Chapter 20
Disappointingly, my birthday weekend was cut short due to Raf’s call that interrupted mine and Luca’s post-sex cuddle. My birthday isn’t for another two weeks though, so I can’t really be mad though because this surprise weekend brought me closer to my boys. All three of them. In all honesty, I didn’t want our time to end because it’s the first time I’ve felt so weightless.
The burdens of what’s to come melted away briefly, and I reveled in getting lost in how happy I felt with these men surrounding me. The guys were getting along, Enzo and I finally admitted how we felt, at least physically. And I got to experience something special with Levi and Luca.
Sure, Enzo has been hesitant about the whole situation, but it didn’t take him long to warm up to the idea. He might have been appeasing me, but I hope he can see how happy Levi and Luca make me and that no matter how much things progress between us, those two aren’t going anywhere.
Things between us are definitely escalating quicker than I expected, so I’d hate for things to go sour. I don’t think that’ll happen because everything thus far has felt so natural. Those feelings we harbored for one another, the ones we tried to deny for so long, were going to surface sooner or later. I barely had the chance to take a breath before Enzo and I slept together, and while I don’t regret a single thing that happened this weekend, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wondered where I’d be if Enzo hadn’t died that day.
Would any of this be happening? Would Enzo and I have stepped outside of our friendship to get a taste of us? Would Luca and Levi be a thing?
My head spins with all the thoughts circling my head; worry, doubt, relief, happiness. I wish I could pinpoint one and focus on it, but this meeting I’ve called must take priority.
Though both Raf and Levi insisted we didn’t need to come back, I’ve been growing more concerned with Levi’s state of mind. He hasn’t said much to me about it, but his initial reaction to Luisa’s location is a dead giveaway to how he’s feeling inside.
“The compound is comprised of three floors,” Raf explains. “Ground level, below ground level, and above.” The TV screen flashes with a map, an overhead image of a building set out in the middle of nowhere—the desert, to be precise.
“The building is a lot older than the one you were…” Marco glances at me warily.
“The one Luciano took me to?” I answer for him, shuddering as the memories crawl from the recesses of my mind.
Marco responds with a soft nod before returning to his explanation. “There are cells below ground which we believe are unused, but by the looks of the drawings, there are similar rooms all over the compound. Raf’s surveillance shows Luisa is being kept above ground level, in a room in the far east corner.”
“The twins have already come up with a plan,” Raf supplies.
“Already?” I quirk a brow in their direction. It was less than three hours ago we got Raf’s call. The fact that they’ve already got a plan in place makes me appreciate this group more and more. The fact that nothing is too much trouble, that we would drop everything for one another. Those kinds of relationships don’t just materialize. They’re forged through respect and camaraderie.
Matteo beams a wide smile at me as Marco steps forward. “We didn’t want to waste time. Right now, we have the element of surprise. The Verdis don’t know we know about this, and if we can keep them distracted long enough, they’ll never know until it’s too late.”
“What’s your plan?” I ask.
“The Royal Ace Casino is nearby. I say we lure the Verdis out there.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Levi questions. “They’ll smell a rat a mile off.”
“Not if Giovanni suggests it,” Matteo explains. “If he arranges the meet up, we can use it to bargain Gabriella’s freedom, or at least buy us some time to find out her location.”
“That’ll never work,” Luca mutters.
“It will,” Marco reassures, looking at me. “What do the Verdis want more? The seat or her head?”
I shudder at the insinuation. It’s no secret the lengths that family will go to, but without Luciano, I have no doubt Don Verdi is even angrier.
“They want both,” I say, though the words are more like a scarce whisper. My fingers trace the scar on my cheek which is still red and sore, but it’s healing well after three weeks of bandages and cream. It’s the one mark Luciano left on me that I’ll never be rid of, something that will forever remind me of him. It’s up to me to eradicate those negative thoughts though and replace them with something positive, a way to move past all this.
I need to be strong, for my family, for the men who vow to protect me on a daily basis. I need to be the leader they deserve, so I refuse to let this defeat me. I refuse to be a victim of a deadman.
“Exactly,” Marco says.
“You’re suggesting putting our leader at risk,” Enzo states crisply, glancing my way. “You’re okay with this?”
Nodding gently, I cross my arms. “The twins are right. The Verdis want my blood. If Gio asks to meet with them, they’re going to be too distracted to think we’re really there for Luisa.”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” Levi says worriedly.
“I know, and you’re not. I’m willing to do this.”
Levi’s jaw flickers with indecision, his gaze locking with mine. We all know by now that peace isn’t an option. The moment the Verdis waged war on me was the very same moment peace was out of the equation.
Turning his attention back to the twins, Levi clasps his fingers together. “Okay, so how do we get in?”
