Sixty Seconds in the City

Before I can ask, the door opens. The bell jingles. Vito walks in. Flanked by two of his men. Big. Armed. Mean.

Vito looks at the man. At me. His eyes are dark. Angry. Dangerous. “There a problem here?” he asks. His voice is calm. Smooth. Deadly.

The man turns. Sees Vito. Pales. “Manno,” he says. “I didn’t know she was yours.”

Vito steps forward. Toward the counter. Toward me. “She is. And you’re bothering her. I don’t like that.”

The man raises his hands. Placating. “No bother. Just talking. I was just leaving.”

Vito shakes his head. “Not yet. Not until you tell me who sent you. Who wants to talk to my wife.”

The man swallows. Hard. “I can’t. I can’t tell you that.”

Vito’s eyes narrow. “You can. And you will. One way or another.”

He nods at his men. They step forward. Grab the man. One on each arm. Drag him out of the café. Outside. To the alley. To the street. To wherever Vito does his business. His dirty work.

Vito turns to me. “Are you okay?” he asks. His voice is soft. Gentle. Almost tender.

I nod. My heart is pounding. My hands are shaking. My stomach is churning. “I’m fine,” I say. My voice is strong. Steady. A lie.

Vito looks at me. Searches my face. Sees the truth. The fear. The shock. “You’re not fine,” he says. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

He takes my arm. Leads me out of the café. To the car. Opens my door. Helps me in. His touch is gentle. Careful. Like I’m fragile. Breakable.

We drive back to the penthouse in silence. Vito watches me. Worries. Wonders.

I stare out the window. Watch the city go by. My city. My home. The place I love. The place I hate.

At the penthouse, Vito helps me out of the car. Leads me inside. To the living room. Sits me down on the couch.

“Talk to me,” he says. His voice is soft. Urgent. “Tell me what happened.”

I look at him. At the concern in his eyes. The care. The protectiveness. “A man came into the café. Said his boss wanted to talk to me. Tried to make me go with him.”

Vito’s jaw tightens. “Did he touch you? Hurt you?”

I shake my head. “No. You got there in time. You stopped him.”

Vito nods. “Good. I’m glad.”

I look at him. At the anger in his eyes. The violence. The danger. “What happened to him? The man?”

Vito’s face hardens. “He’s gone. He won’t bother you again. Won’t bother anyone.”

I stare at him. “You killed him,” I say. My voice is flat. Empty.

Vito nods. “I did. I had to. He was a threat. To you. To me. To our family.”

I look away. Out the window. At the city below. “Our family,” I say. “The Mannos. The Sardellas. The family.”

Vito takes my hand. Squeezes it. “Yes. Our family. The only family that matters now.”

I look at him. At the certainty in his eyes. The conviction. The loyalty. “Is that true? Is that all that matters?”

He nods. “Yes. You’re my wife. I protect what’s mine. Always.”

I stare at him. At the man I married. The man I’m falling for. The man who kills without hesitation. Without remorse.

“Who was he?” I ask. “Who sent him?”

Vito’s jaw tightens. “I don’t know. Not yet. But I will. And when I find out, I’ll make them pay. I’ll make them all pay.”

I look at him. At the coldness in his eyes. The hardness in his voice. The violence in his soul.

“Is that what you want?” I ask. “More blood? More death? More revenge?”

He looks at me. At the fear in my eyes. The doubt. The confusion. “I want you safe. I want our family safe. I’ll do whatever it takes. Whatever I have to.”

I stare at him. At the man I thought I was getting to know. The man I thought I could love. The man I thought was different.

But he’s not different. He’s the same. The same as my father. The same as every other made man I’ve ever known. Violent. Ruthless. Dangerous.

“I need to be alone,” I say. My voice is quiet. Tired. Defeated.

Vito nods. Stands up. “Okay. I’ll be in my office. If you need me.”

I watch him go. Watch him walk away. Out of the room. Out of my sight. Out of my life.

I sink back into the couch. Close my eyes. Take a deep breath. Try to calm my racing heart. My spinning head. My breaking soul.

I feel lost. Alone. Scared. More scared than I’ve ever been in my life.

I don’t know who to trust. Who to believe. Who to love.

I thought I was falling for Vito. I thought he was falling for me. I thought we had a chance. A future. A life.

But now, I’m not so sure. Now, I don’t know what to think. What to feel. What to do.

All I know is that I’m trapped. In this penthouse. In this marriage. In this life.

And I don’t know how to get out. How to escape. How to be free.

I close my eyes. Let the tears fall. Let the sobs wrack my body. Let the pain consume me.

I cry for myself. For my life. For my freedom. For the love I thought I had. The love I thought I found.

I cry until I can’t cry anymore. Until my eyes are dry. My throat is raw. My soul is empty.

Then I stand up. Wipe my face. Straighten my spine. Harden my heart.

I won’t let them break me. Won’t let them beat me. Won’t let them win.

I’m Fiorella Sardella. I’m a fighter. A survivor. A warrior.

I’ll find a way out of this. A way to be free. A way to be me.

I have to. I will.

I go to my room. My prison. My sanctuary. I lie on the bed. Stare at the ceiling. Try to think. Try to plan. Try to find a way out of this mess. This nightmare. This life.

I’m still there when Vito comes in. Hours later. His face is grim. His eyes are dark. He looks tired. Worried. Angry.

“I found out who sent that man,” he says. His voice is flat. Cold. Dangerous.

I sit up. Look at him. “Who?” I ask. My voice is barely a whisper.

He sits on the bed. Next to me. His weight dips the mattress. “It was one of my men. One of my trusted men. He’s been working with the De Lucas. Plotting against me. Against us.”

I stare at him. My heart stops. My blood runs cold. “One of your men? Who?”

Vito looks at me. His eyes are hard. “Enzo. My right-hand man. My friend. My brother.”

I gasp. “Enzo? No. He can’t be. He wouldn’t.”

Vito nods. “He is. He did. He’s been feeding the De Lucas information. About me. About the family. About you.”

I shake my head. “No. I don’t believe it. Enzo wouldn’t do that. He’s loyal. He’s faithful. He’s yours.”

Vito’s jaw tightens. “He was. Not anymore. He’s turned. He’s a traitor. A snake.”

I look at him. At the betrayal in his eyes. The hurt. The anger. “What are you going to do?”

He stands up. Paces the room. “I’m going to deal with him. Deal with the De Lucas. Deal with this whole fucking mess.”

I stare at him. “How?”

He stops. Looks at me. “I’m going to kill him. Kill them. Kill anyone who gets in my way.”

I close my eyes. Take a deep breath. Try to calm my racing heart. My spinning head. My breaking soul.

I knew this was coming. Knew it was inevitable. Knew Vito would have his revenge. His justice. His blood.

But still, it hurts. Still, it scares me. Still, it breaks my heart.

“Is that the only way?” I ask. My voice is quiet. Small. Weak.

Vito looks at me. His eyes are hard. Cold. Unforgiving. “It’s the only way I know. The only way that works.”

I nod. I understand. I don’t like it. Don’t agree with it. But I understand.

“This life,” I say. “This world. It’s all you know. All you are.”

Vito stares at me. His eyes are dark. Intense. “It’s not all I am. Not anymore. Not since I met you.”

I look at him. At the man I love. The man I fear. The man I need.

“I don’t want this,” I say. My voice is strong. Sure. Honest. “I don’t want this life. This violence. This blood.”

Vito walks over to me. Takes my face in his hands. His touch is gentle. Warm. Safe.

“I know,” he says. His voice is soft. Rough. Emotional. “I don’t want it for you either. I never did.”