Chapter 18

18

Zara

S itting in the penthouse with a silent Lorenzo watching me like a hawk is awkward.

The only time he’d moved was to accept a small package delivery from the doorman. That’s when I got up and asked him if he wanted some of the Caesar salad already prepared and ready in the fridge, but he declined.

Once I eat, I return to the living room to continue watching reruns of Bones . One of Lorenzo’s legs is propped on his knee. His arm is stretched across the back of the sofa several feet away from me, and his body is turned to watch me instead of the flatscreen.

After two more episodes, I’ve had enough. “Are you staring at me because you think I’ll suddenly vanish or is there something on your mind, Lorenzo?”

“There’s something on my mind,” he replies without even denying his creepiness .

“Oh yeah? What’s that? Are you wondering why Creed married me after you pretended to be happy for him yesterday?”

The Lorenzo I first met seemed easy-going and like a sort of father figure to Creed. It must have been an act on his part.

“No. It’s obvious why you two got married.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. Love at first sight. I’m not doubting that for a second. It happens and can’t be helped.”

“Love at first sight?” I repeat. “You’re exactly right.” There is no love on either side of this marriage. “So, if you’ve got me and Creed’s relationship all figured out, then what’s up? Why have you been staring at me for hours? It’s starting to creep me out.”

“Ever since I heard Izaiah Rovina was missing this morning, I’ve been thinking how odd it is for him to disappear on the same night that you came home with Creed for the very first time, wearing nothing but his jacket — according to Dre and Tristan.”

“Okay.” I guess Creed still hasn’t told anyone about the murder, even his closest friends. And I’m not about to spill the beans either. I like having this secret with my husband and him alone.

“Not only did you show up on the same night, but Izaiah also went missing from Queens. I looked into you today, and I have it on good authority that your apartment is in Queens, only a few streets away from where Izaiah’s car was found by Emilio. It was almost as if his old man knew exactly where to search for him.”

“Wow. That is a quite a coincidence,” I agree. “Guess it’s a small world after all, huh?”

“Did you know Izaiah Rovina?” he asks, no longer beating around the bush.

“Did you know that you just asked that question in the past tense? Do you know something the rest of us don’t about Izaiah’s disappearance, Lorenzo?”

He stares at me, refusing to look away. I stare right back, holding my ground without cowering, and trying to figure out if Creed put him up to this whole conversation like some sort of loyalty test.

The older man gives me a half smile. “You’re not going to answer my question?”

“How about we wait for Creed to get home and ask him? If he tells me to answer your questions, then I will. Creed is my husband. I don’t answer to anyone but him now.”

“Who did you answer to before Creed came along the other night?”

I hold his gaze, refusing to look away or say another word.

Lorenzo doesn’t scare me even if we are alone in Creed’s penthouse, and I don’t have a phone or a weapon. He doesn’t put off any psycho vibes like other men I’ve known.

How did Creed refer to him? As his advisor and security manager? I doubt Lorenzo is a hardcore killer unless he’s defending himself.

And since I’m not threatening his life, we can just sit here and stare at each other for the rest of the night if he wants because I’m not saying another word to him.

The time for being intimidated by men is over and done for me.

I’m Creed Ferraro’s wife now, and I’m not scared of anyone.

Creed

Our Council dinner gets off to a rocky start.

While Martha Rovina never made an appearance, and Stella didn’t join us at the table, Serafina Bertelli did, and Emilio can’t hide his disdain for the blonde .

“Stop glaring daggers at my daughter,” Weston Bertelli grumbles before salads are served. “Serafina is staying.”

“She’ll have to leave before we discuss any business,” Emilio tells him.

“The rule of excluding women from our business is antiquated bullshit,” Weston responds. “Sera is just as smart and tough as any man at the table. She could kill you with nothing but a fork before your guards could stop her.” The blonde woman doesn’t say a word or smile but shoots a wink at Emilio.

“Damn that’s hot.” Tristan’s comment, thankfully, isn’t overheard by anyone but Dre at our end of the table and is drowned out by snickers.

“I don’t care if the girl stays,” Aiden Sanna says.

