Twisted Loyalties (The Camorra Chronicles 1)

“One thousand?” Remo asked with a laugh. “How much do you think he owes us?”

I shivered. My eyes darted to Soto again, then back to Remo.

I licked my lips nervously. “He said a couple of thousand.”

Remo shook his head once and pushed away from the sofa. He came closer and I had to fight the urge to run. There was no way I could have outrun him anyway. He scared me more than anything ever had, and I had been stupid enough to face him because my father couldn’t get a grip on his addiction.

“Ten thousand, and that’s without interest. In total he owes us close to fourteen thousand.”

My stomach plummeted. “Four thousand in interest?” I gasped. “That’s usury!”

“We’re the mob, Leona,” Remo Falcone said, amused. He knew my name? Had Fabiano talked to him about me? Because of my mother.

“Every day he doesn’t pay us, another five hundred of interest comes on top.”

I couldn’t believe it. Father must have realized he owed much more than just a couple of thousands. Had he set me up? “But…but I don’t have that much, and there’s no way I can earn enough money unless you don’t take interest anymore.”

Remo shook his head. “This isn’t a negotiation, girl. Your father owes us money, and perhaps you forgot, but your mother does too. Your father was supposed to pay until yesterday at midnight. He didn’t.” By now, Remo was only two steps away from me, and it set my body into flight mode.

“I have this.” I held up my wrist with the bracelet Fabiano had given me for Christmas. Guilt filled me. How could I even consider giving his present away?

Something in Remo’s eyes shifted and he bridged the remaining distance between us. I bumped against the door, trying to evade him, but he gripped my arm tightly and regarded the bracelet. A fire simmered in his eyes when he looked up at me. “That would settle your father’s debt. An expensive piece of jewelry for someone like you.”

It would settle fourteen thousand dollars? I stared down at the bracelet. Remo released my wrist. His lips twisted cruelly. “Sadly, it’s too late. Your father will pay his debt in blood.”

“Please,” I begged. “He won’t ever owe you money again.”

“Are you willing to swear on it?” Remo hissed.

I knew how much an oath meant to the Camorra. And I knew it would have been a lie. I averted my eyes from Remo’s cruel ones. “Please. There has to be something I can do. Don’t kill him.”

Remo tilted his head. My begging did nothing to him. “It’s not me who will kill him. It’s Fabiano, but you must know that, don’t you?” His voice was low and threatening.

“Isn’t there something I can do?” I whispered desperately, and something flickered in his dark eyes. God, and I wanted to swallow every syllable I’d uttered. What had I said? My father had sent me here to pay for his debts and I was risking my life for him.

For a long time Remo didn’t say anything.

I gave a jerky nod. “Okay. I’ll just go.”

Remo put a hand on the door. I sucked in a breath and backed away from him. I fumbled for my mobile. Perhaps Fabiano could help me. I didn’t get far. Remo took the mobile from my hand and glanced down at it.

“Just let me leave.”

He shut off my mobile with a thunderous expression. “It’s too late for that, I fear.” He nodded toward Soto, who came our way at once. “I think we need to set an example.”

Soto gripped my arm. The excited gleam in his expression made terror soar through my veins. “The basement?” he asked with barely hidden eagerness.

Bile traveled up my throat. Remo gave a nod, his eyes slipping down to my bracelet again as if he’d seen it before. “And Soto, you’ll wait until I give you an order before you begin. If you lay a finger on her before, I’ll cut it off.”

Soto pulled me down a flight of stairs and into a small room with only a mattress in the corner and a chair in the other.

“I can’t wait to start, bitch. Fabiano will be fucking furious,” Soto muttered, then let go of me. I stumbled back against the wall. There was no escaping him.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed with him undressing me with his eyes, when a low buzz sound made me jump. Soto pulled out his mobile, then he looked back at me, with a leer. “Time to play.”

Chapter Eighteen

I cursed when Griffin handed me the list with people who hadn’t paid their betting debts. Greg Hall. But this time he owed more than he’d be able to pay back. He was third on the list. Leona would hopefully be gone by the time I paid him a visit.