Chapter 5

The ropes still bit into my arms.

The dull ache in my belly was sharpening into something stabbing.

Every time I opened my mouth, the driver's palm flew at my face. He didn't want to hear anything except where the money was.

The hired men sat on the floor, drinking and talking among themselves.

“You think this deal between the Don and Don Falcone is gonna land?”

“Hope so. Falcone's one of the Five Families. He backs us, we're set.”

“I hear he's got no heir. His old man tried to make him marry and he refused outright?”

“You don't know? Story is he went crazy in love with some woman and couldn't have her. Now he won't even look at anyone else.”

“What kind of woman turns down a man like that? Has to be an idiot.”

I shouted at them, “Vincenzo Falcone, that's who you mean, right? I want to see him.”

“I'm the woman you just mentioned. The one he couldn't have.”

“If anything happens to me or my baby, the Carraso family is going to pay in blood for it.”

The men exchanged looks, then burst out laughing.

The driver stood up, mocking. “What, you know every Don in the world?”

“Changing your story? The bastard in your belly is Don Falcone's now?”

“You want to suffer less, you tell me where the money is.”

I went pale trying to explain, but no one believed a word.

I'd talked myself hoarse when Raffina's voice came from behind me.

“The one paying in blood, I'd guess, is going to be you.”

I whipped my head around and met her eyes.

She tilted her head, looking me over slowly, drinking in my pain and humiliation with no attempt to hide it.

“Raymond gave me clear orders on the way over. I'm here to persuade you to stay. Just one thing.”

She paused and spaced the next words out, one by one.

“Before you stay, you tell us where the money went.”

I spat in her face. “This is a setup. Let me go. You're going to regret this.”

She wiped the spit off hard, and something vicious flashed in her eyes.

“You've been shamelessly trying to seduce the Don for years. You sleep around, get pregnant by god knows who, and now you want to pin it on him.”

“The Don still remembers what little you've done for him over the years. He let you save face in public and pretended he didn't know you, and you turn around and steal from the family.”

“Looks like you need a little encouragement to be honest.”

She picked up a rag off the floor and stuffed it in my mouth, then she gave the driver a look.

He picked up a leather whip and started swinging at me, no rhythm, no pattern, just hitting.

The whip came down like rain, tearing at my skin.

Every scream got buried in the rag.

My eyes felt like they'd split open from the pressure. Tears mixed with blood ran down my face, but I kept my eyes locked on Raffina.

She stood there with her arms folded, smiling at me.

Her index finger tapped lightly against her arm, as if she were counting for me, counting how many lashes I'd taken.

I thrashed, and then a tearing pain ripped through my belly.

Something warm slid down between my thighs.

The driver hesitated and looked over at Raffina.

She frowned, displeased. “Did I say stop? Keep going.”

He raised the whip again.

Blood had run into my eyes, and the world in front of me was nothing but red.

Then someone kicked the door open with force.

A voice I hadn't heard in years exploded against my ear.

“Raymond. You're going to pay for this in blood!”