“Raf did some digging on those blueprints he found.” Upon command, the TV screen lights up, displaying an architectural map of the compound holding Luisa captive. It’s all lines and squares, triangles and confusing keys that I can’t decipher. Lucky for me, Raf and Marco explain.
“There’s a tunnel that leads into the compound. It’s our best way to get in undetected.”
“How do we know the tunnels aren’t guarded?” Luca chimes in, leaning forward on his seat beside Enzo.
“At the moment, it’s blocked off, so I doubt they’ll be monitoring it.” Marco nods at Raf, who switches the screen to display another map.
I cross my arms and take in the information presented, chewing on my bottom lip. I don’t like the idea of anyone getting trapped down there, especially with only one way in and out. It’s risky—a necessary risk, I know—but that doesn’t stop me from pulling apart this plan. “What do you mean blocked off?”
Marco sighs, moving his focus to Raf. “The entrance is a mile out, concealed in another building.”
“Where?” I push.
Marco sighs again, glancing at his brother as they share a look.
“The casino,” Matteo answers.
Slowly, the plan is coming together. If Giovanni can get a meeting with the Verdis at the Casino, I might be able to give the guys enough time to infiltrate the compound and rescue Luisa. The Verdis will be so distracted with Giovanni and me that they won’t even think we’re there under false pretenses.
The more I think about it, the more this plan makes sense. The twins really outdid themselves this time because I don’t think I could’ve come up with this plan myself. I’m certain this could work, but I still need convincing that nobody will get hurt. “Talk me through numbers, routines. We need to monitor movement and—”
“Already done,” Matteo grins. “Every guard we’ve surveilled switches posts every four hours. It’s a simple changeover which we can overcome if we work backwards.”
“Do we need reinforcements?” Enzo asks, kicking his foot up to rest on his ankle. While his question is directed at the twins, his eyes are locked on me, something dark yet magnetic peeking through them.
The thing about Enzo is that even now, I can read him like a book. The way his lips curl at the corners tells me he’s got something on his mind, and I can’t say that our weekend hasn’t been spinning through my mind since we left.
“Sera?”
My attention snaps back like an elastic band. I haven’t heard a single thing Marco has been saying, and it must be written all over my face because Matteo is trying to conceal his smile beside his brother. “Hmm?”
“I recommend reinforcements, but the decision is yours,” Marco says.
I trust these guys implicitly. Any piece of advice I get, I take seriously. In a way, any one of these men could tell me to jump, and I’d ask how high—because without their support and direction, I wouldn’t be the leader I am. “If that’s your recommendation, then I approve. I don’t want anyone getting hurt, so the more soldiers, the better.”
“Good,” Marco replies. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to approach The Vultures.”
“No!” Enzo barks, forcing me to snap my head towards him.
I clench my jaw. “This isn’t your decision,” I grind out, staring him down.
Once upon a time, I would’ve taken his words into consideration, even deferred to his judgment. But even though we’ve moved past what happened a few months ago, it’s Levi that is my second in command now, not Enzo.
“The Vultures cannot be trusted,” Enzo growls, leaning forward in his chair.
I grip the armrests of my own, refusing to back down. “The Vultures had no choice, just like you.” My voice is stern, and my words have the intended effect, because Enzo slouches back in his seat and keeps his mouth shut. “We have no issue with The Vultures, and since this is for Luisa, Levi can make the decision.”
We all glance at him, his knee bouncing nervously as he thinks over the information. “Are you okay with this plan?” he asks me.
“Are you?” I respond. He knows I’d do anything for him. Anything.
“Yes, but I’ll be with you the entire time. I’m not leaving your side again,” he clarifies before turning his attention to the twins. “Can I rely on you to get my sister out of there?”
They both nod affirmatively. There’s no question that the guys would do whatever it takes to rescue Luisa. They won’t let Levi down. They won’t let me down.
With one last glance around the room, Levi resigns with a huff, “Call The Vultures.”
The sun is blazing overhead as I step out onto the back patio. To my right, the pool glistens as the rays bounce off the surface, the tranquil water untouched, yet begging for attention. My thoughts instantly steer me to the recent memory of Enzo and I, wrapped around each other in the water. His hands tugging at my hair, my legs pulling him closer to me as we devoured one another. The sheer intensity of that memory alone has me throbbing between my legs, and it takes everything within me to refocus on the task at hand.
Pacing towards the pool house, I knock three times before pushing through the door. I’m instantly hit with Giovanni’s signature scent of citrus body wash and something fresh, like a rainforest. It’s like I’ve walked into a tropical world, the smell easing my worried mind as I step further inside.
