18. Massimo
Chapter 18
Massimo
M y leg is starting to throb in pain, but I have to ignore it. The hideout is dark and oddly quiet.
I wait for my eyes to adjust.
Looking around I see five cubicles. Five possible rooms for my son and Vera to be in. I don't even know if she is still alive anymore.
I limp forward, feeling the urgency of needing to find her as soon as possible.
She's been in here too long. Anything could have happened. One of the other guards might have found her.
I peek into one of the cubicles. It's an office.
The next one - a storage room.
An empty room that smells of death.
I gag, stepping out of it. What the fuck have they been doing here ?
"What are you going to do about it?" Elio's voice.
For a second, I duck. Not sure where it is coming from.
I wait, listening for anything else.
Vera's voice carries towards me and my entire body floods with relief at the sound. She's alive. She sounds strong.
I sneak quietly towards the sound of their conversation. It quickly becomes clear that my son is in that room with them.
Vera is arguing with Elio, and it sounds tense.
I stand just outside the door, trying to assess the situation and how I can get the upper hand.
"This is your last chance, Elio. Let my son go." Vera says, determined and forceful.
"I said it already - what the fuck are you going to do to me, Vera?" Elio snaps back.
I step into the doorway.
"Actually, Elio, I think you should be more worried about what I am going to do to you," I say sternly.
"Massimo." Vera breathes in relief.
Elio spins around to face me, dragging my son with him. Elio's expression is one of pure horror.
Mateo cries out in pain as Elio's grip digs into his little arm.
"Massimo, this woman was going to run away with your son. She said so herself. She told me she had no intention of going back to you." Elio blurts out.
Blood is running down my leg, pooling around my foot and soaking into the floor.
Elio's eyes trace down my body. "You're hurt. I can help you. Come on man, I'm your family. You know me. You know I only have your best interest at heart. Everything I did - working with the Vitales - it was only a way in - into their family - so that I could find your son. And I did. I found him. To bring him back to you."
Elio is rambling on, trying desperately to talk himself out of the very deep hole he has dug himself into.
I lean against the doorframe, my Glock pointed at his stomach, listening, but only because I need a moment to catch my breath.
The blood loss is not helping my situation though - so, I think it is in my best interest to end this as quickly as possible.
"Elio, if you mean what you say, then let my son go."
"No, she will grab him."
He gestures towards Vera, looking horrified at my suggestion.
"She can't. I'll shoot her if she does."
He scrunches his nose, unsure about whether to believe me or not.
Of course, he would be stupid to believe me. But he was stupid enough to betray my family - so who knows what else he is capable of.
"Let my son go," I say again, more sternly.
"Fuck you." Elio snarls, taking a step back and dragging my son in front of him.
He is willing to use a six-year-old boy as a shield.
I shake my head. I don't want to have to do this in front of my son. It is not the image I want my son to have of his father the first time he meets him, but I have no choice.
I lift the gun, raising it up to Elio's head.
"Massimo." Elio stammers, looking around the room to try and find another way out. But I am in the only doorway.
Elio lifts Mateo higher and in a shocking twist of events, he tosses him into the air. Vera rushes forward, diving onto the ground, she catches Mateo, letting him land softly on her body.
And I fire two shots.
One hits Elio in the chest, and he clutches at the wound, gasping for air. The other hits him in the side.
His body goes rigid, then slumps backward, falling to the ground with a thud.
Vera covers our son's ears, holding his little head against her chest. "It's ok, you're safe now." She whispers over and over again.
I rush over to them, wrapping my arms around both of them, I lift them up, pulling Vera to her feet.
"Your leg." She warns me.
"I'm fine," I assure her, pulling her into my arms again, holding her and my son, never wanting to let go.
"Let's get out of this place," Vera whispers.
I pull them both towards the door guiding them out - not even sparing a glance over my shoulder to look at Elio.
Outside the hideout, my men have taken control of the grounds. There are bodies littered everywhere.
Vera walks with our son's face pressed against her chest, not letting him see any of it .
He isn't saying anything, or even trying to look around. I think he has been through too much. All of this is far too much for a little boy of six to understand or know how to handle.
I climb into the back of the limo with my family. Adrian is waiting inside.
He nods, smiling broadly. "Shall we all go home?" he says, looking at my son. I can see how his heart is overflowing, knowing that we found him and how we must feel.
"Yes, let's go home."
The driver starts the engine and pulls away from the devastation.
None of us speaks because there is very little to say.
Mateo's little fingers are gripping tightly onto Vera's arms. Her white coat is wrapped around him like a blanket.
I have my family.
I have my son.
I have Vera.
Outside the lodge, we all take a deep breath. Adrian has messaged ahead to inform Uncle Marzio of what happened—they are expecting us—and my son.
Vera climbs out first, and just as I am about to follow her, Adrian calls me back.
"Massimo," he says sternly. "I know we won tonight. And having your son back with us—nothing compares to that. But you need to be aware: Dante Vitale won’t let this slide. I’ve seen signs that he’s already preparing to strike back. We took down his forces tonight, but he will rebuild. And if not him, then someone else will."
I narrow my eyes at him. "How long do you think you’ll be gone?"
Adrian’s jaw clenches. "Could be days. I need to see this plan through. The storm complicates things, but I’ll make it work."
I nod, trust in my brother’s abilities settling in my chest. "Stick to the plan. We’re strong. We always will be."
He nods in agreement before we both turn to face the future.
"Yes, you're right." He sighs.
"Come inside. Let's get warm and get something to eat."
I climb out of the car and walk towards Vera who is waiting at the front door, Mateo wrapped in her arms.
Inside Uncle Marzio is waiting for us.
"Is this him?" he asks with nervous excitement.
"This is my son - where is Bella?"
"She went to bed. I think - let's leave her sleeping. Rather let them meet tomorrow after a good night's rest."
"Agreed. Will you have a plate of food prepared for Vera, Mateo, and myself and brought up to my room? I don't want to overwhelm Mateo with everyone right now."
"I'll sort it out - and I'll grab some clothes from the other kids and bring them for Mateo."
"Thanks, Uncle Marzio." I reach around his shoulder and hug him tightly. "I really appreciate everything you do. "
Vera smiles tightly, nodding as well. Then I follow her upstairs, to my room, where we all need to eat a little - and then try and get some sleep.