Padre blows out a breath and leans back in his chair, giving me what I want. I can see mio zio out of the corner of my eye, not looking happy. Yet, for now, he remains silent.
I make my way into the room so I’m standing right in front of mio padre's desk. I can still see Stefano, but I don’t look at him directly. “With Gino gone, you’re trying to figure out who will now take over the familia business when you are ready to retire. Since you only had one son, Uncle Stefano says it should be him. But that right shouldn’t go to him. It should fall to me. I’m the next in line.”
Mio padre looks surprised, which I figured, but mio zio looks outraged. Standing up, he starts yelling, “That’s preposterous! You’re a woman. You can’t rule this empire. Non hai nessun diritto!”
I turn to Stefano now. “I have every right! I am Gemma DelBene, daughter to Lorenzo DelBene, the most respected and feared mafia king! This is my birthright, not yours!”
Stefano is huffing and puffing, unable to get actual words out. But I don’t pay attention to him anymore. Instead, I look to mio padre. He has a look in his eyes that I can’t decipher, which makes me start to worry.
“Padre,” I ask, my voice back to normal.
Leaning forward, he regards me a moment before saying, “Non voglio questa vita per te, Gem.”
I give him a sad smile. “I know, Padre. But I’ve always wanted it. Gino and I had plans. He would rule, and I would be by his side. I want this, Father. I deserve this. Let me prove it to you.”
He’s quiet for a few seconds, and I realize Stefano has quieted down as well. But he doesn’t stay that way for long. “You can’t be considering this, fratello. She can’t sit at the top, it’s not her place.”
Mio padre turns angry, but it’s not directed at me. He turns to Stefano and levels him with a deadly glare. Good.
“Non è il tuo posto per dirmi cosa fare.” I almost smile, but I’m able to hold myself back. Instead, I just stand there, watching mio padre do what he does best. Rule.
Stefano has the decency to look ashamed for a moment, yet the rage is still in his eyes. He doesn’t like this one bit. Soon I’ll prove that he was the one who murdered my mia familia, and he’ll pay for what he’s done.
Mio padre turns back to me. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asks with uncertainty. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear there is hope and pride in his eyes as well.
Smiling at him, I nod. “Si. This is what I want, what I was born to do. Sono la figlia di mio padre dopotutto.”
Letting out a long breath, he leans back. “Give me a few days to consider this. I have a few things to take care of, but after, we will talk again.”
Walking over to him, I kiss his cheek. “Grazie, padre.” I turn to make my way around the desk, catching Stefano's eye. Pausing, I turn back around. “Oh, I almost forgot,” I say, raw pain taking over my body and tears coming to my eyes. “Our birthday is in a few days; me and Gino’s.” My voice cracks, just like my heart and soul. “I don’t want to spend it alone, but I also don’t want to stay here. Could I maybe go spend the week up at our cabin in New Jersey? Per favore?”
I’m not lying completely. I really don’t want to stay here, especially knowing my uncle is close by.
Mio padre's face falls even more with the reminder of what happened. But he nods his head, giving me what I want and need. “Si. But you will be taking a team of guards with you. It’s not safe right now for you.” He doesn't explain further, but I know what he means. It's never safe for us, but after what happened, it's worse.
I can see the fire in mio padre's eyes through the pain. If he weren't mio padre, I might be afraid of the look I see within them. But I’m not afraid. In fact, I want to help build that flame, add my own, and watch as those who stand against us burn. Until those that have wronged us pay with their lives.
“I will take Giovanni and Luca with me. They’ll keep me safe,” I tell him, heading for the door once more.
“Si, they will. But I will talk to Gio and have him select a few more men to bring along, just in case,” Padre adds.
I nod before I walk out the door, closing it softly behind me.
Giovanni is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs when his phone rings. It’s probably mio padre, relaying his orders. And when Giovanni replies with a “Si, Boss,” I know I’m right.
