Amelia
I cannot believe Frankie! I am not some teenage kid sneaking into a bar and having perverted old men flirt with me. I’m in my twenties. I’m a freaking adult! Oh my God, there is nothing that pisses me off more than being treated like a child. I’m his wife, not his daughter, and he acts like he owns me. I scream in the car as I race down the road, anger boiling over.
The very reason I never got along with my father was that it didn’t matter how old I was, he treated me like a little kid who had to be bossed around and told what to do. He and Frankie treat me as though I have no common sense or can’t think further than my nose. I’m not a complete idiot. I know how to handle my drinks and my men.
Frankie seriously needs to have a reality check, or, I don’t know, I’m going to make a run for it on my own. I don’t know how I’d get anywhere without cash, maybe I could use one of Frankie’s burner cells to call Papa for help.
I’m tired of Frankie accusing me of being the problem, the one who lets everything slip, the
one whose fault this is. He got us into this mess by putting Dave into the hospital, it’s his fault, and I’m done taking his accusations lying down.
As soon as I get home, I storm to my room and slam the door shut, locking it. I change, wash in
the en-suite bathroom, and get into bed, furious.
I hear the front door open and close, and I hear Frankie set down his briefcase. I wait,
wondering if he’s going to continue the fight here or if he’s going to leave it. Either way, I’m ready to take him on. He doesn’t scare me.
After ten minutes, when he doesn’t try my door, I turn over with my back to it and curl up. I’m
angry and want to cry angry tears, but I’m not letting him have the satisfaction. I take a few deep, steady breaths, keep my eyes closed and drift off to a fitful sleep.
I wait until Frankie leaves in the morning, give him a ten-minute head start, and then go to
meet Andres for breakfast. He wants to tell me his full plan today, and he hasn’t hurt me yet. I don’t know why but I trust him.
Even when I was with Dave, Andres was always kind to me, unlike his brother. He was
involved in the family business, but his own, and he has promised me he’s not here at Jose’s request.
I pull up to the diner, climb out of the car, and head inside. I find Andres sitting in a booth at
the back. Breakfast is already waiting for me, along with a large cup of coffee with cream.
“Thanks,” I say, starting to tuck into the food straight away. He also begins to eat.
As I eat, I say between bites, “Tell me your plan.”
He pauses and sips his coffee. “There are those in the family that are tired of Jose’s tyrannical
rule. He doesn’t care for the family. He only cares about enriching himself. There are those who would help me destabilize the family in Columbia, and he would have to shift his focus from his war here to the war I start there.”
“Why do you need me then? Go start a war. I approve,” I say.
He shakes his head. “It isn’t that easy. Jose has banned my immediate family and me from ever
returning to Columbia. We step foot in that country through normal routes, and he will find out and have me killed. I’m hoping to avoid that.”
“I don’t understand how I can help you, Andres. I have no way to get you into Columbia,” I
say sadly.
“But your husband does.” He says the word husband as though Frankie and I are close. I
almost want to correct him, but there’s a hope shining in his eyes as he continues, “If the Sorvinos are willing to form an alliance with me and get me into Columbia, I can talk to the allies we need and get them to assist in taking Jose down. The family needs a strong leader, and I believe I can be that leader.”
“You want to lead the family,” I say quietly. “So, you want our help.”
“I care about my family deeply, and I want to see them treated better. Jose sometimes shoots family members just for beating him at a card game.” He sighs. “It’s how I lost my Uncle Hector.”
I reach across for his hand. “How can I help?”
“Set up a meeting with Frankie,” he says earnestly, and I falter. Frankie already has issues
with the fact that one of my ‘old friends’ is around and speaking to me. I can’t imagine what he’ll say when I tell him the old friend is Jose’s nephew who wants to overthrow him.
Still, it’s a good solution for everyone involved.
“It won’t happen overnight,” he says. “I will have to take my time. Rushing may cost me my
life. But I believe that we can take my uncle down within a year and install law and order again. I know the traditions the families have, and I respect them.” He smiles. “And I will call off the manhunt for you and your husband.”
I nod. “I’ll speak to Frankie,” I say, sounding braver than I feel. “I’ll ask him to meet with you.”
Andres smiles, and we finish our meal. He pays while I leave to go to the club. I walk in,
despite the fact it’s closed at this time, and a few of the bouncers eye me suspiciously. I knock on Frankie’s door, and when he calls to come in, I open it and walk in.
“Frankie,” I say, “can we talk?”
He looks up from the papers he’s reading through and sits back. “What about? Is there trouble?”
“There’s a solution,” I say, trying to inject the bravery back into my voice.
Frankie raises an eyebrow. “From who?”
“Andres,” I say. “The friend we argued over last night.”
“You told him why we’re here?” Frankie hissed. “You put our lives in danger again.” He
stands up quickly, but I hold up a hand.
“He knew already. He’s here to help us, not to hurt us. I just need you to hear him out.”
“Hear him out? Is he one of Jose’s men? Did you really believe he’s here to help you instead
of kill you?”
“I know him, Frankie,” I say.
“You knew Dave, Amelia,” he spits at me.
“Exactly, and Andres is nothing like his brother,” I almost regret the words as I say them.
“Ah, his brother, so he is affiliated with the family.” Frankie shakes his head. “We’ll have to leave. We’re compromised.”
I slam my hand on the table. “You’re not listening. He hates Jose, and he wants to overthrow him. He has a solution and wants to meet with you to broker an alliance to take down Jose. It’s a golden opportunity to solve our problem.”
Frankie stares at me. “Oh, I’m sure he wants that. He can’t just be lying to you to get to me?
He can’t be making this up?”
“All I’m asking is that you hear him out,” I say, and then I decide to take a chance. “If you still
feel he’s lying, you can kill him. Shoot him if you want. Piss Jose off even more. I don’t care, but while we have this one chance, at least listen because you will regret it if you don’t.”
