12. Leo
Chapter twelve
Leo
“ A nything?”
“Nothing,” Vin answers, holding his custom AK-47 tucked against his right shoulder as he peers through the night scope. “Not a single damn boat in the vicinity.”
Alex pushes his night vision goggles to the top of his head. “I don’t get it.” He holds up his wrist, checking his watch. “It’s after midnight. He was supposed to be here by now.”
“Patience, grasshopper,” Vin murmurs.
“Don’t give me that grasshopper bullshit.” Alex rubs his hands together. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re just uneasy because your shirt is wrinkled.” Vin looks away from the scope and smirks.
“Fuck you!” Alex smooths out the front of his shirt. “It’s not my fault that I actually care about how I present myself. I mean, look at you.” He waves his hand at him incredulously. “You look like you just rolled around in the mud with the pigs.”
“It’s called camouflage. And I’ll have you know I paid a pretty penny for this shit.” His eyes zoom in on Alex’s shirt. “Is that a mustard stain?”
“What? Where?” Alex frantically pulls at the fabric, twisting it from side to side.
Vin hunches over, laughing, clutching the gun to his chest. “It’s too easy.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Fucking hell. You two are the worst. Please explain to me why I got stuck here with Tweedledee and Tweedledum?”
“You were the one who asked Mauro to babysit for you,” Vin remarks, wiping tears from his eyes.
I grit my teeth. “He’s not fucking babysitting. He’s running opposite shifts with Eli since I can’t be there.”
Vin shrugs. “Whatever you want to call it.”
Alex clasps my shoulder. “As much as we joke around, you know we won’t let you down. Scarlett's our family.”
I nod. “I know.”
As we wait, Vin gets back in position, aiming his rifle directly at the docks. “So.” He cracks his neck. “How are things between you and the wife?”
Alex throws a rag over an old milk crate and sits on it.
“Good,” I offer, leaning on the windowsill.
“Good?” Vin repeats. “Ice cream is good. Money is good. But I’m asking you, how is your marriage?”
I squeeze the back of my neck. “It’s a one-day-at-a-time thing. All I can do is be patient and be there for her, which I think is helping. But sometimes I feel like I have no fucking clue what I’m doing and that I’m just going to make everything worse for her.” I turn and lean back, folding my arms over my chest. “I took her out on a date the other night. To the White Table, thinking that’s what she would want. But she seemed intimidated by everyone there. And then…” I tilt my head up to stare at the ceiling that appears ready to collapse at any moment.
“What?’ Alex asks.
I rub a hand down my face. “Natasha was there.”
“Fucking Natasha.” Vin groans. “She certainly knows how to ruin a night.”
I sigh. “You could say that. But actually, I think it might have helped.”
“What do you mean?” Alex swipes at some dirt on his pants.
“Scarlett thought I wasn’t into her. She got this idea in her head that she repulsed me, which was most definitely my fault, and I sort of heard her tell her therapist this and well…” I glance at my brothers. “It gave me the kick in the ass that I needed to tell her how I feel.”
Vin nods in understanding. “Sometimes we need a little kick in the ass to see things the right way.”
“Do you love her?” Alex asks, no humor on his face.
The question should take me aback. I should feel uncomfortable even talking about emotions and feelings amongst my brothers like a couple of teenage girls, but instead, I answer truthfully. There’s no use denying it any longer.
“I never stopped.”
Vin takes a step toward me and clasps my shoulder. “I’m happy for you. For both of you. You deserve each other. Things will take time after everything she’s been through, but when the time is right, everything will fall into place as it should be.”
I run my fingers through my hair. “She deserves the whole world. I just don’t know how to give it to her.”
“You could start with a redo of that first date,” Alex offers. “Scarlett’s never been into that fancy shit, and you know it. She likes simple things.”
“Simple things,” I repeat, taking in his suggestion. My mind slowly churns a plan in my head. One I think Scarlett may actually enjoy this time. “You’re right.”
Static comes through the handheld transceiver.
“We have a visual on an approaching vessel.” Sergio’s voice comes in muffled.
I bring the device to my lips. “Remember, stand down until we give the word. We don’t want to risk missing our shot or scaring him off.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Where’s Dolion?”
“His gun jammed, so he went back to the vehicle to get a new weapon, but that was about fifteen minutes ago. I haven’t seen him since— Never mind, sir. He’s entering the building now.”
“Good. Give him my message.”
The line goes silent as we all line up at the window, waiting. Vin tightens his grip on his gun as he patiently watches the spot right around the bend. It’s the only opening for a boat to come in and out of, which means we won’t miss him. Alex has the transponder in his hand, ready to transmit the signal to the bombs he had mounted under the docks earlier today. And I wait to give the orders, with blood boiling beneath my skin, ready to end this motherfucker once and for all.
