Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
RHETT
When you’re in the mafia, you have to put your wants and needs on the back burner.
The family comes first.
Always.
There are no exceptions.
And even though I want to stay here with Francesca and pour my heart out, I have duties to attend to.
The guys exit the apartment building like they are headed to a party and not a job for the mafia boss. Joey gives me a friendly head nod before climbing into his car while Spencer hops into mine.
“Let’s go!” He says as he claps his hands together.
I roll my eyes and follow Joey out of the parking lot. “You are way too excited about this job tonight.”
“There’s nothing to it. Unload the shipment from the ship, load it into the vans, and deliver the goods to the businesses.”
“That’s if they show up on time, or show up at all.”
“Man, you’re being too pessimistic right now for my good mood.”
“This is the third time we’ve gone to the docks hoping to receive the shipment, so I’m not too optimistic about our night going to plan.”
“But it’s the first time Arturo sent a text saying to get to the docks. It’s either to unload the shipment or to get answers.”
“Yeah, let’s hope it’s to unload the shipment. I’ve got too much on my mind right now to get answers.”
“I’m always up for getting answers, you know that, but what’s going on with you?”
“Oh, you know, same old, same old.”
“Is Francesca still giving you a hard time? I thought the two of you were in the process of mending things?”
“We were. Until Arturo messaged.”
“Damn. I’m sure she will understand. After all, this is her life.”
I shake my head. “But it’s not her life. She’s not a part of this.”
“Then make her a part of this. Fill her in on everything that has happened and everything that is happening. She deserves to be a part of all of this and to know what her family is involved in.”
“You know that won’t help anything. No one goes against Arturo. They don’t want her involved.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. She’s stronger than they think she is. Plus, her being in the dark about operations only paints a huge target on her back.”
“You don’t think I know that? Of course I know that, and I worry about her. Between the season starting, shipments being late, and wanting Francesca back in my life, I have no time to go against Joey and Arturo.”
“Hey, I get it. A woman like Francesca and a love like you two had doesn’t come around very often. Let alone twice. You need to make things right with her. After we finish the job tonight, of course.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, if she talks to me after the way we left things.”
When we get to the shipyard, one of Arturo’s men steps out of the shadows and opens the gate. I follow Joey through the front gate, stopping to let the man jump into the bed of my truck after he closes the gate.
“Push all your problems to the side for now. You will have plenty of time to grovel in the future.” Spencer says as I park beside Joey.
“From your lips to God’s ears.” I mumble as I get out of my car and head to the waiting ship.
The shipment is just now being unloaded as we approach the docks.
“Right on time to start working.”
Arturo yells at his men to back the vans out of the bay as he wipes the blood off his fists. Two guys are sitting on the ground at his feet, tied up, gagged, and bloodied.
Spencer huffs from beside me. “Damn, I was looking forward to knocking some heads together.”
“I’m sure there will be another opportunity soon, especially if another shipment is late.”
That we can pretty much count on. People don’t know how serious Arturo is yet, but they will soon because word will spread. You don’t fuck over Arturo Marino .
Arturo picks up his clipboard and glances down at it for a moment.
“The first three pallets are going in the left van for downtown deliveries. Two are going in the box truck for interstate deliveries. And the last pallet is going in the right van to be delivered across the street after they close for the night.”
Spencer, Joey, and I kick into work mode, like we always do.
Grabbing my pocket knife, I cut open the plastic wrap and help carry the smaller boxes to the first van.
We all have our own speculation as to what is in these boxes, but only Joey knows for sure. He never speaks about it, and we never ask. It’s better that way. Less incriminating- not that it would stop me from working for the Marinos.
The pay is great, and in some way, it helped me feel closer to Francesca over the past two years.
“What’s the matter Montgomery? Old age dragging you down?” Joey teases as he picks up two boxes and carries them to the van.
“Nah, more like your sister.” Spencer punches me in the arm as he jogs back to the pallet.
“Fuck you, Reed.” I pick up two boxes and stack them on top of the two that Joey just put down in the back of the van.
“You’re really not my type, but thanks for the offer.” He gives me a smirk before glancing over at Joey.
“You still love her, don’t you?” Joey says as he walks past carrying two more boxes .
I scoff. “Of course I do. That will probably never change.”
A loud crash sounds from inside the building. I look at Spencer and Joey with their arms full of boxes and say, “I’ll go check it out and make sure everything is alright. We don’t need Arturo finding broken equipment or supplies.”
As I jog to the back of the building, my mind wanders to Chessie.
There’s no reason she couldn’t be here right now. This is her family’s legacy.
The guys might not let her lift and move the product, but she could take Arturo’s job of holding the clipboard and barking orders.
Not to mention, she’d look sexy as hell doing it.
I check inside the bay for anything broken or toppled over. In the far corner, boxes are tipped over and scattered. Bubble wrap is unrolled from the giant roll and glass is shattered.
We will have to clean this up after we finish unloading the pallets.
I job back over to the guys. “A stack of boxes fell over. It can be cleaned up later.”
