Rapture & Ruin by Julia Sykes

Chapter 9

Allie

It took over a week of sleepless nights and multiple meetings with Mike before I compiled enough evidence to show Max. The photos and personal accounts in the case files were often violent enough to turn my stomach, and once I’d even gotten sick after opening a file to photos from a murder scene.

More like execution. Max’s uncle, Tony Ferrara, had been responsible for that particularly vicious crime. He was still serving out his sentence in prison and would be for another eight years, at least. Max’s father and grandfather, on the other hand, were both walking free now. His grandfather, Michael, had been convicted of fraud. And his father, Paul, had been convicted of drug trafficking and racketeering. They’d only gotten out of prison two years ago, early releases for good behavior.

I’d still barely scratched the surface of the mountain of evidence the U.S. Attorney’s Office had gathered against the Five Families, but I’d narrowed my focus to the Ferraras. I had plenty of proof to show Max.

Now, I just had to find him. Even though it should’ve been a relief that I hadn’t glimpsed him in the shadows since the night I’d confronted him in the street, his absence didn’t lessen the nightmares that haunted me in the few hours I did manage to sleep. Several times, I’d dreamt of falling, my knees cracking against the pavement, a blaring car horn, and strong arms around me. I awoke from those with my brow damp and my heart racing. The jittery sensation was scarcely better than the visions of bloody corpses and the tear-streaked faces of bereaved family members left behind.

I ran a shaky hand through my hair and resisted the urge to rub my dry eyes, which were itchy from sleep deprivation. I didn’t want to risk smudging the concealer I’d applied to hide the worst of my dark circles. I knew I must look like a frazzled mess, just like I’d felt on the inside ever since Max had first abducted me.

There had only been one way for me to narrow down his location. His father’s address was on file with the authorities, and I had access to those records. He might’ve been released from federal prison early, but he was still on probation.

My knees shook slightly as I approached the historic townhouse in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Apparently, Paul Ferrara had lost several years of his freedom but not his lavish home when he’d been arrested. I was about to knock on a notorious mobster’s door.

Maybe Max was right; maybe I had gone insane.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that my father’s safety was on the line, and Paul Ferrara hadn’t been convicted of any violent crimes. Of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to think he hadn’t been aware of some of those crimes when they took place, but I didn’t have to fear for my immediate safety.

I hoped.

Summoning my resolve to protect my family, I lifted a trembling finger and punched the doorbell before I could think better of it.

After several agonizing minutes, the door opened, and a stunning woman greeted me with a cool expression and even colder black eyes. Her delicate chin lifted, and even though she was an inch shorter than me, her imperious stare made me feel tiny and weak in her petite shadow.

“Yes?” she prompted, sounding almost bored.

“Hi,” I breathed, barely managing to prevent myself from stuttering. This woman definitely gave off ruthless-Mafia vibes, and it was all I could do to keep my spine straight beneath her withering glare. “I’m here to see Max?” I silently cursed myself when what was meant to be a confident statement came out as a lilting question.

Dark, perfectly arched brows rose almost all the way to her sleek black hair, which was pulled back from her heart-shaped face. Her aloof beauty was almost painfully intimidating. My stomach twisted, and for a moment, I considered bolting.

“And who are you?” she demanded, her voice soft and slightly husky. Everything about her oozed poise and cool confidence. I felt terribly disheveled and pathetically weak in comparison, my composure completely shot after so many sleepless nights. The relentless fear for my father that’d followed me every waking minute had left me shredded and raw.

“Allie.” I almost squeaked my name, but I pressed on. I was here now. I had to follow through. “I’ve, ah, been out with Max a few times.”

Those brows lifted higher. “And he gave you this address?”

“Yes?” Damn it. I’d asked a question again when it should’ve been a calm statement.

I am strong. I am independent. I can do this.

I squared my shoulders, toughening my resolve. “I can come back later if he’s not here.”

Tell me where I can find him. I silently willed her to reveal his location. The sooner I could leave this place, the better.

Her eyes scanned me once again, picking apart each of my features with cold precision. Her sudden, broad smile was jarringly beautiful. The icy woman had been replaced by a dazzling hostess in the blink of an eye. Despite her suddenly welcoming demeanor, I was more unnerved than ever.

“He must not have wanted to show you his shithole apartment,” she said, the snide comment tinkling on a little laugh. “This is a much more impressive address. Why didn’t you let him know you were coming?”

I didn’t miss the incisive flash of her obsidian eyes as she interrogated me. The woman was a shark, even if she was hiding her razor-sharp teeth.

“I broke my phone and lost all my contacts.” It was the smoothest lie I’d ever told. This woman could flay me with a single glance, and I had no choice but to pull on my thickest emotional armor. It was pure survival instinct, tempered by years of terrible bullying. I never thought I’d be grateful for the hard lessons those years had taught me, but they would possibly save my skin now.