“The boat is coming in slowly, heading directly toward the dock.” Vin redirects his scope, his sight narrowing in on the hooded figure driving the boat. “Wait a minute.” Vin looks at me with concern etched in his features. “We have a problem.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, lowering my gun.
He puts the handgun in my free hand so I can look into the scope. I zoom in on the figure. “ Cazzo !”
Shoving the gun back into Vin’s chest, I turn to Alex. “Don’t fucking hit that button.”
“What?” Alex removes his goggles. “Why?”
“Because that’s not Le Diable on the boat. It’s a dead guy taped down to the steering wheel.” I grip the radio, watching as the boat veers off course, heading straight toward the warehouse where Dolion and Sergio are positioned. “Get out of the warehouse now!” I roar.
There’s no answer from Sergio or Dolion.
“I repeat, get the fuck out of the warehouse!”
“Sir,” Sergio starts. “It’s—”
I watch in stunned silence as the boat launches in the air, careening right into the warehouse. The second it makes contact, a ball of fire explodes around everything. Half of the building catches fire, while the other half crumbles under the weight, transforming into tattered pieces of debris.
My entire being freezes as if I’m reliving the same nightmare from seven years ago.
The SUV stops in front of our warehouse, where my father arrives to inspect the latest shipment of weapons delivered hours earlier. The moon shines down, casting an eerie glow around the building. Mauro and my father stride to the main door of the warehouse as both Dolion and I step out of the car and lean against it.
I glance down at my phone. My thumb hovers over Scarlett’s name. I should call her and make sure she got home safely. She wouldn’t let me bring her home, insisting she could get there herself, but it still didn’t feel right to me.
Pressing send, I clutch the phone to my ear, waiting to hear her sweet voice, but it immediately goes to voicemail. Strange. I try again, but the same thing happens. Maybe she’s sleeping, too exhausted from tonight’s activities. A smile pulls at my lips, remembering every second of our time together. How smooth her skin felt under the rough pads of my fingers. Her soft whimpers of pleasure. The way her eyes bore into mine as she came around my cock, screaming my name.
The trust she gave me.
At that moment, I felt like her protector.
And I knew I would never let anything happen to her.
I will always keep her safe.
Because she’s mine.
Sliding my phone into my pocket, I look up and see my father enter the building with Mauro right behind him.
Boom!
I’m knocked off my feet, a red-hot force like I’ve never felt before shoving me against the car that’s now rolled over on its side. A ringing in my ears is all I hear as I grip the metal behind me, my vision blurry. I reach a hand to my head and bring it before my eyes, seeing blood coating my skin. I blink a few times, shaking my head, hoping to regain my focus, but it only makes it worse. Taking a step, I wobble at first before taking a few more. My eyes scan the scene before me, seeking out my brother and father.
“Dad! Mauro!” I scream.
Fire surrounds me as I panic, searching for them, until finally, my eyes land on Mauro. I run to him with a slight limp. As I approach, I notice the massive amount of blood surrounding him.
“Mauro!” His eyes blink. “I’m going to get you out of here.” I lift him under his arms and drag him toward the car, placing him beside it. Ripping off my shirt, I press it to the deep cut in his throat, which seems to have the most damage. With a shaky hand, I pull out my phone, press one, and hold it to my ear.
Vin picks up after the first ring. “What the hell is taking you guys so long? I want to go—”
“We’ve been attacked,” I rush out. “Send help, now!” I end the call, not giving him a chance to respond. He has our locations on his phone, and I know help will be available in a matter of minutes. I take Mauro’s hand in mine and clasp it over the material that is quickly soaking up the blood. His skin is ghostly white, his lips transforming to a shade of blue. “Hold this. I’ll be right back. I need to find Dad.”
I jump to my feet, running back toward the building.
“Dad!” I roar, my eyes frantically scanning everywhere.
“Here!” His voice comes from inside the quickly burning warehouse.
Relief immediately fills me.
He’s alive.
My dad’s alive.
But as I make it to the entrance, I find burning beams blocking the path. “Cazzo!” I pace the side, looking for another way inside, but there are no windows and nothing I can scale to gain access.
I make it back to the front. “Dad! Where are you?”
“Over here!”
I lean over the beams, seeing my father’s form hunched over about ten feet away. There’s a cascade of blood gushing down the side of his head. I reach my arm over the debris. “Come on, Dad. We need to get you out of here.” I look up at the remaining building, seeming ready to fall at any second. My father tries to stand but immediately falls to the ground, coughing up a storm through the thick black smoke.
“My foot. It’s broken,” he gets out, gasping for air.
A loud creak above us fills my stomach with dread. “Dad, get up. Now.” My throat tightens painfully, my eyes misting over. “Please, Dad. I need you… I need you to get up.” We both hear a second groan from the beams above, preparing to give out.
