Dovnic’s son is in bad shape. When we finally find him, he’s tied to a chair, rope burns along his wrists from fighting, and lashes across his entire body from a whip they used to torture him. He has red welts everywhere that are open, blood dripping out. His eyes are black and blue, swollen shut, and his nose looks broken.
But damn, the young man is still alive. He’s fighting for his life, and I respect him for holding onto the will to live. It can’t be easy, feeling this amount of pain and not giving in to it.
Dovnic runs to his son, leaving the last few of the men who were guarding Dominick for me to finish off. Normally, this would piss me off, but these guys are imbeciles. It’s light work.
I use the last bullet in my semi-automatic for the biggest guy, who is charging at me, almost double my size. He slumps to the ground, tripping the man following him, and I walk over, throwing my knife into his neck. I don’t see the man who comes up from behind me, grabbing my shoulders, but I quickly elbow him in the stomach, stabbing into him and shoving the blade up to his heart. He gurgles, blood dripping from his lips.
“You’ll be okay, Dom. You’ll be fine. Look at me. Look at me, son.” Dovnic grabs his son’s face, his eyes hooding with exhaustion. Dovnic smiles in relief when he hears a groan, a sign of life. “Thank God,” he hangs his head. “You did good. You did good.” He holds Dominick, letting his son rest his head on his shoulder. “We’ll get you home. Doc will look at you. They are all dead, you hear me? They are dead.” Dovnic cuts the ties binding Dominick, and the kid falls forward.
Dovnic catches him, then swings him up in his arms. His eyes meet mine, anger and tears filling them, but the tears don’t fall. He has better control of himself. It’s almost funny seeing a big man like Dovnic carrying his grown man of a child, but it shows it doesn’t matter how old our children are.
We will always carry them.
Through fire, blood, glass, and bullets, we will use every bit of strength we have if it means our children walk free and we are left behind.
“Thank you,” he rasps to me just as I wipe off my knife.
“Don’t mention it.”
“I know these men you killed had business with you—”
“—Business is business. I won’t let a kid die because of our jobs. Consider it a peace offering.”
“Da,” he nods, lifting his son’s head and holding it to his shoulder so it is secure. “Consider us friends, Matias. I’m forever in your debt. Anything you need, it is yours.”
My phone rings, interrupting this awkward, emotion-fueled moment. “Milazzo,” I answer without looking at the screen.
“Matias. You need to come home. Now.”
“Why? What’s going on, Gianni? Is it Ella? Is she safe?”
“Ella is fine. It’s Sophie.” He sighs, silence following next.
I tuck my long blade in its sheath attached to my hip. “What about her?” I haven’t been the best at staying in communication with her. I didn’t want Dovnic’s rivals to trace anything to her.
Or, maybe that’s just an excuse because I’m still upset about the pill. I shouldn’t be, but I am.
“She’s in jail.”
“What?” I roar. “How the fuck did that happen? Why weren’t you with her?”
“She’s been rebellious, Matias. She isn’t happy that you haven’t spoken to her since you stayed behind in NYC. She went out.”
My blood boils. “She. Went. Out?” I bite through tight teeth, following Dovnic out of the warehouse. “What the fuck do you mean she went out? Without you? Without protection?”
“In her contract, it does state on her days off, she can deny protection.”
“Fix the damn thing,” I growl. “I’ll be there soon. Bail her out.”
“I can’t. Not without you. They won’t release her to me. I don’t pay them, Matias.”
I roll my head over my shoulders, irritated. “I’m on my way.” I hang up the phone and slam the door as we get into the car. “I need a favor.”
“Anything,” Dovnic says, holding his son like an overgrown baby.
“I need to get home. It’s an emergency.”
“You can borrow my jet. We have a strip at the house. I’ll get it all ready for you so when we are home, you can go.”
I give a firm nod. “Thank you.” I bring up the location on Sophie’s phone to see where she is at, grinding my teeth when I see the red dot is indeed at the police station. I look at the history of where she has been, jealousy grabbing a tight hold on me.
Did other men touch her? Did they dare to feel her silky skin that slid against mine, while I drove into her and made her come on my cock? I squeeze my phone so tight, it creaks from the force.
“Trouble in paradise?” Dovnic asks, running his fingers through his son’s hair.
“You could say that.”
“You are a foolish man for not marrying her as soon as possible. She isn’t the kind of woman to be dragged around, even I can see that. If you aren’t willing to make that commitment, I am,” he smirks.
