“You are trying my patience, Kitten. Get your ass in the back, NOW.”
Gone is the guy with the polite act, and in his place is the Mob boss. His jaw clenches as he glares at Melanie, and I watch him squeeze his hands into fists by his side.
“I don’t have to do what you say! You’re not the boss of me!” Melanie shouts.
Awww, shit. Not a wise move there, Melanie.
Vinnie quickly advances on her and his meaty hand is around her neck in an instant. She lets out a whimper of fear as he drags her face closer to his.
“I kept you around because you give the best head out of all the women I’ve had, but now that mouth is going to get you in trouble,” Vinnie threatens quietly. “Giovanni, get rid of her.”
Vinnie shoves Melanie away and she stumbles, falling to the ground. She tries to scramble away from Giovanni, but he quickly reaches down and yanks her up by her hair.
“NO! Don’t do this! You can’t kill me! If you kill me, the police will be all over your ass!” Melanie screams as Giovanni starts to drag her away.
Vinnie immediately goes from slightly mad to all-out pissed off. His lip curls up menacingly and his face turns beet red.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Vinnie demands as Giovanni clenches Melanie’s hair tighter and she lets out a yelp of pain.
“I overheard all of your conversations when you thought I was sleeping. I took notes. I made lists of all the people’s names that you admitted to killing when they didn’t give you the money you owed them,” Melanie rambles. “If you kill me, those notes go immediately to the police, and you will be ruined!”
I can tell Vinnie doesn’t believe her. His anger slowly disappears and he smiles. “You’re bluffing. Giovanni, I think two bullets to the head will suffice.”
Giovanni starts to drag Melanie away again, but she starts screaming.
“BRIAN CRANDALL, KEVIN BROSKY, ERIC RITCHIE, DAVE KEENER, FRANK ROBERTS!”
Giovanni halts and stares nervously at Vinnie. “What the hell, boss?”
Vinnie laughs and shakes his head at Melanie. “A few notes on a piece of paper from a whore won’t stand up in a court of law. Nice try, Kitten. You have no solid proof that I had those men executed for outstanding IOUs.”
If I was smart, I would turn and run out of here right now as fast as I can. Screw Andy.
“You just gave us all the proof we need. Tell him, Paige.” Melanie nods her head in my direction with a confident smile.
Yep, should have run.
Vinnie whips his head around to me, and he’s no longer staring at me like he wants to bang me. This look is all about murder.
Dammit, Melanie!
I should have told Matt how I felt about him when we said good-bye. I wish I had called my mother and told her that I love her even though she’s a pain in my ass. Before I have time to react, Vinnie’s fist shoots out and connects with my cheek. The force of the blow sends me to the ground and I land hard on my elbow. Pain shoots up my arm and my cheek throbs like it’s on fire.
The sound of a gun discharging echoes through the church and I flinch from the noise.
“You touch my daughter one more time and I will blow out your kneecaps, you good-for-nothing!”
It looks like the Virgin Mary really is answering my prayers. Too bad seeing my mom again wasn’t the best one for her to start with.
CHAPTER 21
Looking up from my spot on the ground, I see my mother dressed in her Sunday best, her giant revolver held steady in her hand as she points it right at Vinnie after her warning shot into the ceiling.
Oh, my God, this is not happening right now.
“MOM! What are you doing? Get the hell out of here!”
My warning falls on deaf ears as she confidently walks farther into the church, her gun held high.
“It’s okay. I’ve got it all under control,” she tells me with a calm smile.
I glance over at Giovanni. He’s frantically moving his gun back and forth between me and my mother, not sure what the hell is going on.
Join the club.
“Are you insane?! You can’t take out a Mob boss by yourself!”
Vinnie laughs and slides his hands in the pockets of his suit and walks toward my mother. I push myself off of the ground quickly and try to stop him.
“Please. She doesn’t know any better. Leave my mother alone.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Paige. I think it’s sweet your mother came here to try and save the day. How are you doing today, Mrs. McCarty?” Vinnie asks her with a pleasant smile.
My mother raises her eyebrow at Vinnie and lowers the gun so it’s aimed between his legs. “It’s MISS McCarty, you old coot.”
A shot rings out and the sound is deafening in the large, empty church. Vinnie lets out an uncharacteristically high-pitched scream, clutches his thigh, and drops to the ground.
I stare in shock at Vinnie sobbing and writhing in pain on the floor, blood pouring out between his fingers.
“Oh, my God. You shot him,” I whisper in awe.