Chapter 30 Mikey
Mikey
We are back home, and Luca is pacing our living room.
"So what you are telling me is… that the whole time we have been friends, you were dealing with the fucking De Luca’s and didn't fucking tell me?" Luca is pissed.
"Yeah. We didn't think it was going to be a big deal... then it was. We didn't want to drag your family into it." I say.
"Drag my family into it? I am your fucking family. My fucking family is your family. Why didn't you come to us for help? You got yourself into a fucking shit show and now how the fuck do you expect to get out of it?"
"I don't know Luca. I was panicking, there was a fucking dead dude on my mom's bedroom floor, and there was a freaking hit out for Kai!" I am screaming, throwing my hands in the air.
"Okay, let's calm down. I get it, this sucks, but I really can't take the yelling, my head is starting to kill me." Julia walks up in front of me. I wrap my arms around her and bring her lips to mine.
She is always my calm during the raging storm in me.
"You're right, princess. That's the past, and we need to figure out what we are going to do moving forward."
Luca looks between Julia and me, then to Kai.
"So your plan is to go to the old apartment unit? The one I am pretty sure shut down because of infestations?" Luca raises a brow, and I just shrug.
"No. You will go to one of my family's safe houses. If they cross any line there, they are now stepping into my family's territory, and that's going to start a war they don't want. It will give you guys enough time to figure out a plan." I nod.
A loud ass bang comes from the door, and Kai looks at me at the same time I look at him. Who the fuck is at our house?
"I swear to fucking God if you don't open this mother fucking door so I can see my fucking best friend, I will castrate both of you and deal with the backlash from Julia with a smile on my face," Mel screams through the door.
Julia pulls out of my arms, grabs Luca by the arm, and runs to the door. She looks through the peephole, then gestures for Luca to open the door.
I chuckle because I don't know if she is doing it for her safety or if she is doing it to set up Luca and Mel to face each other again. Anyone could have felt that tension at the bar.
Luca opens the door, and Mel lets out a loud ass groan.
"MOVE!" She pushes her way into our house and scans the room. When her eyes meet Julia's, she runs into her arms.
"Bitch, what the fuck! You haven't answered my calls, my texts, my anything." Mel grabs Julia's face and looks it over like she is checking to make sure we didn't damage her.
"I am fine. I had to ditch the phone." Mel raises a brow to Julia.
"Why?" Mel looks back at Kai and me, throwing blame at the wrong people.
"Because my dad." As soon as the words leave Julia's mouth, Mel freezes.
"What the fuck do you mean because of your dad?" Julia then proceeds to go through the whole story with Mel about what's going on.
"So what's the plan?" Mel asks, cracking her knuckles like she is ready to take on the world.
"We are about to get ready to go to Luca's family's safe house and then work out a plan from there.”
"Cool, let's get going then." Mel stands up and grabs Julia's hand.
I sit there blinking at them like I am watching a reality TV show. This woman didn't even blink at anything Julia said about her dad; she was just ready to go.
"Who the fuck said you can go?" Luca growls from behind me.
"I did, fucker. My best friend is in danger, and that's where she is going, so that's where I will be. Fucking fight me." Mel sasses back.
Luca rolls his eyes and then heads towards the guest bedroom door. "I gotta talk to my dad and get everything figured out. You guys get packed."
Julia turns towards Kai and me, looking at us with serious eyes. "What about practice and games? You even said yourself that you have a contract to uphold."
"Don't worry, we will figure it all out. The goal is to have this done sooner rather than later."
We get to the safe house, and I'm starting to freak out. I feel like everything is about to hit the fan, and that scares the shit out of me.
"So what's the plan?" Kai asks me.
"I got to meet up with De Luca, eventually." I sigh. The real question is: when is eventually?
The burner phone buzzes on the table, and I look over it. I am not even sure how to breathe right now.
"Let me go this time," Kai says, reaching for the phone.
"No," I say sternly. "I will not let my brother take this." They will not think twice about shooting him if he shows up instead of me.
"I can't lose you. You are the smart twin." Kai mumbles out, his voice softer than I have ever heard it.
"You are fucking smart, Kai. I made this deal. I will handle everything that goes with it. You need to take care of Julia.” I don’t look at him, just stare at the phone that will determine my fate.
Same warehouse, midnight tonight. Don't be late.
"I don’t know what he wants. So you need to stay here with Julia. Someone other than Mel needs to be with her."
"You need to bring someone with you."
"If I do, it will raise suspicions." Kai groans. I know he hates this just as much as I do. This whole situation is fucked. But I need to figure a way out of this that won’t get us killed.
"Fine," he says, walking away.
"I don't want to go as much as you don't want me to go." He stops mid-step and then turns, heat blazing in his eyes.
"You know what's going on from your standpoint.
You don't have a fucking clue what is going on from mine.
I have to stay in this fucking house and hope my brother comes back to me.
Hope that I will still have a fucking twin, and hope that Julia still has the love of her fucking life coming back to her, also.
