Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Callum
We head over to the Cimaruta clubhouse to meet with the Lake Renegade council and the Cimaruta council.
Here in Lake Renegade, we have a council made up of seven men.
Enea, Leonardo and Antonio Mancini are part of the Chicago Mafia.
Giacomo Bastianini is the president of the Cimaruta MC.
Then there’s Zeus Athanasiou and Panagiotis Nikolaidis, they’re the heads of their shifter families.
The seventh council member is Elio Salvadori, he’s the head of the Southside Mafia.
The Mancini family are the founders of Lake Renegade.
As the years have gone on, they’ve brought in the other families.
By ten a.m. sharp, everyone’s sitting down to talk. Francesco explains what happened last night. And tells everyone his concerns about Zachary.
“I also want to do a more in-depth background check on him. First off, he lied about Celestino telling him to come down to the club. And then he threatened Moira,” Francesco says to everyone.
“We did a check on him before we hired him,” Celestino says as he pulls out a packet of papers.
“I remember he’s from Ohio, single mom. And if I remember correctly, I didn’t really like him. There was something about him that just rubbed me the wrong way,” Isabella says to us.
“I want to look into him again. Maybe we can find something in the two years that he’s been gone.”
“Agreed. And Noah will stay with Moira until we’re sure that he’s not going to come around anymore. If he comes near you, Callum, you’ll need to let us know too. You never know what these guys will do,” Giacomo says.
As everyone gets up, Francesco comes over to me.
“So we haven’t found any information about your father or Cillian’s yet. And it’s actually making me a little mad.” He chuckles.
“Do you think it’s because he’s dead?”
“Well, if he was dead, I think we’d find something about it. But I’m wondering if he gave your mam a fake name. I know he was with her for a couple of years. But we’ve all heard stories of men living fake lives. And I have a strong feeling about that with him.”
“That’s not something I’d even thought of. What the fuck is wrong with people?” I frown.
“There’s lots wrong with people. So you’re still sure you want to know who he is?”
“Aye. I need to, now. I think my mam deserves to know too.”
Francesco nods. “I’ll keep you posted on what I find. Because I will find something.”
“Thank you for this. I used to wonder more about him when I was younger. And then when I was in high school, I just felt sad for my mam. If he played her back then? I want to confront him. Because he’s a shitbag. I mean, no matter what his excuse is, he’s an arsehole.”
“Oh I agree. I’ll never understand men who do that. And I could be wrong. It’s just a feeling I’m getting because we’re not finding anything with the name he gave your mam.”
After talking with Francesco, I go and find Moira. She always makes me feel calm and right now, that’s what I need. This thing with my faither is making me crazy. Why would you have a child with a woman and lie to her?
Moira
It’s been two weeks since Zachary came to the club.
But I don’t think that he’s given up. I feel like I’m being watched, and sometimes I think I see him at school.
It’s really starting to scare me. Noah doesn’t leave my side when we’re at school, but he’s also not allowed into my classes with me.
I’ve told both of them how I feel and what I’ve seen.
The good thing is that my girls are all in school too.
So we’re together all the time. I’ve also been asked to move onto the property.
Callum made sure that I moved in with him.
I told him it’s kind of early for that and he just ignored me.
He said that if it made me feel better, I could stay in one of the other rooms, but I would be in the same house with him.
Of course, I’m not staying in a separate room.
And living with Callum is so easy. It’s like we’ve been doing it forever.
I know this thing with his father is making him mad.
I wish I knew how to help him. He says that my being here is helping him.
I really hope so, because I’d hate to see him or his mom hurt.
I hated my parents. But at least I knew who they were.
My situation was hard enough, but seeing what Callum’s going through? I think that’s worse.
Sitting in class today, I can’t concentrate and I don’t know why. It’s been a long fucking day. I just want to be at home. I scan the room and my eyes land on the one person that I’ve been worried about seeing. Zachary. I don’t know how he got past Noah, but somehow he did.
