Page 21
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CARLOTTA
T he moment Gallo lifts his gun and points it at me, I freeze. It’s like my feet are glued to the ground and I’m completely immobile. A shot cracks through the air, but before it can hit me, I get slammed into the ground, the wind knocked right out of my lungs.
For a dazed moment, I have no idea what happened. I don’t think I was shot because there’s no piercing burn, just the pain of landing really hard on the barn’s floor. And then I hear Gallo’s angry roar, but I don’t care. I’m just happy to be alive and not bleeding out.
It takes me a moment to realize Damon knocked me down to the ground, saving me from the bullet. His big body covers me, protecting me, and my heart swells. My protector, always making sure I’m safe and secure. God, I love this man. But then he’s yanked off me by the two thugs and a horrible thought hits me.
Did he get shot?
Turning around and sitting up, I quickly scan his body, but he looks okay. Thank God, Gallo is a terrible shot.
He’s fuming, however, and a moment later, Gallo storms toward me and I roll sideways as he shoots the gun again. Lucky for me, the bastard misses again. Scrambling to my feet, I see Damon break free from the thugs’ hold and launch a kick which sends one of them flying. As he throws a punch, getting into a scuffle with the other one, I realize it’s up to me to take care of Gallo.
I see a shovel leaning against the wall beside an empty horse stall, and I make a mad dash for it, weaving as I race over. But Gallo isn’t shooting anymore which surprises me. I reach my makeshift weapon, grab the handle and spin around just in time to see a red-faced Gallo cursing at his gun then tossing it aside. It must’ve jammed or maybe it’s out of bullets. Whatever the case, I send up a silent thank you to whoever is watching over me.
Now without his pistol, he doesn’t look very threatening and I take immediate advantage of the situation. Stalking forward, I lift the shovel and swing it at his body like a baseball bat. He tries to avoid it, jumping to the side, but I manage to whack him hard against his hip. With a howl, he levels his black, rage-filled eyes on me.
“You’re going to die,” he threatens me, a hand pressed on the spot where I hit him.
“Not today, asshole!” I swing the shovel again, but this time he manages to grab it. Oh, shit. I try to pull it away from him, but he yanks hard, ripping it out of my grip. Now, he’s turning the shovel on me and I’m not about to hang around and see how this ends.
While Damon is busy fighting with the other thug, I spin around and race away from Gallo. Since the exit is behind me, my only option is to run deeper into the barn. He’s calling my name, chasing after me, but I don’t slow down or even dare to look over my shoulder. Instead, I run for my life…straight back to the damn hay loft.
Without a choice, I leap for the ladder and hurry up the rungs as fast as I can. Gallo is a heavy, bigger man, so he’s not going to be able to catch me, especially carrying that shovel. Maybe once I get to the top, I will be able to regain the advantage by being above him. If I can kick him or hit him or push him back down the ladder, I can hold him off until Damon arrives to help me.
The moment I reach the upper level, I scan the area quickly, desperate to find something to use against the madman snapping at my heels. My gaze lands on the rope that had been around my neck but, other than that, I don’t see anything to defend myself. And, honestly, I’m not even sure what I can do with it, other than maybe use it like a whip. And that’s really stretching it. But it’s better than nothing, I think, and swipe it up off the floor.
I spin back around just in time to see Gallo lumbering over the side of the platform. At least I can take comfort in the fact he doesn’t have a gun or this confrontation would be over really freaking fast.
Once he’s standing up, shovel in his hand, he takes a moment to catch his breath. My fingers tighten around the rope and I adjust my hold, getting ready to spring into action and hopefully be able to turn the tables. Because this time, he is not putting a noose around my neck.
If things go my way, this rope is going to be around his bloated neck.
“What do you think you’re going to do with that?” he taunts, stepping closer.
“Whatever I have to,” I tell him, bravely lifting my chin, and raising the rope out in front of me. I’m still debating how best to attack and defend myself with it when he laughs, throws the shovel aside, and levels the most hate-filled gaze on me.
“Did you know anything about my son?” he asks, moving closer.
“What? No,” I respond, surprised by his question. I never knew who the man was until he’d told me earlier.
“He thought you were pretty.” Gallo snorts, his eyes narrowing. “But you didn’t give him the time of day.”
My mouth drops open slightly, and I’m completely surprised by what he’s saying. I can’t remember ever meeting anyone named Maximo.
“He told me Carlotta Rossi is so beautiful, but she didn’t even notice me,” he continues, closing in.
I don’t know what to say without angering him further, so I keep my mouth shut and take a step back...and realize I’m way too close to the trap door.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember meeting him,” I say, deciding it’s probably best to keep him talking. “But I’m sure he was lovely.”
I try to muster up as much confidence in that statement as I can, but knowing Maximo was Gallo’s son, I’m not sure if I believe it. He was probably a prick just like Carmine. What’s the saying? Like father, like son. And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, right?
“Don’t pretend you care,” he hisses. “You’re a liar just like the rest of your family. Maximo made the mistake of falling for your treacherous deceit and wicked beauty, but it’s all a facade. He tried talking to you, but you brushed him off, didn’t even give him the courtesy of a polite conversation.”
God, what is he talking about? I rack my brain, trying to remember where we were and who he was, but I can’t picture him no matter how hard I try. I honestly haven’t gone out much recently. Except for the masquerade party, I’ve been pretty antisocial since everything fell apart with Rendall.
Which means the last time I was at an event where I might’ve met Maximo…well, it would’ve had to have been the Rossi Winery anniversary celebration. It was months ago and my family had organized a huge party to celebrate fifty years in business. My parents visited from Sicily and we threw a huge shindig at The Plaza and practically invited the entire city.