“Do not push your limits. She is mine. She can’t be hurried into something. She’ll scare, just like she is doing now.”
“Sometimes people need to be forced to realize it is what they truly want. Depending on the situation, of course.”
We pull into his massive estate, the iron gates opening to reveal a large stone castle. It’s beautiful and out of place in the modern world, but hauntingly memorable.
“Of course,” I echo his words.
In the middle of the field, there’s a small plane waiting for me, and I’m out of the car before it can stop.
“Thank you, again!” He shouts over the loud engine of the plane.
I lift my hand and wave, running up the steps to get inside of the plane. The sooner I get to Sophie, the sooner I can get her out of jail and make her my wife.
Or, maybe I’ll leave her in jail for a day or two.
***
“Take me to the police station,” I tell the taxi driver, not liking that Gianni isn’t here to pick me up, but I don’t want anyone else to see Sophie in his state. She will already be ashamed. The less people who see her, the better.
“No problem.” He stares at me in the rearview mirror, and I feel his questioning gaze.
Signing, I meet his eyes with my cold stare. “Is there something you need?”
“No, sir. I was wondering if you’re Matias Milazzo? Head of the Milazzo crime family?”
I nod. “I am, so I would respect your discretion with anything you see today.” I pull out a few hundred dollars from my wallet and toss it at him for the forty-dollar cab fare.
“Yes, sir. Anything you need, sir,” the driver states with glee. “You can count on me. I am most loyal. If you ever need a driver, I’m your guy, sir. My name is Tony.”
“Nice to meet you, Tony. When we get to the station, you are to wait for me. If I find you told anyone about this, I’ll kill you. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” he says with a smile as if my threat doesn’t scare him.
Odd man.
“I promise, sir. You are safe with me.”
I do need a loyal driver. I only like it when Gianni drives, but he needs to be at my side, not driving me around. The other men are too cocky when they drive, too, so I can’t ask them. Maybe I’ll keep Tony in mind.
“Do you have a family, Tony?”
“I do. My lovely wife of twenty years and four kids. All are in college.”
“What a wonderful life.”
“It is. It’s hard as a taxi driver, but I like what I do.”
Having a family is very difficult in my life. Ella was a big chance for me to take, but now that I have her, I can’t stop the urge to want more.
I want Sophie. I want children with her. I want Ella to have a mother. She deserves that. She deserves everything. And she and Sophie get along so well. This family has to happen. There isn’t another option.
“And you? Do you have a family?”
I nod. “I do.”
“I did not expect you to be a family man,” Tony admits. “No offense.”
I manage a smile, surprised at how at ease I am around this man. It’s almost off-putting. “None taken, but in my line of work, family is everything. It’s how we build our name, power, and fortune. Nothing is more important than family.”
“That is true. I like that.”
We pull into the parking lot at the police station, the low ache in the back of my skull becoming more intense. I have blood on my shirt sleeves and a cut on my face, but the cops won’t question me since I’m the one who pays their bills. I hate getting this close to them. I prefer to keep the law out of my business as much as possible.
“I’ll be back, Tony. Do not leave.”
“No, sir, Mr. Milazzo. I’m right here. I’m your guy. You can count on me.”
His eagerness is endearing but slightly annoying, but somehow, I can’t help but like him. I tap the car and a heavy, dreaded sigh escapes me as I open the door of the police station. Putting my game face back on and hiding the exhaustion, I tense my jaw.
“Where the fuck is she?” I shout into the room. There is one man on the bench and he reeks of alcohol. When he sees me, he keeps his eyes cast downward. His hair is dirty and falls over his face. As I walk by him, I get a whiff of piss.
“Mr. Milazzo, she’s safe. She’s in her cell.”
I chuckle at the fucking audacity of keeping my woman in a fucking jail cell. I grip one deputy by the throat and pull my gun out at the same time, aiming it at the other deputy, on the right. I lift him by his throat, causing him to choke. I cock the gun, turning my head to the officer on the right. “Move and I’ll fucking shoot you.”
He nods, the color draining from his face.
“Now, someone tell me why my woman is in a cell. With how much I pay this fucking dump, I expect you to at least call me. I didn’t get a call. I had Gianni call me instead. Why?”
“She’s a suspect in a car bombing,” the one I have by the throat says, coughing. “We have a witness.”
I growl, sneering. “Does she look like the fucking type who would bomb a car? Who was the witness? A man? Was his name Michael?”
“Ye-Yes, how did you know?”