Frankie
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.
That’s my general rule for business because nothing good happens in this line of work. I’m
listening to Amelia tell me about Andres, but all I can feel is the anger bubbling inside me. She betrayed us. She’s given us a way to Jose’s own family.
“I cannot believe you. I can’t believe you are talking to Jose’s nephew while we are on the run from him for our lives.” I raise my voice, but she doesn’t back down, she’s squared her shoulders, and I can see this is the hill she’s going to die on.
Amelia glares at me. “It’s a solution to a problem your entire family hasn’t been able to solve.”
“We can’t trust him,” I roar. “Jose has probably sent him to scout us out, and the rest of his men are probably on their way here now. You should have come to me the moment you got into contact with a Catalan.”
“I knew you wouldn’t listen,” she says. “You just don’t want me doing anything of use. You are so damn possessive that I couldn’t possibly get involved and come up with a solution for us. You just want to lock me away forever and have no one ever touch me again.”
She takes a step closer to my desk. “I am handing you a solution on a golden platter, and you
won’t even consider it,” she shouts at me. “You don’t even want to think about it. Tell me, Frankie, is it because it’s a solution you didn’t come up with?”
I stare at her for a moment, and then I slam my fist into the table. “I have done nothing but try to protect you. Everything I’ve done was to make sure you were safe. You don’t know this world, Amelia. You don’t know what people are capable of. I never wanted this life for you. Our families have known each other for ages, but you’ve never known this side of the family. It’s dangerous, it’s lethal, and many people die every day because of it. It’s the reason I left you.” I throw my hands in the air. “I left you to protect you from this.”
Amelia throws her own hands up and points out the window. “Well, isn’t that ironic because now I’m married to you and on the run to hide from people who want to kill me?” “It was your ex-boyfriend who hit you,” I yell.
“You didn’t have to put him in hospital, Frankie. That’s always your solution. You don’t care
about me, but anyone who hurts me, you practically end their life. You put us in this situation, not me. If you had just thrown Dave out, we wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be stuck in this stupid marriage, and we both wouldn’t be on the run.”
I glare at her, but she turns and storms off without another word.
I sit down at my desk, seething, and summon one of the bouncers. “Follow her and make sure
she goes straight home, no detours to speak to anyone.”
He leaves, and I sigh, sitting back. I rest my chin on my hand, my elbow on the arm of my
chair, and I look out the window. Yes, I didn’t have to put Dave in the hospital, but in this business, you’re taught a lesson when you go too far. She isn’t grateful for that. I mean, I don’t blame her because of the shit this has landed us in, but to conspire with the enemy we’re running from behind my back, that’s inexcusable.
I replay the conversation in my head and wish I could call Alessandro and ask him what to do. Do we take a chance and hear out the Catalan? It isn’t unheard of for younger family members to topple older ones, especially with leaders like Jose. I mean, he won’t let anyone but family near him. Is this our only chance to get to him?
No, I can’t consider this a possibility. I put my head in my hands and try and think of the most
logical solution, but there isn’t one. My brain is telling me to pack us up and move on to the next destination, but my gut is telling me that I should at least hear Andres out. Maybe he can help.
I glance at my watch and wonder if Alessandro has gotten anything on him.
I take out a burner cell and send him a text.
Friend is a nephew. Family suffering. Possibility for a snake to strike.
I know my brother will understand my message, though it may not be obvious to others. I have
two days before I can call him for an update, and the work I have to do isn’t going to be enough to keep me busy, not when my mind is constantly worried that Amelia is going to go back to Andres and give him potentially life-threatening information about us.
I pack up what I need and get into my car, driving back to the cabin. I see her car parked there,
and I climb out. I walk inside to find her watching television on the sofa.
She looks at me angrily. “What are you doing back so early?”
“Why?” I snap. “Are you expecting Andres? I wouldn’t be surprised if you told him where we were staying.”
“You sound like a jealous ex, is that the problem here?” she shouts. “And no, I didn’t tell him
because I’m not a four-year child with no brain, Frankie. Stop acting like I am.” I throw my briefcase onto the table and sit down, getting ready to work.
“I’m staying right here to make sure you don’t go anywhere until I reach a decision,” I say. “So, you’re thinking about it?” She sounds a little excited but weary.
“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m mostly considering whether or not to kill him,” I say. Then I
tune her out and focus on the paperwork. After a few moments, she shut the television off and goes to her room, slamming the door. So much for not being a child, I think.
I work throughout the afternoon, and only when my stomach grumbles do I realize I haven’t
eaten anything. My stomach doesn’t feel great. It feels as though it’s tied in a knot, but I do need to eat.
I rummage through the fridge and bring out the ingredients for a chicken pasta salad. I try not
to think about Amelia and Andres while I’m cooking. I try to focus on the food, but intrusive thoughts push through. Were they lovers as well? Are they in love now? Have they had sex? Does she want to leave me for him?
It makes the knot in my stomach tighten, and I take a deep breath to calm myself down. Once
the salad is done, I whistle loudly. “Amelia, dinners ready.”
I wait, and then I hear her door open. I dish up two bowls of the salad and bring it to the table, having moved my paperwork out the way.
Amelia sits down and pulls the bowl toward her. “Thank you,” she says quietly.
I don’t respond, I sit, and I start to eat. It’s an awkward silence that I don’t like, and it gnaws
at me.
“I want to get some information,” I finally say to her. “Then I will consider your proposal, but
if you want me to seriously consider listening to this guy, you cannot see him for the next two days.”
Amelia looks up at me. “That’s fine. Just see him because I believe what he’s saying,” she
says. “And I think this is how we’re going to get our lives back.”