Page 66 of Traitor
She sauntered toward me. “Why don’t you say what you really want to say to me, hmm?”
“And give you the satisfaction of hearing me upset with you? I think I’ll pass.”
“You have to admit, you’re a bit upset. Right? I mean, didn’t you have a flight back home that you missed to stick around? Imagine getting all the way to your office only to realize it’s being occupied by someone else?”
My stomach hit the floor. “You’ve hired someone in my place?”
She held her arms out politely, but her words were anything but. “I can’t run an entire firm by myself. And poor ol’ Gloria grieving the loss of her kidnapped daughter needs a bit of help with things. For a discounted employment cost, of course.”
I sighed. “And what poor sucker do you have on your line this time?”
“Have you really not put it together yet? Because I could’ve sworn I raised you better than--.”
I smiled. “Oh, you mean the fact that you had my kidnapping arranged for the night of the party which just so happened to be a party that was attended by Mateo to make it look like he was the one that kidnapped me so that I’d fight my way home and help you take down a wealthy client’s rival based on some petty vendetta I held toward him?”
I watched my mother’s face pale as I closed the distance between us. I watched her back up until the brick outside of the Lucchese Estate interrupted her movements. And when I felt her ragged breathing against my lips, I locked my gaze with hers.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think, Mom. I’ve had a lot of time to make sense of the paperwork I saw in Lorenzo’s house. You’re the one who taught me to take snapshots of things with my eyes. You were the one that groomed me and gave me all the tools I needed to survive over here. And I admit, your plan almost worked. I almost turned on Teo. But, there’s something you sorely underestimated that bit you in the ass.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And what is that?”
I grinned. “My hunger for the truth.”
And when she didn’t answer, I stared her down as I straightened my back. “If you don’t stop working for the Luccheses immediately, everything comes to light. And when I say everything? I mean every scrap of every lie I found in those boxes. I will turn everything I know and have over to whoever wants to see it, whether they deserve to see it or not. And I’m not just talking about legal matters, either. I’m talking about every rival family you’ve ever worked with and every disgusting person on your roster. I’ll make them all hate you in one fell swoop, and you’ll have no choice but to run and hide. And when I drag your ass into court? I’ll testify of my own accord how I have proof that my mother set me up to be kidnapped and sold off to the highest bidder just to keep her highest-paying client on her payroll. Which will set you up to take the fall for--.”
She finally pushed back. “I had absolutely nothing to do with that bullshit trafficking ring. I don’t ever stick my hands into that kind of shit with my clients.”
I stood my ground. “Is that how a judge will see it, though? Especially once I prove that you used your client’s own trafficking ring to get rid of your daughter? What was it, Mom? Did I ask too many questions? Did I not show you enough evil deep inside to clue me on in what you were doing? Or, did you have plans to send me down with the ship if you were ever found out?”
And again, when she didn’t answer, I snickered. “You’re a fucking piece of work. But, Teo’s will and love for this place will always overpower you and every shred of evil on it. And mark my words, Mom, your entire empire is going to be locked up for life. With you right alongside them.”
Her eyes widened. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
I walked back over to the table. “You’re not the only strong-willed one in this family. I just play for the side that always wins. You can interpret that however you wish.”
I tossed another chocolate-covered espresso bean into my mouth and crunched down.
“What if I agree to your terms?” she asked.
I turned to face her. “You mean, walking away from the Lucchese Family for good? No questions asked?”
She nodded. “Yes. If I do it, will you keep your mouth shut?”
I smirked. “Do you really have a choice in the matter?”
She shook her head. “You’ve changed, you know.”
“That happens when a daughter figures out that the head of a mafia family loves her more than her own damn mo--.”
“No!” I shrieked.
Out of nowhere, I heard the whooshing of something over my shoulder. I went charging for my mother, knowing damn good and well what was about to happen. And before my mother even finished her sentence, I watched her eyes widen. A hole, dead in the center of her forehead, leaked with blood as I collapsed against her, trying to move her out of the way of a bullet that had already done its job.
And as we collapsed against the pavement, I saw her brain matter seeping out of the hole in the back of her head.
“Mom! No!” I cried out.
But, when I heard footsteps barreling toward me, I hopped up and shoved my hand between my legs. I slid them into my panties and pulled out the pistol before cocking it and taking aim. And as I felt the bullets on the underside of my tits pressing against my skin, I raised my head with all of the confidence in the world.