Then I remember exactly. The man who tried to talk to me, but I was too worried about Rendall to pay him any attention.
“The Anniversary party,” I murmur, everything clicking in my memory, and Gallo nods.
“Ding, ding, ding. Finally, she remembers.”
Just barely, though. I was so hung up on Rendall at the time and he’s all I could see. Stupid, but true. I was totally smitten by the jerk, so when a slightly overweight man in glasses tried to talk to me, I was only half-listening because all of my attention was focused on the man who would later cheat on me. Maybe I should have given Maximo more attention. He was quiet and a little awkward, though, so when whatever little conversation we’d had fizzled, we parted ways and I didn’t see him again. Never gave him a second thought…until now.
“He barely said anything to me,” I say, “and I had no idea he was interested.”
“That’s because you are a self-absorbed bitch,” he snarls and lunges straight at me. I sidestep the trap door then throw myself to the side, sliding across the hay covered floor. But Gallo makes a grab for me and manages to snag a handful of hair. I scream when he yanks me backwards and then he wraps his fingers around my neck and starts squeezing.
Oh, God. I’ve lost the rope, had to let it go so I could grab Gallo’s wrists, and the pressure on my throat is increasing. Gallo looks down at me, smiling like a demented clown as his meaty fingers dig into the tender flesh of my neck. I’m trying hard to push him away, but I can’t. He’s stronger than me and even when I use all of my strength, it isn’t enough.
I can’t die. Not when I have so many things left to do and not when I still have to tell Damon the most important thing I will ever tell a man—I love you.
A burst of strength fills me and then I hear Damon shout my name.
“Carlotta!”
I can hear his boots pounding against the floor below, getting closer, but I can’t respond because Gallo is choking the shit out of me. So, instead, I muster up every ounce of strength I can and jerk my knee upwards, hitting him right in the balls.
With a shout of pain, Gallo loosens his hold enough that I can squirm sideways and kick him in the groin again. That does the trick. He finally lets go and I quickly scramble backwards. My attention shifts to the edge of the loft where Damon appears and relief floods me. Pulling myself to my feet, I take a step toward him when Gallo suddenly pops up. Without warning, he throws himself at me and everything seems to start moving in slow motion, as though my life is about to flash before my eyes.
Damon yells my name. Gallo’s feet get tripped up in the rope on the floor and his arms start windmilling, balance and control lost. I dive out of the way before he can grab hold of me and watch in horror as his momentum sends him careening past me and straight over the edge. Gasping, I slap a hand over my mouth as he falls through the trap door. His brief shout of surprise fills the air before there’s a loud, sickly thud from below.
Shocked, I feel Damon pull me up into his arms and he embraces me tightly.
“Lottie, sweetheart, are you okay?” He leans back, cups my face in his callused hands and searches my gaze.
For a stunned moment, I can’t speak. Everything just happened so fast. But then I find my voice. “Is h-he dead?” I ask, clutching onto his forearms.
“Don’t move,” he says and reluctantly releases me. Then he walks over to the hole in the floor and looks down. His expression remains unreadable, but when he looks up and locks eyes with me, I know.
“He’s dead,” Damon confirms.
“Oh, God.” Even though the man hated me and nearly strangled me—twice—I can’t find it in myself to be glad he’s gone. If anything, I feel bad for him. I think after he lost his son, he spiraled into an inconsolable grief that led him to revenge.
A revenge that he died trying to obtain.
I am relieved, though, knowing that I’m finally safe. My family and I will never have to worry about Carmine Gallo again. It’s over.
“C’mere, sweetheart.”
I take a wobbly step toward Damon and he catches me before my legs can give out. He holds me up and cradles me against his firm chest, providing me with renewed strength. After a minute of soaking up his warm, vibrant energy, I pull back and look up into beautiful dark eyes swirling with so much emotion.
“I didn’t think I’d get this chance,” I say softly and my voice catches. “But now that it’s here, I’m not going to hold back. I love you, Damon. I think I was half in love with you the first night we met.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I was the one who fell for you. So damn hard. And now there’s no going back because I am head over heels in love with you, Carlotta Rossi.”
The purest joy I have ever known pours through my body and then Damon’s lips crash against mine. The kiss we exchange is full of so much emotion and, even more, it holds the promise of a future together.
The pounding of feet below snags my attention and we pull apart, still wrapped in each other’s arms as we look over the side of the loft. Down below, I can see my brothers as well as some members of the other mafia families. Everyone’s attention is on Gallo’s body. A quick glimpse tells me all I need to know—he died of a broken neck.
“Don’t look, sweetheart,” Damon whispers, gently turning my face away from the horrific sight. I bury my face against his chest, breathing his spicy scent deeply, and then hear a familiar voice. We both turn to see Angelo who just popped up over the side of the loft.
“Well, well, well,” he draws out, mouth curving up in a smirk. “What have we got here?”
Suddenly shy, realizing we’re going to have to tell my brothers about us, I smother my face deeper into Damon’s warmth.
“I love your sister,” Damon announces loudly enough for everyone to hear. All attention snaps up to us from below, and I feel my face flush with happiness.
“And I love you,” I say. Arms wrapped around each other, I look from one brother to the next, watching them each process what we just revealed.
I’m not sure what to expect, but no one looks too surprised and smiles break out all around. Relief fills me and I slump against Damon. Everything I ever wanted is right here in my arms and I can feel my siblings’ approval.
My world is suddenly right again.
“Sure took you guys long enough,” Damon complains. “But we handled it. Didn’t we, sweetheart?”
I nod and then he lowers his mouth again, catching my lips in a kiss that is so full of promise, so full of love. And I have no doubts that we have a future together.