Chapter 4
Augusto
With rage burning in my veins, I stalk into the hospital in Tokyo, and while Enzo makes a beeline for Gianna, who bursts out in tears as she slams into his chest, I ask, “Where is Riccardo?”
“This way,” Gianna says, looking shaken up as she leads us to an elevator. “I’m so relieved you’re here.”
Enzo places his arm around his sister and presses a kiss to her temple as we climb into the elevator. Christiano couldn’t come and sent Enzo, who’s also his underboss, in his stead.
Raffaele and a team of guards stay out front so they can keep an eye on who comes and goes, while Lorenzo and two of his best men accompany us.
We step out on the fourth floor, and by the time we reach the private room Riccardo is in, I’m struggling to control my destructive emotions.
Every muscle in my body is coiled tightly, ready to attack. Stepping inside the room, my eyes instantly lock on my brother, where he’s lying in a bed with machines hooked up to him.
Jesus. Fucking. Christ.
A fresh wave of rage skyrockets through me, morphing into a monstrous need for revenge.
It took fifteen hours to get to Tokyo, during which I easily lost ten years of my life.
As I stop beside the bed, my baby brother opens his eyes, and seeing how weak he is from the gunshot he suffered to his chest has me seething with anger.
I clench my jaw as I lean over him, resting my one hand beside his head while I brush my other palm over his hair.
“Hey, Ricky.” I haven’t called him by his nickname since he finished school. I take in every inch of his face, his skin ghostly pale. “How do you feel?”
“Like shit,” he answers weakly, and it takes a brutal swing at my heart. “But I’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”
Knowing our parents are worried out of their minds, I take out my phone from the breast pocket of my suit jacket and FaceTime Mom.
The screen fills with our parents' faces, and Dad asks, “Are you with Riccardo?”
“Yes.” I turn the device so they can see him and hear Mom gasp before she bursts into tears.
“How are you doing, son?” Dad asks, his voice hoarse.
“I’m okay,” Riccardo replies, sounding a little stronger. “Don’t worry so much. Gianna is spoiling me with attention.”
“Augusto, you’ll deal with the Yakuza,” Dad orders.
I turn the screen so they can see me as I vow, “I’ll make them pay.”
“You do that.” Dad’s eyes lock with mine, and I read the unspoken words.
Make them suffer a thousand times more than Riccardo is suffering.
I nod at Dad, then say, “I have to go. I’ll check in with you later.”
“I love you, boys. Stay safe,” Mom says.
“Love you, Mom and Dad.” Riccardo sounds exhausted.
I give Mom a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got this.”
We end the call, and as I tuck the device back into my pocket, I meet Riccardo’s eyes and order, “Tell me everything.”
I carefully sit down beside him and take his hand in mine.
“We went to a club,” he says, sounding breathless. “Molecule. There were Yakuza members.”
Gianna comes closer and lovingly brushes her hand over Riccardo’s shoulder and down his arm while saying, “A man kept staring at me, and when Riccardo asked him to stop, one of his guards started looking for trouble. Things escalated. They were armed, so I’m thinking it’s their club, seeing as they were allowed to carry weapons. ”
My gaze connects with my sister-in-law, and I soften my tone as I ask, “Anything else?”
She nods, looking too vulnerable for a Cosa Nostra princess.
“The guy who kept staring at me tried to grab hold of me after they shot Riccardo. I slapped him, and he disappeared afterward.”
My phone begins to ring, and I dig it out of my pocket again. Seeing a familiar name, I quickly answer, “Hey, Rosie.”
Dario La Rosa, one of the retired heads of the Cosa Nostra, trained his daughter well when it comes to hacking, surveillance, and tracking. At the age of twenty-one, she’s such a valuable asset to the other four families. We’d be lost without her.
“How’s Riccardo?” she asks.
“He’ll be okay. Did you find out anything?”
“I was finally able to hack into the club’s security cameras.
I’m sending you the footage. The guy who shot Riccardo is already dead.
His name was Sho Otake. The one who started the fight is Kentaro Araki.
” She pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath.
“The third guy is Ryo Tanaka. He's the son of Masato Tanaka.”
“The head of the Yakuza’s son,” I mutter angrily. “Find out where Kentaro Araki and Ryo Tanaka are. I want eyes on them.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks, Rosie.”
I pull up the footage she sent, and as I watch it, my heartbeat speeds up and the relentless rage in my chest reaches explosive levels.
Riccardo and the two guards were outnumbered.
Our men were killed while protecting Riccardo and Gianna. Raffaele is arranging for the guards' bodies to be taken home.
I’m going to fucking kill Araki and torture the fuck out of Tanaka before handing whatever’s left of the bastard back to his father. No one fucks with the Cosa Nostra and gets away with it.
I hand my phone to Enzo. “Take a look.”
