Chasing Arlo (Genoa Mafia Series Book 5)

by Ginger Ring

  Roman and Arlo met Fedor and one of his henchmen at the halfway point. Fedor appeared relaxed and in control while he clenched his fists to prevent himself from tearing the bastard’s head off. Until Layla was safe, he had to keep it under control.

  “Where is she?” Roman asked. His boss only agreed to take him if he let Roman do all the talking. It was true. His head was about to burst and acting on emotion was never a good thing.

  “Where’s my brother?”

  With that, Roman turned and motioned to Jasper. He opened the door and Alexander got out. A tight smile crossed Fedor’s lips.

  “Layla?” Arlo couldn’t remain quiet anymore. It brought a sneer from her captor and a glare from the man next to him.

  Fedor nodded to the dipshit next to him and he returned to their truck. Opening the back door, he dragged Layla out. She appeared tired but unharmed. At least physically. She said his name and he whispered hers.

  “How fucking charming,” Fedor sneered. “Let’s get this over with.” He turned his back and walked back to his vehicle. When Arlo didn’t move, Roman grabbed his arm. Not wanting to lose sight of her, he walked backwards.

  Roman stood in front of Alex. “You are to meet halfway.” Alexander started and Roman put a hand on his chest. “No funny business.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” The guy smirked. “It’s been a pleasure but I don’t plan on seeing you again.”

  He started walking, as did Layla. She hesitated a few times, as if she expected someone to stop her. When no one did, her steps increased, her gaze never leaving his. Only a few more feet and she would cross paths with Alex and soon be in Arlo’s arms. He took a step forward only to have Jasper hold him back. “You have to wait.”

  “I can’t.”

  Jasper shoved him against the car. “Don’t be stupid and blow things. You did the same thing for me not too long ago. Keep with the plan.”

  Nodding, he took a step back. Layla’s scream resonated in the dark night and his heart stopped. There in the spotlight of both their lights stood Alex, his arm with a choke hold on Layla’s neck. Her feet barely touched the ground.

  “What the hell is going on?” Roman shouted as they inched their way closer, guns now in their hands.

  “Alex? What the hell?” Fedor approached with his men, armed to the teeth as well. “We had a deal. You for the girl.”

  “I’m making a new deal.” Alexander swung around toward his brother, taking Layla with him, her feet wobbling in her heels.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Roman yelled. “Fedor, we had a deal. A truce.”

  “Let her go,” Fedor demanded of his brother.

  “No. Now that I’m back, I make the rules,” he declared through gritted teeth.

  Arlo saw stars. Anger, rage, hopelessness. Every emotion you could think of battled it out in his brain. Only Jasper and Dom holding him back kept him from rushing over and prying her from his grasp. The Russian bastard had fooled them all. He hadn’t been cured at all. He was going to be sick and the pain in his chest increased.

  Fedor’s bravado crumbled as he slumped against the side of their vehicle.

  “We didn’t kill you, Alex, remember that,” Roman tried to reason with the man.

  “That’s correct, you didn’t.” He revolved around in their direction with Layla still held tightly to his chest. “But you did let your lacky there,” he pointed at Arlo, “torture me several times. Maybe I should do that to someone he cares about.”

  Layla cried as her knees buckled.

  “No.” Arlo struggled to get out of his friends’ hold. “Take me instead.”

  “I was hoping you would say that.” Alex grinned as his eyes narrowed.

  “Absolutely not,” Roman argued.

  “Alexander, no,” his brother tried to reason. “I did all this for you. This is just going to cause a bigger war. Release the girl.”

  “You didn’t know I was alive, so cut the bullshit. You’ve been waging war for months. Do you think I give a fuck about any of that?” Alexander turned around again and yelled. “Arlo Brunetti in exchange for Layla Rinaldi. If not, I break her pretty neck.”

  “No,” Layla wailed again. “No, no. no.” She struggled but he held her tight.

  “I’ll do it,” Arlo yelled.

