25. Piper

25

PIPER

I sit at the beautiful mahogany desk in a sitting room Elio said was once his mother's. He's given me a laptop to use so I can figure out who I'll be moving forward. The task is more daunting than I imagined. I can barely remember who I was before I was ripped away from Elio and moved to another country. I had once thought I'd be a journalist, but the media landscape has changed so much that I don't know if it's a good choice now.

Maybe I could do something around domestic violence. Become a counselor or something. But that feels a little disingenuous. Yes, I was a victim, but my escape was easy compared to others'. I didn't go to a shelter. I haven't had to worry about finding a job, a home, and feeding my child.

I don't know where to start as I stare at the search engine with the cursor blinking in the search box. With no new ideas, I type in words related to journalism. Job prospects aren't so bad, but competition is tight and favors those with new media skills. I don't have those.

My eye stops on an ad for an online adult extension course in creative writing that I can do from home. I used to love writing, filling endless notebooks with stories and poems. To be honest, I wanted to be a famous best-selling author, but my parents suggested I pursue something a bit more predictable and stable. That's how I settled on journalism.

I click the creative writing course, reading through the syllabus with growing interest. I can picture myself crafting stories again, pouring my heart onto the page, rediscovering that part of myself that I thought was lost forever. I've often made up stories to tell Elysse. Perhaps I could write children's books. My heart races as I select the registration button. Emotion wells as I take a step toward a new me. For so long, I've let myself be defined by others. My parents. Gabriel. And if I'm not careful, the same could happen with Elio. Enrolling in this course feels like a declaration of independence.

I cross my fingers that Gabriel hasn't cut off my access to the bank yet as I complete the registration process. It's a small step, but it feels monumental. My breath holds as I wait for the payment to go through. Shockingly, it does.

I sit back, smiling and feeling victorious.

"You look satisfied with yourself."

I look up to see Elio entering. I'm giddy with excitement, but that falters as I see the expression on his face belies the lighthearted statement. He's tense. His eyes are dark, making me think of the time he was determined to murder Gabriel.

I glance at the clock, noting it's early for him to be home. "Did something happen with your meeting?"

He shakes his head as he walks toward me. "My meeting is later. Tony stopped by with the divorce papers."

This should be a joyous moment, but it's clearly not. "He didn't sign them?"

Elio hands me the paper, and I scan the scrawled message, my eyes widening in horror as I read Gabriel's threatening words. My hands start to shake, the paper crinkling in my grip.

"No… he can't take her. He's never wanted her, not really."

Elio nods grimly. "Tony says that since you never pressed charges or documented the abuse, Gabriel might be able to make a case that your living with me is a danger to Elysse. Especially with the evidence he has against me."

The room is spinning. It's happening. The shoe is dropping. Just when everything is going right, Gabriel has to take it away again. Just like he always has.

The thought of Gabriel getting custody of Elysse is too horrifying to comprehend. Tears sting my eyes, and I press a hand to my mouth, trying to stifle the sob that rises in my throat.

Elio pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly as I tremble against him. "I won't let him take her." He leans back. "I was on my way to deal with it the way I should have last week. Against my better judgement, I'm here because I know you don't want that, but fucking hell, Piper… I won't let him live if he's going to continue this bullshit."

I take a shuddering breath to steady myself. If I'm going to be strong, I can't let my fear consume me, paralyze me. "He's doing this to hurt me. He knows Elysse is the key to making me do what he wants. He's using her as a pawn to get back at me for leaving."

Elio nods, his eyes hardening.

My hands curl into fists at my sides. "I won't let him use Elysse against me. Not anymore."

Elio takes my hand, his fingers lacing through mine. "Then I'll go."

It takes me a minute to understand what he's saying. I shake my head. "You can't just solve problems with violence. That's what he does."

The minute the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. The look on Elio's face, pain and disappointment, heightens my guilt.

"I'm nothing like him," he says with a clenched jaw.

"Elio, I didn't mean?—"

"I'd never put my hands on you or Elysse or anyone in my family to hurt them."

"I know." I reach out to him, but he's offended by my insinuation and steps back.

"But I will protect what's mine. Any man would, Piper. Any man who says they wouldn't kill to protect their family is a liar."

"I'm just tired of the violence?—"

"I can make it stop, Piper. If you think he can be negotiated with, you're delusional."

I feel bad for making the comparison because Gabriel and Elio are different men. I don't know Elio's experience with violence, but when I consider how easy it is for him to talk about Gabriel's death, I have to believe he's killed before.

I'm also not too thrilled to have him call me delusional. "Just because I want a peaceful resolution doesn't make me delusional. Is that how you solve all problems?"

"No. If it were, Vincenzo Rinella would be dead. What is delusional is thinking Gabriel will stop. Ever. Do you really want to live the rest of your life with him lurking behind your back? Lurking around Elysse?" He slices his hand through the air. "I won't allow it, Piper. I won't try to control you, but I'll be damned if I'll let Elysse get caught up in all this."

He's threatened that before. It scares me to death, and yet I know he's right. "Elio, please. I know you want to protect us, but there must be another option."

Elio shakes his head, his jaw clenched. "You don't understand, Piper. Men like Gabriel, they don't respond to reason. The only language they understand is force."

I feel a flare of frustration, mixed with a growing sense of desperation. "Let me talk to him."

"What the fuck, Piper? No. Sorry. I put my foot down?—"

"Maybe he doesn't know who you are… who you work with."

Elio rolls his eyes. "Who I am is his whole case. It's why I'm ‘unsafe'," he says with air quotes around unsafe .

"Not necessarily. You beat him up. I can call him, convince him that it's not a wise idea."

