Chapter Twenty-Nine
ORAZIO
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A sense of dread washed over him as soon as he ended the call with Monique. Standing in his father’s library, he stared out the window. The rain had stopped a while ago. He wished it had rained on the casino’s side of town.
If so, maybe Monique would’ve stayed inside instead of going out for food and drinks. There were restaurants in his casino. They had boutiques, bars, a spa, and a theater. Everything she needed was there.
Yet, she’d gone out for food. Raz sighed. Why was he blaming her? It wasn’t like he’d told her to stay at the casino. In fact, he’d left his car with her so she could leave the casino . He’d wanted her to go out and have fun.
He couldn’t blame her. He blamed his current situation for the way he was feeling. This shit with Trevor and the Tatums had him feeling... unsettled . If only he’d fucked Trevor up right after the bastard divorced Monique, they wouldn’t be going through this now.
If the casino hadn’t encountered some trouble during that time and needed Orazio’s full attention, Trevor would already be dead. While Orazio had been handling business, Trevor had gone underground, damn near disappearing completely.
Raz had known he’d had someone helping him, but he hadn’t expected the Tatums to be on the list of Trevor’s backers. But that wasn’t what worried him the most. After the first night he’d seen Monique and decided he had to have her, he’d had cameras put up in Monique’s neighborhood, and a team had been tasked with keeping an eye on those cameras for him.
He hadn’t trusted Trevor to stay away from her. On the cameras, his team had once caught someone snooping around her window late at night. A guard had gone to check it out. The guy got away.
Since then, there had been two other encounters of someone pulling up to her house in the middle of the night and just sitting in the car. When he’d had the tag for that car traced, it came up stolen. The incident reeked of Trevor.
Because of those incidents, Orazio had new cameras put up. Cameras equipped with facial recognition. If Trevor went to her house now, those cameras would snap his photo and run it through the database.
Once verification was made, Raz and his team would be alerted right away. They’d put those same cameras up around the casino the night after Monique had stepped to Orazio because of a dare from her friends. Raz smiled at the memory.
Maybe he was worrying for nothing. Even without a guard, he’d put precautions in place to keep her safe. His mind knew that. Yet, his heart couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Raz found himself sighing again. Why hadn’t she taken a guard? Why hadn’t he ordered a guard to go with her? Perhaps he hadn’t told her to take a guard because he hadn’t wanted to frighten her. But he’d rather have her afraid and safe than unafraid and in danger.
Fuck! Raz massaged his forehead in an attempt to ease the dull ache building behind his eyes. But there was no stopping the headache from forming. He wouldn’t be able to work if he didn’t take care of this right now. Raz dialed Leo’s number. The guard answered on the third ring.
“Hey, boss,” Leo answered.
“Why didn’t you go with Monique and her friends on their outing?”
“Because Toya told me if I came near them, she’d stab me twenty-three times.”
Raz inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. Why did women have to be so damn violent?
“And you let that stop you?” Raz asked.
“Yes. Plus, your father already told me to come by the estate in time for your meeting with the Tatums.”
“Change of plans. I need you to go to the restaurant Monique is at. Follow them back to the casino without them knowing, and keep an eye on them for me.”
“You want me to spy on your girlfriend?”
“I want you to protect her in my absence. You have time to do that and then come here for the meeting. Cas and I still have to go to Club Belview to grab Jacob.”
“You sure he’s at the club? It’s still kind of early.”
“Yeah, he’s there. Cas knows one of the bartenders. The guy told Cas that Jacob rented the club to throw a private party for his two girlfriends.”
“Two girlfriends? Lucky bastard! I can’t even get one.”
“I can barely handle one,” Raz joked. “Since we still have to grab Jacob, you have time to make sure Monique returns to the casino safely.”
“There haven’t been any more Trevor sightings, has there?”
“No. Still, I feel uneasy. I won’t feel comfortable until I’ve buried him.”
“Alright. Text me the restaurant’s address.”
“One sec.” Raz opened the app on his phone to track his car. He rattled off the address to Leo.
“Got it,” Leo told him. “Heading that way now. Then I’ll come to the estate.”
“Thanks, Leo.”
“This isn’t free. I expect a bonus.”
Raz chuckled. “Understood.”
He ended the call just as Cas entered the room.
“You ready?” his brother asked.