  Roman pounded a fist on the hood and cursed. “Dammit.”

  Red filled his vision as Arlo imagined all the deadly things he wanted to do to this man. A man he’d started to believe had changed. What a joke it had been. Alexander must be laughing inside right now. The prick. The psychopath.

  Roman approached him, his mouth a tight line. “I can’t tell you what to do but I don’t want to lose you. There’s no guarantee we’ll be able to get you back but I will promise vengeance.”

  “That’s all I ask.” He held out his hand to his best friend. “Take care of her.”

  “I promise. I know you’ll find a way out of this. I’m not counting you out yet. Madison and I want you and Layla as godparents.”

  If it weren’t so fucked up, he’d have laughed. Arlo grasped his outstretched hand and held it tight. “I’ll figure something out. I’m not going down without a fight.”

  “I don’t doubt that for a moment.”

  Jasper hugged him and whispered “Give ’em hell.” Dominic just nodded and looked minutes away from having a melt down and killing everyone in sight.

  After saying their goodbyes, Roman and he approached the pair in the middle while Fedor and one of his men met them there.

  It happened fast. Layla was shoved into Roman’s arms while Alex and Fedor grabbed Arlo. He didn’t even get a chance to kiss her or have her in his embrace one more time. Just briefly his pinkie looped hers before they were pulled apart. Nothingness was all-consuming. The image of Layla fighting to get to him gutted him. Streaks of black mascara ran down her pale face. Her beautiful hair was disheveled and her clothing torn. Her cries raised the hair on his arms but other than that he was numb. Cold as ice.

  It barely registered that someone had tied his wrists behind his back. He felt nothing. He had to be strong. In control. As the SUV’s doors shut, it knocked the fight back into his veins. It had been a shock and betrayal that he was in this position but he wasn’t through yet. The Russians had no idea who they just took.

  ***

  Layla

  Her life was over. They should’ve just killed her in the middle of the road because she couldn’t go on living without Arlo. Oscar was still alive, or at least they said he was. Roman refused to take her to Maddy. His concern for his wife was admirable but she really needed family right now.

  It was surprising they’d agreed to take her to Arlo’s place, it didn’t seem right waiting for him to return anywhere else. He would return to her, she knew it. He pinkie swore. It was childish and way too brief but it was all she had to hold onto at the moment.

  Roman promised her they would monitor their location and make plans to get him back. The clock on the stove said it was two in the morning. After taking a hot bath, she curled up on the couch in a bathrobe, nursing a brandy, her phone in her hand.

  A knock on the door caused it to nearly slip to the floor. She rushed to open the door, not pausing to see who it was first.

  “Father.”

  “Layla.” Bruno grabbed her in a bear hug. “I can’t believe I almost lost you.”

  “It was my fault. I was so stupid,” she sobbed.

  Shutting the door, Bruno helped his daughter to the couch. “If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine for not protecting you and keeping you safe.”

  “Don’t start that now. You got your wish. Arlo’s gone,” she barked.

  “That was never my intention.” He frowned.

  “You’ve always hated him and I don’t even know why.”

  It couldn’t have shocked her more when he laughed. “It could have been anyone. It just happened to be him.”

  “What do you mean?” That he could joke at this moment pissed her off.<
br />
  “You’re my pride and joy and no man will ever be good enough for you. The minute I realized you were going to ask him to dance at your party, I knew he was the one. The one who would eventually take you away from me. It just took longer than I expected.”

  “I’ll never leave you. You’re my father.”

  “I know.” He patted her knee.

  “He traded his life for me.” She rose and wandered toward the window. “I’ve lost the one I love.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” He followed her there.

  “I wish it was so.”

  “I know so. A man who gives his life for you. This man, Arlo. I know for a fact he will fight through the gates of hell to get back to you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Arlo

  His face was on fire, but then that was a given since Alex had just hit him for the fifth time. His brother lounged in a chair by the wall. Fedor appeared relaxed but from the way he looked everywhere but at them said otherwise. Alexander was in his face again, screaming some nonsense in Russian that only the two of them could understand. Maybe that was a good thing. If he was going to be thrown into a vat of hot oil, that was the last thing he’d want a head’s up on.

