Fire Bound (Sea Haven Sisters)(62)

She swallowed hard, her face blotching, her mascara running. He thought she looked even more beautiful that way. “Si, Don Abbracciabene.” Eagerly, when he released her hair, she bent to kiss his hand. “Anything you say.”



“I will leave you in Arturo’s more than capable hands. Arturo will see to it that you are fully trained and know what to expect anytime I come to visit you or send someone I want you to please.”



Carlotta nodded her head, started to make a move to rise, but halted when the belt lashed across her bottom again. She cried out and received another blow. Luigi winked at her and, taking the papers, sauntered out, whistling. Behind him, he heard blows raining down on the woman’s bare bottom and thighs. Arturo enjoyed inflicting pain. He took great care that the women he trained learned to enjoy that pain so they were worth something to Luigi. Luigi had found the man invaluable. Women in the Abbracciabene stable were the most sought after of any other ring. He made certain they were clean, beautiful, well-trained and would do anything at all when told.



He would slip back into his retreat, the house Angeline knew nothing about, and hide in his private wing for another day or two before emerging sick and weak to listen to the details of Cosmos’s death. He didn’t want to go back home and face his disgusting wife. He would visit Carlotta again in the middle of the night. Arturo would have her hanging by her wrists from the ceiling, her body deliciously striped. She would need his loving care, a gentle hand to guide her into her new life. After Arturo’s violence, his women always welcomed him and were more than happy to comply with his every wish.

He needed to look over the papers, have his lawyer prepare the ones needed for Carlotta to sign over the estate to him and give him power over her bank account. All that money he’d paid Cosmos, coming right back to him. He laughed softly as he drove, anticipating his next encounter with the grieving widow.



Casimir watched the car come up the long drive, park just outside of Luigi’s private wing and Luigi emerge from the driver’s side. He was alone, Arturo no longer with him. It was very unusual to see Luigi without Arturo and Casimir didn’t like not knowing where the bodyguard was. Luigi went inside and clearly, there was nothing wrong with the man. He drove alone and he walked without help.

Almost at once, Tomasso’s pager went off, a summons from Luigi into his private wing. That too was unexpected. Luigi had barely glanced at him since his arrival, a month before Lissa had shown up. Tomasso had been working nearly six weeks for Luigi, and most contact had been through Arturo. All orders had come from Luigi’s main bodyguard.



He went around the house to enter through the back so that he could go to Luigi’s private wing through the main part of the house. Lissa was back and she raised an eyebrow as he knocked on Luigi’s door.

“Entrare.” The voice sounded weak.



Lissa was there in heartbeat. “Tio Luigi, is everything all right? Should I call a doctor?”



Tomasso dropped his hand to the door and found it unlocked. He opened it just a crack, enough to allow Lissa to see in, yet make it look like he was protecting Luigi.



“Go, go away, Lissa,” Luigi said. He coughed. Waved his hand at his niece, adamant that she obey him. “We will talk tomorrow or the next day. I need Tomasso right now.”



Lissa nodded reluctantly and turned away, allowing Tomasso to slip into Luigi’s private apartment. The wing was huge and very well appointed. Luigi didn’t lack for luxury – or his ability to defend himself. The walls were thick, ensuring absolute privacy.



“Come in, Tomasso. It’s time we got to know each other.” Luigi waved him toward a chair and Casimir toed one around and straddled it, facing his “boss.” “Arturo says good things about you. I’ve looked over your resume. Very impressive. You come highly recommended, although both my friends say the same thing about you. You prefer to shoot first and ask questions later.”



Tomasso shrugged. “I prefer to keep my employer alive.” He glanced around the room, noting the fireplace was going in spite of the fact that the night wasn’t cold. Wisps of blackened, curled paper lay smoldering among the logs. Clearly Luigi was destroying whatever evidence Cosmos had against him.



“I see that you’ve done that, but you had to leave until things cooled down,” Luigi pointed out. “That’s not good for you, never giving you a real family. Arturo has been with me since I was a boy. Some of the men have worked for me or my family for over thirty years. It is far better to have a family than to be alone in this world.”