Chapter 23
Vincenzo
The two men in the back of the warehouse when we walk in are smoking and playing cards.
Sure, they could be guarding the men behind that door, but I don’t think so after what Nicolo said.
Nothing looks out of place outwardly, but it’s the small gestures you have to watch for, the shifts in the eyes when they’re trying not to draw attention.
They get off the phone with Nicolo and then not an hour later he shows up with the boss? It’s bound to make them a little itchy, at least it fucking should. We close the distance between us. “How we doing men?” I ask, giving me time to look from one to another for any tell-tale signs.
Nicolo gestures to his man, Louie. “Let’s go have a talk with the men in the other room.”
There it is.
The other man’s jaw tightens telling me exactly what I want to know. Both of the fuckers are in on it. Rats, they infiltrate your organization any way they can get in. They’ve been telling Nicolo that they’re working to get the information from the two fucks in the back and that’s a pack of lies.
I wait, knowing Nicolo can handle himself, and when I hear the two shots, I already know there was no question about it, our captured men, the ones who could have told us exactly what we needed to know if they were here anymore are long fucking gone.
Nicolo comes out of the back room, and Nate goes for his gun, but no one pulls a gun on my brother and he’s far too late. Fuck protocol. One shot, right in the shoulder. Not enough to kill him but he’s going to suffer before he talks, and this traitor, he’s going to talk alright.
Gianni and Agosto burst through the doors.
So much for my younger brothers listening to the boss.
I glare at them for disregarding my order, but there’s no time to deal with it now.
“Get a cleanup crew, get this piece of garbage in the back and deal with him.” I walk to the car, my mind racing with one possibility after another.
How many men have rotated through this warehouse since we took them, how many of them knew and didn’t say a fucking word? ”
I wait until we’re in the car. Nicolo is quiet for a quarter of the drive back to the city but then starts talking quietly.
“I’m sorry, Vincenzo. They’ve been with me for too long.
I lost perspective. Maybe you’re right, the rules of engagement are changing, loyalty isn’t what it used to be.
Fuck, the rats back there, they asked me to leave the two of them in charge of those bastards because they had a personal debt to pay after what happened when the Sarones tried to hit our club.
I bought that shit hook line and sinker.
They were playing me. Fucking rats. It’s the only reason I allowed it to go on so long.
I’m sorry. I know you needed this information. ”
We all learn hard lessons in this world we live in and this one is no exception.
But Nicolo realized it without being told, handled it without hesitation, and I couldn’t be prouder of him no matter that we don’t have the information I need.
“So we get the information another way. Rats, they’re part of our lives.
Papa was seeing that change before he left us.
We live and learn, Nicolo. You handled the situation, no apologies necessary.
It’s not the first time they got in and it won’t be the last. Papa’s watch, my watch, your watch, the fuckers will always find a way. ”
His eyes meet mine with sincere appreciation.
I don’t fucking know what I would do without him or any of my brothers, or my family, and if the Gallinis were only pushing on the Sarones to move in even harder, infiltrate here and the docks, they would have just made a formidable enemy out of me.
But that, coupled with their intent for Anna, they are going to come up with a devil who will rip out their fucking souls.
“Did you set up the meet with Massimo?” I know these things take time. Security, details, agreements, all part of the families’ protocols with something like this but in no time at all everything is going to escalate pretty fucking fast. I know it and so does Nicolo.
“Yeah, I was going to let you know when you stopped by and then this shit blew up. It’s set for Friday. Three days from now at the casino, lower level like you asked.
“Good work, Nicolo.” My phone rings and the minute I see the number and all the missed calls the very blood in my veins runs cold.
Not one time in all of my life has Jeoffrey, our most trusted and loyal enforcer now on guard patrol, called me on my private cell.
Him calling me, there could only be one reason for that…
She tried to run … when I was out of the house, when she was alone and had access to that fucking gun, she tried to run. He starts talking but the thought of her out there alone already has my mind scrambling in a thousand fucking directions. “Talk to me,” I growl.
“Everyone is okay but there was a serious situation.”
My chest tightens, already picturing Anna by herself with Gallini fucks on her tail. “What happened?”
“We think your mother had a heart attack. Leon tried to help but couldn’t get her to breathe.
The woman from your penthouse. She saved her.
I’m not sure if she’s gone to medical school or something but she knew exactly what to do, she was giving her CPR, giving her breaths, boss, I swear Leon did everything he could, but she wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that girl. ”
My head should spin with far too many questions to ask but right now all I can think about is my mom lying on a floor and not breathing at all.
“Where’s my mom?”
“Doc took her away. Took her to his underground hospital. Told me to tell you to call him on his cell when you can. Boss, Lanah went too. I sent Leon to guard them.”
I disconnect and hit Doc’s number. Everything else except getting to my mom falls to the wayside, even the way Nicolo is looking at me. “Mom’s okay but she had a heart attack. Calling Doc now.”
Doc answers his phone as Nicolo’s eyes stay glued to mine and Terry slows to the side knowing any minute he may be told to change directions fast. “Running tests now but my gut says we’re going to need to do a cath, get inside, take a look around and she may need a stent if not full-blown bypass.
I need your go ahead, and I need it now in case things get worse. ”
My chest hurts just thinking about Mom struggling for her life or going under the knife. “Fucking do it but don’t you let my mamma die. You taking her to the new facility?”
“Best chances of survival. No way anyone else can get to her,” Doc says.
“I’m on my way.”
I get off the phone and close my eyes, willing myself to breathe, knowing that I have to make this fucking call right now.
“Ma’s probably going under the knife. I need to make a call.
Call Agosto and Gianni, tell them you’re going to forward a location pin and I want them there.
Lanah’s with her, stubborn girl wouldn’t have it any other way. ”
I get out of the car, walk a couple car lengths down the road, and hit the number that will reroute at least three if not four times before connecting to my father on the other side of the fucking world. He answers on the first ring. “What’s wrong?”
“Mom had a heart attack. She’s alive but going under. Doc has her in the underground hospital. The place you know about.”
Silence … too long … too much fucking silence. “Papa?”
“I’m on the next plane out.”
This fucking day… Far be it from me to try and talk him out of being with the love of his life while she’s lying halfway on her death bed but he and I both know what this means. Another war, another family coming for him and us, for a debt that in no way he can repay.
I walk toward the car, needing to hear one voice and only one voice right now. Jeoffrey answers his cell. “Put Anna on the phone.”