As soon as he hangs up the phone, I start heading upstairs to pack, but say over my shoulder, “I’ll be ready to leave in twenty minutes. Bring only those you trust completely.”
Being in this business, I know he trusts all of his men, but this is sensitive. I need people who will work beside me, not against me, when I move to take over the empire.
***
Giovanni and Luca worked fast. By the time I had my bags packed, he had arranged for four other guards to come with us on this mission; Diego, Gabriel, Antonio, and Raffaele.
I’d seen them before at the house, or out and about with mio padre, but I hadn’t ever personally met them. I trust Giovanni with my life. He wouldn’t have brought them along if they weren’t good at what they do or if they wouldn’t support my cause.
Once we were on the plane, we went over all the information Giovanni had gathered. I was a little surprised at what little information he gave to the others, even Luca. I figured he would have had to give them more before they signed on for this, but I was wrong. Turns out, all they needed to know was that we were going to shut mio zio Stefano down.
Another thing that surprised me was the blind loyalty they had for me already. I was practically a nobody in this business, except for the boss’s daughter. I was to be protected and respected to a fault. But instead of looking to Giovanni for direction, they turned to me. They listened to what I had to say and swore to obey my every command as if I was their boss, not mio padre.
“We have cars waiting for us at the airport. Giovanni has set everything up for us as ghosts. No one knows we’re coming, and it will remain that way,” I start off, telling them my plan. “Once we land, we’ll head out to Marco’s cousin’s place. We can’t know for sure that he’s there, but I’m counting on it. He’s gone dark and will fear being seen. I’m sure whoever paid him to turn the other cheek told him to lay low for a while.” I want to name Stefano, but until I know for sure, I’ll refrain. But I know it’s him.
“I’ve packed all the gear we’ll need for this mission; night vision goggles, communication equipment, and all the ammunition we should need. But we need him alive,” Giovanni adds, to which the rest nod.
“Once we scope the place out, Giovanni, Raffaele, and Gabriel will be with me. We’ll go through the back once Luca, Diego, and Antonio go through the front. You’ll be in charge of detaining Marco while we'll make sure no one escapes our way. And of course we'll be there if you need backup. We aren’t expecting him to have a team with him, though. I doubt even his cousin will be there.” Though if his cousin isn’t at the cabin, he’ll need to be tracked down and dealt with. I don’t want any loose ends when this is over.
After the plan was laid out and the plane had landed, it was time to put everything into action. And it went exactly how I’d planned. We found Marco's Cugino's place with no problems and scoped it out. I was right when I figured Marco would be alone, which made it much easier, and would ensure we got the job done quickly. I wanted to be back in Chicago as soon as possible. The sooner I was back with proof of mio zio's crime, the sooner I could get rid of him forever.
Luca took his team in through the front after they found Marco passed out on the couch with a bottle of Crown sitting beside him. Since there was no danger, me and the rest of my men went in from the back right after.
Everything happened in quick succession after that. Antonio dragged Marco off the couch by his throat, hauling him into a kitchen chair Diego had set up. Luca and him worked on getting him tied down while Antonio held him stationary.
Marco didn’t fight. It was as if he knew we would come.
Lockin
g eyes with me, I see a look of sadness in their depths, but that just enrages me more. This man might not have done the deed of killing my mother and brother, but he allowed it to happen, helped in one way or another.
"Attento," Giovanni whispers to me, reminding me I need to remain calm.
Nodding, I ask, “Tell me everything,” I'm proud of myself for not letting my emotions get the better of me. My tone Is even and calm, as if I were asking him for the time.
“I’m sor—” he starts by saying, but I hold my hand up to stop him. He doesn’t get to tell me he’s sorry. There will be no forgiveness for him, only conviction and death.
He tells us about his madre dying of cancer, and how he didn’t have the money for the treatment center she needed. And his younger fratello who had to quit his last year of high school to take care of her full-time. He needed money to pay for his madre's care so his fratello could go back to school.
