Page 117 of Knocked Up by My Dad's Mafia Boss

“You fucking rat. You were working with Leo.”

“Leo was working withhim,” the man who tied me up states.

Ricardo lifts his head. He’s trembling. “He paid for my mother to get into this experimental trial,” he babbles. “I couldn’t say no.”

“You sold us out for a few chemo treatments?” I fight against the restraints, trying to lunge for Ricardo, but the other man pushes me back. I grunt as I fall on my ass on the floor, unable to catch myself.

“Good. Stay there,” he says.

“I’m going to kill you so slow,” I spit out, but he doesn’t seem concerned. A second man I don’t recognize shoves a wild-eyed Elio into the kitchen. He drops to his knees next to Samantha, just like I did.

“If you touched a hair on her fucking head—” Elio starts to say roughly. The third man kicks him in the back and Elio groans and falls over onto his stomach, his wrists tied just like mine. He lies there, breathing hard.

“Ricardo,” he seethes, looking at the rodent. “He was playing us this whole time. For weeks.”

“Months,” Ricardo whispers brokenly. “But she was dying. You don’t understand, she was dying!”

Samantha whines, tears spurting from her eyes, and my heart twists. I have to protect her. Have to save her.

The gate intercom buzzes and the guy who grabbed me grins. “Boss is here.”

Ricardo stands up, bracing himself against the wall. He’s got a gun in one hand but he’s not pointing it anywhere.

Luciano Ricci walks in, wearing a suit and no tie, his hair slicked back. It’s almost as if he dressed for the occasion. “Out.”

The men file out of the room, but when Ricardo tries to go past, Luciano grabs his arm. “Not you.”

Elio shifts around, trying to reach Samantha, but it’s pointless. He’s too far away.

I’m closer. I wish I could put my hand on her shoulder.

“Sit her up,” Luciano orders, and panic rises, choking up my throat.

“Don’t fucking touch her.”

He gets close and I reach out to try and bite him, my teeth clicking together when he darts away. Luciano laughs. “You really are Elio’s bulldog, aren’t you?”

“Get a little closer and you’ll find out,” Elio says against the floor.

“I think I’ll stay right here. Sit them both up, Ricardo.”

Ricardo’s trembling as he shifts Samantha into a sitting position almost gently. He does the same with Elio.

Elio glares at Luciano. “What do you want?”

“Don’t you mind what I want. I’m getting it. At long last.”

“If it’s money?—”

“You really think money could replace her? Could fill the hole you left when you let her die?” Luciano glares at Elio.

He’s lost his fucking mind. This is about Grace. Still. After all these years.

“This is about me, then,” Elio says, voice stronger. “Let Samantha and Dante go.”

“I don’t think I will.” Luciano draws a gun and points it right at Samantha’s head. I growl, struggling against the restraints, on my knees, unable to move. “You took her from me. I’ll take something from you. This is your family, now. She’s all you have left of Grace.”

Luciano steps closer, but just out of my reach.