CHAPTER V #2
“Mayor Walsh mentioned he spoke through encrypted channels with someone about Gigi. He also brought up someone I know named Davina,” I said, taking a long drink from my glass. But the burn of the liquor did little to ease the tension coiling in my gut.
“Have you managed to track down this Davina?” Alphonse asked.
“No, not yet,” I admitted. “But my men won’t stop until they do.” I kept mulling over the mayor’s words in my head, trying to understand what role Davina had in all of this. What would she have gained that would make her agree to work with him? But nothing came to mind.
My phone vibrated against the table. Glancing down, I saw a text from Lo flash across the screen.
Lo
Any luck with Gigi’s whereabouts?
I clenched my jaw. Gigi’s absence was an open wound that pulsated painfully with each passing moment. No matter how many bandages I applied, blood laced with regret oozed through the cracks. The only treatment that would soothe the deep-seated ache was my angel.
No.
Lo
We’ll find her. Don’t give up.
We have to. There’s no other option.
Just as I was about to close the chat, a call from Matteo came through.
“I need to take this,” I said, standing up before stepping out onto the patio. The cool night air hit me like a slap, grounding me for a moment.
“Matteo,” I answered, closing the glass doors behind me. “Is everything alright?”
“You motherfucker!” he barked.
“Watch you tone, Matteo,” I warned. “Remember who the fuck you’re talking to.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Italy? I had to hear it from Lo.”
“Because Mya needed you. Aurelio needed you.”
Matteo sighed. He knew I was right. There was no way I was going to ask him to leave their sides when they needed him most.
“Nothing Luca and I can’t handle without you, Matteo,” I assured him.
“ Is there something to handle?” he asked.
“Nothing yet. Just trying to formulate a plan to get Gigi back.”
“What’s the situation at the shipping docks? Any chatter or unusual activity?” I asked, needing to change the subject.
“Nah. Uncle Alessio is thorough with extra security. No unusual movements so far. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” he said.
“Let’s hope it means business is back to normal,” I said, trying to maintain a semblance of optimism.
“How’s Mya?” I asked.
“She’s been in and out of it, but the doctors are hopeful she’ll recover.”
A smile broke through my grim demeanor. “That’s good to hear.”
I glanced back when I heard the sound of patio doors sliding open and saw Luca nodding toward Alphonse, who was now on the phone.
“Matteo, I gotta go. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Alright, boss.”
We hung up, and I followed Luca back inside, noting Alphonse had just finished his call. He tossed his phone onto the table with a frustrated sigh.
“What’s going on?” I asked, closing the patio doors.
“My men have come up empty-handed. They couldn’t get a single trace of him. No face recognition, nothing.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snapped.
“No. I don’t kid .” Alphonse’s brow furrowed deeper.
Luca shrugged. “Makes sense. He’s built connections in Chicago. He could be in one of our cities.” He turned to me. “We need to be smarter than him, Nico. We can’t just go busting down his door and not expect him to use Gigi to retaliate.”
“You’re telling me a man like that can just disappear into thin air?” I shot back.
No one was that good. He was bound to slip up.
Alphonse leaned forward, steepling his fingers.
“Yes. Look at what he’s already accomplished.
The fucker had years to put his plan into place.
Years. He planted a mole in your house and stole your shipments.
Don’t forget he managed to blow up a fucking hole in your basement and take my daughter.
” He paused, his words settling like a weight.
“He’s been pulling strings and using you as his marionettes. ”
“He’s not just hiding. He’s adapting . I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s gone as far as having plastic surgery to hide his identity,” Dante interjected.
Alphonse’s eyes narrowed. “Surgery? You think he’s gone that far?”
“Without a doubt,” Dante replied. “He’s been biding his time, waiting until he had the full strength to build an army to take us out.”
“Or it could be that someone else is working with him,” Luca added.
Alphonse rubbed his temples. “If he’s building an army, or working with someone else, then we need to infiltrate his ranks, find out who his key players are, like the mayor.”
Tension radiated through my shoulders and neck as the muscles clenched, a painful throbbing starting behind my eyes. “You expect me to wait around while you do that, and I do nothing and hope this fucker doesn’t follow through with this threat?”
Alphonse shook his head, his expression hardening.
“No. I didn’t say that. When I said we , I meant all of us.
I’m trying to explain to you that we need a plan.
You don’t understand how he operates, how he thinks.
But I do.” He pointed to himself. “He wants my empire and will do whatever he can to get my attention one way or another. This is his game we’re playing.
He’ll fuck with your head to the point of insanity, all while you’re left wondering what his next move will be. ”
I started to pace the room, anger surging through me as I ran my hands through my hair. This was a nightmare beyond comprehension. I wanted my angel back safely in my arms, in my bed—to kiss every inch of her curves and caress her soft skin.
“Go back home, Nico. There’s nothing for you to do here.”
“And what are you going to do?” I shot back.
“Don’t question me.” He gave me a pointed stare. “We find him. We find her. I suggest you gather the other leaders and find every trafficking ring he may have in the States. I imagine he has more than one.”
He rose to his feet, slipping his hands into his pockets.
“I’m not sure I like you yet or trust you since my daughter was taken while under your roof.
But I will give you the benefit of the doubt because I want to find my daughter more than anything.
” He stepped forward, invading my space until we were inches apart.
“But if you hurt her again or if she dies, I’m coming for you, Nico Moretti.
I will slice your throat, cut you into tiny little pieces, and feed you to stray dogs. Do we understand each other?”
“Crystal clear,” I replied in a monotone. But deep inside me, a grin tugged at the corners of my lips. I wouldn’t put it past him to follow through on his threats.
Fucker was a notorious bastard. A man whose reputation for ruthlessness preceded him.
“Good. My driver will be waiting for you at your landing strip. Do your job and let me do mine and get the fuck out of my country.”