Her brow furrowed, all sympathy and understanding. “Oh, that’s the worst. Why don’t you come in? I’ll call him for you.”

“That’s okay,” I said quickly, shifting back an inch before I could stop myself. “If you wouldn’t mind giving me his number, I can contact him.”

“Don’t be silly.” She waved away my request, that beatific smile still glowing like a warning beacon. “If you’re dating my little brother, I’d love to get to know you. We can chat while we wait for him to come home.”

I swallowed hard. This terrifying woman was Max’s sister? Now that she’d mentioned it, I could see the resemblance, especially in the eyes and around her full mouth. Only where Max’s eyes burned with rage, hers glinted with cold calculation.

“Come in,” she urged when I hesitated. “I’ll call him now. I’m sure he’ll get here quickly.”

I definitely didn’t like the little twist to her lush lips when she spoke. Why would she think Max would rush home to see me? Did she suspect that I was a threat to their family somehow? Had she been in on Max’s scheme to abduct and interrogate me in the first place?

“He hasn’t dated anyone since the accident,” she supplied, pretending she didn’t register my reluctance as she stepped aside in an attempt to usher me through the front door.

I barely stopped myself from clutching my locket as anxiety gripped my body like a vise. She wasn’t offering to share his number, and I didn’t know how I would track him down otherwise.

I took a moment to process what she’d said. It made sense that she’d be wary of any woman who might date her brother, especially if he truly hadn’t been with anyone since his face had been scarred. I had no idea when the injury had been inflicted, but girlfriends showing up to his house must be out of the ordinary.

She’d also mentioned a shithole apartment, which meant Max didn’t live here with his family, despite the fact that the house was massive. Of course my presence here would seem weird. I’d shown up out of the blue and asked for Max at the wrong address.

Still, it would be beyond stupid for me to walk into that house. The memory of what’d happened the last time I was alone with a Ferrara in a private space was all too clear in my mind: I’d been tied to a chair in a basement and questioned by a madman.

This house probably had a basement too.

“If you don’t mind calling him, I’d appreciate it.” My voice barely wavered. I could excuse that as nerves at meeting my supposed boyfriend’s sister. “I can wait out here. I don’t want to impose.”

“Don’t be silly.” Her brilliant grin practically dazzled me, but her predatory eyes kept my feet firmly rooted on the concrete step.

She blew out a sigh and closed the door behind her, joining me outside. “I’ll call him. I get that it can be intimidating to meet the family of the person you’re dating. Especially if it’s a new relationship.” She was all smiles and understanding as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and found Max’s contact details.

She connected the call, and to my surprise, she put it on speaker. The four rings that sounded as we waited for Max to pick up seemed to clang through my system like alarm bells, setting my body on high alert.

“He doesn’t like to take my calls.” She confided in me like we were sharing a sad secret. “He’s been different since the accident. Private, you know?”

I swallowed and managed a silent nod. My fine hairs stood on end, and every instinct was screaming at me to get the hell away from this woman and her false social niceties.

“What, Francesca?” Max’s voice cracked through the air like a thunderclap, and I jolted.

“Someone’s here to see you.” Her voice took on a slightly singsong lilt. “Come to the house.”

“Who?” he barked. That harsh, impatient tone was all too familiar to me by now. I heard it in my nightmares.

She glanced at me. “What did you say your name was, hon? Allie?”

A beat of silence, then a harsh curse.

Francesca let out another melodic laugh. “Don’t you want to see your new girlfriend?” That lilt took on a taunting edge. “She looks like she’s too good for you anyway.” She fixed me with an affected pout. “She wouldn’t even come into the house to wait for you. What have you been telling her about your family, little brother? We’re perfectly hospitable.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he growled.

Francesca’s eyes glinted cruelly. “That’s too bad. She’s very pretty. You might think you’re too ugly for her, but she did come here to see you.”

I stiffened at the underhanded comment about his disfigurement. She’d said that Max hadn’t dated since the accident. It implied that the injury had occurred after he was old enough to be interested in dating. I’d been up close and personal with that devastatingly handsome face that’d been marred by the horrific scar. Max must’ve been breathtaking before he’d been injured so severely. I suspected that Francesca’s cruel words landed a harsh blow to a deep emotional wound.

“Tell her I’ll see her later.” Max’s grim words seemed to be spoken through gritted teeth.

“But she said she broke her phone and lost your number.” Francesca spoke with the weight of a tragedy. “Isn’t that right, Allie?”

“Yes.” I flung the word at her in a bold challenge, a reflexive response to a bully. Francesca might have a gorgeous smile, but she was clearly a master at cutting a person down to nothing with her sharp, conniving insults.

I raised my voice slightly and addressed Max. “I need to see you, Max.”

A wordless growl. He was pissed.