Turning my attention back to Riccardo, I rub my hand up and down his forearm. “I’m going to take care of everything. Sorry, your honeymoon is ruined. Once you’re back on your feet, I’ll arrange another trip for you and Gianna.”
My brother shakes his head. “Just want to go home.”
I nod, then glance at Gianna. She quickly agrees. “Yes, we just want to go back to New York.”
“I brought Dr. Milazzo and Simone,” I inform my brother. “They’re talking with the doctor to discuss when you can leave. As soon as you’re cleared to travel, I’ll send you back on the private jet.”
Dr. Milazzo and his head nurse, Simone, have worked at our private clinic in New York since I was in high school. It’s where all the members of the Cosa Nostra get treated.
“Thank you,” Gianna whispers while she lovingly drags her fingers through Riccardo’s dark brown hair.
He’s the spitting image of Dad, whereas my hair is a shade or so lighter. He also inherited Dad’s brown eyes. Bianca and I got a mixture from Mom and Dad and ended up with green eyes.
Riccardo drifts off to sleep, and needing to get to work so I can get revenge for what was done to my brother, I look at Gianna and say, “Don’t leave the hospital for any reason. Stay here with Riccardo. Once the doctor clears him, I’ll have you both taken directly to the private jet.”
She nods before giving me a worried look. “Our luggage is still at the hotel.”
“I’ll send a guard to get everything. Don’t worry.
” I move around the bed and wrap my arms around her.
“Just stay here. I’m leaving Lorenzo and two guards to keep you safe.
They’re stationed right outside the room.
” She nods as she hugs me back. I press a kiss to her temple while looking at Riccardo.
Letting go of Gianna, I move closer to the bed and brush my hand over the side of my brother’s head.
I’ll make them pay.
Sucking in a deep breath, I walk to the doorway, and when I step into the quiet hallway, I lock eyes with Lorenzo. “Stay here with your team. Don’t let Gianna and Riccardo out of your sight.”
He nods, but then a worried look tightens his features. “What about you?”
“I have Raffaele, as well as Enzo and his guards. You make sure nothing happens to Riccardo and Gianna. Once the doctor clears Riccardo, get them to the private jet and go home. They’re your priority.”
He nods again, his gaze darting to the bed that’s visible from where we’re standing. “I’ll keep them safe.”
Glancing into the room, I watch as Enzo hugs his sister, and when he comes toward me, I give Lorenzo’s shoulder a squeeze. “Stay safe.”
My long-time friend and head of security nods before he steps into the hospital room.
“How are you holding up?” Enzo asks as we walk down the hallways.
“I’ll feel a fuck-ton better once Riccardo and Gianna are back in New York,” I grumble.
As we near the elevators, the doors open, and Dr. Milazzo, Simone, and a Japanese doctor step out.
“Mr. Vitale, this is Dr. Okubo. He’s the cardiothoracic doctor treating Riccardo,” Dr. Milazzo introduces me.
I shake Dr. Okubo’s hand as I ask, “How’s my brother doing?”
“He’s recovering as expected.” Even though the man has a heavy accent, his English is quite good. “I told Dr. Milazzo the surgery went well, but Mr. Vitale won’t be able to leave for another two days. It would be too risky.”
I nod, then look at Dr. Milazzo. “I want you and Simone to take turns to stay with Riccardo. If anything happens, call me immediately. Once he’s cleared to travel, Lorenzo will escort you all to the private jet and get you home safely.”
“Yes, sir.”
Enzo places his hand on Dr. Milazzo’s arm. “Keep an eye on Gianna. Her nerves are shot to hell.”
“I’ll prescribe Mrs. Vitale something to help set her at ease,” Dr. Okubo offers.
“I’d appreciate it,” Enzo says, giving the man a tight smile.
Done with the conversation, we step into the elevator while the doctors head toward Riccardo’s private room.
My angry gaze meets Enzo’s. “Jesus, Riccardo looks bad.”
“He’s strong.”
“I know,” I growl as the doors open, and we stalk into the hallway. “But this shouldn’t have happened. It’s their fucking honeymoon.”
“We’ll get our revenge.”
Just as we exit the hospital and Raffaele comes toward us, my phone begins to beep with one message after the other.
Seeing they’re all from Rosie, I stop dead in my tracks and check the information she’s sending.
There are photos of Ryo Tanaka and Kentaro at a restaurant in the company of a man who seems to be in his late fifties.
“We’ve got eyes on the fuckers,” I tell Enzo and Raffaele as I turn my phone so they can see. Rosie sends through the location with a short message.
Rosie: They just got to the restaurant. Move now!
We hurry toward the SUVs we rented and pile into the vehicles.
As Raffaele takes the driver's seat and starts the engine, I shoot a reply to Rosie, telling her to send an update if the group leaves the restaurant.
Today, I’m going to make the Yakuza suffer the same way they made us suffer the past two days. They will pay in blood for what they’ve done to Riccardo and Gianna.