You don't know what this feels like." He screams at me, his hands moving with every word he says, as tears run down his face.
There are very few times I have seen Kai cry, but this time has hurt me the most. I nod, not knowing what else to do.
"I'm sorry, you're right, I don't know what that is like. But I can say I will always do my best to come back. You know that. We are a duo, always have been, always fucking will be. There is no you without me…”
Before I can finish my sentence, Kai wraps me in a big hug, and for a split second, I am stunned.
"I can't lose you; we already lost dad, and that damn near killed mom.
I can't lose the only family that has been through life with me.
" His voice is hoarse from crying, and fuck, I wish I could take his pain away.
"I will try my best not to get killed." He pulls back from me and looks over at the kitchen, where Julia is dancing with headphones in, completely oblivious to our conversation.
"You need to tell her.” He nods his head to her. I rub my hand down my face. I don’t even know how to tell her that I have to go out tonight. But he is right. I need to keep her in the loop and not try to protect her. She is just as much involved as I am.
I walk up to Julia and wrap my hands around her waist, and rest my chin on her shoulder. She turns her head and smiles at me, taking out one of her headphones.
"What's up?" she asks, then notices mine and Kai’s faces, which still have tears running down them.
"What did I miss?" The panic is now showing.
"I got a text from your dad. I have to meet him again tonight."
"Why?"
"I'm assuming for an update on you, but I am not sure. I haven't said anything about knowing your whereabouts."
"You are going alone." She raises a brow at me. It's not a question, but more of a challenge.
"What am I supposed to do? Walk in with you and hand you over on a silver platter?" I ask with a half-chuckle.
"I won't go." She says sternly.
I kiss the top of her head. "I know, Princess, that's why I need to go alone."
"No!" she yells. "Take someone with you. Anyone. Take Kai, or Luca." She is rambling now, trying to get me to agree to anything.
I shake my head. "I can't. If I take Kai, who will you have?
" She goes to talk, and I hold up my hand.
"And don't say Mel. Because, as scrappy as she is, your dad's men can squish her with one ass cheek.
" She lets out a sigh in defeat, and I continue.
"And I can't take Luca because he is a part of the Moretti family. "
As soon as I say his last name, everything clicks into place. As much as the De Luca's have a pull on this city, the Moretti's have more. They are the top of the top here in Chicago. So bringing Luca along will only cause more problems, and they will assume that I am trying to cause a war.
"I understand... But, you can't go alone."
"Baby, I will be fine. I was fine the other two times. I will go in, let him know I am still looking, maybe tell him I got a lead, and then come back." I try to keep my voice neutral because, honestly, nothing with De Luca is that easy.
Julia busts out laughing, and I look at her, completely confused. "Nothing with my father is that easy."
"Fine. I'll take Kai with me, but Luca and Mel are staying here with you." She looks at me, studying me, then finally nods.
I look over my shoulder at Kai, who looks just as shocked as I feel.
"I told you that I was going to go with you, and you told me no, she says the same thing, and you say yes! What the fuck is that bullshit?" He throws his hands out in front of him.
"It's called life." I shrug and look at Julia.
"Please stay safe for me." I bend down and kiss her, then walk away, pulling out my phone and texting Luca.
Me: I'm taking Kai with me; I need you here to protect Julia.
Luca: On it.
We are in Kai's truck, pulling in front of the warehouse, which I have been to too many times for my comfort, within the last week.
"Fuck, this place gives me the creeps," Kai mumbles under his breath.
"Tell me about it." I get out of the truck and walk around the front, waiting for Kai.
We walk up to the front, the guys there frisk us, and then we head in. Ever since that one time they took my gun, I keep it in the vehicle. I'm not losing out on my money like that again.
De Luca's laugh echoes through the warehouse until we walk into the dimly lit room.
"Oh, well, isn't this a treat for me." He taunts.
"What the fuck do you want?" I say to De Luca, wanting to get this bullshit over.
"Why in such a hurry, Michael? Got somewhere to be?"
"Probably going to find your fucking daughter as you asked of me." I feel Kai stiffen next to me. Hopefully, he can keep his face neutral because De Luca can pick up that shit like a hound.
"Well, that's actually why I brought you here." De Luca rubs his chin, like he is thinking of a master plan.
"I'm tired of waiting," he finally says.
"Okay? And that's my problem, how?"
"Because you are done searching for Julia. I have come up with a better plan." He looks behind us, and I can feel some men moving closer.
"And what is this plan?" I try to keep calm, but every instinct is telling me to fight.
"You, and now your brother."
"What the fuck does that even mean?"
"Well, you see, Michael. Julia likes to keep her toys. And I saw how cozy you three were together. So if you can't bring my daughter to me, I will use you, well, now both of you, to get her."
As soon as his last word leaves his mouth, I feel a hand touch my shoulder, and I swing. I hit the guy in the jaw and then turned to look at Kai. He is hitting another guy. I turn and take another swing at the guy when something hard hits me in the temple, and everything fades to black.