Chapter 6 - Wolves at the Threshold
Thirty minutes later, Giovanni’s matte-black Maybach pulled up in front of my crumbling apartment building on 4th Street. The rusted fire escapes and flickering yellow streetlights looked painfully out of place against the luxury vehicle.
"Wait here," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Lily is staying with Mrs. Gable upstairs. I don't want to startle her."
"I am coming with you," Giovanni said, opening his door.
"Giovanni, look at you," I gestured at his tuxedo. "People don't wear bespoke Italian suits in this neighborhood unless they're collecting protection money."
"Which is precisely why no one will dare approach us," he countered smoothly, stepping out into the drizzling rain.
As we walked up the concrete steps, a shadow detached itself from the doorway.
It was Tyler.
He had ditched his tuxedo jacket, his white shirt stained with sweat and rain. A half-empty bottle of scotch dangled from his fingers. The sight of him made my stomach knot with familiar, sickening anxiety.
"Jess," Tyler slurred, stumbling down one step. "You think you're clever, huh? Sneaking into my family's circle with some rented mobster?"
Giovanni moved before I could react. In one fluid motion, he positioned himself between Tyler and me, his silhouette completely blocking my ex-husband from view.
"You're trespassing, Vance," Giovanni said, his tone lethally flat.
"She’s my ex-wife!" Tyler shouted, pointing the bottle at Giovanni’s chest. "And Lily is my daughter! You think you can just buy them? I have rights! I’ll take her to court! I’ll tell the judge Jessica is associating with criminals!"
"You signed away parental rights five years ago," I said, stepping out from behind Giovanni, anger overpowering my fear. "You signed the waiver because you said having a sick kid ruined your marketability! You haven't sent a birthday card, a dollar, or even a text!"
"I made a mistake!" Tyler yelled, taking a wild step forward. "Vanessa is already draining my accounts, Jess! I need—"
Tyler never finished the sentence. Giovanni’s hand shot out, gripping Tyler by the throat with terrifying speed and pinning him against the brick wall of the entryway. The scotch bottle slipped from Tyler's fingers, shattering on the concrete.
"Listen to me very carefully," Giovanni whispered, his amber eyes glittering in the dim streetlight. "If you ever come near Jessica or Lily again, I will not only destroy your career—I will ensure that every bank in this state freezes your credit lines and forecloses on every asset you possess. You will be sleeping in this very alley within thirty days. Do you understand?"
Tyler clawed at Giovanni’s iron grip, gasping for air, his eyes bulging with terror. He nodded frantically.
Giovanni released him. Tyler collapsed to his knees, coughing violently amidst the broken glass.
"Go," Giovanni ordered.
May you like
Tyler scrambled to his feet and ran down the street, not daring to look back once.
***