Raz nodded as he slid his phone back into his pocket.
“I told the bartender to try and get the guards away from the front door,” Cas told him.
“How many people are present?”
“Not many for now. He says there are only a few staffers there for the party, along with a couple of bartenders and dancers. No guests. Just Jacob, his two lady friends, and his guards until later tonight. That’s when the main party starts.”
“If your guy can clear the door, that would help,” Raz stated. “Where’s dad?”
“On the phone. He’s sending a car to trail us in case something goes wrong.”
“Did you tell him we were leaving?”
“I did. He knows where to meet us after we grab Jacob. Then we can all travel to the Tatum estate together with our present.”
“Good.”
“With our alive present,” Cas pressed, emphasizing the word alive.
“I have no intention of killing Jacob unless I have to. But I do plan to fuck him up very badly. A lost limb should show the Tatums we mean business. And if they try this shit again, their son won’t lose a limb. He’ll lose his life. As for Bethany, I’ll insist this state is too small for both you and her to live in. She has to live somewhere else, or Jacob loses his life. This seems fair and reasonable to me.”
Cas chuckled. “Fair and reasonable? Only in our world would this be fair and reasonable.”
“Our world is the world we live in.”
Cas nodded as he moved to stare out the window. “Do you think our world is too much for someone like Monique?”
Raz glanced at his brother. “You’re not asking because you want to know if it’s too much for Monique. You’re asking because of Meka, right?”
Cas smiled.
“You like her that much that you want to bring her into our world?” Raz asked.
“Like? I passed like a while back,” Cas told him.
“How? When? How the hell did you even meet her when you rarely leave the casino?”
“Brother, I’ll tell you all about me and Meka’s wild story after our meeting.”
“Okay. To answer your question, do I think they can handle being in our world...” Raz paused. “I think they can. I also think we’ll have to change our world a little to ensure they can handle it.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing,” Cas started before the door to the library opened and a guard stepped in.
“Orazio, Caspari, it’s time. Are you ready for a briefing?” the guard, Thomas, asked.
Raz nodded.
“Your car is ready and waiting out front,” Thomas told them. “Weapons and gear are in the trunk, and a four-man security team, led by Isaiah, will be trailing you. Don Cattaneo and the second security team, led by Leo, will be waiting for you at the rendezvous spot after you grab the target. A cleaner crew is already stationed near the club. As soon as they see you leaving the club, they’ll go in to clean up any mess made. If you encounter any problems, call me.”
“I got it,” Raz told him before facing Cas. “You ready?”
“More than ready,” his brother replied.
Together, they followed Thomas to the front of the house and then outside.
“I’m driving,” Cas announced, taking the keys from Thomas.
“I’m not going to fight you over it,” Raz told him.
Before getting into the car, they checked their personal weapons. Then they checked the trunk and were pleased with what they saw. After doing a weapons check, they climbed into the vehicle.
Cas started the engine, and they were off with a security detail following behind them. About five minutes into the drive, Raz’s phone rang.
“Is that your woman calling to check up on you?” Cas asked.
“I wish,” Raz stated. “What’s up, Leo?”
“They weren’t at the restaurant. Are you sure you gave me the correct address?”
“What?” A cold shiver slithered down his spine. “Wait....” He lowered the phone from his ear to check the tracking app. He breathed a relieved sigh when he saw that the car was on the move. “They’ve left the restaurant. It looks like they’re heading to Monique’s house.” Why the hell would she go there? “Go to Monique’s house and follow them back to the casino before going to the estate.”
“This is going to cost you more.”
“I’ll pay it. Go!”
“Okay, boss.” Leo ended the call.
“Something wrong?” Cas asked, gaze darting to him. “Is Meka okay?”
“They’re fine. I’d just rather have them at the casino today.”
“Then why the hell did you give them your car?”
“I don’t fucking know!” Raz leaned his head back against the seat.
“If there was one day, one time that we should’ve locked them up, today is that day. Right now is that time. Instead, you sent them out into the world alone.”
“I know,” Raz said, staring out the window. “Look, we can’t afford to be distracted. They’re safe. Leo is going to follow them home before heading to the estate. We don’t have anything to worry about.” I hope. I pray. Fuck it. I’m worried.
