Omerta

Chapter 36

         I couldn't be mad at Nick for snooping and following me around tonight, because that's the only reason why my life was saved. If he hadn't tracked that cabbie I would have...I shivered at the image of myself in flames running through my mind. "Are you cold?" he asked when he felt my body shake. "No. Just thinking" I whispered. "About?" he asked, hesitantly. 

"This image just keeps replaying in my mind. There was a moment, after I tried everything to break the door down and couldn't, that my body gave up. It told me I was going to die and it showed me how. I was engulfed in flames and I was screaming" I hiccuped, trying to hold back the tears threatening to break free. He scooted closer to me and pulled me to him. 

"Hey, don't think about that. That's gruesome," he shook his head. "I was so afraid," I sniffled. "Me too, Gia," he surprised me by saying so openly.

        "Gia, I know I said I'd wait but...what the hell happened tonight?" he finally asked me. I sighed and nuzzled into him for a second to try and calm these frayed nerves. "I was betrayed," I said out loud for the first time. "Huh?" Nick's body stiffened. I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him, but I figured I could tell him this half of the story without having to mention that I found the lighter. I would play dumb for now and let whoever did this think they got away with it. 

I'm sure they're disappointed I'm alive, but they think they're safe and that I'm none the wiser. They'll regret it.

        "Gia, please. I ran into a burning building tonight. Can you at least do me the courtesy of telling me why?" he added when I'd gone quiet. I sat up straight in the bed, which made him slide up to a seated position next to me. "If you're going to hold it over my head for saving me tonight then get the gloating over with now," I snapped. His brows furrowed. 

"I'm not gloating. I didn't mean it that way. I'm not gonna hold it over your head. I made a choice to go in there," he sighed. Why did he go in there? I wanted to ask but I didn't.

        "I went to the flower shop because I got a phone call telling me there was something there that I would want," I started, still having a hard time admitting who it was. "Who?" He sat straighter. "Richie," my voice almost failed me. "WHAT?!" he bellowed out in the deepest tone. He went to stand up and I grabbed his arm to stop him. "Wait, you don't even know the rest of the story," I pulled him back down. "I'm gonna fucking kill him," his tone turned sinister. 

"I won't tell you anything else if you don't cut it out and respect what I want to do from here" I warned him. He glared at me for a minute, but finally settled into his previous seated position. He was fidgeting though, and I knew it was because he was on the verge of flipping out. I tucked my feet under me and sat beside him again.

        "Richie told me he had something I would want, so I met up with him there to see it. When I got there the Mustached man was there. He wasn't tied up or anything, so I realized I was set up, but before I could do anything about it I think he hit me with the butt of his gun. Hence the cracked head. By the time I woke up I was in a burning building. It was pitch black in that room. I couldn't do anything fast enough," I sighed. 

"Richie...before he brought me to the guy he told me he loved me like family...I should've realized something was wrong. I should've run away, but I was so fixated on getting the bastard that I didn't even think someone I consider family would betray me this way." I turned my head away from Nick, because I was both ashamed and because I didn't want him to see the pain in my face.

        "Giada, I'm gonna make your cousin pay for this. No more nice girl excuses. Your cousin tried to murder you tonight" he took my chin and made me look at him. "He said he was so sorry right before I was hit in the head. I don't think he wanted to kill me. I think he was forced to. They must've threatened him" I explained. Nick's face took on that harsh expressionless mask.