“Your uncle came to me one night telling me he’d kill my brother and make sure my mother’s last days on this earth would be torture if I didn’t help him. He said if I did everything he asked of me, I’d have all that I needed to take care of my family.”
I can’t say if I would have felt grief for him and his familia before everything that had happened over the last week, but I can say that it doesn’t make it okay. And that if he would have come to mio padre with this, he would have helped him and his familia. He chose not to, though. He turned his back on my familia and became a traitor.
“What were you told to do?” This comes from Gabriel. He looks to me to make sure that I’m okay with his question, to which I nod. It doesn’t matter who asks the questions, as long as I get the answers.
At this, Marco looks away, but he gives us what we want. “After your uncle arrived, I was supposed to take care of the two guards outside while Stefano handled the one inside. He gave me a gun with a silencer. Once my job was done, I was to leave and come here. He told me to stay put until he gave me the all clear to get my family and leave the country.”
“Why did he do this?” I ask, needing to know the reason. I have a feeling it’s because he wanted the power of being the boss and he had to get Gino out of the way in order to do that.
Marco blows out a breath, but still doesn’t meet my eyes. “Look at me!” All the anger and pain comes out in those three words. I can’t hide it any longer.
Looking up, he says, “He wanted the throne. He knew the only way he’d get it was if your brother was out of the picture.”
“Any mia madre? Why did she have to die?”
I lone tear falls from his eye and I want to hit him. How dare he cry for what happened. It’s because of him she’s dead, why they’re both dead.
“She wasn’t supposed to be there. I looked at her schedule a few days before and she had an appointment. When I found out she was home, I told Stefano we couldn’t go through with it, but he wouldn’t listen. He said it was too late, that everything had been set in motion already. There was nothing I could do,” he cries.
I charge him. Balling up my fist, I punch him, hitting harder than I ever have in my whole life. But it does nothing to dull the pain. “You could have called it in. You could have told my father or warned my brother of what Stefano had planned, but you didn’t. You left, like a coward. You left them to die!”
Giovanni comes to me now, but I wave him off. I may not be able to control my anger any longer, but I won’t do anything again. I won’t hit him or kill him like I want to. Not yet.
“I’m so sorry.” Marco begins to cry now, and it only serves to grate on my nerves. I want to kill him, make him suffer. Make him feel what my brother felt, what my mother might have felt.
“Gag him,” I order, before going off into one of the back rooms, squeezing the handle of the gun I have holstered to my side. I have to get away from him, or I’ll kill him before I plan to.
***
Sleep didn’t come easy that night. I tossed and turned, seeing the look on my uncle’s face when I revealed that I knew it was him. When I show the proof we had of his deceit.
Giovanni and Luca gathered all the paper trails we’d need to hand over mio padre, and Raffaele put the tape of Marco’s confession in a locked box. We would need it all when we confronted Stefano.
In the early morning hours, Giovanni knocks at the door of the bedroom I locked myself into last night. The locked door wasn’t to protect myself, though. It was to protect Marco from me.
“Gemma, the plane is ready,” he says in a low voice, but loud enough for me to hear him.
Opening the door, I hand him my bag. “Did you inform Padre of our arrival?”
“No, Principessa. I thought it better to keep everything we do quiet. We don’t want Stefano to become aware of what we’ve been up to,” he answers, he mouth curving up into a sneer when he says mio zio's name.
Nodding, I make my way out into the kitchen where the strong smell of coffee greets me. My stomach churns and my mouth waters at the same time. I didn’t eat much yesterday, being too anxious about what we had to do. I’m now regretting it.
Gabriel is filling cups of coffee when he sees me. “Here you go, Boss. I’ve arranged for breakfast to be served on the plane.”
“Grazie,” I reply, taking the offered cup. “Where is he?” Looking around, I don’t see Marco. I worry for a second that he got away, but it fades just as fast as it arrived. These men, my men, would never allow that. He must be somewhere around here. Maybe it’s a good thing he’s out of sight after last night. I still crave to feel his blood on my hands. To watch the life drain out of him like I watched as it left mio fratello.
