have saved me a whole lot of time and swooning.
‘I did give you a heads-up.’
‘Yeah. Acrapone.’
I sprinted back downstairs, my feet hammering against the steps like thunder.
‘Sophie, I really can’t get into this now.’ His voice was weary. ‘Just sit tight. I’ve sent someone.’
‘I’m trying.’ I slid through the open door into the living room and snapped the window shut. I was in the middle of pulling the curtains closed when I heard a voice behind me.
‘Hello, Sophie.’
I dropped the phone. Gino and Dom Falcone stood up from the couch at the same time, moving towards me with matching gaits.
‘How did you get into my house?’ I tried to find where myphone had fallen, but the room was almost pitch black. They both shrugged, their faces disguised by the darkness. Had they rehearsed this?
‘You should go.’ I folded my arms in what I hoped was an act of defiance. I raised my voice too, hoping Jack was still listening. ‘I’m expecting visitors.’
Gino’s laugh was a rasping bark. Dom stopped two feet away from me, and his brother hovered behind him, his ponytail adding two solid inches to his height. They smirked the same menacing smile.
‘What do you want, Dom?’
‘Ideally, Jack,’ he said. Behind him, Gino nodded animatedly in agreement. ‘But we can’t waste any more time trying to find him. We’re done chasing.’
‘And following you has gotten us nowhere,’ added Gino, his unibrow furrowed above fathomless eyes. ‘It’s been soboring.’
I stumbled backwards, hitting the backs of my knees against the window ledge. ‘You’ve beenfollowingme?’
I prayed Jack was still listening from wherever my phone had landed.
‘Yes,’ said Dom matter-of-factly. ‘When we found out who you were, it was a stroke of luck. We thought you’d eventually lead us to your uncle…’ The way he said it made it sound like he was disappointed in me for failing at a task I had no idea I was doing. ‘But you didn’t.’
Gino started sniggering through his nose.
‘You’ve been following me,’ I said again. My voice sounded far away; it was buckling with incredulity. ‘For how long?’
‘Too long,’ they said together.
‘Nic was against it, if that makes it any easier to stomach.He’s been fighting to leave you out of this,’ Dom said with mock sympathy. ‘But it is what it is.’