We conferred a lot over this plan, ran through every single detail until we all agreed that Giovanni’s involvement was a crucial part of it. I can’t say I like it, but Marco pointed out that this is a chance for Giovanni to prove his loyalty. And, in a backwards kind of way, I agree. Betraying without my knowledge was hurtful, but betraying me under my command is a whole other ball game, one in which I know we can hit a home run if we do this right.
Giovanni is already standing in the corner of the room, waiting patiently for me. He’s wearing his black suit, complete with his black shirt. It only emphasizes the shadows that follow him around. But it’s the bandage still plastered to his cheek that spans further than my own scar. Enzo really did a number on him.
“Sit,” I bark. Though it breaks me to do it, I still have to hold my position and maintain my authority with him, because at the end of the day, he’s still my bodyguard and I hold the cards here.
Giovanni obeys immediately, dropping onto the edge of the bed. His green gaze is filled with hope and unbridled expectation. He links his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees as he peers up at me, and I can tell in this moment what he wants me to say.
But I can’t do it.
I can’t give him the false hope he desperately needs, because it wouldn’t be fair. We still don’t know where his daughter is specifically, and until we lock down her location, I can’t lie to him.
“I need your help,” I say on a breath, moving to the corner chair. I rest my arms on the sides, crossing my legs to adopt some kind of power. But looking at Giovanni still makes me weak. A part of me still wants to have him, even though it’s wrong. It was always wrong.
“Anything,” Giovanni answers gruffly, trying to mask the deflated look he gives me.
It breaks my heart that I can’t give him what he needs, but I have to remain strong. “We’ve found Luisa, Levi’s sister. She’s being held at a compound out in Vegas.”
Giovanni nods silently, always the patient type, always listening.
“We have a plan to get her back, but…” I sigh, “I need you with me. More importantly, I need you to arrange the meeting.”
“Why?” he asks, raising a brow.
“The Verdis have your daughter. If they think you’re betraying me to get her back, they won’t think twice about it.”
Giovanni drops his head, his shoulders slumping defeatedly. “I…I can’t betray you. Not again.” Sadness fills his words, making my heart tighten in my chest. I can see the battle he’s fighting, the one that tells him he needs to do this for me, for his daughter. We both know the price we’d have to pay if this plan doesn’t work, but we have no choice.
I push off the chair and step towards him, lifting his chin with my finger. “You want your daughter back, right?”
“More than anything.” The intensity of his stare makes me swallow heavily, the weight of his decision hanging by a thread. All he needs to do is agree to this.
“Then we need to do this,” I tell him, pulling out a burner phone from my jacket pocket and handing it to him. “Raf already programmed the number, all you need to do is hit dial. We want to meet at the Royal Ace Casino. Do what you can to get us there but don’t tell them anything else.”
“You trust me to do this?” he asks, doubt making his voice waver.
“Does it matter if I do?” I quip. “Now’s your chance to prove your loyalty.”
“By betraying you,” he chuckles incredulously, taking the phone from me. “Sei pazzo.”
My heart skips a beat at the sound of his gentle laugh. Heat curls in my stomach, catching my breath. I haven’t heard his laugh since well before we were taken. Though it hasn’t actually been that long, I feel like it’s a distant memory, one I selfishly want to forget.
Leaning down, I cup Giovanni’s chin in my hand. “There’s nothing crazy about me,” I whisper, unable to contain the deviant smile that curls my lips. “But I can get angry.”
I’m so close to his mouth, painfully close. All it would take is a brush of our lips for me to forget what we’ve been through. A gentle press of his mouth against mine and I’d melt into him. My head and my heart immediately war against one another, forcing me to face everything.
I can’t deny that I want him. Giovanni has a piece of me, just like Levi and Luca, and now Enzo. Giovanni was the one I turned to who I knew would listen and not question me on everything. All it would take is one look into those forest green eyes and I’d rethink everything I’m risking for the men under my command.
Slowly but surely, I step away, opening the space between us. “Make the call, Giovanni. Bargain with whatever you want, but you report it to me.”
“How do you know I won’t lie to you?”
I huff out exasperatedly. If he’s trying to push my buttons, it’s working. But I know why he’s doing it, and as much as I want to console him and reassure him that I do trust him, there’s still a part of me that wants to maintain some power here.
So I turn around and head towards the door, knowing that every step I take, Giovanni is watching. With my hand on the door handle, I finally turn back to face him. We both know what will happen if he’s caught again. If for some fucked up reason this plan doesn’t work, he knows he’ll have to deal with the consequences. He knows the lengths my men will go to in order to ensure my name isn’t forgotten so quickly. Giovanni has already had a taste of Enzo, but with five other men directly under my command and protecting me, things could get a whole lot worse for him.
“Because if my blood runs, so does yours, Gio. So, don’t let me down.”