Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“We saved Savannah, Mom. Who’s to say we can’t save the rest of you?”
Mom looks up. “But what about you, Vinnie? I can’t allow you to take the fall for me or for your father.”
“No good parent would,” Dad agrees.
“Well, as it stands, I’m the only one who can. So I will.” I look at the clock. “We’re running out of time. Dad, is there anything else you wanted to catch up on?”
We chat inanely about nothing in particular for the remaining time allotted for visitors. But that’s okay. It’s nice to just spend some time with my father.
As our hour comes to an end, Mom excuses herself to go to the ladies’ room. Dad pulls me aside. His expression is somber, his eyes bearing into mine. “Vinnie,” he starts, his voice a mere whisper, “I know what your grandfather wants you to do. Don’t let him push you into this. You’re better than that.”
I look away, the cold hardness of the prison walls mirroring the hardened resolve building within me. “Well, Dad,” I murmur, “if I don’t do it, he’ll never trust me enough to give me the reins.”
“You don’t have to be part of this life,” he says. “I didn’t want this for you. I didn’t want you to carry these burdens.” His words hang heavy in the air between us.
“Being part of this family means carrying burdens,” I reply, my voice hoarse. “You know that better than anyone.”
Before he can argue further, a stern voice announces the end of visitation hours. I hug my father one last time, his whispered warnings still echoing in my ears. Mom returns, and they embrace. This time she meets his gaze.
“I love you, Caroline,” he says.
“I love you too, Vince. So much.”
The ride home is even quieter than the ride there. I glance at my mother as we pull into the driveway. She’s staring out of the window with a glazed look in her eyes. Neither of us says a word as we make our way into the house.
Soon after, I find myself alone in Dad’s study, nursing a glass of whiskey. I swirl it around in the glass, watching as it clings to the sides before sliding back down.
My father’s words replay in my mind. “You’re better than that.”
Am I really? Or am I just deluding myself? This is the life we were born into, the world we inherited. Burdens and bloodshed, secrets and threats—they’re in our veins, under our skin. We can’t escape it any more than a wolf can escape its hunger.
As I take another sip of the whiskey, I look upward and stare at the spinning blades of the ceiling fan. They whirl around in an endless cycle, like our family caught in an unending loop of violence and power struggles. My grandfather’s ultimatum echoes in my mind: Puzo’s head on a platter by midnight tomorrow or else somebody I care about will meet their end.
Raven Bellamy.
The thought of her caught up in this makes my gut churn with dread. I empty the glass and pour myself another, trying to drown out my fears with alcohol. But it doesn’t help. Nothing helps when you’re living on borrowed time.
Time’s up.
Raven Bellamy shouldn’t be tangled up in this mess, our family mess, but she is. Because of me.
I’m the reason she’s in danger, and I will be the one to ensure she gets out unscathed, whatever the cost.
My phone buzzes on the desk, snapping me out of my thoughts. It’s a text message from an unknown number with a single sentence.
She’s safe. For now.
Fear lances sharply through me, its icy grip squeezing my heart. She isn’t safe, not as long as she’s associated with me. I toss the phone onto my bed. How did it come to this? My vicious grandfather, my father rotting away behind bars, and now Raven—sweet, innocent Raven—caught in the crossfire of our familial warfare.
And what of the date with her tomorrow night?
I won’t break it. If I’m with her, I can protect her.
So I need to take care of Puzo before then.
I swiftly type a reply.
I’ll do what needs to be done.
29
RAVEN
I wake up with my teeth chattering.
Once the faux Uber driver was done talking to me, he brought me home, safe and sound.
But I don’t feel safe and sound.
I desperately wanted to call Vinnie last night. But I had been forced to call him by the Uber driver and I didn’t want to bother him again.
He agreed to meet me at my place tomorrow evening, and that’s all that matters. I’m supposed to get further instructions via the burner phone that feels like it’s literally burning a hole into me.
But tomorrow evening I’ll level with Vinnie. I’ll tell him what happened.
He’ll fix it. I know Vinnie will be able to fix it.
I have to get a grip. I could go to my mother and father. They would help me. But that might put Vinnie in danger. And Vinnie is Savannah’s brother, so it may put Falcon in danger as well.