Page 116 of The Butcher's Wife

“Alive,” he answers in a croaking voice. He stares at me. “I saw his face. He told me who it was for.”

“No.” Debbie stands to her full height, giving us a firm look. “No, not now.”

He ignores her as he holds my gaze. “They said it was for Frederico Chiarelli.”

Debbie gulps her protest and cups her hands to her mouth. Annetta gasps softly.

I nod to Rafa.

He sighs, leaning his head back against the pillow with his eyes closed.

I’m done with this. The Chiarellis have overstepped for the last time.

Annetta stumbles out of her chair, waving me off from catching her.

“I’ll be with Carlo,” she chokes out and dashes out of the room.

I give it as long as it takes to type out a message to Turi asking for the address to the Chiarelli homes before I follow her. It’s too risky to leave her alone right now. Once she’s calmed down and is ready to go home, I’ll take her to Turi’s. He’ll keep her safe until I get back from Florida.

If I get back.

My chest burns. I’ll call in a couple of favors. I’ll make it back. And if not?

She’ll be protected. She won’t need to get married again—she’ll have all the money she’d want from my will. She’ll have Turi’s and her family’s support. She’ll survive. She’s strong.

My phone buzzes.

It’s the address for Marco Chiarelli and Giulia Chiarelli’s homes.

Turi

What should I tell your wife when you leave her a widow?

I storm out of the room and jerk to a stop outside the door, my chest heaving.

A patient walking past takes one look at me and scurries in the opposite direction.

Fuck.I can’t leave her alone. She’s got her family, but would anyone protect her like me? And Turi’s a brother to me, but he’ll let Marisol use my wife if it benefits them.

At the end of the hallway, Barbara takes slow, measured steps toward me as my thoughts crash into each other.

Barbara stops before me. He exhales.

We never spoke about the change in command from Aldo to Turi. I always knew where his loyalty was, and him killing his old don proved it. Barbara will always put his wife and kids first, and so long as Turi understands that, Barbara will be loyal to him, too. It’s the same reason Barbara sponsored me as some young, angry wannabe all those years ago.

I’ve always put his family first.

Rage and worthlessness war inside me as I meet his eye.

“Gonna do something stupid?”

Not for the first time, he impresses me with his perception. I know his sleepy old man act is mostly a ruse, and still, I underestimate him like everyone else.

“You know me, Barbara.” I chuckle bitterly. “The paragon of good choices.”

“Do you remember the promise you made to me?”

You protect mine. And I’ll protect yours.