The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Fifteen

Amanda

Inod, taking a seat near the counter. The bottle of strong water is placed in front of me, and I take a swig. "What happened?" she asks. "The police didn't show up for hours and when they did, they didn't believe me. Just told me I was wasting their time. Did he let you go? Is he really your fiance? What the hell happened?"

I tell her.

I tell her everything. Well, nearly everything. I tell her about Ethan taking me back to his place. I tell her about the way he treated me, the things he said to me. I tell her about him spanking me, but I don't mention how it made me feel. I don't want to tell anyone that.

She seems most shocked by the idea of Ethan killing Primo and Benito Mancini. "Do you think he'd really do it?" she asks. "Kill them, I mean."

"I don't know."

I hear a weak cough behind me. I turn and a man is lowering his newspaper. My heart sinks at the sight of Benito Mancini emerging like a worm out of the ground. "I couldn't help but overhear," he says. "I hope you don't mind but I was looking for you, Mandy. I hoped you might come here this morning."

I cringe inwardly. The book taught me about this. I should have called Tess from a payphone, got her to meet me somewhere. Not let myself be tracked so easily.

"Who's this?" Tess asks.

"Benito Mancini," he says, holding a hand out toward her. "Perhaps you might like to join me, Mandy? Your friend here could bring us both some coffee while we talk."

I look around me. There are three other tables in use and how did I not notice the men sitting at them? Another guy is at the door, arms folded, in case I try to leave. All of them clearly with Benito. Waiting for orders.

I sit opposite him while Tess goes off to make the coffee.

"Why are you here?" I ask him.

"I thought you should know the truth about Ethan Gianni. He won't tell you himself and I believe you have the right to know what sort of man is trying to have his way with you."

"And what sort of man is he?"

"A killer. A sadistic killer. He's tortured people, Amanda. He's chopped up bodies, removed limbs while people are still alive. The things he's done would curdle your stomach to hear."

I feel sick all of a sudden. Benito doesn't look like he's lying. He looks like he's telling the truth. "I'm not the bad guy," he continues. "I wish to marry you to bring you under my family's protection. The Gianni famiglia are bad people, Amanda. Ethan is the worst of them. He's had his eyes on you for a long time."

"Really?"

"Do you know what he does to the women in his life?" He runs his hand across his throat. "Is that what you want to happen to you? I can offer you an out, Amanda. Wouldn't you prefer that? To stay alive?"

My hands are shaking under the table. The coffee arrives. Benito waves Tess impatiently away. She looks at me and I nod. She goes back to the counter.

Benito continues. "I'm guessing he acted like I'm a villain. Those rumors about me were all invented by the Gianni's. I have never hurt a living soul. Life is a sacred thing. Ethan is responsible for at least forty deaths that I know about, some of them close friends of mine. Good people. Honest people. Your family might be next, now you've run from him. I'm guessing that's what happened. He hurt you and you ran? He will come for you. He is relentless when he puts his mind to something. You will not be able to hide from him for long."

"What am I supposed to do?" I ask, feeling fear rising up inside me.

"All you have to do is go back to him for now. Get me the keycard to his elevator so I can make myself a copy. Keep him distracted, and I will enter his penthouse with the police at my side. We will have him arrested. He needs to be in prison for the crimes he's committed, but that penthouse is like a fortress. Bulletproof glass, reinforced doors. No one can get to him in there but you. Now's he supposed to be retiring, he'll vanish and get away with it. You can stop that. You can get justice for his victims. You can go back to him, keep him busy while I bring people to him."

"Why do you need me? Why not just go get him now?"

"Because he'd see us on the cameras he has all over the building and we wouldn't be able to get near him. But you can keep him from watching the monitors."

"How?"

"How do you think?" He points down at my chest. "Use that body of yours. Keep him busy just long enough for us to ride up in the elevator. Do this for me and I will be forever in your debt. Anything you wish for will be yours."

"How about not having to marry you?"

"You wish to turn down the son of Don Mancini?" He looks surprised, as if the possibility had never occurred to him. "So be it." He holds a hand out toward me. "We have a deal. You give me Ethan Gianni and I will give you your freedom."

I look at his hand and then into his eyes. He looks honest. He looks like he genuinely cares about me, unlike Ethan who hasn't looked like anything other than a devil since the moment I met him.

We shake. His hand is freezing cold.

"Can you get the keycard?" Benito asks.

"At my place."

He grins. "Wonderful. Take this. "Untraceable phone. We call it a burner. Call him this evening and tell him you want to go back to him. Make it seem genuine."

"Then what?"

"Get into his place and leave me to do the rest. Now go fetch the keycard and bring it back to me here. I'll have your wonderful friend for company while you're away."

I look across at Tess. Was that a threat? A suggestion that something might happen to her if I don't return with the keycard? Or am I just being paranoid? I am. He has no reason to threaten her. I've already agreed to his idea.

I go home, collect the keycard, and then bring it back to Benito. He pockets it before getting to his feet, shaking my hand again. "You have done my family and yours a great service," he says, waving to his men. "We will not forget this. Make sure Ethan is occupied at precisely midnight tonight. Understand?"

"You won't hurt him, will you?"

He puts a hand on his heart. "You have my word of honor, I personally will not touch a hair on his head."

He leaves, his men following him out.

I sit down in the booth, my legs feeling weak. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" Tess asks, sliding into the sit Benito just vacated.

"Not really," I reply. "What I want is to have another drink. A really big one."