Page 45 of The Holy Ghost
I smiled up athim as I heard Luca clap his hands once and start rubbing them in anticipation. “I admit, it’sbeen a while since I’ve had to torture a motherfucker, but I’m sureit’ll be just like riding a bike,” Luca chuckled darkly. “What’sthe worst that can happen, anyway?”
I pulled mybloody finger from Randy’swound and stepped back. “I’ll be seeing you in a couple of days,Randolph,” I promised.
Chapter 22
Francesca~
Everythinghurt.
Everythinghurt and I immediately thoughtof Robbie. I reached over and grabbed my phone off the nightstand.I saw that it was already past noon, but I wasn’t surprised. Wehadn’t gotten home until after two in the morning, and once theadrenaline dispersed, I had crashed hard.
Icalled her and after a fewrings, it went to voicemail. I tried again, but when I got hervoicemail again, I shot off a text asking her to call me when shewoke up. I hated that she was at home, suffering alone, but Icouldn’t do anything about it until I got through toPhoenix.
If I evencould.
I got out ofbed and made my way to the bathroom. Even though I had rinsed offbefore going to bed last night, I still needed a proper shower. Ifelt dirtyand sore and hotwater could only ease the pain, right?
Theshower was painful, but Imanaged. I washed my hair and scrubbed my entire body except for myface. I used a washcloth to tenderly do what I could around the cutdown my face. After I was done showering, I dried off, and grimacedthrough the pain as I brushed my hair out and threw it up in a wetbun on top of my head. I applied some of the antibiotic salve Bascohad left me for my face and popped a Motrin. I decided to save thehard stuff for when I needed to go to sleep tonight. The pain washorrible, and I knew I was going to need the helptonight.
Wrapping mybody in my old, but comfortable robe, I went in search of Phoenix.After he had dropped me off last night, he hadn’t said a word as hewalked me up to his apartment. He also hadn’t spared me a secondglace as he turned around andleft once I was locked safely inside. I had tried calling Robbieafter he left, but she hadn’t answered and I almost panicked untilI remembered that Basco had given her a mild sedative. After that Ihad rinsed off and had gone to the kitchen for a glass of waterwhen Ciro had stormed in and dropped my purse, phone, and keys onthe kitchen counter. And I knew I was in trouble when he walked outwithout saying a word as well.
I wason my way to the living room when Iheard voices coming from Phoenix’s office. His apartment had anopen kitchen and living room floor plan, but the other rooms in theapartment were closed off and private. It had three bedrooms, twoand a half baths, a study, and laundry room. The hallway was thecorridor to all these rooms with the master bedroom at the end, twoguest rooms on the left side of the hall, and the study on theright. The laundry room was behind the kitchen and you passed it onthe way to the balcony that was off the kitchen. You could eatoutside if you wanted.
So, uponhearing voices coming from Phoenix’s office, I pushed the door openand walked inside. Phoenix was on the phone, pacing the length ofthe room.I cleared my throatand he immediately looked my way. He still looked angry and it wasconfirmed when he snarled into the phone, “She just walked in,Luca. I’ll call you later.” He hung up without waiting for Luca’sreply.
I walkedfather into the room and the tension almost swallowed me whole.“Phoen-”
He threw hishand up, palm out, stoppingme. “Why, Frankie?” he asked, and his voice tight andcold.
“Phoenix, shetexted me asking for help,” I answered. “She’s one of my bestfriends. How could I not go help her? Would you leave Ciro or Lucahanging if they asked you for help?”
Hestoodstaring at me and, justwhen I wasn’t sure if he was going to answer, he grabbed the desklight and threw it across the room. I flinched even though hehadn’t aimed it my way. I flinched because Phoenix was losing hisshit and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to rein himin.
“That’s not what I’masking!” he thundered.
Frustrated, Ishouted, “Then, what are youasking?!”
“Whydidn’t you tell me your friendwas in trouble?!” he asked, still shouting. “Why didn’t you ask formy help? Hell, not even mine. Why didn’t you ask for Ciro’s orLuca’s?!”
I tightenedthe robe around my waist. “The text said to go alone,” Ipathetically explained. “Shementioned being intimidated by everything that was going on withdiscovering who I was to you guys, I thought she was just being…shesaid she didn’t want to borrow trouble.”
Phoenix letout a harsh laugh. “Jesus fucking Christ, Francesca.” Iknew I was partly at faulthere, so I remained quiet. “Do you have any idea who we are?Whoyouare?” he snapped. “You are bestfriends with the most powerful man in Morgan City. Hell, in thisentire fucking state. Your brother is one of the wealthiest anddeadliest men walking the planet. And you’re married to the mostprolific hit man in goddamn Mafia history. Do yougetthat? Do youunderstandthat?”
“Of course, I do,” Ispat. “I’m not fucking stupid.”
“Then quit acting asif you are!” he roared, and, this time, the house phone flew acrossthe room.
“She neededhelp, Phoenix,” I repeated. “I wasn’tnotgoing to help her!”
“Idon’t give a fuck that youwanted to help your friend,” he tossed back. “I give a fuck that Ialmost lost you! I give a fuck that you are so cavalier about yourstatus as my wife that you put yourself in danger! That’s what Igive a fuck about!” Phoenix rushed me and, without any regard to myinjuries, his large hand clamped down on my arm. “And you betterbelieve I give a fuck that you put someone else before what is bestfor our marriage,” he hissed.
I could feelmy eyes widened. “What are youtalking about?”
“Believingthat Robbie was uncomfortable being around us, you chose to submitto her conditions rather than tell your fuckinghusbandthat your friend was in trouble, possibly placing youin trouble as well,” he clarified. “You ever chose someone elseover me and our marriage again, and it’ll be the last thing youever do.”
“Meaning?” I asked,boiling with anger that he would treat me as if I didn’t have myown mind.
“Meaning thatI will handcuff you to the goddamn bed andnever let you see the light of fucking day ever againif youeverthink of stepping outside thisbuilding again without me, Ciro, Luca, or a guard.”
