Undressed By The Mafia God novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10: I Can Take It

"I know. But I cannot watch it happen to you either!" Tina’s response came sharp and fast, her own panic cutting through the air. She had always been softer than Vee, quicker to laugh, quicker to cry. "You think I can just sit here knowing they’ll hurt you instead? That I’ll breathe while you suffer?"

"I can take it," Vee said immediately, desperation edging her words. She stepped closer, gripping Tina’s arms. "It will all work out, sweetie. I promise."

She did not know if that promise was a lie or a prayer. Probably both.

Tina sank into her sister’s arms. They clung to each other, shoulders shaking, both girls crying now. "How can he do this?" Tina sobbed. "Why would he do this?"

Vee closed her eyes. "Who knows why dad does whatever he does," she said quietly.

Tina pulled back suddenly, eyes red. "How about if we run away together?"

"And leave dad alone?" Vee asked instinctively, the reflexive loyalty still clinging to her ribs.

"Vee!" Tina snapped, incredulous. "He is trying to sell me! His own daughter. I don’t think he cares much what happens to us."

Vee stared at her sister, realization dawning slowly, painfully.

"You think we should give it a shot?" Vee asked.

"Yes!" Tina answered enthusiastically.

"What if we get caught?"

"We wont." Tina said it with the blind confidence of youth. Vee envied her for it.

"Alright," Veronica said after a beat, exhaling slowly. "I don’t know exactly when they are coming for you but maybe we can try tonight."

Tina’s eyes widened.

"We cannot leave together," Vee continued, slipping into problem-solving mode, the manager in her rising to the surface. "Dad will get suspicious." She gestured around the room. "We have to get a few of our things and maybe hide it in the dumpster down the road this evening. Then I tell dad I am going for a stroll and you will sneak out the window."

Tina squeezed her hand. "We’re really doing this."

Vee squeezed back, harder. "Yes. We are."

"Okay. Lets do this!" Vee chuckled. "I’ll go make some withdrawals from the bank, okay? And I will stop by Cassidy’s to inform him I wont be checking in with him for a while."

Vee grabbed her jacket, fingers trembling just slightly as she slid her arms into the sleeves.

"Alright. Hurry. I’ll have your things packed in the meantime. Say hi to Cassidy for me. I’m so sorry this is happening. I know you like him a lot."

"Not as much as I like you." Veronica said, kissed her sister and hurried out of the house.

Outside, the afternoon sun felt obscene in its brightness. People passed on the sidewalk laughing, living. Vee walked fast, head down, counting steps. At the bank, her hands shook as she filled out withdrawal slips. At Cassidy’s place, she lied through her teeth with a smile that nearly broke her face.

*****

That night, the plan was in place.

Darkness wrapped the neighborhood in a false sense of calm. Streetlights buzzed faintly, moths circling them. Veronica had their bags hidden in the dumpster, tucked beneath flattened cardboard and old pizza boxes that evening.

She walked into the living room where her dad was sitted in his chair watching a soap opera on TV. The screen flickered dramatically, lovers arguing in exaggerated tones. Vito stared at it glassy-eyed, beer bottle loose in his grip.

"Dad, I’m stepping out for a bit."

"Yes," Valentina answered. Her eyes darted left and right, every shadow a potential threat, every sound magnified by fear. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

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