  At least Layla was safe. Sweet, beautiful Layla. The only thing that bothered him besides not seeing her again was the fact that she would blame herself for his demise. His tormentor picked up a few tools off their torture table and the muscles in his stomach tightened.

  “Imagine that, brother?” This time Alex spoke in English. “They tried to convince me that you were poisoning me. That paranoid schizophrenia ran in our family.” Returning to Arlo, he bent over and got in his face. “Schizophrenia?” Rounding to his back, Arlo felt the cold steel of a knife placed in his hand as Alexander bent to whisper in his ear. “Do you think I’m crazy now?” Arlo kept his gaze to the floor but he could feel Fedor watching them. Alex spit and rose to go to his brother.

  “What do you say to that, brother? Am I crazy?” Alex marched to his brother’s side.

  “It’s bullshit. Mind games to turn you against me.” Fedor still wouldn’t look at either of them.

  Hope surged as Arlo began to work the blade through the ropes that held him in place. Slowly and carefully. If he dropped it, they’d both be dead.

  “That’s what I thought. What kind of monster would turn me into a crazy person on purpose?” He chuckled and strolled over to the table.

  Fedor flexed his fingers as he stared at the man’s back. “I never trusted the Italians. Can’t believe a word they say,” he added.

  “But I took your woman, Tonya. How can you forgive me for that?” Alex turned around, resting his behind on the table. “I’m so sorry about that. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  “She was easy to replace.” He brushed it off. “I found another.”

  “Thing is, I don’t even remember taking her or what I did to her. Just that I enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to do it again. Imagine my misfortune to grab a Caponelli woman.” He shook his head.

  “As I said, easy to replace.” Fedor swallowed. “Just like Layla would have been. We didn’t need this guy.”

  “I’ll kill you, you bastard.” Arlo couldn’t help himself. He was almost loose.

  “I’m not talking to you.” Alex warned before returning his attention to the man on the other side of the room. “I’m talking to him.”

  “Look,” Fedor rose, “I’m sorry for what happened to you but I had nothing to do with any of this. You took off. I searched for you but you were already gone.”

  “How convenient for you.” Alex narrowed his eyes and reached for a switchblade.

  They started to circle each other. Careful steps, not too close and not too far away.

  Fedor had to know he’d been found out. “Like I said, I searched for you. Hell, when I heard they had you, I took the Rinaldi bitch to trade for you.”

  Arlo felt the last strand of rope give way.

  “Oh, and tell me, brother, how did you find that out?”

  Rolling his shoulders, Fedor grit his teeth. “What does it matter how I fucking found out, you dumb ass? You’re here, aren’t you?”

  “It matters to me. They had a doctor that treated me. After hacking into Father’s medical records, I saw that he had it too. Unfortunately, he never told us and it runs in families. The illness is triggered by different things such as drugs and alcohol. Things easily put into my food and drink.”

  “So what?” Fedor got in his face. “We’re both fucked in the head. What are you going to do about it, kill me?”

  “I’d love nothing more.” Alex grabbed him and turned his back toward Arlo.

  “And you know we can’t kill each other or everything is gone.” Fedor fought to get loose.

  “No amount of money is worth what you did to me. What you caused me to do to Tonya.” Alex held him tight. “No one knows you’re here except for the men that came with me. It’ll be easy to kill them and no one would be the wiser.”

  “How about I kill Fedor, and Alex here lets me go?” Arlo held the knife to the man’s throat.

  “I like that idea best.” Alexander smiled a very sane grin. The man had played them both and let Arlo win. A fist to the gut had Fedor bent over and out of breath. Arlo took the chance to tie the man’s arms behind his back and toss him into the chair he’d just left.

  “You can’t do this,” he pleaded with his brother.

