Chapter 36
ENZO
After I tell Aldo to get all our men over to the warehouse, I walk into the small office I use when I’m here and pour myself a shot of cognac from the liquor cabinet, downing it in one go.
The shot did nothing to cool me down because the anger is still raging inside me like an inferno. Without thinking, I throw the glass against the wall, and it shatters on impact.
I need to pound someone’s face in, and waiting for my men to get here feels like it’s taking an eternity. Plus, the silence in the room is too deafening.
Just then, there’s a knock on my door before it opens to reveal my hacker and second-in-command standing there. I nod my head, and Xander and Aldo step into the room, both of them looking at the shattered glass on the floor.
“Our men are all here and awaiting further instructions,” Aldo says and I nod.
“I’ll address them in a few when we know more. Let’s see what Xander has for us first.”
I know things are fucking serious when neither one of these two gives me shit for losing my mostly controlled temper.
“Right. Our three SUVs were found on the side of the road. The two with our guards were crushed, but the one that she was in… it looks like it was rear-ended a few times, and someone also slammed into the side…”
“Jesus,” I mutter. “Do we have any footage yet?”
“Give me a sec, let me just hack it… Okay, got it,” Xander says, turning his computer for us to watch the CCTV footage.
“Fuck!” I mutter out a curse as I watch five vehicles ambush them. The front one is taken out first before they go for the one at the back.
I see Bruno swerve to avoid getting hit, but it’s no use, as a moment later, just like Xander said, one of the enemy’s vehicles slams into the rear of the one my wife is in. I also see them hit the side, too.
Her SUV comes to a stop, and I watch as the men get out of theirs and surround hers, while two of them lift their rifles and begin shooting at her vehicle.
My heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest, and emotions clog my throat as I watch what’s happening on the screen. Hoping and praying to God that she wasn’t hit.
My hands are shaking as the anxiety tries to take over. My heart doesn’t slow its super-fast rhythm until I see one of them dragging her out of the SUV—alive.
She’s kicking and screaming, and it looks like she’s yelling at the guy. She’s still alive! That’s the main thing. I’m going to find you, baby, don’t worry, I think to myself.
Oh baby. What the fuck are they doing to you? I let out a gasp, filled with fury as I watch her try to run… Fuck, baby! You shouldn’t be running at almost nine months pregnant.
But that’s not what's building the fury inside me. No, it’s the fact that the asshole who pulled her out of the vehicle is the one who slammed his fist in her head. I can tell that it dazed her.
“Fuck!” I bellow into the room. “You better tell me you’ve got something else!”
“Way ahead of you, boss,” Xander says. “I just got back facial recognition on the men.”
Thank God for Xander and all the shit he’s been creating on his computer. Because of everything he’s done for us, it’s been a huge help to our operation, and that’s why we’ve been so successful.
He created a facial recognition software that can identify anyone in the underworld.
Whether you’re from the Mafia, Bratva, cartel, or wherever the fuck, once you’re in the life, his software knows who you are.
The shit’s better than anything the FBI’s got, and I’m glad the little shit is working for me instead of anyone else.
For a moment, I don’t say anything because I can’t.
All I can think about is killing every single one of those men who dared to go after my wife.
My hand is braced against the desk, and I take a deep breath in, reigning in the rage because it’s not time to unleash my wrath, yet.
Once I’m calm, that’s when I finally ask.
“Who?”
“My facial recognition program says it’s Salvatore and Bernardo’s men…” he says, trailing off.
Their names land heavily in the silence between the three of us. I let out a deep exhale, calming myself because right now I want to cause nothing but mayhem and destruction.
Something inside me snaps into place as the air shifts into something deadly when his words really penetrate. This is what I was born to do. I’m a killing machine that won’t stop until my enemies are destroyed.
“I’m going to make the two of them wish they never took my wife,” I say, my voice cold and detached, my mind already in assassin mode.
This is all going to end in bloodshed, and I’m confident with certainty that the heads of the Bellucci and Rossi families are going to be dead, along with anyone else who stands in my way.
“Is every single man who vowed their life to the Andretti family here?” I ask Aldo.
“Yes, boss. Every single one of them is here,” he replies.
“Let’s go then,” I say, walking out of the room with Aldo and Xander following behind me.
