Page 32 of His Vicious Vow
I shake my head, pulling away from him. “This is an out for me too. Now that he knows I’m broken he won’t force me on anyone.”
“Nothing is going to stop me from making you mine—not even you. You aren’t broken. I might not have to marry you but he will make me marry someone. I’ve gotten used to the idea of you. You’ll do.” Sandro is up and at Carlo’s bar, pouring I’m guessing whisky into a glass.
“What’s the matter did you already cash his check?” I sigh as I look down at all the makeup on the pocket square. It doesn’t matter that I’m exhausted, Carlo won’t let me escape the rest of the night. I have to go be the good daughter—if it weren’t for Celia I’d tell him to fuck off. But it is for Celia, so I’ll be here as long as she needs me.
Sipping deep on his glass he shakes his head. “I was the one who wrote the check. And I wouldn’t give a shit if he has or hasn’t cashed it. Don’t sigh. You’re still gorgeous. No one will be able to tell. It just adds to the smoky eye you have going on.”
Not believing him I get up and open the top drawer of Carlo’s desk for the mirror the vain man keeps there. Huh, it doesn’t look so bad after all. Careful to keep my small cell phone out of sight I pull out my blotting powder and lipstick and do a quick refresh. “I thought you were smarter than getting yourself stuck with me.”
Sandro steps to inches away from me. A gentle finger tips my face up to his. “Like I said, gorgeous. I’m not stuck with you. I’m exactly where I want to be. You too—if you would stop lying to yourself. I’m not letting you go. Whether it’s tonight, ten, or twenty years from now.” The words are a vow. “Do you understand?”
One single finger is beneath my chin yet that electricity running through me is as fierce as ever. It’s nothing compared to the heat from his eyes. I do understand, finally. All I can do is nod.
Pressing his lips against mine it’s almost gentle. “Good girl.” He whispers. Straightening, he presses his hand to the small of my back and guides me out of the office.
I’m barely aware of time passing until it happens, Carlo announces Luca is coming to take over for Tony retiring after serving the Outfit for so many years he deserved his peace. Sandro will take over Vegas. People salute Sandro. Carlo tosses in our engagement with our wedding to follow in three weeks. This time the salutes are more restrained. I see the men I’ve grown up with eye Sandro with sympathy.
God, can this all be over soon? My mother is on one side of me and Sandro on the other most of the night until suddenly Sandro disappears. I tell myself I’m relieved. “Can I go home now?” I mouth the words to my mother.
She shakes her head. “You’re to stay here until the wedding. All your things are up in a room for you.”
“My computer?” Escapes me.
Another shake of her head. “No computer, no phone.”
“What about school?” I push the words out, using my last shield.
“Please stop thinking we’re stupid. You’re two classes a semester were never about school.”
No, if I’m trapped here there’s no way I can escape. I’m barely aware of the firm hand of my mother guiding me through the crowd. We’re to the landing before I realize she’s pushing me into a room.
“Don’t start, Carina. You father will—”
“I hate you!” I scream the words. I want to scream them again. Only my throat won’t work. I can’t swallow around the fear stuck in my throat. I’m terrified there is no escape now. If I’m here until my wedding day, it means Sandro really will never let me go. Marriage is forever in the mafia. His pride will keep him looking for me if only…no. No, not again. Please not again. I can’t breathe. I can’t fucking breathe.
Black spots are forming. I reach for the blackness, anything to escape this…
* * *
Sandro
Damn phone call from Gaetano. All to find out if Bianca was all right. He hadn’t talked to her today and she’s not answering her phone. I told him she was fine. She apologized and sounded fine when I talked to her. At first I was annoyed then he got me worried. I told him to check her tracker. Her body heat was fine and the coordinates he gave were for the frenemy she had at UNLV she never talks to anymore.
I catch sight of Cassandra forcing a scared looking Carina upstairs. I’m telling myself to leave her to her mother even as I’m taking the stairs to follow them up. The look on Carina’s face is too much like the one in the library before her panic attack set in.
The sound of Carina screaming at her mother gets me moving faster. I open the door to her on the floor, her hand at her throat. Fuck.
I pick up Carina and take her into the attached bathroom. I’m remembering all the shit I read. I was able to stop the one earlier before it got bad. This one is already bad. In the bathroom, I put her across my lap, turn on the faucet for cold water, wet a wash cloth and press it against her neck, hoping like hell it works and I don’t have to dump her into cold water. The best advice was to keep her from going deep into an attack. If she was already in the throes of one, shock her out of it.
At the press of the cold washcloth, she gasps. “Breathe for me, piccolina. Good girl, deeper, now exhale. Deeper in, and exhale.”
I look to Cassandra, “Get me a glass of water and the pill bottle from my pocket.”
She does as I tell her. I shake out a Xanax for Carina and put it into her mouth. “Drink it down.” I press the glass to her lips, she sucks it down. “Good girl. Let’s give it a minute. You’re doing so good. I’m proud of you, baby.” I whisper into her hair.
“What did you give her?”
The sound of her mother’s voice has her tensing up. I don’t stop running my hand up and down her back or take my eyes off Carina. Her breathing is labored more than I would like. “A Xanax. It will calm her and let her sleep this off.”