Fear ran up her spine.
“Do you think this is really necessary?” she asked. The last thing she wanted was for anything to happen to Klaus. Her father had never been close to the Boss, but she didn’t know all the inner workings of the life she’d been born into.
“You’re afraid.”
“Aren’t you?”
Renzo shook his head. “Tonight, we deal in justice.” The sound of a car pulling in close filled the air. Rather than arrive together, Klaus had arranged for her to come before him, sitting in a blacked-out car.
Klaus climbed out of the car and looked every part the capo he’d become. The leader. From the passenger side, his father exited, as did his other brother, Carlo.
He came toward the car and she waited as he opened the door and held out his hand for her to take.
She shook a little as she stepped out. Klaus pressed her against the car after he closed the door.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“It’s not possible. Once this is all over, I’m taking you away from the city. We’re going wherever you want to go.”
At that moment, she wanted to run far away and force Klaus to follow her. He took her hand, and still, she was scared. Not for herself, but for her husband.
“Are you ready for this?”
“No,” she said.
Renzo chuckled. “Your wife thinks this will be a lot easier if we just carry on living with the threat of retaliation and death.”
She frowned. “Not like that. It’s worse when you say it like that.”
He held his hands up. She turned back to Klaus. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you or your family because of me.”
Klaus cupped her face, tilting her head back so he was the only person she saw. “You’re worth everything to me. Your father needs to be punished. I will always protect you. You have to know that.”
“I do.” She covered his hands with hers. “I’m scared.”
“Don’t be.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Klaus looked to Renzo holding up his cell phone. “You know the drill. Text me and I’ll bring in a very alive Mario.”
“My brother is here?” she asked. She hadn’t seen or heard of him in the past two days. She believed Klaus had secretly killed him.
She looked from Renzo to Klaus.
“He’s been traveling with you. We gave him a sedative to help keep him quiet. I didn’t want you upset during the car ride, but you shared the car.” Renzo winked at her.
“This is not ever going to feel normal.” She felt sick, and Klaus’s hold tightened on her.
“Let’s go,” he said.
With his father taking the lead, she and Klaus followed, and his younger brother stayed behind them.
Staring up at the large, imposing house, knowing Aldo Vitcorio was there, scared the crap out of her. None of this was good. They were going in with accusations hanging over her head.
The moment they passed through the doors, the scent of cigar smoke and alcohol assailed her, sickening her. Once they were inside enemy territory, Klaus moved her so she stood behind him. With his brother close, no one would see her unless they had x-ray vision or thought to look at the ground.
Klaus had encouraged her to dress up tonight. To wear something striking. The dress was the color of blood. There were no straps, so her chest, neck, and upper body were clear to see. Nothing to obscure the view. She’d pinned her hair up so all would see there was not a single mark on her. There was even a slit in the dress, and each time she walked, it swayed open, revealing her legs. Again, no marks.
She’d gone against a wrap, and her arms were also free. No marks.
With her husband, she was perfectly safe. He’d saved her.
“You’re doing good,” Carlo said from behind her.
“I’m walking. It’s not like I can get that wrong.” As if her feet wanted to work against her, she stumbled in the heels Klaus had asked her to wear. Within seconds, he spun around and wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her upright. She held on to his strong arms, releasing a little pant. She couldn’t believe she had almost tripped and fallen. “Okay, clearly I can do something wrong with walking.”
“You good?”
“I’m good. Embarrassed.”
Carlo laughed, and she shot him a glare. “You’re supposed to be like a brother to me.”
“And I am. I think you’re so fucking cute and hilarious.”
“Enough,” Klaus said. “Find your own woman to consider cute. This one’s mine.”
She loved how possessive he was. The little hint of jealousy made her smile.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“Barely,” Carlo said.
“Do you want me to exchange you for Renzo?”
“Please, you think he would be any different?”
“Boys, we don’t have time for all of this chitchat. Our lives are all at stake. Isabella, can you walk?” her father-in-law asked, his tone clearly agitated.