Chapter 10
“My father kicked me out of the family when Don Lozano cancelled our engagement. He felt it was my fault and as a result, I’m not part of the family. I need to go.” She yanked her arm from his grasp.
“Yeah, but it is getting dark out and if you have no protection, it’s all the more reason to make sure you get home safe.” He was shaking his head, “I swear I know your face.”
“Mr. Arace, I appreciate the sentiment, but I’ve worked these hours a long time and never encountered any trouble. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“A man can climb a scaffolding sixty times without incident and still fall on climb sixty–one. Simply because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it won’t. We’ll arrange your transport.” He was typing into his phone and his hand rested on her shoulder as he walked her to through the lobby of the building to the front entrance. “The boss is back in the city and word got out. Within an hour, we were met with an attempted hit on us today. Let’s err on the side of caution for today, no?”
She was ready to screech with frustration but then a town car pulled up to the curb and a man stepped out to open the door.
“Make sure Ms. Mariani gets into her house. I don’t want to hear she was left on the side of the road. You walk her to her door and watch her go in, understood?” Tito ordered the driver who nodded firmly. “It was nice to make your acquaintance. I’m sure we’ll be seeing lots of each other.” He gave a wave as she ducked into the back seat.
In the car she dug her phone out and began typing frantically to her two best friends. When the driver asked her where to she told him to drive towards Queens, and she’d direct him from there.
Alcee: CEO is back in town.
Susana: Did he have something to say about you working for his family?
Amal: Shit. What happened?
Alcee: CEO is Bruno
She watched the dots on the bottom of her phone as her two friends both typed and deleted messages. Finally, Susana answered first.
Susana: I think I need you to clarify what this means.
Alcee: exactly what I said. He used an alias back then just like I did.
Amal: what are you going to do. Does he know about Antero?
Alcee: he didn’t see my face and hasn’t recognized me yet. I need to run. He found out the reason I’m working is because Dad cut me off when Lozano called off the engagement. If he starts digging deeper, he’s going to find out and don’t want to lose my son.
Susana: I’m on my way to your house. I’ll help you pack up.
Amal: I just put Antero in the bath, but I’ll start packing up his room while he plays in the tub. We’ll find a hotel for the night and then we’ll hit the road in the morning. The four of us can find a place to go.
Alcee felt the tear sliding down her cheek at their blind support of her. She wouldn’t have survived the last six years without them.
Alcee: you don’t need to come.
Susana: as if we would stay in this city without you. How long before you get home?
Alcee: They arranged a car to take me home. I need to jump out and hop a subway. I’ll be there as soon as I can.
She ended her text thread and then looked out the window. There was a subway station coming up and she counted her lucky stars as the car drew to a halt at a red light. She shoved the door open, ignoring the startled gasp of the driver and hopped out of the car and raced towards the sidewalk. Ducking down the stairs to the subway, she only prayed she got home and collected her son before her truth was found out.
Ignoring the honking of horns and the startled way the driver hopped out of the car to try to chase her, she raced down the tunnel into the subway. She was never so grateful to own a pass in her life as she managed to tap through the gates and then beeline for a train.
Standing at the platform, she felt hot angry tears sliding down her cheeks. Over the last several years, she’d worked hard to provide a good life for her and her son and there was now a very real risk of it being taken away from her, of him being taken away from her.
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Chapter 10
York. Maybe he’d stop in the bodega near her Many times, over the years, she imagined the scene of running into Bruno on the streets of home for a pack of cigarettes, she remembered him getting up once through the night to smoke when they’d been together, and they’d run into each other. He’d see Antero holding her hand. He’d pretend he didn’t know her, and he’d go on his merry way. She’d never worried about some rich guy taking her kid because guys who murder people don’t want families.
Never, in all of her fantasies did any of her dreams of running into Bruno involve him being the true heir to the Lozano family, the man she was once betrothed to and a man very committed to famiglia.
She gave her head an angry shake as she heard the telltale sounds of the train approaching. Regardless of whatever her imagination wanted, the reality was, Torquato Lozano was highly unlikely to let her son go. Her breath caught with the realization Antero was the heir to the Lozano family and the Don would want his son trained the way her father trained his sons.
The sob ripped from her chest as she pushed through the sliding doors. She needed to get home. Now.
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