Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
I never thought I’d be working to get my daughter’s boyfriend off on murder charges. If it were up to me, I’d let the bastard rot in jail. He’s not good enough for Mabilia. No one is. But my wife told me I had to get him out. And when my wife tells you to do something, you either do it or sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life.
There’s also the broken look on Mabilia’s face that I can’t fucking stand. The way she begged me to do something. Anything. I have to give it to the kid. He’s a quick thinker and the fact he took the fall so Mabilia didn’t have to… Well, I wouldn’t say I approve of him, but I don’t hate the fucker as much as I did.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure my daughter would move on. She’s young and has her whole life ahead of her. I just don’t want to be the one to break her heart either.
My phone rings. Vlad. I had one of my top vory go and remove the bodies from the morgue. No bodies equals no murders. “You get them?” I ask as soon as the call connects.
“All three bastards,” Vlad says.
“Good.” I hang up and dial Matteo. I’m making his job a hell of a lot easier right now.
“You know, if you want me to get your future son-in-law out of jail, I need to actually work,” he answers.
“Fuck off. There’s no case. You’re welcome,” I tell him. Future son-in-law, my ass.
“What do you mean there’s no case?” Matteo asks cautiously.
“Exactly that.” I don’t need to give him all the details. “Ask them to provide evidence,” I tell him. “They won’t find any.”
“What the fuck did you do, Mikhail?” Matteo groans.
“Made your job easy.” I cut the call before he can piss me off more. Not only did I arrange for the bodies to disappear, I had a guy on the inside grab me the gun and all the gunshot residue they collected from Tommy’s hands. I then had one of my IT guru’s hack into the New York City’s police department database and erase all the paperwork that was filed during the arrest. It’s as if the whole thing never happened, a case of mistaken identity.
I push up from my desk, walk out of my office, and head for Mabilia’s room. I heard her get home at around three in the morning. I know she was at Tommy’s bar with Neo and Dante. I also know she had Dante fix the idiot’s accounting, so if anyone went looking they wouldn’t find anything that would indicate the kid’s laundering money.
I knock twice before shoving the door open.
“Papa?” Mabilia sits up on her bed. Her eyes are red and puffy. She’s been crying. Fucking hell, my heart never hurts as much as when I see my daughter crying.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I reach out to wipe the wetness from under her cheeks. “It’s going to be okay,” I tell her.
“How? He told them he did it, and he didn’t do it, Papa. I did it,” she says. “I didn’t even think about what would happen. I just shot them.”
“You thought about surviving, which is exactly what you should be thinking about in a situation like that,” I remind her.
Mabilia shakes her head. “I wasn’t thinking about me, Papa. I was thinking about Tommy. I didn’t want them to hurt him.”
“I know, baby.” My fingers stroke through her hair. “You are strong. You did the right thing.”
“What’s going to happen? With Tommy? Will Zio Matteo really be able to get him out?”
“The bail hearing is at twelve today. Rest, then get ready. I’ll take you. Your uncle will get him out.”
“How do you know?” she asks.
“Because I made sure of it.”
When Mabilia raises a brow at me in question, I pull the blankets up to her chin like I used to when she was little.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, printsessa,” I tell her as I lean in and kiss her forehead. Then I stand and head back towards the door.
“Thank you, Papa.” Mabilia smiles at me. “I know you don’t like him, but he’s a good guy,” she says.
“I’m never going to like any guy you date, Mabilia,” I say before walking out of her room.
“You’re doing the right thing.” Isabella catches my eye as she leans against the wall opposite Mabilia’s door.
“Am I?” I lift a questioning brow. “I’m doing it because you asked me to do it, and because I don’t like seeing her hurting. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the little punk.”
“But she loves him,” Isabella says.
“You should teach her that thing you do. The one where if you really love someone, you tie them to a bed, put a knife through their chest, and leave them to bleed out. If they come back to you, that’s how you know they love you more than anyone ever will.” I smirk.
“Mmm, fun memories.” Isabella smiles. “How about you come to bed and I’ll tie you down and have my way with you?”
“You can have your way with me, kotyonok , but there’s no way I’m letting you tie me to a bed.” I laugh.
“It was one time, Mikhail.” She sighs.
“One time too many.” I pick up my wife’s hand and lead her into our bedroom. I have a few hours before I have to leave to take Mabilia to the courthouse.