It was Cas’s turn to sigh in frustration. They continued the rest of the drive in silence, with both men lost in their thoughts. When they arrived at the club, they parked in the club’s lot while their security detail continued down the street, finding a place to park and wait while Raz and Cas exited their vehicle and headed to the front door.
They were both happy to see there wasn’t a guard standing out front. They entered the club and strode a few paces before three big, burly men appeared. One looked pissed off.
“This is what happens when you don’t stay outside,” the biggest guard with a ball head told the man next to him. “People come in off the street.”
Orazio chuckled. Did he look like some random motherfucker off the street? He stared behind the guard to the roped-off area that was separated from other sections by a red velvet curtain.
“Excuse me,” the bald man guarding the entrance to the VIP area said, his broad shoulders and stern expression making his intentions clear. “This section is reserved for a private event.”
“We know. Today is Jacob Tatum’s girlfriend’s birthday party or some shit like that,” Orazio replied. His dark eyes locked onto the guards, daring him to deny them entry.
“Exactly,” the guard said, shifting his stance. “I’m afraid I can’t let you in without an invitation. And don’t say you have an invite. Because none were sent out.”
“Relax, big guy,” Cas chimed in, his tone dripping with charm. “We’re not here to crash the party. We just want to have a little chat with our friend Jacob.”
“Sorry, but I can’t allow that.” The guard crossed his arms as he glared at them.
“We’re going to talk to Jacob, whether you like it or not,” Orazio stated, his patience wearing thin. “You can either step aside, or we’ll make you.”
The guard chuckled. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, darker. “Alright, gentlemen. You’ve been warned.”
“So have you,” Orazio replied, his voice laced with menace.
The bald guy moved to unfold his arms from over his chest. Orazio threw the first punch, fist connecting with the guard’s chin before the man could lower his arms. The impact sent the big man stumbling back, giving Orazio the opening he needed.
Raz punched the guard in the throat, and before the guard could catch his breath, Raz punched him in the stomach, causing him to double over.
“That’s all you got, brother?” Cas taunted, flashing a wicked grin before launching himself into the fray. “You used to fight better than that,” Cas yelled as he swung a chair at one guard, the force of the blow knocking the guard off balance. A second guard lunged at Cas, but his brother sidestepped the attack, grabbing the man’s arm and twisting it behind his back.
Orazio focused on his own opponent, ducking a wild swing and retaliating with a vicious uppercut. Gritting his teeth, he reveled in the satisfying crunch of bone. With a predatory glint in his eyes, he grabbed a nearby bottle and smashed it over the guard’s head, sending him crumpling to the ground like a ragdoll.
Two more guards rushed from the back. Raz raised his fists as one approached with a bat. He ducked the swing. Wind swooshed past his ear as the bat barely missed striking his head. Raz kicked the bat holder in the chest, sending him sprawling to the floor.
As the fight raged on, tables and chairs became their weapons, being thrown, shattered, and used as shields amid the chaos. The bartenders and girls who’d been dancing on a stage fled the club.
The sound of shattering glass and splintering wood filled the air, punctuated by the grunts and shouts of the brawling men. Cas and Raz had fought together all their lives. They were great at watching each other’s backs while protecting their fronts.
It didn’t take them long to bring down the guards who were more muscle than skills. A little bloodied and bruised, Orazio and Cas were finally the last ones standing, with the guards lying on the floor around them. Orazio started toward the private VIP area, with Cas following closely behind him.
“You’re getting old,” Cas told Raz. “It used to take you less time to finish a fight against that number of opponents.”
“That’s because I usually had Rome with me,” Raz teased, speaking of his middle brother. “He’s a better fighter than you.”
Cas laughed as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. Orazio scanned the VIP room for any sign of Jacob Tatum.
“Where did that little fucker go?” he muttered, his eyes narrowing as they darted from corner to corner.
“Found him,” Cas whispered, nodding towards the back door, which was slightly ajar. “Looks like he tried to slip away.”
“He couldn’t have gone far,” Orazio growled, making his way toward the exit.
When they stepped outside, they saw two women in skintight dresses. Hiding behind them was Jacob Tatum. That little weasel was using his girlfriends as shields. Jacob’s eyes widened when he saw Orazio and Cas, fear momentarily flickering across his face before he tried to mask it with a snarl.
“What the fuck do you want?” Jacob yelled, shoving his blond hair out of his face.