“It’s her crazy ex-boyfriend. You guys are really bad at your job.” I release him, and he inhales much-needed air. “Take me to Sophie, now. Or I will pull this trigger, and step over your dead body without remorse.” The deputy in front of me crosses his eyes to stare down the barrel of the gun. He nods, sweat dripping down his temples. “Good.” I put the hammer in place and tuck the gun into its holster. “Lead the way, Officer,” I state nonchalantly, acting as if everything is forgotten.
“Yeah, okay. Yeah,” he stutters, his hands shaking as he pulls out his keys to unlock the door that takes us to the cells.
I follow him, the soles of my shoes tapping against the cheap linoleum floor. The bright fluorescent lights have me squinting my eyes, and the ache in the back of my head becomes slightly stronger.
Moaning and groaning surround me. I look left, and I see a drunk guy passed out on his cot. To the right, there’s a man talking to himself in harsh whispers, running his fingers through his hair, as if he is paranoid about something.
My Sophie doesn’t belong in a place like this.
“Looks like it’s your lucky day, Ms. Matthews,” the cop grumbles, sliding the key in to unlock her cell.
“Don’t fucking speak to her as if she’s a criminal. We will be getting a restraining order and the best lawyer in the city. If you really want to go down that road, I’ll fuck over this department so fast, you’ll be without a damn job. You know I am way more powerful than you,” I whisper, invading his space. “I am above the law here, and you are nothing but a fucking puppet. You will do as I say if you still want to get my money that your wife, I bet, seems to like. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal, Mr. Milazzo. Consider the case lost, or dropped, or—”
“It isn’t dropped. Michael did it. I want a restraining order put in place.” I yank the cell door open, and Sophie looks up, tears in her eyes, mascara running down her face, and yet, she looks fucking beautiful in that dress.
That too many men have seen her in.
Her eyes widen in surprise, as if she’s shocked to see me. She wipes her cheeks, only smearing the mascara more.
“What are you doing here? I called Gianni.”
“And who do you think called me? What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt, or worse. Let’s go, Sophie. We are leaving.” I want to scream how fucking enraged I am from the rooftops, but she looks so fragile, so meek in this moment, I can’t find the heart to be upset with her. I pick her up gently and I get a whiff of alcohol. “You weren’t driving, were you?”
“I drove to the club, but I wasn’t going to drive home. I promise. I wouldn’t do that.”
“I’ll have Gianni get your car.” I wrap an arm around her waist when she stumbles in her heels, still a bit tipsy, even though it’s been hours since Gianni called me. “How much did you have to drink?”
“Enough to try and not be mad at you anymore,” she slurs just as I lift her into my arms.
I hold back my smile. “Did it work?”
“No.” She lies her head on my shoulder. “Well, maybe. Yes.” She licks her lips next. “No. Yes.”
“We will table that for later, then,” I grumble, pushing a piece of hair out of her face.
I’m worried that our inability to communicate with one another will be our downfall. I don’t want it to be. I love her more than I ever thought possible, but she is insistent she doesn’t need me like I need her.
It hurts more than I care to admit.
“I want that restraining order in place as soon as possible,” I grit through annoyed teeth at the deputies. “Michael better be taken care of soon, or I’ll do it myself. We both know you’d rather have it your way than mine.” I push out the door, leaving the police behind.
Tony is still there, right where I left him, and he grins, waving at me through the window. When he sees a woman in my arms, his smile fades. He gets out of the car and pokes his head above the roof. “Oh no, she doesn’t look too good. Is she okay?” He runs around the back, opening the car door for me.
“She will be fine. She’s had a rough night is all.” I cup her head, so it doesn’t hit the top, as I get in. I cradle her to my chest, hating that I wasn’t with her last night.
I have so many questions, so many concerns, but I suppose they don’t matter right now. Or maybe, they don’t matter at all. Perhaps, I need to put aside my jealousy.
“Where to, sir?” Tony asks.
“I assume you know where I live.”
“Oh, yeah. I take my kids by there all the time. Beautiful home.” He suddenly cackles, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror. “It didn’t sound as weird in my head, but you have the prettiest home in the city. The kids really look up to you. They want to work for you one day.”
I snort, shaking my head. “I’m sure that doesn’t please you.”
“Why wouldn’t it? Life is hard, and you have to play the game to make it. I want my kids to make it.”
His words surprise me. “Well, you can tell them you officially work for me now. I’ll get you a new car. This will not do.” I glance around, not wanting to think about all the people that have been inside here.
