When John and his men found the house again, they split up and surrounded the place then waited. They were looking to see how many people were there at first, when John spotted something else. He warned his men not to close in just yet.
He found a security system in place as well as cameras overlooking the yard and approach of the house. The house itself looked a little run down. The grass needed cutting and the flowers just looked sad, as they hadn’t been tended in a while. It was well hidden behind a seven-foot wall surrounding the property. There was a table and patio chairs outside but it was layered in dirt and grime as if no one had used it in a while.
The curtains were drawn against the mid-day sun, so they couldn’t see into the living room. John moved in closer and peeked into the windows. He did see one armed man sitting there in the dining room. He could clearly see the holster for his weapon but the man’s hands were occupied by eating a huge sandwich on the plate in front of him.
John moved to the next room and found two older women. They seemed to be talking and totally at ease with each other. He checked his phone and found the picture of Evelyn. Even though it was of a much younger woman he could tell which one of the older women was Evelyn. He wasn’t sure who the other woman was and he really didn’t care. He had found Leon’s woman—now all he had to do was get to her and set her free.
He reached for his phone and texted his men, telling them to disarm the guard but not to kill him. He went to the window closest to the room the women were in and luckily, he could open it. Slipping inside, he quietly made his way down the hall and pulled his weapon before he entered the room.
He caught a peek at his other men entering and neutralizing the guard. The other man offered no resistance.
Finally, when John entered the room with the two women, they both just looked up at him. Neither of them screamed or offered any resistance but instead they both got to their feet.
The older of the two of them pushed Evelyn behind her. “Who are you and what do you want here?” she asked.
“I’m here to rescue Evelyn. I won’t hurt you if you don’t try and prevent that from happening.” John stared her.
“Who sent you?” the woman asked with a whisper. Fear colored her eyes and her stance stiffened in front of Evelyn.
“Leon Vincinti sent me,” John stated firmly.
Evelyn stepped from behind Anna and looked stunned. “Leon? Are you sure?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m more than sure.” John nodded.
“After all this time… why did he wait so long?” Evelyn was shaking.
“He didn’t even know you were waiting for him,” John explained.
“Siobhan never allowed him to know where I was? “she asked. “She always told me he forgot me as soon as I left. She said he asked Evelyn who? When she went to ransom me.”
John shook his head. “Leon never knew she had you until yesterday. That bitch Siobhan told him she watched him over the years because she wanted to see him broken. She thought he took the life of someone she cared about years ago but he didn’t even know the guy’s name.”
The other woman gasped and held her hand to her mouth. “Richard? She did all of this because of Richard?”
John turned his head to look at her. “And what is your name?”
“Anna,” Evelyn replied.” Her name is Anna.”
He stared at her then at Anna. “You know this Richard character?”
Anna shook her head. “Yeah, I know that loser. I told Siobhan years ago that he wasn’t any good but she was in love.” She air quoted the phrase ‘In Love’ as she glared at him. “That bastard only used her. He loved her money, never her, and she was the only one that couldn’t see it.”
“Do you know where he went when he left here?” John questioned.
She shrugged. “I hear he went to Vegas and became a gambler with her money. He knew he didn’t dare come back here. Of course, no one could tell Siobhan that and believe me, we tried. She just never believed us.”
“Leon isn’t going to like this.” John snarled. “She told him just days ago, she blamed him for her boyfriend being dead. She never told him he was still alive.”
“I told you she never believed Richard would walk out on her,” Anna reiterated. “She became so bitter and took her hatred out on Leon. I think that was her only reason for living after a while. She had to take the great Leon Vincinti down or die trying.”
“Well, she died trying then didn’t she?” John told them.
Anna paled and sat down hard at his announcement. “She’s dead then?” she whispered. “Are you absolutely sure of that?”
“Oh yeah, the bitch is dead, long live the bitch.” John stated flatly. Looking over at Evelyn, he said, “And you have a date with Leon.”
“He didn’t forget me then?” Evelyn whispered.
“No, that man never forgot you.” John shook his head. “He just never knew what happened to you.”
Just then, a man stumbled into the room almost hitting the floor. When he turned to face the men that pushed him, Anna and Evelyn could see his hands were tied behind him back. They could also see the bruises on his face and the fact his shirt was ripped. “You little motherfuckers.” The man growled. “I’ll skin you and watch you bleed out.”
“You and what army?” one of John’s men scoffed.