My stomach did a funny flip, but I kept my shoulders back and allowed my stare to clash with Francesca’s. I’d risked everything to come here and give Max the evidence that would save my father. I wouldn’t back down now, especially not because of this bully.

“Did you hear that?” she practically cooed. “Allie needs you, Max. She’s very sweet, isn’t she? How did you ever convince her to go out with a monster like you?”

I glowered at her, no longer caring that she was the daughter of an infamous criminal or that I was standing outside Paul Ferrara’s house. Based on her taunts, it seemed that she didn’t know who I was; she hadn’t been in on the whole kidnapping-and-interrogation thing.

Indignant anger brought out my reckless streak. “I’m waiting right here.” I said it as a challenge to her and as a demand to Max. “I’ll see you soon, Max.”

“I’m on my way.”

Francesca ended the call with a snide smile. “A little overly eager, aren’t we? Take my advice. Desperation isn’t a good look, Allie. Especially when you’re chasing after roadkill like my brother.”

My rage swelled, and my fingers clenched to fists at my sides. Oh, you bitch. I knew her kind, but the fact that she could be so cruel to her own family was beyond disgusting.

“It’s not Max’s fault if he was in an accident,” I asserted. “Why should I hold that against him?”

She cocked her head at me, her pillowy lips taking on a nasty twist, as though she relished the flavor of her next taunt. “How do you know it wasn’t his fault? Didn’t he tell you what happened?”

I stiffened. Of course, Max hadn’t told me how he’d been scarred. He hadn’t told me anything about himself at all except for the fact that he hated my father. And that he protected innocent women.

He might be insane, but he’d saved my life. And it seemed I’d been right to think that he’d suffered ridicule and rejection because of his disfigurement. He’d been bullied, too. And by his own family, no less. That was enough to earn my defensiveness on his behalf.

I lifted my chin and stared Francesca down. “He didn’t have to tell me what happened for me to know that he didn’t deserve to be hurt like that. No one does.”

Her smile sharpened, a baring of those shark’s teeth. “Are you sure? You seem very naïve, hon. Do yourself a favor and get the hell away from my brother. It won’t end well for you.”

A threat? From this bitch?

Nope.

I’d dealt with a monster holding me captive in a dark basement. I could handle a vindictive woman in broad daylight. She thought she could scare off her brother’s first supposed girlfriend since his accident had left him permanently scarred?

No way. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t really his girlfriend. It didn’t matter that Max’s twisted snarl still haunted my dreams. All that mattered was that this bitch was tormenting her brother, a man who’d already suffered through so much pain that it’d driven him to madness.

The same man who’d pulled me out of the deadly path of an oncoming car and then insisted on seeing me safely to my door. Yes, Max had terrorized me, but he’d also saved me. He was mercurial and deeply conflicted, but he wasn’t pure evil. When I’d been tied up in that basement, I’d recognized his pain. It was what had driven him to kidnap and question me. Even on that awful night, he hadn’t laid a hand on me.

Max wasn’t violent or innately cruel, but his sister clearly relished engaging in psychological warfare.

I returned her imperious stare and icy demeanor. “You don’t have to wait out here with me. I’m sure Max will be here soon.”

Her nasty little smile stayed in place. “Yes, I’m sure he’ll rush home. He won’t want me to scare you off.”

“I’m not scared.”

Another tinkling laugh. “I knew you were too good for my brother.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and pressed my lips together, not deigning to reply. If she wanted to stand out here and needle me with insults about Max, that was her prerogative. I didn’t have to continue to engage.

She leaned a shoulder against the front door, making an ostentatious show of settling in to wait.

Fine. We could stare at each other in stony silence.

You don’t scare me, bully.

Her beautiful face remained mildly amused, immune to my glower. I didn’t bother mirroring her nonchalance. I didn’t hide behind false smiles. I met bullies head-on. Strength was the language they understood best.

After an interminable period of time, Max’s harsh voice punched through the silent tension that’d built between his sister and me. “Jesus, Bambi.”

His long fingers wrapped around my wrist, and my skin tingled where his callouses brushed against my highly sensitized nerves; I’d been on full alert while sparring with Francesca, and his sudden grip shattered my outwardly thorny demeanor.

“Max!” I released his name on a gasp, stumbling after him as he yanked me away from his sister. He pulled me close to his side and tucked me beneath his strong arm. I wasn’t sure if he was shielding me from her or if he was simply intent on dragging me somewhere to berate me privately.

“Let’s go,” he rumbled, pulling me along as he strode away from his family home.

“It was lovely to meet you, Allie!” Francesca called after me, that singsong lilt ending in a delighted giggle.

I stopped resisting Max’s strength and did my best to match his long strides, grateful to get away from his bitchy sister. Withstanding her cruelty had tapped out the little emotional reserves I had left after suffering through so many sleepless nights. I blew out a heavy sigh and relaxed into Max, allowing him to whisk me somewhere far away from his awful family.