Francesca’s close friend, and the girl who had, inadvertently, gotten Frankie kidnapped. It was our fault because we hadn’t kept a better eye on her, but it was Robbie’s fault for blurting to her loser boyfriend who Frankie was. Once Robbie had told Randy that Frankie was my sister, Phoenix’s wife, and Luca Benetti’s best friend, he had devised his brilliant kidnapping plan. The fool had asked for ten million dollars. Instead, he got to spend a couple of days in my funhouse; first, spending time with Luca, then me, and finally Phoenix.
Nix had no choice but to accept her once Frankie had made it clear that Robbie was going to continue to be a part of her life. And Luca was reserving judgement at this time, even though we knew he’d never accept anyone into our fold who might pose as a danger to Frankie. Luca and Frankie had a weird bond that Nix and I never understood, but also never questioned.
As for me, I couldn’t get past seeing my sister strapped to a chair, bloody, bruised, with her shirt torn to shreds. Randy and his two buddies hadn’t raped her, but it hadn’t mattered. A woman should never have to show that part of herself to anyone unwillingly. Sure, she still had her bra on, but that was something that should only ever be seen by Phoenix.
All three men were killed, but they had still put hands on my sister. I wasn’t sure how Nix wasn’t losing his mind, but then he got to sleep beside her every night. I think that helped. He got to witness Frankie safe and sound every night and every morning.
I heard a faint moan, and it was like music to my ears. I turned to look over at my man, Drew, and I could see his head lolling about as he regained consciousness.
I grabbed an ice pick and headed on over. I dropped on my haunches and smiled. “I need you to wake up now, Drew,” I cajoled. “It’s time, buddy.”
His eyelids fluttered and it was a real struggle for him to wake from his nap, so I decided to help the guy along. I walked back to my tray of goodies and picked up another ice pick. Ice picks were my favorite, so I tended to keep around more than one.
I walked back over to Drew, but this time when I dropped in front of him, the ice picks I held in my hand came down with me as they pierced the top of his thighs. Drew’s head fell back as he screamed in a torrid of pain.
Drew was finally awake.
Chapter 2
Roberta~
My fingers were still broken, and my ribs were still healing, but a girl had to work. I’d given it a month, but that was all I could spare. My manager at Brighton Steak House had been super understanding about the ‘car wreck’ I was in a month ago, but even I knew a month away from work put a strain on more than just my finances. I knew for a fact that a couple of fellow waitresses, Mona and Lydia, had taken some of my shifts, and while I knew they appreciated the extra money, it was tiresome.
And, yeah, it hurt like a bitch to move, but it was worse to starve. Luckily, my bills had been paid up for the month, but it was time to get a move on. I never took Frankie up on her offer to help with my bills, so I was just going to have to soldier through the pain.
Frankie.
I still couldn’t believe it, and that was saying something as I had the broken body to prove it. But my best friend, Francesca Mancini-well, I guess Fiore now, was the sister of Ciro Mancini, the wife of Phoenix Fiore, and the best friend of Luca Benetti.
The Holy Trinity.
The Benetti Family ruled Morgan City, and even an hour away here in Cedar Creek, we knew the Benetti Family was Mafia. The rumor was that they were a ruthless bunch, and from what I’ve seen, the rumor was true.
The night Randy kidnapped Frankie for ransom, I had been in pain from his beating, but not in so much pain that I couldn’t recognize power and brutality when I saw it. When Luca, Ciro, and Phoenix had walked into the living room of that farmhouse, dragging Randy’s unconscious body behind them,