Because hes good at what he does, Lucky reasoned. Hell, for twenty-four years hes been living a double life without either one of us knowing it. That kind of determination makes me a little nervous. I wonder what else hes been hiding.
If hes as good as you say, then, by now hes on his way here to confront me. Joey pointed to the silver chain tucked inside his brothers shirt. I left my cross on Rheas pillow.
The cross that nested in the thatch of black hair on
Luckys chest was identical to the ones Joey and Jackson wore. Lavina had given her boys the crosses one night when hell had descended on them, and all three boys had survived because they had stuck together. The decision they had made that night had bound them for life.
Lucky arched a brow. You leave the cross for revenges sake, or out of concern for her state of mind once she found Niccolo gone?
Not willing to analyze his actions, Joey said, I want her to come to me. Face me. If she cares about the boy, shell come.
My men tell me Frank arrived at Santa Palazzo a few hours ago. My guess is, he got a call that Niccolo was taken and he flew out there soon after. Youre right. If he knows it was you who took Niccolo, we can expect him back here within twenty-four hours.
Joey paced to the window, rubbing his jaw. He hadnt shaved in three daysor slept, for that matter.
So what do you want to do about Frank?
I have my son. Thats what I went there for.
The only reason?
Joey turned slowly. What are you saying?
Im saying Franks been lying to us for years. Maybe its time we looked into why that is. Maybe we need to find out what hes hiding at Santa Palazzo besides Rhea Williams.
Ill go along with that.
And Rhea? What do you plan to do with her once she shows up?
Joey wanted it to be all about revenge where Rhea was concerned. It would be easier that way. But when hed walked into Rheas bedroom at Santa Palazzo he had been stopped cold, struck by her familiar scent filling his nostrils. Struck by the sight of her hairbrush on the vanity with blond strands of hair caught in the bristles. To his disgust hed opened her closet just to look at her clothes.
Do you think she knows that her ex-husband is in jail for murder?
Thats an interesting question. Joey returned to the sofa. Its rather recent news. I suppose it would depend whether Frank thought it was news he could use to his advantage or not. Either way, at the moment, Rhea should be more afraid of me than her ex.
Rheas been through a lot in her life, fratello.
So Im supposed to go easy on her because years ago she married the wrong man, and his favorite pastime was beating her up?
No. Im saying Frank has more experience in deceiving people than Rhea.
The bottom line is, shes been hiding my son from me like some dirty secret. And if it was Franks idea, and she was forced into it, shes had plenty of time to find a way to get a message to me. But from what youve said, it sounds like shes been living content at Santa Palazzo.
Joey wasnt going to accept any excuses. Whatever Rheas reason was, it wouldnt be good enough. And the minute he laid eyes on her, this crazy feeling constricting his chest and tightening his jeans would burn itself out. He couldnt possibly still care about her, after what shed done.
She looks different.
Joey blinked out of his musing and saw Lucky studying one of the pictures. She looks different because shes not wearing a gauze bandage over her eye or a split lip. He couldnt disguise the anger and disgust that tainted his deep voice. He still hated the fact that he hadnt been able to keep Stud from terrorizing her.
His gaze returned to the picture of Rhea walking on the beach. Besides being bruise free, hed noticed that shed cut her hair into a straight, carefree style, and it had been bleached almost white from the Florida sun. Her skin no longer made her look as pale as a ghost, and she wasnt painfully thin. There was a gentle curve to her hips and more definition to her breasts. The only thing he could guarantee looked the same were her beautiful long legs.
Angry that hed taken the time to dissect the picture, he said, Not having bruises or gauze bandages doesnt change the facts.
Which are?
That shes a liar and a thief! Joey swore softly, wishing he hadnt raised his voice. He didnt want his son to wake up to the sound of his father shouting like an angry fool. He didnt want Niccolo ever to be afraid of him. Not in the way hed been afraid of his own father when he was a boy.
He and Lucky had tiptoed around their father, beginning at an early age, to avoid his lectures on loyalty to the famiglia, but they hadnt been able to escape the hourly drills Frank had forced on them to make his sons weaponry experts. By age thirteen Joey could nail a target dead center with a six-inch knife from twenty yards away. Lucky, at age ten, could empty a round of ammo into a dummys head with a 25-caliber Beretta and a .38 Special.
More softly, but just as angrily, he said, She kept me from my son, Lucky.
Yesterday you had a right to be angry, mio fratello. But today you have the boy. Focus on what