Elio lets out a soft laugh. "Baby, he'll use that to say you threatened his life. Don't poke Mafia man Elio D'Amato or you could end up dead."

He's right. Even so, we have to try. I don't know how I'll live knowing Gabriel's death is on my hands. "If there's even a chance we can resolve this without resorting to violence, don't we owe it to ourselves, to Elysse, to try?"

Elio runs a hand through his hair. "Gabriel's not going to listen to reason."

I step closer to him, placing my hand on his chest. "I know it's a long shot, but maybe…" I don't finish. Elio is right. Gabriel won't give in. But I have to try.

"You're not going anywhere near Gabriel. I won't allow it."

I bristle at his commanding tone, a surge of indignation rising in my chest. "I'm not a child, Elio. I can make my own decisions."

Elio's jaw clenches, and he takes a step closer to me. "I know you're not a child, but Gabriel is unpredictable. He's already shown that he's willing to do anything to hurt you. For fuck's sake, he nearly killed you."

I open my mouth to argue, but something in Elio's expression stops me. Beneath the anger and the protectiveness, I see raw, desperate fear. The thought of losing me, of having me slip through his fingers again, is clearly terrifying to him.

I take a deep, calming breath. "I won't see him in person. I'll call him." I pick up my phone from the desk.

"Fine." Elio pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly against his chest. "I can't lose you again, Piper. I won't survive it."

I bury my face in his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent. "You won't lose me." I dial Gabriel's number.

Elio plants his hip on the corner of the desk. "Put it on speaker."

The phone rings once, twice, three times.

" Well, well, well ." Gabriel's voice drips with smug satisfaction. " If it isn't my dear, devoted wife ."

I grit my teeth, fighting back the urge to lash out at his mocking tone. "I'm calling about the divorce."

Gabriel chuckles, the sound sending a chill down my spine. " Oh, I think we're well past the point of talking, sweetheart. Unless, of course, you're ready to beg for our daughter's sake ."

"She's not your daughter. Don't pretend you ever thought otherwise," I snap. I haven't used this tone with him for years. Not since it resulted in a beating. "I'm not going to beg you for anything."

Elio's brow arches, and I suspect he didn't think I had this fight in me.

" Then you'll suffer ."

"Why are you really doing this? Just to hurt me? Because I hurt your feelings? Grow up, Gabriel." It occurs to me that I might be going too far, but all this pent-up anger surging to the surface needs to be expressed.

There's a beat of silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I think I've caught him off guard. But then he laughs, the sound cold and cruel. " Let's cut to the chase, shall we? You're my wife, Piper. Mine. And I don't take kindly to what's mine being stolen from me ."

"I'm not your property. I'm a human being, with my own thoughts and feelings and choices. And I'm choosing to leave you to build a better life for myself and for Elysse."

Gabriel scoffs. " You really think you can just walk away from me? From our marriage? There will be consequences. I can make your life a living hell if you don't come back to me ."

I can't imagine how, except, of course, his threat to report his injuries from Elio to the authorities. But would it stick? Elysse, Matteo, and I would confirm it was in defense of me. But would they be believed? Would they be seen as biased?

I take a deep breath, trying to quell the rising panic. "I'm not coming back. But I don't want this to get ugly. Can't we find a way to resolve this peacefully?" Maybe I should just let him have everything in the divorce. Walk away with nothing but Elysse.

" You know, it's funny you should mention resolving this peacefully ," he says, his tone dripping with false sincerity. " Because I've already taken steps to ensure that things go my way ."

I feel a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. "What are you talking about?"

" Don't think I don't know who your new boyfriend is. To be honest, I'm surprised I'm not dead yet. Perhaps he's a Mafia pussy ."

I glance at Elio. His eyes narrow to slits. God, Gabriel, don't be so stupid.

" I've provided my lawyer with some rather incriminating evidence against your new boyfriend. Evidence that could land him in a world of trouble if anything were to happen to me. "

His threat terrifies me. I don't want to lose Elio, not even to prison. Elio's brows furrow, as if he's considering what Gabriel is saying.

"What kind of evidence?" I demand, my voice shaking.

" Oh, you know, the usual. Proof of his involvement in certain unsavory activities. Enough to make the authorities very interested in him if I were to suddenly disappear ."

He's bluffing , Elio mouths.

"You're bluffing."

Gabriel laughs. " Are you willing to take that chance? Are you willing to risk your precious Elio's freedom, his very life, on the off chance that I'm lying? "

My world feels like it's crumbling around me. I know Elio would do anything to protect me and Elysse, even if it meant sacrificing himself. But I can't let it come to that.

"What do you want, Gabriel?" I ask, knowing I don't want to hear the answer.

" I want you and Elysse back where you belong ." His tone is cold and unyielding. " And if you don't come willingly, I'll take you by force. And there's nothing you or your precious Elio can do to stop me. "

With those chilling words, the line goes dead.

I look at Elio. He seems unfazed as his arms wrap around me.

"You can't kill him. He'll send you to prison," I say, feeling hopeless, helpless.

"Maybe. But unlike him, I'm willing to risk anything to keep you and Elysse safe. You have to let me?—"

I shake my head. "I can't… I need to think."

"Don't take too long, Piper. My patience with this is nearing the end."

I look up at him. "I can't have his death on my hands."

"It won't be. And if it makes you feel better, it won't be my hands, although I'd sure like it to be."

"What about the threat?"

Elio's smile is like a Cheshire cat. "I'm not worried. No, the only one who should be worried now is Gabriel."

A chill runs down my spine at Elio's deadly tone. There is so much at stake here. Not just lives, but my very soul. How can I be a part of Gabriel's demise? Yes, he's a terrible man. But does he deserve to die? And can I be the one who sets it in motion?