“I care,” Gideon Marino replies. “Not because she’s female, but because she’s unvetted like your brood. They can leave with her, along with my brother, after our meal.”

Guess my assumption about a Marino and Sanna alliance was wrong.

“Creed?” Emilio asks, since I’m the tie-breaking vote once again.

“This isn’t an official Council meeting, so everyone can stay for the discussion. Whatever is said will be shared with our own non-members before we get off the street anyway.”

“Fine,” Emilio grits out, but he’s clearly not happy about it.

“Do you really think she can kill a man with just a fork?” Tristan whispers to me once the rest of the table resumes small talk again.

“Probably,” Dre answers for me. “She’s trained with his assassins since she was like fourteen.”

The rest of the meal, thankfully, goes by without any further disputes. Although I can feel the tension growing with each bite.

And as soon as dessert is brought out by the staff, plum cake with honey mascarpone, Emilio starts his spiel before we can enjoy a single bite. “Well, you all know why I called you here tonight. It’s no secret that I blame Izaiah’s disappearance on Aiden, since he went missing in Queens.”

“Your son shouldn’t have been on my turf, but I told you. I didn’t have anything to do with him going missing, Emilio. I didn’t even know his car was there until you found it.”

“You’re lying!” Emilio pounds his fists on the table so hard, all the plates and utensils rattle.

“You would accuse me of lying no matter what I say,” Aiden replies. “But do you think I would’ve shown up tonight with my sons if I had laid a hand on your boy?”

“Maybe I’ll insist that Kai and Raiden stay here with me and my family until my son reappears.”

“Emilio,” I start. “You know the rules. Unless you have some sort of proof that ties Aiden or his family to Izaiah’s disappearance, then you can’t act against the Sannas in any way.”

“Exactly,” Weston chimes in. “For all we know, your son could’ve been snatched up by whatever dealer he was there to see.”

“You mean one of Aiden’s dealers or that corner store puttana of yours!” Emilio exclaims. I have no doubt that the “corner store whore” he’s referring to is Zara, which makes me want to stab my fork through the asshole’s eyeball. The only reason I don’t is because it would be an admission of guilt and start a war.

“First of all, I don’t have any whores. Furthermore, my dealers haven’t seen Izaiah or done business with Izaiah in months,” Aiden declares. “Yes, he was coming to Queens for H, but when I found out, I put a stop to it because I didn’t want him to OD on my supply and have you blame me for his stupidity.”

Oh fuck.

Emilio shoots to his feet. “Get the hell out of my house before I blow your head off!”

“Gladly. I’d rather have a falafel from a street vendor than another bite of this garbage you’re serving,” Aiden mutters as he and his two sons toss their napkins on the table and walk out the dining room.

I listen for the front door to open and close without gunfire from the guards then breathe a sigh of relief.

Fuck.

That could’ve ended badly, and it would’ve been my fault. I need to do damage control to calm Emilio down before he does something stupid.

“I thought the meal was delicious,” I tell him. “And I know I speak for everyone here when I say that we hope Izaiah turns up soon, unharmed and unaware of how worried you’ve been for him. It’s probably best if we call it a night before more tempers flare.”

“If Aiden’s responsible…” Emilio seethes.

“Then I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding the proof,” I finish for him. “Just as I plan to find the proof of everyone who was responsible for Carmine’s death.”

None of us speak a word until we’re in the car, pulling away from the curb.

“That was a goddamn disaster,” Dre grumbles from the backseat.

“And you’re about to marry into that disaster,” Tristan reminds him.

“Emilio is worried about his son. We would be, too, if we had a kid who went missing,” I tell them. “Let me know if you hear anything about what may have happened to him.”

While Emilio doesn’t seem the least bit inclined to suspect I played a hand in Izaiah’s disappearance and murder tonight, I know that could change in a heartbeat.

Nowadays, with surveillance cameras everywhere, all it would take is one of them recording an image of me or my license plate to blow up my life and Zara’s.

While killing Emilio before he finds that evidence would be the best way to cover my ass, if he dies right now, it would be too suspicious.

So, for now, I’ll let my father’s former best friend live and hope he never finds his proof.