“You,” Raz told him. “We’re here for you.”
“Why? I didn’t do shit to you two.”
“Your father did.” Before Jacob could say something else, Raz faced the women. “You two can leave. This doesn’t involve you.”
That was all they needed to hear. They took off running, nearly twisting their ankles in their insanely high heels.
“Get back here. You fucking bitches!” Jacob yelled, then tried to go after them.
“Run, and I’ll put a bullet in the back of your head,” Raz warned, prompting Jacob to stop and face him.
Jacob stared them up and down. “If you had guns, you wouldn’t have fought my guards. You would’ve just shot them.” A smile streaked across Jacob’s face.
Raz didn’t bother telling Jake that they hadn’t wanted to fire their weapons and bring out onlookers. His silence made Jacob believe he was right and caused the bastard’s grin to turn cocky.
“You think you’ve won, huh?” Jacob spat, taking a step back. “What is this supposed to be, some type of warning for my dad? Some type of revenge scheme?” Jacob laughed loudly. “My father was right. You Cattaneos have turned soft. For this, my father will make you two pay worse than my sister made Cas pay for not wanting her.”
Cas’s fists clenched at the mention of Jacob’s sister. The haunted expression on his brother’s face had anger boiling inside Raz like molten lava, ready to erupt. Fuck taking this bastard alive. Perhaps he should let Cas kill him right here, right now.
“Big words from a little man,” Orazio taunted, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “But I don’t think your daddy can save you now. I really want to put my hands on you. But I’ll let my brother handle that.”
Seeing Cas stride forward caused Jacob’s cocky smile to dim. The younger Tatum took a step back.
“What are you doing, Cas?” Jacob asked.
“Your dad called us soft. I’m about to prove him wrong,” Cas answered before lunging toward Jacob.
Cas was on him in an instant, fist connecting with Jacob’s cheek. Jacob’s smug expression morphed into one of pain and shock as Cas beat him mercilessly. His attempts to fight back were futile against the onslaught of Cas’s rage.
Cas had been holding a lot in over the past few months. And now, he was letting that anger out on Jacob. Raz almost felt sorry for the bastard. Almost . Cas knocked Jacob to the ground. Jacob tried to crawl back toward the club.
“Talk that shit you was just talking,” Cas growled, following the crawling man. Snatching Jacob up, Cas slammed him against the wall before violently punching him in the stomach.
“Please...stop,” Jacob wheezed, blood dripping down his chin. He was trembling and gasping for air, his bravado shattered.
“Did your dad consider stopping when he fucked with our family?” Cas snarled, delivering another blow to Jacob’s ribs. “Did your sister consider what would happen to me when she told that fucking lie?” Cas yelled, landing another blow to Jacob’s ribs. Jacob coughed up blood.
“Enough, Cas,” Orazio said, stepping closer. “We need him alive.” His eyes never left Jacob’s, ensuring the message was clear: he was only spared because they allowed it.
Cas was reluctant to stop. Raz had to call his brother’s name three more times to get him to stop punching Jacob. Finally, Cas stepped back, allowing Jacob to drop to the ground.
“You good?” Raz asked his brother. When Cas nodded, Raz said, “Help me get him to the car.”
With another nod, Cas got to work. Together, they dragged Jacob to their car, where they tied his hands and feet using the rope from the duffle in the trunk. They made sure the knots were tight enough to prevent any chance of escape.
“Let’s get him out of here. It’s time to meet up with dad,” Orazio said, casting one last glance at Jacob, who was battered and bruised with tears streaming down his cheeks as he struggled to spit the gag out of his mouth.
“Get comfortable, Tatum,” Cas sneered, slamming the door shut. “It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”
As they climbed into the front seats, Orazio couldn’t help but feel a dark satisfaction at the sight of Jacob Tatum, bound and beaten, lying at their mercy. It was a small taste of justice for Cas. His brother deserved it. If they didn’t need the bastard alive, Raz would’ve let Cas torture the fucker.
“Step on it, Cas,” Orazio urged. “We don’t have much time.”
Cas floored it, his bruised knuckles tightly clutching the steering wheel. As they pulled onto the main road, the security car pulled up behind them. They had Jacob, and their detail was in place. Everything was going according to plan.
