Page 53 of Vicious Union
His words send a chill down my back.
“I need some leverage,” he says. “And you’re out here unprotected without your husband or a guard. Easy pickings. I guess Emilio didn’t care too much about keeping you safe. You’re coming with me.”
“What are you doing?” I ask as he leads me away from the subway entrance.
“I need to make sure the family your married into finally takes me seriously. They need to know I want to be left alone. I’ll give you back to them if Rocco himself promises he’ll stop coming after me.”
“Rocco doesn’t care for me. Emilio doesn’t even care for me, and he’s my husband. Why would my brother-in-law, who barely knows me, give up the chase for me?”
Dante forces me to get into a car. “Guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we?” He slams the door shut, then walks around and gets in the driver’s seat.
The moment he starts the car, I lunge for the wheel and try pulling it, but Dante points his gun at my head. I freeze again.
“Don’t be stupid, Caterina,” he says. “I don’t want to hurt you. I have no desire to. Trust me. You really are just a means to an end. It’s nothing personal.” He drives one handed as he takes me to wherever he’s taking me.
His words sting. I’m just a means to an end. Nothing more. I’m nothing special.
I’m married into a family that doesn’t care about me. Emilio sure doesn’t. Rocco won’t fight for me. Why would he? I’m not his wife.
All I am is collateral damage.
And it makes me feel even more alone. Which is a frightening feeling.
CHAPTER 17
Emilio
I see the note Caterina left me that she went to her dad’s. My first thought is she’s not at the club. I was an ass about telling her dad about what she’d gotten up to. It was wrong of me, I’ll admit. But she drove me to it. If Caterina doesn’t learn to bend to my will, we won’t have any hope for our marriage. I did what I thought was right.
But now, staring down at her note, I feel a little bad. I know her biggest fear was her dad being disappointed in her, and I made that happen.
After staring at the note for a while, I throw it away and get back to work.
On the way to my office, my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Emilio, I have your wife.” It’s Dante.
I almost break my phone; I’m clenching it so hard. “What?”
“I picked her up after she left her dad’s house. I figure she’ll make good leverage for me. I want you and your brothers to meet me at the location I pick. I’m asking to be left alone. If you can do this, I’ll let your wife go. If not …” He lets the threat hang in the air.
“If you hurt her,” I growl.
“I won’t. For now. She’s safe. Here.” The sound of shuffling and then …
“Emilio?” Caterina’s voice fills the phone.
I sag in relief. “Are you ok?”
“Yes. Dante hasn’t hurt me. But I’m scared.”
“I’m going to save you. I promise. Give the phone back to Dante.”
“You heard her,” he says after he’s back. “I haven’t hurt her. But I will if you don’t do as I say.”
“Send me the location.”