“Seriously? Are you serious? No way. Oh, man. Mr. Milazzo. You won’t be sorry. I swear it.”
“You’ll have an NDA and contract. Your entire family will have to sign one. I’ll start you with a signing bonus, health insurance, and good pay. We will hash out the details soon. My focus is on Sophie right now.”
“Yes, sir. Not a problem.”
“You’ll have to move to the estate with your wife. I have plenty of room, but I’d need you to be available at all times. If that is an issue, please let me know now.”
“It isn’t. My wife will be thrilled. Thank you, Mr. Milazzo. You have changed my life for the better.”
I glance down at Sophie, running my finger down her warm cheek. “Yeah, I don’t do that very often, so that’s good to know.”
“I’m sure you do it more than you think,” Tony says softly. “Every couple has fights and disagreements. You’ll get through it. I know it.”
“You’re a confident man, Tony.”
“I’ve been married awhile, sir. Nothing works better than honest communication. Keeping it bottled up inside isn’t good for the soul. It will create a bitterness that will spread like poison if you don’t get ahead of it. It isn’t worth it, sir. Whatever happened, talk about it.”
“Yeah, we aren’t good at that. It’s my fault.” Here I am, spilling my guts to a stranger. I find it easier than talking to Gianni. This man doesn’t know me. Tony can give me unbiased advice. “I try to protect her by doing things my way, but she’s been alone for a long time. She’s had to fight for what she has. She is independent and strong. She’s used to making her own choices and I need to respect that. I only want her as mine. At the end of the day, that’s all I really want.” Even if it means she doesn’t want to have my baby, maybe she and I can come to an agreement. Maybe not now, but soon? I want to be what she needs me to be.
“Don’t take all the blame. It takes two to tango.” His thick New York accent comes through, telling me where he is from.
“She’s stubborn and hardheaded.” I admire her beautiful face as she sleeps, even with alcohol pouring off her in waves, she still is everything my heart desires. “She loves fighting me.”
“She has spirit. It’s good. It means she won’t ever have you walk all over her. It’s good to have a woman like that.”
I nod in agreement, kissing Sophie’s forehead. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “Please, don’t be mad at me anymore.” I look down, hoping she’d open her eyes, but they remain shut.
“We are here, sir.”
“Roll down the window and tell them to let you through.”
As soon as he rolls down the window, Gianni’s voice comes through the speaker.
“Whatever you are selling, we don’t want it.”
“No, I’m Tony. I’m the new driver for Mr. Milazzo. He’s in the backseat with his girl. He told me to tell you.”
“Tony? Who the fuck is Tony?”
“Me. I’m Tony. The Taxi driver. You know, yellow cab kind of guy.” He chews on his toothpick. “You want a ride in my cab? The fare is decent. I can help you around the city. I’m sure that’s my job now. You know, I could take you to this really great place—”
“—Shut up. And come in. Stop talking.” Gianni is moodier than usual but opens the gate.
“Nice talking to you. See you soon, yeah?” Tony must be the happiest guy I know. It’s a nice change of pace. Someone with his attitude is needed around here.
When Tony parks, I dip into my blazer pocket and hand him my card. “Come by tomorrow, but message me first. Either way, I’ll be seeing you soon, okay, Tony? And remember, do not tell a soul about tonight.”
He zips his mouth shut. “Tighter than a chastity belt, Mr. Milazzo.” He locks his mouth and throws away the key.
I chuckle under my breath at his choice of words. Gianni opens the door, and I step out, keeping a grip on Sophie.
“I’m going to clean her up and take her to bed. Her car is downtown. I’ll give you the location to get it.”
“You got it.”
Tony honks as he drives away, waving out the window.
“Who is that guy?”
“That’s Tony. He’ll be our official driver. You won’t have to do it anymore.”
“I like the sound of that.”
Sophie groans just as I step inside the house. Her eyes open and she suddenly slaps my chest, rolls out of my arms, and runs to her bedroom, slamming the door.
I hear a lock, too, along with the horrible retching of her throwing up.
“What the hell happened, Gianni? How did I get here?”
“You’ll have to talk to her about that.” He pats my shoulder. “Why don’t you get cleaned up? I’ll check on her and I will update you. Get some rest. Tomorrow, you guys can tackle this issue, okay?”
“I want footage of the bombing. I want to know everything.”
“Will do,” he says.
I take one last look at her bedroom door and walk away. I need to shower and go see my daughter. I miss her.
I highly doubt I’ll be able to sleep, knowing that tomorrow holds so many answers.
