Chapter 6

"I'm only trying to teach your wife how to keep a proper, clean house. All she knows how to do is spend your money and throw jealous fits. How is a woman like that supposed to take care of a man like you?"

"If you think I'm wrong, then cut me loose. Take the books away from me. I'll walk out of this hotel and never come back, and I won't bother either of you ever again!"

Vincent wiped her tears with his thumb, then turned to me.

"Serafina, a skin allergy isn't going to kill you. Take some extra medicine."

"Gina's right. You need to learn some manners. Other men's wives don't act the way you do. Half the capos in this city keep a whole string of goomahs, and their wives don't say a word at Sunday dinner."

"Stop upsetting Gina, and we'll put the wedding back on. Like I promised."

My heart went completely cold.

When Vincent's first crew fell apart, he'd been scammed out of everything. Not only was he penniless, he was half a million dollars in debt to men who did not wait politely for their money.

I couldn't bear to watch him spiral into depression, lying awake night after night with one eye on the door.

I hadn't wanted him to feel indebted to my family, so I let him keep believing I had very little.

I told him I'd sold an apartment my parents had left me. The money paid his debts and gave him enough to start again. In fact, it had come from my family trust.

Then I asked one of my grandfather's most accomplished godsons to pose as a mentor, sitting with Vincent one-on-one and teaching him how to run a crew, how to keep the books clean, and how to survive among the Families.

After that, I quietly leaned on the Falcone name behind closed doors to bring in silent partners, unions, and protection, helping him claw his way back and earn a chair at the old-money tables of New York.

And now, before he'd even fully secured his footing, he was already plotting to bite the hand that fed him and enjoy the company of another woman.

He still believed I had nowhere else to go.

Gina gleefully upended an entire bottle of liquor over my head.

The alcohol burned my eyes like acid, forcing out involuntary tears. My hair clung to my face in wet, reeking strands.

She poured five bottles in a row, making sure every inch of me was drenched before she finally stopped. Around the ballroom, Vincent's crew watched over the rims of their glasses, and not one of them looked away.

She watched my skin swell red with the allergic reaction, watched me clench my jaw against the searing sting and the fire spreading across my body.

Gina smiled, satisfied. She bent down and whispered in my ear.

"Serafina, I thought that mouth of yours was so sharp. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"You know as well as I do that Vinnie only cares about me now. All I have to do is say the word, and he'll make you drink that entire basin of underwear water."

"Beg me in front of everyone, and maybe I'll let you off."

So this was payback for last night.

I was already on my knees. She wanted me to bow my head as well. Every person in that room would remember it.

If I caved that easily, I wouldn't be Serafina Falcone.

I went very still. Then I seized a fistful of her hair and shoved her entire head straight into the basin of dirty water and underwear.

Gina choked instantly, arms flailing, thrashing wildly, but she couldn't lift her head no matter how hard she tried.

One of Vincent's soldiers wrenched me off her. She collapsed to the side, gagging and coughing, but didn't forget to wail between heaves.

"Vinnie! She's jealous because you chose to kiss me that night! She did this on purpose to get back at me!"

"If you let her get away with this, I'm leaving you!"

Vincent's face turned black as iron. He backhanded me so hard I crashed to the floor.

My forehead struck the corner of the table, and a warm rush of blood ran down my face.

"Serafina, you really don't know when to quit! You don't like me having a mistress? Fine. Then I'll make you the mistress. You can become the very thing you despise!"

"I'll marry Gina instead. At least she knows how to behave."

"You like using your hands so much? Then I'll take them. Somebody get over here and smash her fingers, one by one. Let's see if she ever dares touch Gina again!"

Two men pinned me to the floor. Rocco planted a boot across my right forearm, holding my hand flat against the marble.

Gina tossed aside the towel she'd been drying her face with and flashed me a victor's smile.

One of the other men handed Rocco a small iron hammer. Keeping his boot on my forearm, he lined it up with my fingers and raised it.

Just as the hammer was about to come crashing down, the ballroom doors exploded inward with a deafening boom.

Dante Castellano stood in the doorway, snow melting on the shoulders of his coat.

Cassio Greco, his underboss, stood beside him. A dozen armed men followed them in, moving to cover the exits.

In the next instant, every person in the room shot to their feet, gasping in unison. Glasses froze halfway to mouths. Rocco's hammer hung in the air above my hand and did not fall.

"Mr. Castellano! What brings you here?!"