“Siobhan will tack your skin to her wall and remember your screams every day when she goes into her office.” The man growled.
“Siobhan is dead.” John walked over to him and slapped his face. “She died screaming while the Cutter ripped her apart one cut at a time.”
The other man froze and glared at him. “Siobhan is dead? Really, really dead?”
“Yeah, she’s burning in hell even as we speak.” John gave him a nod.
“Good, she deserves nothing less.” The man growled.
John looked at his men and found they were equally surprised by his admission. It seemed Siobhan wasn’t very well liked even by her own people.
“And Liam? Where is that little bastard?” the other man asked.
“He’s a guest of Leon Vincinti,” John informed him.
“Bet that little coward is pissing his pants while we’re standing here.” He laughed. Then he stopped and stared at John. “And you guys are here to take Evelyn home aren’t you?”
John nodded.
“Good, she never did deserved to be here in the first place.”
“Why did Siobhan keep her alive this long?” John wanted to know. “It doesn’t make sense. It certainly wasn’t compassion motivating her.”
The other snorted. “That woman didn’t have an ounce of compassion in her entire body. No, this was her revenge against Vincinti.”
“I’m sure Leon will want to hear all your thoughts but for now, we have to get the women back under his protection,” John announced.
Anna stood and pulled Evelyn into a hug. “I’m so happy for you, my dear. He might be late in getting here but he finally came for you.”
Evelyn smiled with tears in her eyes. “Aren’t you coming with me? I’m sure Leon won’t mind.”
Anna smiled sadly. “I beg to differ but no, I’m not coming with you. I’m the last person Leon Vincinti would ever welcome in his home.”
“Why?” Evelyn wanted to know.
“Leon and I have a past and it’s not something he will ever forgive me for, even though what happened wasn’t my fault.”
“I have no idea what that means but I’ve been told to bring everyone back and I’m not going to let you just disappear until you talk to Leon.” John coldly informed her of this new fact. “So both of you go pack a bag and let’s get you back. Leon is waiting.”
Less than an hour later, their car pulled into the Vincinti estate. Evelyn and Anna held each other’s hand tightly as the gate swung shut behind them. Both women were afraid of the meeting coming up for totally different reasons.
Anna was very afraid of the upcoming meeting with the man who thought he had reason to hate her. He’d hated her for the last forty some odd years and while he thought he had reason to do so, he couldn’t have been more wrong if he tried.
They mounted the stairs but Anna’s steps were slower and more awkward than she would have thought. She really didn’t want this confrontation to mar Evelyn’s reunion with her man.
When Leon came out at the top of the steps and saw them both standing there, his eyes were glued to Evelyn.
Evelyn stopped and gasped as she stared at him in wonder.
Then he rushed down the steps and swept her into his arms to embrace her so tight that she squealed. Then his lips were on hers and it was a long while before she could breathe. When their kiss broke both looked dazed.
Leon looked at her and whispered, “I can’t believe you are finally back in my arms.”
“Me either,” Evelyn whispered back. “I’ve waited so long for this day. I almost gave up on you.”
Leon smiled. “Never give up on me. I have loved you for more years than I care to remember.”
“Me too,” Evelyn admitted as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Leon lifted his head and looked at the others standing on the steps His eyes brushed Anna’s and he moved on only to whirl back to the other women. His confusion at her appearance turned to a glare as he finally remembered her face. “Anna Brandon? I never thought you would come here.”
“I didn’t want to but your man wouldn’t allow me to stay at home,” she offered as an explanation. “He insisted I come here.”
Leon lifted his head and glared at John as he issued his order, “Take her to a cell, and make her comfortable.”
“Leon?” Evelyn gasped in horror. “What are you doing? What are you saying?”
“I’m say that this woman is a criminal and I want her in a cell.” Leon growled. “I’ve been looking for her for a very long time.”
Evelyn gasped and held her hand to her throat as she looked between Leon and Anna. “What did she do that was so horrible?” she finally asked.
“She murdered my wife Lysette, Calderone’s mother. Then she ran away like a fucking coward.”
Anna looked over at Evelyn while John grabbed her from behind. “I know you believe that Leon but it wasn’t me that killed your wife. I was blamed but I didn’t do the deed.” She finally looked over at Leon. “Why would I kill her? I didn’t even know her.”
Evelyn looked back and forth confused. “It cannot be true. I know this woman, Leon.”
