Page 65 of His Broken Queen

“The phone… it sounded like she dropped it. We got disconnected.” I ended the call, and then dialed her back, but it went straight to voicemail. “What the fuck?”

“She’s at your house?” Rocco took out his phone. “I can have some of my guys from my house go to yours to check on her. They can get there faster than you can.”

“The same guys who held a gun on us a few months ago? How do I know they can be trusted?” I shook my head because I didn’t trust the Torrios.

“He’s right,” Gio said. “Given what you just told us about Vincent, we can’t trust your people.”

“I’m going to the house now,” I said. “This is a nightmare.”

“Jag said there was an accident. It’s going to take us a while to get there.”

“What am I supposed to do? She walked into a fucking trap. I know she did.” I grabbed my gun from the desk drawer. “Gather up our guys. Call Jag and see if he got past the accident.”

“I want to go with you,” Rocco said. “No matter what you think of me, Lu is my family. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“If anything happens to her…” I closed my eyes, and took a breath. “Nothing better happen to her or I will fucking lose my shit.”

Chapter 19

Luciana

“Lu, get in the car, lock the doors, and come back here.” Romero grew more agitated with each word. I was going to be in a lot of trouble for this, but something told me I had to do it. “Forget about the book. Don’t go in the house.”

“I’m already in the house.”

After I hit the code in for the security system, the quietness startled me. There was always someone in the house. The guys would say hello when I came in. Romero and Gio were usually in the study fighting over something stupid. There was no life left in this house.

Once I entered the foyer, I froze as I looked around. The last time I was here…Stella.

My heart ached as an unsettled sensation came over me.

“Get out of the fucking house now!”Romero snapped.

A tingle ran down my spine as I headed down the hallway to the kitchen, but as long as Romero stayed on the phone with me, I could do this.

“Romero, I’m…Ouch!” The pressure around my arm caused me to drop the phone. When I looked to my right, I realized Romero’s instincts had been correct. “Vincent.”

“I’m so glad you could join me, Lu.” He increased the pressure on my arm as he crushed my phone under the weight of his foot. “We have some unfinished business.” He yanked me down the hall and to the kitchen.

“Stop it!” I struggled against him. “What do you want?”

“Stella’s cookbook.” He laughed. “Can you get it for me?”

“You? It wasn’t her daughter?” I pulled out of his hold. “Why would you do that?” I thought for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. “How did you even know about the cookbook?”

“Which question do you want me to answer first?” He straightened his tie. He looked as if he had come right from the law firm. Not a hair out of place or a crease that didn’t belong in his suit.

“Why am I doing this or how did I know about the cookbook? You’re a smart girl, Luciana, well except when it comes to husbands, but I guess that really isn’t your fault. You can’t figure out how I knew about the cookbook?”

“What do you want?” I shouted.

“Look.” He grabbed me by the back of my hair and forced me into the kitchen. My legs shook and my stomach churned just like the night I found Stella lying in her own blood. Lifeless, pale, and dead. “The cookbook is right where Stella left it.” He pointed to the counter by the stove. “Did you enjoy your cooking lessons?”

“How did you know about that book?” I tried to create some space between us, but the more I struggled, the harder he held my hair. “You’ve never been here before.”

“Haven’t I?” He shoved me against the counter. “What do I want? I want your piece of shit husband to suffer for the devastation he has brought down on my family.”

“What are you talking about?”

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