Where Souls Spoil by JC Emery Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t think will never end.
    "And you're scaring me, Alexandra. There is only one thing I have ever told you not to do. One thing that I was wholly serious about, just one thing, Alex—and you did it anyway. You spoke to someone outside of the family about family business." I deserve her judgment. She deserves this moment to scold me for my epically poor behavior, but her words make my blood boil.
    "I thought I was protecting my brother," I defend, the words coming out in a frenzied, jumbled combination of Italian and English, which happens regularly when I’m upset.
    "There is nothing further you can do, sweetheart. You must trust me. I'll take care of this. Can you do that?" I nod. It’s not too much for her to ask. “Go back to the waiting room, miele. Wait for me. Do not go anywhere.”
    “Is Michael here?” I blurt out, distracted. I don’t want to go to the waiting room if I have a chance to see my brother.
    “It’s too dangerous,” she says. Her mouth turns down in apology. I start to object, but she shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but no. This is non-negotiable.” Everything, it seems, is too dangerous now. I walk down the hall like I’ve been instructed. I keep my eyes on watch for any familiar faces. Down the hallway, just after the turn down the other hallway that leads back to Tony's room, stands Officer Davis and Agent Wilks. I approach silently, intent on listening to their faint conversation as I pass.
    "The girl, she gave up the location," Officer Davis says, pride evident in his smug voice. My stomach churns at the sound of it.
    "Did she know what she was doing?" Agent Wilks asks.
    "No. She's seen me at her father's house a few times. She thinks I'm on the take." Davis claps Wilks on the shoulder and walks away. Agent Wilks stands in the hallway a moment before a large smile paints his face and he walks down the hall after Officer Davis. I wait until they’re both out of sight to follow behind them, praying I won't see either in the waiting room. Aunt Gloria could have stared at me all day with her looks of pity and fear, and I’d much prefer it to Agent Wilks and Officer Davis's proud voices. What I did was make a horrible mistake, but I suppose for them my greatest failure is their greatest luck.

Chapter 4
    Alex
     
    The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.
    David Russell
     
    WE FINALLY GET back to the house. Gloria pulls up in the driveway and slams on the breaks to avoid hitting the garage door, she was going so fast. The outside is eerily desolate, which is unusual. We don't always have men guarding the house, but with both my father and brother elsewhere for God-only-knows how long, we should have guards keeping an eye on things. Gloria seems to notice that the lack of bodies around the house have captured my attention.
    "I sent them away, miele," she says. I follow out of the car, fumbling, after her. She races up the drive and dives into the side door that welcomes us into the kitchen. I’m a total disaster, not knowing what else to do but follow her. She moves fluidly through the kitchen to the mud room. I wait by the door as I watch her open the cabinet where I keep the laundry detergent. She throws the laundry supplies aside and pulls out a gun. For a moment I let my imagination wander as to where else my father keeps weapons in this house.
    Gloria shoves past me and makes her way across the main hall and into the game room. My stomach lurches when I realize she’s headed right for my father's office. We aren't supposed to be in there—nobody is—not without my father. Oh, Gloria is going to get it this time. There’s only so much Carlo Mancuso can put up with from his sister. This woman is insane. Still, I follow her as she bursts into his office. The house is strangely silent. I don't feel safe being here and it’s amplified the farther Gloria gets away from me. She looked around for a moment and then storms back out.
    Gloria says