  “No, I can’t kill you, but he can.” Alex signaled Arlo’s direction.

  Surveying the selection, Arlo chose a drill but Alex placed a hand on the tool. “As much as I’d love to sit here and watch you put numerous holes in my beloved brother, we don’t have time. It has to look like you escaped. Kill him quickly and hit me a few times in the face.” He tossed Arlo some keys and a jacket that had been hanging on the wall.

  “You’re not going to get away with this.” Fedor began to scream for help. It was useless, as the place was most likely soundproof.

  “Shut up.” Alex picked up a bat and swung it against the man’s jaw. His eyes rolled back in his head while a few of his teeth littered the floor. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

  “How do I know you’re not setting me up again?” The last thing Arlo wanted to do was walk into another trap.

  “You could have killed me but you didn’t. I owe you one.” Alex reached out a hand. “Do it quick and get the hell out of here.”

  Arlo glanced from his hand to his face before reaching to shake it. It was odd but they’d been through a lot in the past couple of months and deep down, he felt he could be trusted. Fedor’s moans broke the tension and returned them to the task at hand. “How will your people know you didn’t do this?”

  “I’ll tell them the truth.”

  “The truth?”

  “Yes, everything he did to me and everything you did for me but we don’t have time to waste.”

  Shaking his head, Arlo marched over to his victim. The guy deserved to die. He was a brutal killer, poisoned his brother, which caused him to harm Tonya in unspeakable ways, trafficked women, and kidnapped Layla. Slapping the man’s face to wake him up, Fedor slowly came back to life enough to plea.

  “Stop, please,” he mumbled before Arlo drew the knife and stabbed him in the neck. The gurgling sound of his life flowing from his body was the only noise in the room.

  “Go. Now,” Alex urged while telling him the directions out of the place. Donning the jacket and grabbing the keys, he rushed to the door before stopping and taking one last look at Alex.

  “Thanks.”

  The man just nodded before pulling a chair next to his dying brother.

  Not waiting another moment, Arlo looked both ways and hurried down the hallway. Everything was right where Alex had said it would be. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. He’d been given the gift of life in return for taking another’s. It was a twisted life they led and it finally dawned on him why Roman was try
ing so hard to leave it. The man had a child on the way and the last thing anyone would want would be to see another fight for power like he’d just witnessed. It wasn’t the same in their family but greed made people do terrible things.

  He nearly drove off the road when his phone buzzed. Surprised he still had one, he fumbled around before answering it.

  “Yeah.”

  “Are you free?” Relief surged through his body at Roman’s voice.

  “Did you know about this?” His friend always knew everything that was going on so it wouldn’t surprise him if he did.

  “I hoped but I wasn’t sure he’d really go through with it,” Roman admitted.

  “Do you think next time you might give me a head’s up?”

  “What, and trust you to play the part? Last time I checked you hadn’t taken any acting classes and I couldn’t chance you giving anything away.”

  “Where’s Layla?”

  “Safe at home.”

  “Where are you?”

  “A few miles out of Genoa. You can leave the car and ride with us. There’s someone here who wants to speak with you.”

  “I thought you said Layla was home.”

  “She is. I knew you wouldn’t want her waiting out here in the dark to hear if you were dead or alive.”

  He spotted Roman’s vehicle up ahead in the shadows.

  “Then who’s there?”

  “You’ll find out.”

  “Dammit, Roman, I think I’ve had enough surprises for one night.” He slowed to a stop.

  Getting out, Arlo felt like he’d been through a battle and he had. The last thing he needed now was to see Bruno Rinaldi get out of the car. Groaning, he tossed Roman a dagger with his eyes.

  “Don’t worry, Arlo.” Bruno walked to greet him. “I came to thank you for saving my daughter.”

  “You don’t need to thank me for that. I’d do it again in a second.”

  “That’s what I hoped you’d say. I haven’t been that nice to you but seeing as Layla has her heart set on you, I thought we should get to know each other.”