“We have him chained down in the cellar. Antonio is grabbing him now and putting him in the car Marco rented when he arrived. We’ll take both vehicles to the airport, but Antonio will stay behind to take care of the cousin.”
I don’t like leaving one of the men behind, but knowing that loose end will be dealt with makes me feel better.
“Si. Do we have his location?” I ask, taking a sip of the steaming coffee. Mmm, perfect. No creamer, extra sugar. These men are good. I think I’ll keep them on as my personal guard when I take over the empire.
“He will be arriving at the house late this morning. Antonio forced Marco to call him last night to meet. Everything will be taken care of before we even land back in Chicago,” Gabriel says with a smile.
Damn, I never noticed before, but this man is easy on the eyes. He’s probably in his early thirties, with a crew cut, dark hair, dark skin, and piercing eyes. Yes, easy on the eyes indeed. Maybe after all is said and done, I’ll be able to spend some alone time with him.
Shaking my head to clear that thought, leaving it for another day, I add, “Good. I want Antonio back with us as soon as possible. I want him there when I confront Stefano.”
“Si, Principessa. It’s all set.”
Antonio walks in. “We’re ready, Boss.”
I’m not sure if I like them calling me that yet or not, but that too I’ll leave for another day.
“Andiamo,” I state, walking out to the car, not even sparing a look at the other car or the man I know to be seated inside.
***
The plane ride home was quiet. The men spoke in low tones about what was coming next in our plan while I tried to relax and catch some sleep. Though, it still eluded me.
I heard when Antonio called to confirm the cousin had been dealt with. He was shot in the head as soon as he walked through the door, and then the house was burned down with him still inside. And the car that Marco rented was left on the side of the road a few miles outside of a small town. I’m not sure how Antonio got to the airport, but he made it there and boarded the plane. He’ll arrive soon after us.
Giovanni and Luca come to sit beside me when we’re a few minutes away from landing.
“How do you want this to go down when we get back to the mansion?” This came from Luca.
I’d thought about this all night, and even more whil
e I rested my eyes on the plane. All I knew was that I needed to give mio padre everything we had found, and then we would both confront Stefano. I’m sure Padre will want to be the one to kill him, but I’m hoping he’ll allow me that pleasure. Or at least, let me get a few non-fatal shots in before he takes his life.
“As soon as we arrive, I’ll find mio padre. Have Gabriel, Raffaele, and Diego take Marco out back in the car. I don’t want anyone to see him before I’m ready,” I tell them, to which they both nod.
“One of us should come with you to talk to Lorenzo,” Luca adds.
“No. This needs to come from me, and I need to do it alone.”
They don’t like it, but they don’t argue. It’s not like mio padre will question me once he sees all that we’ve gathered. He might be angry that I lied to him and went off on my own, but he’ll eventually understand that this was something I had to do. For Madre, but more so for Gino. Before he took his last breath, I made a silent promise to him that I would avenge him. That I would get to the bottom of what happened and find out who took him away from me. And I did just that.
As soon as the plane lands, we exit and head to an SUV that’s waiting for us. Luca gets in first, followed by me, then Giovanni, Marco, Diego, Gabriel, and lastly, Raffaele.
Marco sits in front of me, looking at me as if he’s waiting for me to say something.
“You’ll relay everything to my father that you told me. You will not apologize or say anything else besides what is asked of you. Once you have told the truth, you’ll pay for what you have done to mia familia with your life. There’s nothing you can do that will save you now, but you will tell Padre everything that you’ve told me. Do you understand?”
“Si,” he replies, his eyes telling me he’s ready. I can see that what he did weighs on him. He knows it was wrong and it eats away at him. If he could go back, I think he’d do everything differently. But that won’t help him now.
“I’ll make it quick,” I tell him quietly, looking away. It’ll be the only mercy he’ll get from me.
Twisted Tales of Mayhem: 2019 MMM Special Edition Anthology Page 44