Moira: Zachary’s sitting in my class. I can see him…he’s across the room from me
Noah: What the fuck! I swear I watched each one of you walk in
Moira: Well there are a lot of students in this class. We always knew that. He’s just staring at me
Noah: You have forty minutes left. I’m calling for some backup. You let me know if he moves
Moira: Okay
I put my phone down and watch Zachary. He’s smiling at me and it’s making the hairs on my arms stand up. Why did I have to attract the crazy one?
Noah
I feel like an idiot. Somehow, I let Zachary slip past me and I don’t know how that happened. I’m so fucking pissed. And I’m worried that I’ve let down not only Moira and Callum, but my family. I have to call Giacomo to let him know.
“Hey, Giacomo, I don’t know how this happened, but Zachary is in Moira’s class.”
“Okay. Is there another way out of the classroom?”
“No. Just the one they use to get in. I checked that on the first day. I just don’t get how he’s in there. The professor told me that I couldn’t be in the class because I wasn’t on his list. And I know Zachary wasn’t either.”
“Don’t worry, Noah. This isn’t your fault. When is her class over?”
“Forty minutes.”
“Okay, Francesco is in class too, I’ll get a message to him. I think his class is near you. Lorenzo, Armando and Apollo will come to help. Celestino is there with Chiara for her classes as well. I’ll see where he is. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“I’m so sorry, Giacomo.”
“Noah, you did nothing wrong and there’s nothing for you to be sorry about. Let Moira know to watch Zachary and that we’re going to get her out. He might not even be trying to get to her. He might just be trying to scare her.”
“Thanks. I already told her to keep an eye on him. I see Francesco.”
“Just don’t make a scene, I’ve told them to keep it lowkey. Unless Zachary escalates. Then I’ll call Salvatore. Call me when you’ve gotten her out.”
I hang up and wait for Francesco to get to me. I tell him what I know and show him the texts with Moira.
“Should we go into her class?” I ask him.
“No. Text her and let her know to keep an eye on him, but when it’s time to leave, get out fast. If he’s across the room, she has time to get out. And we’ll be right here.”
I nod and text Moira.
Noah: When it’s time to leave class, keep your eyes on Zachary as much as you can. But head to the door. We’re waiting for you
Moira: Okay. Looks like maybe fifteen minutes. Professor just said that because of our exams next week, he’s letting us out fifteen min early
Noah: We’re here
Moira: Thank you. It’s creepy because he’s just staring at me and smiling. He’s not moving closer or anything. And it will take him longer to get to the door
Noah: That’s good
I tell Francesco everything and he nods.
“The others will be here in ten minutes. When they get here, we’ll have them grab Zachary as he comes out.”
“Thanks. I told your papà that I don’t even know how he got past me.” I frown.
“It happens. It’s only you watching and I’ll be honest—in school you’d think we’d be safer. One way in, one way out."
“I hate that this happened on my watch.”
“Well, it’s happened before and it’ll happen again. You’re doing your best.”
This is my first time being chosen to guard one of the family. So it’s harder to accept that this ‘just happened.’ Waiting for the fifteen minutes to pass is taking forever. Lorenzo, Apollo, Armando and Celestino join us.
“We’ll take Zachary to the clubhouse. Papà wants to talk to him,” Celestino says to us.
“This is Moira’s last class, so we’ll head home now. Do you think I’ll be allowed to be there when you all talk to him?”
“I don’t see why not. Just make sure that Moira’s not left alone and it’ll be fine.”
Finally, the doors open and students start to come out. I can finally breathe when I see Moira. I see Zachary pushing his way past the other students, and I grab Moira.
“He’s moving fast,” I say to the guys.
“Go. We got him,” Armando says to me, I nod and usher Moira to the car.
“Do you think he really wants to hurt me?” she asks me.
“I don’t know. But you know that you’re safe, right?”
“Oh, I have no doubt.” She nods.
It takes us a little over an hour to get back to the property and I drop Moira off with Callum.