The Arrangement 17 (The Ferro Family) Read Online Free Page A

silence, “I want the documents.”
    “I don’t have them.” Defiant, I lie to his face.
    “I know you do. There’s been a squatter in a home I recently acquired. You wouldn’t happen to know her, would you?” Sean looks so smug. I shove him away, and he has the audacity to smile at me.
    “You bought my parents’ house?”
    “Campone bought it before me, trying to find the documents. His men searched every inch of that home and came up with nothing, but I saw you climbing around the kitchen. Want to tell me what you found?”
    “Mom’s cash stash. No papers.”  
    “Don’t do this, Avery.” Sean’s brow bunches together and his voice is strained. “I can’t protect you from this.”
    “Obviously.” Glancing at Marty, I add, “and neither can he. You two brought the damn mafia in tow.” Sean and I are standing, facing each other, gazes locked. “Since it seems I have a limited life expectancy, I want to leave. Now.”
    Sean blocks me after I twist out of his grip. “No, not until you tell me where they are.”
    “Campone is dead, Sean.”
    Sean gets in my face, and his warm breath washes over my lips as he rants. “His men aren’t, Avery. There’s a power vacuum and every single one of those guys is trying to find you, torture you, and make you wish you were dead. We can help you. Give me the documents, and Marty will get you out of here.”
    “Why not you?” As soon as I ask the question, Sean’s gaze drops, almost as if he’s ashamed, and I know his plan. He’s trying to take Campone’s place. I knew Sean had some shady business dealings, but this isn’t like him. It can’t be true. But the way he moves away from me says volumes.
    “Marty, take her back.” Sean steps away from me and walks out of the room.
    Marty puts his hand on my arm to lead me out of the house, but I shake it off, storming after Sean instead. “Come back here! You can’t do this! Have you lost your mind? You’re a businessman, not a crime lord. Sean Ferro, stop!”
    I follow Sean out of the room, up some stairs and into an upstairs hallway, yelling at him all the way, though he doesn’t appear to hear me. Marty doesn’t follow.

Chapter 7
    Sean storms into a little room, and I burst in behind him. It’s not until we’re inside that he rounds on me. Moving swiftly, both his hands are suddenly coming at my head. He uses his body to slam me back into the door as it shuts behind me.  
    Sean’s fists are on either side of my head, his nose touching mine, he breathes in my face, “You have no idea who I am or of what I am capable. I admit, I’m infatuated with you and always have been. But you are a diversion, and right now that’s a very bad thing for both of us.”
    My heart thumps rapidly in my chest, my body screaming for me to run, but I can’t move. Sean is pressing into me, crushing me, holding me in place. “This isn’t you,” I say softly.
    “That’s where you’re wrong, because this is me. I am a monster and always have been. It’s not part of me, it is me . Whatever you think you saw wasn’t real. I used you like you used me.”
    “I did not use—”
    “You did,” he breathes in my face, pressing in nearer. “Every hour of every day has been about getting what you want. Well, what you want and what I want don’t match. They never have. I said what you wanted to hear to get what I need and I need those documents. I want them, Avery, and I will do anything I have to do to get them. Make no mistake about that.” Sean pushes off the wall and suddenly he’s across the room, looking out the window at the ocean.  
    I catch my breath and watch him, staring in silence. This is the end of my old life, I can feel it. What I was yesterday is gone—that girl no longer exists. Sucking in the cool night air, I move across the room and step up behind him. Hesitantly, I reach up, hand shaking, but stop without touching him.  
    Bringing my hand back to my side, I say, “I know you feel guilty