I make my way up, and when I step onto the open floor of the warehouse, it’s humming with movement and activity from my men.
They’re checking weapons, speaking in low clipped voices. There’s tension in the air. It’s ripe with the impending violence we’re about to unleash.
My men all stop what they’re doing when they catch sight of me. My gaze sweeps over all of them, taking in their faces. They’re all sporting serious expressions, along with loyalty and their readiness for what’s about to come.
This is what they all signed up for when they joined our family. They all knew they could be asked to put their lives on the line at any moment, and they all swore that oath to me to my father. To the Andretti family.
“Boss!” they all say in unison as they get into position, forming lines in a few rows, giving me all their attention. They all must know by now that this is not a routine meeting. This is a meeting to signal that we’re about to go to war.
“My wife has been taken,” I say, and hear the collective intake of breath.
I can feel their anger and disbelief at what’s happened, but no one interrupts me.
They’re all paying close attention, waiting to hear what I’m about to say.
“I already know who took her. Salvatore Rossi and Bernardo Bellucci are working together. They’ve kidnapped my pregnant wife.
Now, one or both of them currently have her somewhere, holding her captive. ”
I hear some say we'll find her, we’ll get her back, they’ll pay and a few more words along those lines, as well as outrage at the two of them daring to take my wife.
“What’s the plan, boss?” Pete, one of my lieutenants, asks, a gleam in his eyes like he’s ready for the bloodshed to begin already.
That’s one of the things you can’t miss about some of them. They’re in the life because it’s the only way they can spill blood without anyone thinking that something’s wrong with them. Though I don’t think any of them would even give a shit.
“We’re going to be splitting up into a few teams. Aldo and I will lead the two main teams. I’ll be going to Salvatore’s house, and Aldo will be going to Bernardo’s,” I say, and they nod in understanding.
I know Aldo is probably mad as hell with me because he likes to stick close to me to take care of me, according to him.
The man acts like I’m not a cold-blooded killer.
I look over to where he’s standing and see him roll his eyes, which makes a smirk play on my lips.
I know he’s dying to say some shit, but he won’t in front of my men.
He only gives me shit when it’s just the two of us or when Xander’s in the midst.
“I want the rest of you to split yourselves into teams, and some of you check out all of Bernardo and Salvatore’s businesses to see if they’re keeping my wife at any of those premises.
Check where they usually frequent to see if anyone has seen anything, and I want some guys patrolling the streets to see if you come across anything or anyone with information,” Aldo tells them.
“If you see any of their soldiers anywhere, if anyone stands in your way, shoot to kill. Though try not to kill anyone innocent, mainly any women, children, or the household staff, unless they engage with you. If they look like they’re a threat, kill them.
Try not to destroy their businesses because I’ll be taking over their territories once this is all done.
Is everyone clear on what they’re supposed to do? ”
“Yes, boss!” they all say in unison.
“Xander will be keeping an eye on things. He’ll be our eyes and ears. Make sure you’re all wearing your headpieces so you can communicate with him. He’ll give you the specs on their business premises before anyone goes in. Now I want you all to go grab extra weapons because we’re going to war!”
Everyone suits up and grabs extra weapons and ammo before they walk back into the room.
“Get out of here and get to your fortress as fast as you can,” I tell Xander, and the ass salutes me before jogging out of the warehouse.
“Wear your damn vest dickhead,” Aldo quietly murmurs from next to me a moment later, and I can’t help the chuckle that leaves me. “And don’t get yourself killed.”
“Back at ya, sweetheart,” I grumble, and he just gives me the finger. He gets a call and answers, speaking for just a second.
“The SUVs are ready,” he says.
I put my fingers between my lips and blow, the loud whistle getting everyone’s attention. “SUVs are ready. Let’s head out!”
“Let’s go rock these assholes’ world,” he says, a huge smirk on his face.
“Yes. Let’s do this. I’ve been waiting to smoke these assholes for a long time. We’re fucking ending this tonight,” I say with no hesitation in my voice, no doubt at all about what needs to happen.
My other men are already gone, and it's only Aldo’s and my team remaining here. We get into our vehicles and pull away at the same time, heading in different directions. It doesn’t take long to get close to Salvatore’s mansion, but I stop when we’re a mile away.