The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Thirty

Amanda

Ican't believe I was so stupid. All he wanted was easy sex, and I gave it to him. I feel so cheap. I'm also confused. Why did he mention the penthouse? Does he know I gave Benito the keycard? What was I supposed to tell him? The truth? That would have gone down really well with a killer. I gave Benito the keycard to your apartment.

So I kept my mouth shut and now I'm home again.

It's like I've never been away. I'm sitting in the downstairs bathroom, the only place I can be sure I won't be walked in on. My parents have a terrible tendency to just burst in without knocking whenever they want to speak to me.

They sometimes do it when they want to rant about each other. Mom sits on the end of the bed telling me how she ruined her life by having me, how I made her body stretch and tear and how bringing me up took away all her freedom. Then she sobs and tells me to never get married. Next day she denies saying any of it.

Dad on the other hand marches up and down the floor like it's a prison yard and he's dictating something to his secretary. His hands wave in the air like a Banana republic leader, telling me all the things he'll change when he becomes Don someday, like that's ever going to happen.

When Albie dropped me off, I didn't want either of them coming into my room. So I crept into the house and went straight into the downstairs bathroom. I locked the door and pulled out my burner cellphone. Ethan put his phone number into it and it's the only number on here. I should delete it. Hell, I should probably flush the damned thing and be done with it.

I want to.

I don't. I can't. I sit holding it and doing nothing else. This is where I'm still sitting when I hear my father on the phone in the study.

A lot has changed since the last time I was in here, but his tone of voice is the biggest change. It's gone from sounding scared of Ethan Gianni to furious with him.

"If that's true, we've got no choice," Dad's saying. "We have to act." A pause. "Bullshit. Get him on the phone now. I want to hear it for myself." A longer pause. "You're telling me that Benito's dead. You saw Ethan kill him with your own eyes?" Pause. "That's what I thought. Put Tony back on the phone."

I hold my breath, leaning against the pipe to hear better. I know I shouldn't be listening to this, but I can't help myself. Hearing Ethan's name makes me desperate to know more.

"You remember what happened when Primo killed Ethan's mother? He would never threaten a civilian like this. Not after what happened...Not the point...Fucking right, he wouldn't...What?"

I shouldn't care. Ethan threw me out. He told me he couldn't trust me. The fact his mother was killed by Primo is nothing to do with me. He doesn't deserve my sympathy. He's a coldhearted bastard and I want nothing more to do with him.

I'm about to walk out of the bathroom when I hear something that chills my blood.

"Don Mancini, I didn't know you were there. I heard that...I know, it's just we can't...right, if you say so. No, please, don't say that. She's a civilian. She's got nothing to do with any of this. Don Mancini, she's my daughter. She doesn't deserve...thank you, thank you. No, of course, I'll come with your crew. Thank you, Don Mancini. Yes, yes, Sir. I'll bring you Ethan's head myself if it proves my loyalty lies with you, not the Gianni famiglia." A long pause. "Just gossip, Don Mancini. You know how women are. Their mouths yapping all day long. Amanda will never marry him. She will mourn your son, Don Mancini." Pause. "Yes, I'm sure she will be honored to do that."

The talking stops but not for long. The phone rings again and Dad picks it up. "I heard. Ten minutes, got it. I'll be there. You got enough firepower?... Ethan's not going to be easy to kill?... Yeah, I know... Don't worry. I won't fuck this up." A cold laugh. "On a fucking platter, you said it."

I look down at the phone in my hands. I don't get every part of the conversation that just took place, but it's clear Ethan's in trouble. Don Mancini must have found out his son's dead. Maybe the guy who got away survived long enough to tell him. Who knows? That's not important. What is important is the decision I need to make in the next few seconds.

Am I going to leave Ethan to his fate?

It's nothing to do with me anymore. He's nothing to do with me. He threw me out. Told me he couldn't trust me. Told me he doesn't want me around.

I could leave him to whatever destiny has in store for him.

I look down at the cellphone.

Or I could dial his number and wait for him to answer and warn him that people are coming to attack him. What happens then? He might live, but he still doesn't want me. Doubt he'll even thank me. And what if my father finds out I tried to warn Ethan? I could be in some really deep shit if he does find out.

I know what logic dictates. This is nothing to do with me. I should just leave it be. I should go to my room and let fate decide what happens.