Chapter 49
CHAPTER 49
H ow Could You?
Adriano
Two months later …
“Where the fuck is she?” a guy bellows with a Brazilian accent.
I know the accent well. One of Sim’s dance instructors was Brazilian and he loved to flirt with me around campus. I tolerated him as long as he kept his hands to himself.
I place my finger before my lips as I look Julissa in her eyes. I had been in the shower when she came rushing into the bathroom, looking scared. I had just enough time to get us both in the closet to hide, but I didn’t have time to grab clothes, only my guns.
We now stand hidden while I have nothing but a towel around my waist. This is my fault. I have been too lax in guarding this woman because of my personal feelings.
Before this, I wanted to kill Michael for sending me here to look after his mistress. I’ve been with her for two and a half months. I hadn’t thought there was any real danger.
I have been making plans to return home to Italy. I no longer have respect for my employer. Now, there are men with guns here and I have to wonder if I have failed in my duties.
“There is no one here. What should we do?” Another heavily accented voice says.
“I will call him. Keep looking. Where could she have gone?”
I strain to hear as the sound of a phone ringing on speaker reaches us. Julissa is shaking like a leaf. If I had to be honest, I can see the attraction.
She is no Symphony, but she is attractive. Both of them have the same Afro-Latina appeal. They are exotic but not in the same way. Julissa’s dark eyes and hair cause her to stand out. Symphony’s honey-brown hair and big bright brown eyes suck you in, along with her cute nose and perfect full lips.
I shake my thoughts off as the line outside the closet is picked up and a voice comes through the speakerphone. My interest is piqued as an Italian accent flows through the call. My gut tells me this is important.
“Do you have her?”
“No, we have come up empty. She is not in the residence we’ve been watching. Her and the Cattaneo brother are gone.”
I clench my teeth at the mention of my last name. To know who I am, they have been watching us for some time. If they weren’t so sloppy, we could both be dead right now.
“How fucking hard is it to kill a retard and her bodyguard? Donati, I can understand. I am handling him on my own for a reason.
“This girl … she should be dead already. I have run out of time. The Locatellis are setting things in motion.
“If I have to come to America to do this myself, what need do I have of you? If you don’t call back in twenty-four hours with confirmation of a kill, consider yourself a victim.”
My mind is racing. This is not about Julissa. They are looking for Symphony.
A sharp whistle pierces the air. “Let’s go. The wife isn’t here. Let’s regroup. We need to find her before I have to kill that Italian motherfucker myself. He is getting on my fucking nerves,” the guy bellows out.
Julissa and I remain in the closet until they are gone. I give it an extra ten minutes after we hear them leave before I slip out of the closet and make sure they have all gone. I throw on some clothes and find my phone.
Symphony is in danger. I need to make some calls and inform the others of what’s going on. I dial Michael’s number and get his voicemail immediately.
“ Bastarda ,” I growl and bite my fist.
“Adriano, they are after Michael’s wife, aren’t they?” Julissa asks as she wrings her hands and paces.
“Yes, I believe so.”
“We can’t just sit here. We have to warn Michael. She means everything to him. Please. We have to do something.”
“I am working on that. I have to be honest; I didn’t think you cared. If she’s out of your way, you can have him to yourself, no?”
“You don’t know me,” she bites out. “You have had an attitude since you arrived here. Michael is a good friend of mine, and his happiness is important to me. He would be devastated if those men did something to his wife.
“No one knows how much that man loves that woman like I do. You are here because Michael never breaks a promise and he promised me he would make sure I’m safe. That is the only reason you are here.
“I am not his mistress as you have assumed, and he would never choose me over his wife or if something happened to her. Stop trying to judge me and help me help my friend.”
I grunt and call Salvatore. Michael’s relationship with this woman is none of my business. I need to make sure Sim is safe.
“Brother, cosa posso fare per lei ?”
“Where is Symphony? I think we have trouble,” I reply quickly.
“She and Michael left for Italy. There was an attack on Locatelli’s new fiancée and his son. The boss and the family all flew out to the old country for a while.
“The rest of us leave in the evening. What’s up?”
“Some guys came here looking for Sim. They think I’m guarding the boss’s wife. They want her dead. I wasn’t able to reach Micheal.”
“This is not good.”
“You can say that again. I think we should come with the rest of you. I will be there to join you. For now, I will get us someplace safe.”
“I will tell the boss as soon as his plane lands. I will see you later. Be safe, Adriano. I love you.”
“ Ti amo, Fratello ,” I say and hang up.
“Pack what you need. We are going to Italy.”
Julissa
We have arrived at the safe house. Adriano was adamant that we move here. I have been planning my escape since those men left my apartment.
I will be on my own this time. I can’t call Nate and ask for help. Pam and Paige cornered me before Val’s outburst and told me not to contact their husbands ever again.
I get it. I totally understand. The pass they gave me the first time was more than gracious.
I was hesitant to call Michael in the first place. Now, I just have this gut feeling like I need to get out of here and away from these people.
Danger finds me when I’m around them. I want to put my past behind me and lay all this to rest. I don’t want to cause trouble, and I don’t want to find it either.
When those men showed up at my place, I thought it was over. It would have been if not for my noisy neighbor who got himself shot and stuffed back into his apartment, giving me enough time to run and warn Adriano.
“Thank you so much,” the woman with the bundle in her arms says with a Russian accent as she steps into the elevator.
Adriano sends me a glare for holding the door for her. He’s right; I probably shouldn’t have. I look at the woman with her blonde hair and blue eyes.
She smiles back at me as she rocks the little bundle in her arms. She’s probably tired and wants to get the baby home. I know I’m exhausted and wish I could sleep for a few days.
We get to our floor and Adriano ushers me out. This isn’t as fancy as my apartment building, but it will have to do. We won’t be here long.
As soon as I get the chance, I’m taking off. I’ve seen pictures of Michael’s wife. I look nothing like her, so I’m not counting on running into too much trouble getting far away from here.
“Get settled in. I need to make a few calls and then I will go out to get something to eat,” Adriano says as we walk into the apartment.
I sigh and nod, moving to find where the bedroom is. I need to lie down. My head is starting to ache.
“Why does it feel like all my shit is catching up to me?” I murmur to myself as I go to face-plant on the bed in the first bedroom I find.