Chapter 19
It had been a week.
A whole fucking week since I last saw my wife.
The dim glow of the security monitors illuminated the desk as I scoured the CCTV footage for the umpteenth time.
I’d lost count how many times I watched it over the past week, looking for something that wasn’t there.
I’d torn apart every inch of her room, even every inch of mine.
I’d had the grounds searched repeatedly but there was fuck all.
She wasn’t the type to just walk away. She’d shown that on many occasions. I tightened my hold on her dainty wedding band that my hand housed as I rewound the same footage. Maybe I had missed something. There had to be a crack, a glitch, a fucking clue.
“Renz, I think it’s time you stop.” Nicolo sighed as he entered the office. “There’s nothing on there.”
“There has to be something, Nic. Something I’ve carelessly missed.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated and borderline angry.
“Listen, how well do you know that guard at the gate? Kip, I think his name is,” Nicolo asked, tapping his index finger against his lips.
I may not have seen Nicolo much, or even spoken to him, but he had always been a good judge of character. “He’s been with us a good couple of years, why?”
“He’s been acting strange this past week. It’s clear he’s on edge whilst trying to hide something,” he muttered. “Something’s off with him.”
My head snapped up, my eyes locking with Nicolo’s. “Define off.”
He shifted his weight as his hand rubbed the back of his neck.
“He’s jumpy. Keeps looking over his shoulder.
His drinking has increased at all hours of the day like he’s trying to drink away guilt.
I could be wrong, but he seems sloppy, and I know you don’t employ sloppy.
” Nicolo had watched the team undetected for the past week at my request. There had been nothing to report until now.
I knew exactly what had to be done. I’d make him speak, I was damn sure of it.
“Bring that fucker to the warehouse,” I demanded. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Gladly.”
I strolled into the warehouse, the same one I’d last seen Anastacia in. Kip was already there. I expected him to be in the same chair Victor was, but I was welcomed by a completely different sight.
Red had chained him to the ceiling, his head hanging limp as his body swayed on his tiptoes.
“Chair not good enough for him, huh?” I chuckled, flicking my cigarette onto the floor.
“Course it’s not. He knows something about our Ana.” Red sneered. “Gino was the one who said I couldn’t hang him yet.”
“Feel free after we get the information we need.” I gave him the green light to end the bastard if he was involved in something he shouldn’t have been. I approached Kip, as he struggled to look at me.
That wouldn’t do
I fisted Kip’s hair, forcing his head back as he gasped. “Wake up.”
“Boss,” he croaked, his voice trembling already. “I didn’t?—”
I didn’t give him a chance to finish. I gripped his neck, squeezing just enough for him to still be able to talk. “Where is my wife, Kip?” I demanded with a storm brewing in my chest.
“I don’t know, Boss. I swear?—”
“Wrong fucking answer.” I tightened my hold on his neck, the chains rattling from above as he thrashed beneath my hand. “Don’t lie to me.” I pulled my knife from my waistband, holding it against his cheek. “You were the last person to see her. You’re the last link,” I growled.
He whimpered as my blade sunk slowly into his flesh. “They blackmailed me. I had no choice,” he cried.
“Who?”
“I don’t know,” he choked, but my grip remained the same. “The men who came to the house wore masks, all three of them.” He struggled against my hold, but I didn’t care. “The one who blackmailed me wasn’t there. I’ve never seen him.”
“And you just watched them take her?!” I sliced my knife from his cheekbone to the corner of his mouth in one swift move.
“I was blackmailed.” He swallowed hard.
“What did they have over you? What was so fucking bad that you failed at your job? That you let them take my fucking wife?!”
“I m-messed up!” he spat, blood spurting from his mouth and onto my shirt. “I was skimming off the top of your shipments, making extra money of my own.”
“And now my wife is paying the price for your stupidity?!” I drove my blade into his shoulder, his piercing cry filling the room.
“They told me they’d hurt her if I didn’t cooperate. They promised if I just let them go, she’d be safe,” he whimpered.
“And you’re sure of that, are you? You’re sure they haven’t harmed a fucking hair on her head?!” I was past angry, my blood boiling at the thought of Ana being hurt in any way.
He sniffled. “They promised.”
The prick was a mess, a mixture of blood, sweat, tears, and who knows what else.
