chapter 4

ToriI don’t even reach the end of the hallway before being grabbed by the arm and hauled back to the office. NoNoNoNoNo! “I didn’t see anything,” I plead. Big Ricky ignores me, which has me begging, “I won’t tell anyone. Please.”I’m shoved into the office and stumble forward. My eyes lock on Mr. Rizzo, who’s wiping the blood from the knife, and the sight brings me to a dead stop. His head is lowered, and focused on cleaning every crimson drop from the blade, he orders with a low and threatening tone, “Remove the body.”With wide eyes, I watch as the man’s body is dragged out of a side door by Tiny, who doesn’t even break a sweat. Then again, he’s a mountain of a man. The trail of blood smeared on the tiled floor almost makes me gag.Father, I’ve been a good girl. I’ve never dated and kept myself pure for marriage. I attend church every Sunday. Please get me out of this mess. You owe me. Slowly, Mr. Rizzo lifts his head, and when his hazel eyes lock on me, shivers of fear rush through my body. Crap. Just one look from Angelo Rizzo and my mouth goes bone dry. I swallow hard on the lump of panic in my throat. His eyes crawl from my head to the sandals on my feet before they flick to Big Ricky.“She saw what happened,” Big Ricky explains. I quickly shake my head, and my voice quivers as I plead, “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”Mr. Rizzo lifts his hand, and while his thumb scratches his bottom lip, his eyes lock on me once more. The brutality in his gaze delivers a punch to my stomach. Father, I don’t want to die. Get me out of this mess, and I’ll do anything you want. Tiny comes back into the office, and without taking his eyes off me, Mr. Rizzo hands the murder weapon to him.“She’s Romano’s sister,” Big Ricky informs his boss. If my heart beats any faster, I’m going to pass out. Mr. Rizzo lifts an eyebrow.“Vittoria.” He knows my name? Of course, he does. I’m pretty sure nothing happens in his territory without him knowing. Mr. Rizzo takes a deep breath while slowly stalking closer to me. “I haven’t seen you since your father’s funeral.” The urge to back away overwhelms me, but by the grace of God, I manage to stand still. When he stops mere inches from me, I have to tilt my head back to look up at him. If I weren’t so freaking terrified, I’d take the time to admire the man’s attractiveness. His black hair is in stark contrast with his hazel eyes. There are tiny golden flecks that make it look like flames are burning in his brown-green irises. I know he’s in his early thirties and still unmarried because he’s too busy ruling over his territory with an iron f ist. When Tiny stands close behind Mr. Rizzo, I realize they're the same height. Easily two and a half heads taller than me.Where Tiny is all bulging muscles and brute strength, Mr. Rizzo’s body is firmer, giving me the impression of stealth and death cloaked in an expensive suit. Tiny has a round face, whereas Mr. Rizzo has a sharp jaw.My eyes keep flitting between the two men while I’m overly conscious of Big Ricky behind me. Mr. Rizzo’s eyes remain locked on my face, and when I can’t stand the pressure anymore, I whimper, “I won’t tell anyone what I saw.” A frown line appears between his eyebrows, and his words are soft and dangerous as he murmurs, “I know.” What does that mean? Am I free to go, or is he going to kill me? GOD! When Mr. Rizzo suddenly lifts his hand to my face, I cringe back and let out a frightened sound. I pinch my eyes shut, and fisting my hands at my sides, I try to brace for the punch. My skin stretches tightly over my cheekbones and jaw, and I clench my teeth. Seconds pass, and when I feel something tug at my hair, my eyes fly open. Mr. Rizzo’s gaze watches me closely while he wraps a curl of my hair around his forefinger. Confused by what he’s doing, I startle again when Giorgio’s voice booms outside the office. “For fuck sake. Tori, get your ass out of the restroom!”I hear Big Ricky move, then the hinges of the office door squeak, and he says, “Your sister is with Mr. Rizzo.” “What?” Giorgio gasps. I hear more movement behind me, but my eyes remain on the biggest threat in the office. Angelo Rizzo.“What did you do?” Giorgio hisses at me. A frown forms on Mr. Rizzo’s forehead, and as he lets go of the curl, I nervously brush my hand over my hair while quickly taking a step away from the terrifying man.Needing to explain myself, I ramble, “As I came out of the restroom, the office door opened. It drew my attention, and I accidentally saw Mr. Rizzo…ah…do something. I didn’t mean to look. It just happened.” My hand flies to my chest, and covering my racing heart, I swear, “I won’t tell anyone.” Mr. Rizzo’s eyes flick to Big Ricky. “Escort Miss Romano to a table and get her a cup of coffee while I speak with her brother.”Huh? Not sure I heard right, I ask, “I get to leave?” Mr. Rizzo’s penetrating gaze returns to me. “For now.” Intense relief washes through me as I quickly exit the office with Big Ricky. I cautiously glance at Big Ricky, who’s not much taller than me. “I’m really sorry.” With the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, he nods.“It’s okay, bellissima.” He leads me to a table and nods at the chair. “You can wait here while Mr. Rizzo talks to your brother.”“Stepbrother,” I correct him. Big Ricky looks the least threatening of the bunch, which gives me the courage to ask, “How much trouble am I in?” He shakes his head. “As long as you keep quiet, you’ll be fine.” More relief floods me, and with hope filling my heartI ask, “Really?” He nods again before gesturing for a server to come closer. “Bring a cup of coffee for Miss. Romano.” When the server leaves, Big Ricky looks at me again. “Stay right here.” I nod and watch as he walks toward a table where three men are enjoying lunch. Letting out a breath, I slump in the chair while wiping my palm over my forehead. Dear God. That was intense. I stare at the table as the terrifying past few minutes replay in my mind. Crap, I’m going to be in so much trouble with Giorgio. A heavy feeling settles over my shoulders, and I glance at the hallway again. I can’t believe I just came face-to-face with Angelo Rizzo. God, the man is intense. And handsome. And freaking scary. Now that I’m no longer in the direct line of fire, I realize just how attractive Angelo Rizzo is.I understand why Aida, my cousin, was so infatuated with the man when I saw her a couple of months ago at a family gathering. He might be one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t take away from how terrifying he is. If anything, it adds to it. Father, it’s me again. Thanks for saving my butt. My thoughts turn to the murder I witnessed, and it brings all the fear back. Growing up in the Cosa Nostra, you'd think I’d be used to crime and corruption, but that’s not the case for me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing someone die. Just two more years, then you can make a clean break from Giorgio and this world.