But they couldn’t relax yet. Raz stared forward, mind racing ahead to what they had to do next. A few minutes later, a horn honked behind them. Raz looked back to find a black SUV driving beside their security car. The SUV slammed into the security car. Their security team swerved but kept going.
“Fuck! It must be some of Jacob’s men,” Raz stated.
“I’m not about to let Tatum’s goons catch up to us.” Cas floored the accelerator, his eyes darting between the rearview mirror and the road ahead.
Jacob’s bodyguards’ car had managed to get in front of their security team and was hot on their tail, weaving through traffic in a desperate attempt to catch up.
“Damn it,” Orazio muttered under his breath, watching the pursuing vehicle with growing concern. “I don’t have time for this shit. No matter what, we can’t let them take Jacob.”
“Leave them to me,” Cas drawled. “I’ve got this.”
With a sudden, daring swerve, Cas guided their car into a tight alleyway, barely wide enough for a single vehicle. The car behind them hesitated briefly before following suit, their car nearly slamming into the graffiti-covered wall.
“Nice move,” Orazio remarked, impressed by his brother’s driving. “But we’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Trust me,” Cas replied, his eyes alight with excitement. “I’m just getting started.”
As they sped down the alley, Cas smoothly navigated around dumpsters. The bodyguards struggled to keep up, their bulkier car scraping against the walls in their haste.
“We’re almost to the main road. Hold on,” Cas whispered.
Raz leaned back in the seat as Cas whipped the car left, turning onto the main road. They swerved left then right before Cas was able to get them back on track. Luckily, no other vehicles were driving in that direction. His move slowed the guards down.
“See?” Cas teased. “Told you I had it under control.”
“Good job,” Orazio admitted, casting a glance over his shoulder at their captive.
Jacob glowered back at him, defiance burning in his eyes despite his battered state. Raz’s cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and noticed that his knuckles were bruised. He couldn’t let his Rosa see that. That would make her worry about him.
“Hello,” Raz said into the receiver.
“They’re gone,” Leo told him, voice low, tone dark.
“What?” Raz asked, unable to process Leo’s words.
“They’re gone. I’m at Monique’s house. Your car is here. The front door of her home was open. But the ladies are not here. And, Raz, there’s signs of struggle.”
Raz’s breath caught in his throat. Gone? Gone!
“What happened?” Cas asked.
Raz couldn’t answer. He was finding it hard to breathe.
“I checked the camera footage on my phone,” Leo told him. “Raz, the damn cameras were on a loop. They’ve been replaying the same shit over and over again for almost two hours. They don’t even show Monique pulling up to her house.”
“How?” Raz rasped, managing only to get that word out.
“I called the casino to check. I couldn’t reach the security guys. I called Mitchell and told him to check the security office. James, our security guy, was found dead in the security office. And Matthew, the other tech on duty today, is missing. Mitchell checked the casino’s cams, and they showed Matthew leaving over an hour ago. He rushed to his car while talking on his phone. He hasn’t returned, so the fucker didn’t go out for lunch. I’ve sent some guys to his house. Behind Monique’s home is an alley that leads to another street of houses. I found car tracks through her backyard and the alley. I’m looking into it now.”
“I’m on my way,” Raz said, no longer giving a fuck about Jacob in the back seat or the Tatums.
“What happened?” Cas yelled.
Raz was about to tell him, but without warning, Jacob’s bodyguards’ car reappeared in their rearview mirror, barreling toward them at breakneck speed. The car collided with full force into the back of Orazio and Cas’s vehicle, sending them careening off the road.
Cas jerked the car back onto the road, but the guards were there, hitting them again. The car clipped the front end of their vehicle. The impact sent them veering off the road, skidding across the asphalt, then the gravel of the emergency lane.
Tires screeched as Cas fought to get control of the car to keep them from going over the shoulder of the road and dropping into the ditch below. They were hit again, and their car went tumbling over.
Raz’s head jerked back. A whirlwind of shattered glass, twisted metal, and panicked shouts filled the air as their car flipped and crashed into the ditch below. Everything went dark as pain sliced through his head and side.
His last thoughts were of Monique. He had to find her. He had to save her. But he was in no condition to do anything. He couldn’t even move his body. Neither could he keep his eyes open. Darkness dragged him under, keeping him from the woman he loved, the woman he’d failed to protect. Gone . His Rosa was gone.
And so was he.