A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 199

Frank froze, his expression darkening.

"What did you just say? You know where she is?"

"How could I possibly know?" Marcia shot back, denying it flatly. "That drug lord's still locked up—how bad off could she be?"

Frank narrowed his eyes, suspicion written all over his face. "For your own sake, you better hope she's doing just fine. Because if she isn't, I'll make sure your suffering is a hundred times worse."

He lifted a finger and turned to Bernard. "Lock her up. From now on, there must be at least three people watching her at all times. No exceptions."

"Yes, sir." Bernard grabbed Marcia's arm and started dragging her toward the basement.

Just then, the roar of an engine broke the tension as a luxury car screeched to a halt outside. Carmela got out, her movements swift and purposeful, and strode over to confront Frank.

"Are you out of your mind? She's your sister-in-law! How far are you going to take this—what do you want, to break her completely?"

"Mother," Frank's reply was icy. "Don't you think you're meddling in things that don't concern you?"

Carmela knew better than to challenge him head-on. She softened her tone, trying to appeal to reason. "Think about Hickey. Your brother's barely gone, and you'd have his son lose his father and be kept from his mother too? Can you really stomach that?"

She caught the brief flicker of hesitation in Frank's eyes and pressed her advantage. "Whatever Marcia's done, she's still your nephew's mother. For Spencer's sake, if not hers—can't you let this go, just this once?"

Frank and Spencer had always been close. There were never any ugly power struggles or inheritance feuds between them—Spencer had no interest in the family business, never fought for anything. Years ago, when Marcia turned her back on everyone else to marry Spencer, Frank didn't say a word; he simply kept his distance and watched over them quietly.

He'd had a good brother.

So she'd come.

Marcia hadn't been sure Carmela would show at all. Compared to Elissa, she'd spent more years dealing with her mother-in-law. Carmela might seem warm and reasonable, but it was all a mask. What happened between Marcia and Frank alone was enough for Carmela to want her destroyed; coming to her rescue was unthinkable.

Steadying her breath, Marcia braced herself against the wall and hauled herself upright, her eyes glinting coldly. "Do you have any idea why Frank always treated me so well before?"

That was a landmine—and Carmela's patience snapped.

"As if you don't know! Because you can't keep your claws to yourself, that's why!" Carmela spat. "Shameless women like you—what man could resist? I always thought Frank was a man of principle, self-disciplined, a true gentleman. Turns out, I was wrong. The only explanation is that you're utterly shameless."

But Marcia only smiled, unfazed. "Remember that accident, years ago—the one that killed your husband and put you in the hospital at Cresthaven?"