Chapter 6 Sophia
Sophia
The guard goes to reach for my arm, and I pull away. “No disrespect but I’m not going with you.” I turn to Massimo. “We both have family to save. I’m going whether you like it or not. I can go with you now, or find another way, and we both know that no one stops a Cassone.”
His jaw locks tight and a twinge of conscience hits me knowing I’m making him worry, causing him grief when he should be focusing on his mom, but it’s my sister and father who are missing too.
I instinctively walk farther from him, leaving him no choice as I head to the car.
This time, he doesn’t stop me, and by the time I’ve reached the vehicle, he’s right beside me.
Massimo holds the back door open for me and gestures for Delz to get in the front seat with Jimmy who’s giving him the glare from hell. Luckily Delz can hold his own with most people, but most people didn’t almost kill him and the family he was guarding in an attack on the Cassone property.
I tap Delz on the shoulder and he turns in his seat to face me. “What do you know about Anna?” How long has she been gone from the estate? She has to be due by now.”
The look on his face is one of utter confusion, but he tries to play it off only I’m pretty good at reading expressions. “Tell me what’s going on.”
He glances at Massimo and Massimo gives him a nod. “Tell her.”
Now my blood is racing. Anna has to be okay. I’ll never forgive my father for putting us in this situation if he’s gotten Anna or my little niece or nephew hurt in any way. Papa and her asshole fiancé Barcelo. I can barely believe this is really happening at all.
Delz runs a hand over his scruff. “I’m not sure what Anna told you, or why, but she’s not pregnant, Sophia.
At least she wasn’t when she went underground with Barcelo.
He went first and called for her. She insisted on being taken to where he is staying, and your father ordered her to be taken to him.
As far as we know, she’s where she wants to be, Sophia. ”
I gasp. “Delz, you let her go?” I cry.
The look he gives me is one of regret. “It seemed like she wanted to go, Sophia.” Massimo takes my hand, running a finger along the top of my palm. “Sophia, we’ll learn more shortly.”
I immediately feel remorse. He doesn’t need to say the words.
Delz works for them, or at least did, there’s no way he’s in a position to disobey a direct order from the don of the Cassones without catching a bullet in the head the minute the refusal leaves his lips, but still, the thought of her alone with that man knowing what I do now sends a chill of fear snaking down the length of my spine.
Delz shifts in his seat. “My job was to keep her safe during transport. I’m sure that’s where they’re staying now though. Everyone ready to go?”
Massimo nods. “We’re waiting for Leandro and the boys.
Sophia, we think your sister is being held by Barcelo, and possibly your father.
It’s possible the sadistic fuck has my Mom, Anna, and your father in the same place.
We’re not sure if they are there on their own accord or being held under duress, but we’re going to fucking find out right now.
” Leandro pulls up in his sports car and races over to us, sliding in the back seat by Massimo.
Leandro puts a mag on his gun before sliding it into the holster of his belt and putting his seatbelt on.
“Let’s roll, Jimmy. Enrico and Mario will stay on our tail, slow down when you get to the bend.
Let one of our SUVs get in front of you.
I’ll keep them apprised on where we’re going,” Leandro says.
“And the rest of the crew won’t be far behind. ”
Delz gives Jimmy directions and Leandro types out instruction to the others as we drive around the Jersey shore, into the back roads and far out toward the old, abandoned docks.
My eyes squint watching through the front windshield as drizzle mixed with sleet come down like sheets against the window.
The lights from the SUV ahead of us guide our way as it slows to a crawl, inching forward little by little through the muddy road, passing old metal buildings in the darkness.
“I didn’t think we used the old warehouse anymore, Delz.
” Suddenly that same heightened awareness that pricks my skin, the one that Delz himself taught me to lean into whenever it happened, to trust as my body’s self-preservation, kicks in.
I squeeze Massimo’s hand and give him wide eyes, squeezing his hand tight again and again. Something’s not right.
But he rubs the palm of my hand, not understanding.
Trying to calm me when I want to warn him but not with the potential enemy in the front seat, who can hear every word I say.
But the overwhelming feeling of being led into a trap is suffocating me, causing my heart to race with a fight or flight response and this Cassone plans to fight.
“It’s a trap, Massimo. We haven’t used these for years.
They’re going to have men waiting for us! ”
Delz turns and fucking smiles at Jimmy. A huge grin that almost causes my heart to stop.
“What did I tell you? She’s the smartest Cassone.
When her instincts kick in, you better watch your fucking ass.
Especially if she’s got a weapon because she’ll put you on the ground before you have time to blink.
I know, as little as she is, she’s put me on the ground many a fucking time. ”
Massimo slides an arm around me and pulls me close.
“Jimmy was given a job. He had to make sure everyone in our circle was loyal. I’ll explain everything later,” he whispers as Jimmy takes a turn and heads to another dock father down the road.
My throat burns like acid though. He doesn’t need to tell me shit, I already know.
It was a test, to see where my loyalties stood.
I just wonder whose test it was and my guess would be on Jimmy or Leandro, but the thought that Massimo may have been involved or didn’t at least stop it causes my heart to hurt.
He doesn’t even trust me now, after all we’ve been through.
Massimo is busy giving orders though and I have to focus on what we’re here to do and not on emotions that I can’t do anything about.
“Have the guys slow down. Wait until we hear the helicopters and then go in quietly,” he says.
