Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Levi
Giovanna was right, the airlift was really uncomfortable.
Because there were two beds, there was no room to move around.
And we needed some of the medical equipment in case of an emergency.
It was a little scary being up in a plane so soon after the crash.
We still haven’t found out why the plane crashed.
All they’ve said is that it was a mechanical issue.
I know that Lorenzo Mancini, he’s the lawyer in our family, is looking into it.
Felicity and Armando left to go back to Wintervale this morning. I miss her so fucking much.
“Hey, have you heard from Felicity?” Giovanna asks me as she comes into my new room.
“Not yet. But—”
Then I realize that she should’ve texted me an hour ago. I pull my phone out and call her. It rings, then goes to voicemail. So I text her.
Levi: Baby, I just tried to call you. You should’ve landed already…please call or text me
“I’m going to call the pilot and see when they landed. And I need to call my brother and the Marinis. Shit, I’ll text Armando too,” Giovanna says, she sounds worried.
“Should I call Felicity’s brothers?”
“No. Wait till I find out what’s going on. Maybe they’re just late.”
Armando is the oldest of the Marini brothers. They’re part of the Southside Mafia and now part of our Lake Renegade family. I watch and listen to her make her phone calls.
“Sebastiano and Francesco are making some calls.”
I nod and stare at her, my heart monitor is starting to make more noise.
“Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“I would’ve realized how long it’s been no matter what. I just can’t lose her.”
“Trust me, I know the feeling. And you won’t lose her, we won’t let that happen. And honestly, the flight could’ve just been delayed.”
“I may be injured, but I don’t have a head injury. I know you’re lying. Just give it to me straight.”
“I’ve told you what I know. I promise. As soon as I know anything, you’ll know.”
I frown at Giovanna and she gives me a smile. She’s basically my sister and she acts like Leighton and Lynton. So I sigh at her.
“Don’t sigh at me. It’s rude.” She squints at me.
“Yeah,” Tristan says from his bed.
I flip him off as Leighton and Lynton walk into the room.
“Probably a good thing we didn’t bring the kids.” Lynton laughs.
I sigh at my sisters. See? They’re the same. All of them.
A few hours later, my heart monitor is all over the place because I’m worried about Felicity and Armando.
No one’s heard from them and we finally had to call her brothers.
At first they were mad at me for not telling them right away.
But Giovanna got on and told them that was her call.
It seemed to calm them down. They all wanted to come to Lake Renegade, but there’s nothing they can do here.
So they decided to wait till we had more information.
“From what we’ve found out, the plane left Duluth a little late.
But then it landed in Minneapolis, that’s where we lost them.
We can’t get a hold of the pilot and air control says the jet is still parked.
They’re sending someone to board it. It took a while because Lorenzo had to get the paperwork in order.
Even though it’s our plane, he had to get them the permission to board.
So that’s what we’re waiting on,” Sebastiano says to us.
“And before you ask, we’re sending some of our family there now.
They’re already on a flight to Minneapolis. ”
It’s like he knew what I was going to ask. I hate being stuck in this fucking bed. I need to find Felicity.
“Are you sure you can’t discharge us?” I ask Giovanna.
“No. You had major surgery two days ago. You had a fucking pipe sticking out of your side. I understand why you want to be out. But no.”
“You can let me out. I only have minor injuries,” Tristan says.
Giovanna glares at him.
“I wouldn’t fuck with my sister.” Sebastiano laughs at the two of us.
Again, I sigh at them.
“What did I tell you about sighing at me?” Giovanna frowns at me.
“Is he doing that to you too? Fuck’s sake, Levi.” Leighton shakes her head at me.
I just stare at all of them. Apparently I’m not going to win this battle.
“Waiting is making me crazy. And the fact that I can’t do anything is even worse.”
“I get that. But if you hurt yourself more, what good are you to Felicity?” Giovanna says to me.
Fuck. I hate when they’re right. So I shut my mouth and wait.
Felicity
An hour into our flight back to Wintervale, the pilot informed us that he needs to land in Minneapolis. When I asked him why, he said there’s an emergency light that keeps coming on. I look at Armando and he’s frowning.
“When we land, I want you to stay close to me,” he whispers to me.
I nod and watch the pilot, he keeps looking back at us and talking quietly into his headset. I wish my damn phone worked up here.
Armando tries to get us closer to the door before we land, but the attendant that’s on the plane with us told him we need to stay seated. I’m starting to panic because I know something’s going on.
As soon as the wheels touch the tarmac, the attendant has a gun pointed at us.
“If you just cooperate, this will go smoothly. If you don’t? Well, we’ve got permission to shoot one of you.” He smiles at us.
“What is this about? You want us to follow your lead and not make a scene? Then tell us what the fuck you’re doing.” Armando frowns.
“You don’t need to know. What you do need to know is that if you decide to be a hero, you’re fucking dead.”
Armando laughs. “You think you can take me out? I’d like to see you try.”
The attendant puts the gun in Armando’s face. I can’t help the tears that start to fall. Armando doesn’t even flinch.
“Don’t be a fucking hero,” he says as he hits him in the head with the butt of the gun.
Armando wipes the blood that’s dripping down his face. Then he takes my hand and pulls me close to him. We follow the attendant off the plane with the pilot coming up behind us.
“If you make a scene, we’ll be forced to do something you won’t like. So play it cool and we’ll all be happy in the end. Got it?” the pilot says to us.
I look up at Armando and I watch him slowly nod. I know he has some kind of plan. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my Lake Renegade family is that they always have a plan. I just wish I knew what it was. I’m so fucking scared right now. Armando squeezes my hand.
We walk into a side entrance and into a room.
“Sit down, shut up and wait for someone to come back and get you.”
Armando and I sit and watch them leave the room. He gets his phone out and sends some texts.
“They’re pretty dumb to leave us with our phones,” I whisper to him.
“I think they’re banking on us trying to call for help.
I don’t know who they’re really after so I don’t want to take too many chances.
I just texted my papà, he’ll let the rest of the family know what’s going on.
Right now we need to get out of here when they come back.
The problem is I don’t know where we are. ”
I move my chair closer to Armando.
“When they come back, just follow my lead. We’ll find a way out of this.”
“Okay,” I say as I watch the door.