Joey nods. “Some of Dad’s guys can stay late and clean it up. It’s probably their fault it tipped over. Stupid fucks like to stack shit up to the roof.”
“Are we good here?” I glance between Joey and Spencer.
Spencer nods. “Yeah, we’ll handle it from here. Go handle whatever or whoever is on your mind. ”
I roll my eyes. “You know what or who is on my mind. It hasn’t changed in two fucking years.”
“Yeah, and I think you should let her know what you’ve been up to for the past two fucking years. ”
I glance over at the only obstacle keeping me from telling Francesca the truth, her father. He immediately meets my gaze.
“Montgomery.” Arturo calls out to me before waving me over. “You got a minute?”
“For the boss? Of course.” I say as I jog over to him.
“We need to discuss the fighting incident that happened during practice on Monday.”
I knew this would come up eventually. Although, I was hoping it would be at the arena and after things were running smoothly again.
Nodding, I glance at the two men sitting on the ground before returning my gaze back to Arturo. “I was completely out of line, sir, and it won’t happen again. I know I need to act more like a captain than an ordinary player.”
He claps me on my back. “You’re a good man, Montgomery.”
“Thank you, and I promise I have no intention of ruining your family or the team’s reputation.”
“I know that, son. I’m not worried about either reputation. The only reputation I’m worried about is Francesca’s.”
My heart races at the mention of me being his son. It was almost my reality two years ago. “Believe me, I have no plan to mess that up. I never have and never will.”
“I know that, just like I know you’re lying to her about working for me.”
Shit.
“I don’t like lying to her, but I’d never go against your wishes. Or Joey’s, for that matter. But I can’t ask her for honesty, loyalty, and commitment if I can’t do the same for her.”
“I understand that, and if you feel like you need to tell her about your employment with the family, then do it. You don’t have to worry about Joey and me. We can handle her anger. Just make things right between the two of you.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
I spin around and grin.
Now I need to go get my woman.
A loud feminine scream echoes throughout the shipyard.
I know that scream. It’s Chessie.
What the fuck is she doing here?
“Help!” Her voice is full of fear and desperation.
I let my feet lead me toward the sound, running faster than I ever have. She needs me right now.
Rounding the corner, my feet stop moving as my gaze lands on her, thrashing around the ground like a fish out of water as a man drags her.
She yells over and over as she fights and kicks at her attacker, but his grip on her wrist tightens. The sight leaves me completely frozen and unable to move or think clearly .
What is she doing here? How did she even know about tonight’s job? Who is the man, and what does he want with her?
Tires squeal as a black SUV pulls up to the gate and stops suddenly. The attacker continues to drag Francesca to the car that’s waiting just beyond the gate.
Her mouth moves as if she’s saying something to the man, but he ignores her and continues to drag her along the concrete.
Reaching into the waistband of my pants, I pull out my gun and aim it at the man. Should I aim for a headshot to make a statement? Maybe a chest to make it quick?
No, that’s too easy. He deserves to be in pain.
I aim my gun lower and shoot the guy in his leg. He screams out in pain, bringing a small smile to my face.
The bastard deserves to be shot in his balls for hurting Francesca.
Lifting my gun slightly, I aim for his groin.
“Don’t kill him. We need to interrogate him.” Joey says breathlessly from behind me.
Before I can take another shot, the attacker collapses to the ground, landing on top of Francesca’s leg. He wraps both hands around his bleeding leg as he lets out a long, pain-filled groan.
Francesca pushes him away before jumping to her feet. Without looking back at her kidnapper, she sprints toward me.
My heart pounds as I imagine her running into my arms, but a bigger man barrels through the open gate, passing his accomplice and tackling her to the ground. He bear hugs her from behind and lifts her up.
I raise my gun again, but can’t shoot the man without shooting Francesca. She continues to fight and scream, but the man throws her in the backseat of the car.
My body moves all at once. I sprint toward her, but I’m not quick enough.
The tires squeal as they drive off with her, leaving their man behind.
“Fucking hell.” I say as I watch their taillights disappear around a building. I channel all my anger and turn around to face the guy that was kidnapping her.
“Who the fuck are you, and what do you want with her? Why were you trying to kidnap her?” I seethe.
He looks up at me, confused. “I wasn’t kidnapping her.”
I level my gun at his head. “Bullshit. I know a kidnapping when I see it.”
“Why would I need to kidnap Francesca?”
“If it wasn’t kidnapping, then what was it?”
“I know what it looked like, but I’m her boyfriend. She moved out of the blue, and I only knew where she was because I showed up at her place and her roommate told me.”
What the fuck?
I thought we were being honest with each other .
I thought she was in this fully this time.
“She didn’t look like she was willingly going with you. Look it up, dick, but that’s kidnapping.”
Arturo comes around the corner of the building and starts barking orders. “Reed, Montgomery, Marino chase the car. The rest of you finish loading up the shipment, clean this up, and take that one in for interrogation.”
Everyone moves at once, not wanting to be the one to piss off an already fuming Arturo.
I jog over to my car, tossing my keys to Spencer.
“You drive. I’ll be in the back shooting if it comes down to it.”