A small ball of fire falls from the rafters, landing directly on my hand. “Shit!” I shake my hand and wipe it across my pants, not caring what the damage is. The only thing I care about is getting my father out of here. Right the fuck now.
“Dad. Please.” The ball of emotions lodges in my throat. “Please fight. Fight for your family. We need you.” I try to lift the beam, fighting through the pain of heat seeping over my skin, but it’s useless. It must weigh at least half a ton, if not more.
The sound of tires screeching to a halt nearby lifts my spirits.
Help has arrived.
We’ll be okay.
“Help is here. We’ll get you out, Dad.” I rub the back of my forearm across my face. As my arms drop to my side, my eyes catch with his, and at that exact moment, a beam directly above him begins to splinter.
“I’ve always been so proud of you, Leo.” He smiles, his eyes filling with tears. “You’ll be okay. I know you will be.” A cough attack overtakes him before he says, “Tell everyone how much…how much I love them.”
“Dad, no!”
The weight of the roof collapses on top of my father just as I’m pulled away, Dolion appearing behind me, tugging me back to ensure I’m out of harm’s way.
“Dad!” I roar, dropping to my knees.
As Mauro was transported to the nearest hospital by helicopter with Alex by his side, and Vin raced home to tell Mom and put the family in lockdown as the new head of the family, I sat there through all the chaos, watching as men watered down the burning rubble until they doused every last flame.
My father’s remains were nothing more than wet ash.
A black car drove by me.
Blue eyes pleaded with me to save her.
But I was too consumed with grief.
So I let her go.
All the light became lost within me.
Only darkness remained.
“Holy shit,” Alex breathes, waking me from my trance.
I internally shake my head. “We need to get over there!”
The three of us immediately race out, heading directly to the scene.
“Sergio! Dolion!” I yell over and over again. My eyes scan the surroundings, but there’s too much smoke to see much of anything.
“Over here!” Vin points at a body crawling out from under debris.
Dolion.
Vin grabs him underneath his arms and drags his body away from the building. He coughs up a storm as he sits up, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm.
“Are you okay?” Vin asks.
“I’m fine.” He shakes his head. “The boat wouldn’t stop. It came directly for us as if on an automated course.”
“Where’s Sergio?” I ask, dread already pooling in my gut.
Dolion’s eyes look downcast. “He didn’t make it.”
My fist connects with a splintered piece of wood beside me as I roar into the night. Blood trails down my cracked knuckles as pain overtakes me.
Sergio died.
He died under my watch.
Under my protection.
Alex clasps my shoulder. “We should get out of here.”
“Yeah.” I look around, hearing sirens in the distance, when something occurs to me. “How did he know we would be here?”
Vin scratches his temple, looking off at the water. “Maybe there was something we missed.” He glances back at me. “He’s playing games with us. And we need to quickly learn how to outplay him.”
I roll my neck, every muscle bunched up in tension. “Let’s go.” I stride hastily, wanting to get the fuck out of here.
“Hey.” Vin stops me, pulling on my arm as Alex and Dolion continue toward the SUV. “This is a part of the job—a part of our world. And Sergio knew that. He always knew that, but he did it anyway because he was loyal to our family.”
“It doesn’t make it any better.”
“I know.” He shrugs. “But his death isn’t on you, Leo. And neither was Dad’s.”
My heart stops as my eyes jump to his face. “Don’t—”
“I fucking will.” Vin crosses his arms over his chest. “I saw your eyes when the boat hit this place. But you weren’t in the here and now; you saw the warehouse from seven years ago burning down.” He sighs, dropping his arms. “You had no way of getting to Dad. If you had somehow managed to get inside that warehouse, it would have fallen on top of you, too, and you know it. And this family would have lost two members that day instead of one.” His features soften. “The only person who blames you for Dad’s death is you.”
“You don’t understand.” I grip the ends of my hair. “Maybe if I had been faster. Or if I had tried to—”
“No, Leo. Nothing you would have done would have saved him.” He watches me, his shoulders dropping.
My hand grips the back of my neck, squeezing hard. I tilt my head up, closing my eyes. “I miss him every fucking day.”
“I do, too.” I open my eyes to see him running his fingers through his hair. “But he wouldn’t want you to be holding on to this guilt. Especially when it’s not your guilt to bear. Someone planned our father’s murder. And hopefully, someday, we’ll gain closure by finding the culprit responsible and killing him using the only suitable method: fire.”
I drop my arms, letting out a breath. “What do we do now?”
“Now…” He rubs the side of his jaw, deep in thought. “We get you home to your wife. And tomorrow…tomorrow we regroup. Go over everything we have on this fucker, and look for the missing piece. And Leo?”
“Yeah?”
“We will find him. We have to. Because we can’t let Dad down.” He points to the sky. “The big guy is always looking out for us, and right now, he’s with us more than you realize.”