“Oh, they promised, did they?” I growled. “Well, that’s alright then, as long as they promised.” I removed my blade from his shoulder, sinking it into his stomach next. “Are you that stupid?”
“I’m sorry. I—” He yelped, the pain radiating through him. “I l-looped the footage to make it look as though she dodged the cameras or as if she never came home.”
“And her stuff?!” I asked, unable to remain calm at what he was telling me.
“They took it all. Made it seem like she upped and left.”
Images of three masked bastards in my wife’s room, touching every single one of her belongings played in my mind. The thought of killing each one of them spurred me on.
“Red, hand me that cigar cutter,” I demanded, holding out my hand to Red as he placed the cutter into my palm. “You betrayed me, Kip.” I slid the cutter down his pinky finger. Right down to the second knuckle as I clamped them just enough to bite into his skin. “You let them take what’s mine.”
“I’m s-sorry, Boss,” he sobbed. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes filled with more tears, but I had no sympathy, no guilt. I felt nothing.
“Tell me everything. Every word of every single conversation. I want every detail,” I ordered.
“I don’t remember.” His voice trailed off as blood seeped out of him.
I clamped the cutter down on his finger, slicing it off before he could anticipate it happening. “Every single time you don’t remember, you’ll lose a finger, and then I’ll move onto toes. So I suggest you think hard.”
“Please, don’t… I can’t remember every detail. Please,” he pleaded.
“Losing fingers and toes doesn’t seem to be motivating you as much as I expected.” I pondered before knowing what to do. “Red, you continue cutting one by one.” I handed Red the bloody cutter as he stepped towards Kip with a sinister smile.
I retrieved the blowtorch from Finn’s hand. He held it like he already knew what I had in mind. It flicked to life in my hand as I admired Red cutting off Kip’s third finger, his screams piercing through me.
“I don’t think he’s going to take all ten.” Red mutteredbefore cutting off the fourth finger, leaving just the thumb left on Kip’s right hand.
“O-one had a s-snake tattoo on his n-neck,” he panted through the pain, only just managing to get his words out. “It was burned o-off.”
“And the others?” I asked, trailing the flame over his forearm as the flame deliciously licked his skin.
“Fuck!” He screamed through the pain. “I d-don’t know. N-nothing was v-visible,” he said, trembling through ragged breaths.
“Where is she, Kip?” I asked, giving him one last chance.
“I d-don’t know. T-they didn’t g-give any information on t-that.”
“Then it looks like I have no use for you.” I threw the torch to the floor, pressing my blade to his neck. “You should have paid more attention.”
I was about to slice his neck clean open when my phone vibrated in my pocket. “Red, keep cutting until I see who is interrupting.”
Pulling it from my pocket, I swiped open the message from an unknown number. I read them, and they were enough to send me over the edge.
Ah, Lorenzo Ricci, it looks as though you now know your wife didn’t leave you. But maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that she’s no longer yours since you never truly wanted her anyway.
Another message appeared on the screen, but this time there were no words. It was an image. An image of my wife.
Bloody, beaten, and bruised.
Her hair hung around her, limp and matted with blood. Her wrists were bound so tightly, I could see the damage on her skin. Her lip was split in two places, and her eyes were barely open.
She’s a defiant little thing, though, I have to admit. She never wants to do as she’s told, but don’t worry, we’ve taken great care of her.
Taken great care of her?! Look at her! My heart pounded like a drum in my chest, each beat echoing with an intensity that was foreign to me.
An unfamiliar fire ignited within me, a mix of rage and helplessness that surged through my veins.
I could feel the heat rising in my face, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts.
Every fibre of my being screamed for justice, a fury so intense I could almost taste it.
She doesn’t belong to you anymore.
Don’t bother trying to find her. She’s his now.
“Motherfuckers!” I roared, gripping my phone tightly as the messages stopped. All eyes landed on me, including Kip’s.
“Mate, what is it?” Gino questioned, snatching the phone from my hand. It took him a split second to scan the messages. “Shit.”
“Who the fuck has her, Kip?!” I demanded. “This isn’t a game anymore! They’ve hurt her, beaten her to within an inch of her life,” I seethed.
“I-I don’t know,” he whimpered. “I’m s-sorry.” His apology was useless and pathetic, one I didn’t wish to hear again.
I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else.
I strode back to where he hung, not thinking twice as I sliced my blade across his neck, making one clean, perfect cut.
He spluttered for a few seconds before his head drooped.
