Chapter Two
I sat in the backseat of Alfie’s Escalade, the cold leather seat against my skin sent chills through me. It was silent but each time Alfie looked in the rearview mirror at me, his eyes were full of questions. Questions to some things I didn’t even have the answers to.
“You should have put me in the trunk,” I voiced breaking the silence as I made eye contact with him through the mirror.
Mistake number one.
His eyes dart back and forth between the road and the rearview mirror. “Right,” he sighed, “I just… didn’t think I’d be in the position.”
“What? Bringing me to my death sentence or driving a naked man in your car?”
“What do you want me to say E?” Alfie shook his head, “What were ya thinkin’?”
Looking out the window, I replied, “I wasn’t thinking.”
I ran my hand through my hair. My hands weren’t even tied up.
Mistake number two.
I’ve always been tough on the kid and part of me likes to think he looked up to me, so to hear the shock of the situation in his tone told me I failed as a mentor.
Since knowing he was a DeCarlo, I made it a point to focus on making him my protégé.
Not to take my place but to be the best so no one would question why someone like him worked so closely with Luca.
The secret he was really Marco’s son never came to light and I never spoke a word that I knew the truth.
The more I looked at Alfie the more he looked like his father who was someone I respected.
I took in the last moments I’d ever see my city.
The sunlight fought through the blacked out windows as I ached for the light to hit my skin.
It was a cold March day, but the sun was beaming in the sky.
I could have lowered the window to feel the wind hit my face for the last time but the feeling in the pit of my stomach began weighing me down and I found myself holding back tears.
I clear my throat, “Cassie…” I couldn’t even finish. The thought of my sister having to plan my funeral gutted me.
Alfie looked up to the rearview mirror, “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”
“Make sure she leaves Chicago.” This city was tainted enough for her, I didn’t want her here for another second.
Alfie nodded his head. The realization of my absence weighed heavy on him and finally he let it show “Look E. I don’t wanna to do this.”
He was about to go on a rant so I cut him off, “You have to.”
“How the hell am I gonna take your place?”
“If you follow what I’ve taught you, then you’ll be fine.”
“You and I both know I can’t fill ya shoes.”
“I know you love this family. So make sure you honor that. If you do can that, then you’re on the right path.”
Silence. The thought of Bethany and what she said made me want to vomit.
There was no doubt in my mind that she would follow through on her words.
If I left this earth, she’d soon follow after.
I could jump out of this car right now, get both Bethany and Cassie then get the hell out of here.
Alfie didn’t even check to see if I was buckled in.
Mistake number three.
Just as I slowly put my hand on the lock, the sound of an engine roared so loud.
Turning my head to look out the window, there was a back Escalade speeding right toward us.
Before I could shout out to Alfie, the impact of the Escalade hitting us had me flying from one end of the backseat to the other.
The sound of the impact rang through my ears, and I saw Alfie passed out in the driver’s seat with blood dripping down his face.
Quickly I grabbed the gun out of the console and cocked it back.
This was a hit. Who the fuck would have the balls to do that in these streets?
The Escalade backed up and I saw someone get out.
Quickly I lay low so that when the door opened, I could then pop up and get in a shot.
The back door opened and I was ready to blow off the person’s head, but when I pulled the trigger nothing happened.
The gun wasn’t loaded. Fuckin’ Alfie. I kicked the person in the chest and lunged forward to jump out the Escalade only to meet a fist to the face.
Everything went black.