“I’m sure if you just wait for Dante…” I start to say again, feeling so out of my depth here that I am not sure what to do.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she sneers at me as she looks around the house. “Are you the nanny, or the housekeeper? Did he finally get rid of that old bag Maria? I know you can’t be fucking him because he never brings a woman into his house.” She eyes me suspiciously. Looking at her, I still cannot quite believe this is happening. “Do you think he cares? Do you really think a man like Dante Luciano cares about someone like you?” Her voice is cunning now, almost threatening. “He doesn’t care about you! NOW GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF MY SON!” she screams again as she begins to pace in front of us.

I look around me to try and find something to defend myself because she is acting unhinged. There is nothing, the house spotless. The benches and floor are so clean and tidy you could eat off them. There isn’t a lamp, a broom stick, nothing I can grab that may buy us more time. I am too far away from any of the kitchen utensils and the bench is clear except for some of Leo’s Lego pieces.

I hear Leo whimper again and feel something cold. Looking down, I see that his jeans are a darker shade down the leg, and wet against my leg, his little body shaking next to mine. It makes me angry, and as scared as I am, I realize that I am the only person here who can protect him.

“No,” I say firmly, and she stops pacing to stare at me, her glassy eyes piercing mine, as her lips scowl.

“No?” she asks me, as if she is toying with me, but I remain firm.

“No. He does not want to go with you,” I state, standing as tall as I can, trying to feign the confidence I don’t have.

She begins to cackle, laughing at me as her head tilts to one side, looking totally psychotic. I hear a small click then and hold my breath as I notice for the first time since she walked in the door that she has a gun in her hand. The shiny silver metal looks new and unused as she raises it in front of her body, pointing it directly at me.

“Give me my fucking son, or I will shoot you in the fucking head, you fucking bitch.” She sways on her feet, and I have no doubt that my time is about to be up. All I can hope for is that the sound of the gun shot will be loud enough to get someone's attention so they come in time to save Leo.