“Get rid of him,” I said. Red and Finn were more than happy to oblige. “Meet me at the house once it’s done.”
“Where we off to?” Gino asked as he followed me out of the warehouse.
“Victor’s.”
I strode up the steps of Victor’s house, not stopping until I hammered on the door. Within minutes, Florence appeared, pulling it open, her smile fading the second she saw me.
“Where is he?” I asked, not in the mood for pleasantries.
She scowled. “I don’t see how that is any of your business, Lorenzo.”
“I won’t ask again, Florence,”
“His office.” She sighed. “Is it about Anastacia?”
I didn’t answer. She didn’t deserve to know. They didn’t give a shit before, so why now? I stormed down the corridor towards Victor’s office. It was about time he realised all this happened because of him.
I kicked his door in, four pairs of eyes honed in on me, including his.
“Ricci, you seem to have lost your manners.” Victor scoffed, sipping his whiskey, the cigar smoke from the ashtray surrounding him.
My eyes scanned the men as their eyes darted between Victor and me. And, of course, Chad was there.
I slid my phone across Victor’s desk, ignoring his last smartass comment. It took him a second to realise what he was looking at, but then the penny dropped. He was looking at his daughter. His fingers tightened on the phone, his face falling as he took in all the details.
“Still think she’s seeking attention?” I questioned, snatching my phone back from his bandaged fingers.
“I’ll help you find her,” he said quickly and without hesitation. “Whatever it takes, I’ll?—“
“Shut up, Victor,” I snapped, cutting him off.
He flinched, something I had never seen.
Chad stood to interject, but I didn’t even warrant him with a glance.
“You can sit the fuck down, too. This has nothing to do with you, you useless piece of shit.” I slammed my fist on Victor’s desk.
“You thought she was craving attention and being dramatic.”
Victor opened his mouth to protest, but I cut the bastard off, yet again.
“You didn’t want to help before, and I most certainly don’t need your help now,” I sneered. “You’ve done enough damage already.”
“I’ve always tried to protect her! How the hell is this my fault?!” He stood, his chair tumbling to the floor.
“Maybe you need to take a good hard look at who you employ then, Victor, since one of the men that took her had a snake tattoo on his neck. Fair enough, it was burned off, but that’s your mark. Your fucking mark, Victor!”
“That’s absurd!” It was clear he was in denial, his face a picture as if he couldn’t believe anyone on his team, past or present, would betray him.
“There’s nothing absurd about it. Someone you banished took my wife as some sort of vendetta against you,” I sneered.
“You haven’t made one move since seeing Anastacia’s photo,” I said.
“Actually, that’s a lie. You stood up. Well done, father of the year.
” I clapped my hands in a sarcastic gesture as his eyes narrowed.
“You really don’t care about her, do you? ”
“And what? You do?!” he spat. “You don’t care about my daughter.”
I pulled out my gun and held it to his head, right between the eyes, not backing down.
“I will find my wife without your help, Victor,” I could feel Chad’s gun pointed at my back.
Victor gave him orders with his eyes to lower it.
“When I find her, and trust me I will find her, you will stay away from us both.” I informed him.
. “Don’t make me regret not pulling this trigger tonight. ”
“You can’t keep me away from my daughter.”
“I can and I will. You’re only bothered about yourself.” I tucked my gun back into my waistband and turned to leave, not wanting to spend another minute with him.
“I won’t stay away from her,” he called from behind me as I paused at the door.
“Yes, you will. Otherwise, the next search will be for your body.”
I exited the house, not stopping to speak to Florence who stood there unaware of what was going on.
“Boss.” Gino nodded. “How’d it go?”
“Victor is a waste of time and space. We don’t need him.” I slid into the passenger seat.
“Then what do we need?” he asked.
“I need to find my wife and bring her home.”
“And then?” he pressed.
“And then I’ll be the best person I can be for her.” Finding her would be my turning point.
“Well, it’s about damn time.” Gino smiled as he relaxed into the driver's seat.
It was about time. I didn’t know if what happened had knocked some sense into me or whether she had slowly wormed her way in, but I’d been an absolute bastard to her.
Sure, she wasn’t innocent in all this either, but she never wanted this marriage.
She never even wanted me, and of course, I made everything a thousand times worse just by existing.
Anastacia Ricci was the only person who I knew could save me. And just as well, I would be the one to save her.