Page 40 of Bulletproof Baby

"Yeah. In the Icebox. Is it a real Icebox?"

"No," he says. "It's just a place we like to keep people on ice, so to speak. I have his phone. Saul's going to call, text, or message about proving that he has you so I can pay him five million and your parents can sign over the business."

My heart thumps against my chest. "Five what?"

"Million, babe, capital M. I'd pay more, but Saul doesn't want to be greedy, apparently."

"And then what happens? Saul nor Jimmy has me. Are you going to pay?"

He runs his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to pay for this one way or another. Just relax and sit tight. I have to run into the city, but I promise that by the time I get back, Saul will be out of your lives."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"A few days, maybe? Lia, I swear I'm coming back. There's a ton of food to get you through the weekend. I have to get this stuff with Saul situated and then we can handle your parents."

"What are we handling with my parents?" I ask him.

"I have to be smart with how I handle this. What I'm doing with Saul, I haven't run things by the other dons and I don't want either side of my life to get complicated. I just want everything to be smoothed over before you jump back into your life. Let me take care of La Familia so there's no blowback from what I'm about to do to Saul."

"What are you about to do?"

He pauses as if he's uncertain what he wants to say. "The less you know, the less you'll be able to tell the police. Sit tight. I'll be back."

18

VALENTINO

Idon't want to leave Lia alone at the beach house, but if my plan is going to work I have to keep her squirreled away until I bury Saul. Either in jail or in a coffin. Either way, I need to keep Lia out of sight.

The minute I'm in my car, I get on the phone. It doesn't take long for Armande to pick up.

"This is stupid." His words come through the car's speaker loud and clear.

"I'm trying to keep her safe. Line secure?"

Armande groans. "Line secure. We have a team watching the beach house from the fucking water, Valley. The fucking water. On a Goddamn boat. Do you know how much this shit is fucking costing us?"

"Yes. I signed the checks. Did Saul call Jimmy yet?" I ask him.

"Yeah. I have their conversation recorded. This feels, I don't know, Val, like ratting. I don't like this. Setting up a don?—"

I stop him. "Did he not try to kidnap Lia while I was there? And if I'd been asleep, don't you think those assholes would have put a bullet in me?"

He sighs. "It's been weeks of this shit. Sorry, Val, I forgot how this shit started."

"You need a break? Does Jimmy have any limbs left or are you taking your time?" I ask him. The way that I like pain is the way that he enjoys giving it.

"He's still breathing. I haven't had any real fun with him yet since we were waiting for that call from Saul. What else do you need from me?" he asks.

"Have the parents meet me at the office tomorrow."

"It's Saturday, Val."

"Armande, don't piss me off. Saturdays are perfect for them and that's what we need this to be, right? Perfect for the Bonetti family, to get them safe and get Saul out of their lives so I can be with the woman I love."

"Love? That's a development. Didn't know it was love, Valley, boy. Are you sure this isn't just infatuation with one of Saul's playthings? How much does she know about you? Does she really know Don Barrone? What he's capable of, what the fuck he's been doing to keep her pretty little ass safe?"

"Armande."