“According to Delz they’re in the last one, but they may be downstairs.
We may need to flush them out with the helicopters so be careful with the gas. Mother and Anna come out alive.”
My voice comes out sounding cracked. “My father?”
Massimo’s dark eyes meet mine. “We try to bring your father out alive too, but not at the risk of Anna or my mother.”
My chest tightens and blood races as my mind tries to process everything that’s happening, trying to pull all the pieces together as quickly as I can.
It’s the only explanation but my mind firmly tries to reject the idea that Delz is a traitor to the Cassones.
It just can’t be. He’s been with the Cassones for years.
But yet, it’s the only thing that makes sense.
And Massimo, the one who told me to trust him, made me trust him with my body and soul, didn’t trust me?
It was a test? Dammit, I know it makes sense from Jimmy’s perspective.
If he’s looking for rats in the family how can he overlook their worst enemy’s daughter, who now sits in the middle of their circle, with the boss no less.
Fucking mafia families. I may know how we work but that doesn’t make it feel one bit better.
I tap Delz on the shoulder, ignoring the heat of Massimo’s stare. Delz turns, at least giving me the eye to eye contact I deserve. “How long have you been on the Roselli’s payroll? You at least owe me an honest answer.”
He didn’t lie to me growing up, always told it to me straight and he does the same thing now.
“Since your father decided that Barcelo should take over and let one of the most ruthless bastards alive start giving our men orders, and orders that put you and your sister in jeopardy. Sophia, my duty was always to keeping you safe. I promised your mother many, many years ago, and that’s a promise I plan to take to the grave no matter what I have to do to keep it. ”
My eyes narrow at the man who’s taken care of me for years. “And making me jump out the window? What was that?”
He looks at Jimmy, who’s intent on the road as he follows it down to the water, then at Massimo, and finally me. “Let’s say it was a test all the way around. I wanted to make sure you were as safe as they professed you to be and I needed time with you alone to make sure of that.”
Massimo slides his arm around me, but I scoot closer to the window, shrugging off his touch.
Keeping a vigilant eye and ear out for the sound and sight of a helicopter.
I’ll recognize the sound after the last time they sent the bird in to rescue me, but this time I won’t be in a warehouse with a tin roof when they fly over. “Delz?”
“Yes?”
“You think my dad sold me and Anna out? Did he know that Barcelo ordered the hit on the Rosellis’ trucks?
” I know it’s putting him on the spot, but I also know that if he’s working for the Rosellis and has been since Barcelo started running things unofficially that everyone in the car already knows the answer to the question, it’s just that no one has bothered to tell me.
Delz looks to Massimo for confirmation, and he nods, but that just pisses me off even more. “I thought your allegiance was to me. From where I sit, it looks like it’s to Massimo.”
He has the good grace to let out a long sigh. “Sophia, you know how this works. I work for the Rosellis but my job is to protect you. I’ll continue doing that.”
“As long as you keep your fucking hands off her, otherwise you’ll be no good to anyone walking around with no hands or legs,” Massimo says calmly, causing Delz to give me a look I’ve long since become used to.
The same one that he gave me when I was trying to do something Papa would not like.
Getting him into trouble for something frivolous with danger implications, he called it.
“No need to cut off his hands, Massimo. I just might blow off his head if he doesn’t tell me what I want to know. Delz, I mean it, I want to know. Tell me because regardless of what Massimo thinks, I’m old enough to decide and you work for me.”
A loud noise overhead causes Massimo to lean into the front seat. “The fuckers will be scrambling after we raided them last time. Have our men move in now,” Massimo orders gruffly, all thought of our conversation gone in a second as we focus on a hell storm in the sky.
The sounds of the whirring blades get closer. Two huge helicopters fly right over us in the darkness of the sky. Delz points up ahead. “There!” he shouts. “See the light. They’re making a beeline to the fucking cars in the distance.”
“Move in faster,” Massimo growls. Leandro barks orders into his cell as quick as they come from his older brother and tires squeal in the night.
My whole body tenses as the light from the helicopter shines down into the abandoned docks and a shadow I’d recognize anywhere races from the building, quickly ducking behind another. My breath catches. “Barcelo.”
“I see the fucker,” Massimo says but his soldiers up front have already seen him and gunfire lights the sky all around us as we drive full speed into the periphery of a turf war that’s exploded into so much more and with so much at stake.
Shot after shot, and ricocheting bullets from above spray the terrain as the helicopters swoop in clearing the way.
Gunfire explodes all around us, shot after shot, me squinting from the back seat as we inch forward in the car, Jimmy keeping us far from the direct line of fire.
Still not one sign of Massimo’s mother, my sister, or father.
As if reading my mind Massimo leans toward the front. “Go in for them, Delz. Leandro will have the men covering you compagno. Keep in contact.” Without hesitation the front right car door opens long enough for Delz to roll out and for Jimmy to lean over and pull the door closed.
Leandro lets out an exaggerated breath as he types out another message on his phone.
“The men are following Barcelo, but he went into another warehouse. Delz is the only one who knows the warehouses and tunnels along the dock. Barcelo could have a boat moored anywhere along the fucking coast, Massimo,” Leandro says.
“Let Delz follow him. See what they can find. We keep our eye on the ball right now.” He squeezes my hand in reassurance. “Mom and Anna first, then her dad, and then we go after the bastards.