by Lewis, Anna
“I know how to shoot,” was all I said, my voice hardly had a waver to it.
“Good, aim straight,” he said before heading back into the living room proper.
“Josh…its Donovan calling,” Terry said, holding up my phone. I took a deep breath and went to answer it.
Chapter 5
Giovanni
“We have an issue,” Marco strode into the kitchen, his voice gruff as always. I glanced up from the coffee I was making for Maddison and I. I wanted her to be awake while I talked to her. She needed to come to her senses quick or else Gio would continue to like fucking Joshua over his own father.
“What.” I stirred sugar into both cups, I knew exactly how Maddison liked her coffee, it was the details that would win her back, she’d always been soft for the little things. She’d remember how well I know her and she’d realize that our family should be together.
“The cops are poking around the barn…” I glanced up and he beckoned me out to the living room. The guys were all inside, Reese and Noland were staring at the TV while everyone milled around, juiced up and ready for anything. The surveillance feed was up on the screen. Good thing the actual house was so far back from the main road and off the grid that the cops had no chance of finding us without someone who knew the area. The address would only lead people to the barn, the house wasn’t registered under anything, it was virtually nonexistent.
“They aren’t really looking; they only have one other car as backup…”
“It means they’re in Joshua’s pocket, he’ll be here soon enough with his ‘security.’” Marco scoffed.
“Get ready,” was all I said before heading upstairs. I needed to have that talk with Maddison sooner rather than later. Things would go a lot smoother for us if she was on board. I unlocked her bedroom door and stepped inside, it was dark and she was sitting near the window looking out at the fields of pasture land.
“You know they say distance makes the heart grow fonder…I think you look more beautiful now than you did when you left me.” I walked over to touch a lock of her hair, she tensed up, hugging her knees to her chest.
“Yeah, I don’t have any more bruises. That’s the difference,” she said, her voice heated, but careful.
“I love how you challenge me Maddison, you know I’m in control, but it’s like you aren’t scared…” I caressed her cheek and she flinched away from me. I ground my teeth together and took a deep breath. I wouldn’t hit her, Gio would see the bruise and he’d never respect me.
“Look, I have train tickets for us to head back home. Come with me, we’re a family and we should all be together.”
“Why are you suddenly so eager to go? Is Josh here? I told you he’d come for us…”
Heat rose in my chest and before I could check myself I slapped her hard across the face.
“Joshua Aberdeen is nothing. You and Gio are mine, we belong together and we will be. I came up here trying to be civil and look what you’ve made me do,” I growled. She was no longer hugging her knees to her chest, instead she was sprawled against the wall, cupping her cheek and an arm around her stomach. “I didn’t want to play this card, but obviously you’re giving me no choice. If you don’t want to come with me fine. I’ll take my son and we’ll leave without you.” I turned to leave, but she sprang to her feet and clutched my arm.
“No, no please…don’t take Gio…I’ll cooperate, I’m sorry,” she said, trying to hide the panic in her voice.
“You’re sorry for leaving?” I asked her and she paused briefly before nodding her head. “Say you love me.” I moved to caress her neck, but she flinched away from me. I grabbed her around the throat instead, my face only a breath from hers. “Say it.” My patience was thinning and I hadn’t heard anything from downstairs so I didn’t know how much time we had to leave.
“Vanni! We got issues,” Marco shouted from downstairs. I cursed and let Maddison go, not really meaning to throw her down in the process. I met Marco on the steps, he was all kinds of pissed off. “Joshua and his crew are on the way to the farm. He has extra guys, not just his posh security firm guys. This won’t be PG when they get here.”
“Take Gio, head to the train station. I’ll be right behind you with Maddison. Tell the men to meet Joshua at the barn.” Marco hurried past me, quickly retrieving a kicking and screaming Gio along with his book bag.
“I hate you! I hate you Daddy!” he shouted at me as Marco hauled him downstairs. Mini me was more like his father than he thought. I took a deep breath and turned around just in time to see Maddison holding a lamp in her hand. I caught the thing just before she could bash me over the head with it. I caught her arm and twisted it behind her back, forcing her back into the room.
“What have you done with Gio!” she screamed, pushing against me with all her might. I picked her up and walked her farther into the room, she was kicking and screaming just like Gio.
“You’re the one making him weak! You’re the one who took him away from me, if you don’t love me anymore then fine. I don’t need you!” I threw her down onto the bed and she did it again, put her arm around her stomach as if she was protecting something…
“Wait a second, wait a second…are you pregnant?” Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before her poker face slid in place. But that was all I needed.
“It’s yours, the baby is yours,” she blurted out. I did the math in my head. There was no way, her stomach would be swollen by now.
“Don’t fucking lie to me!”
“P-please Giovanni just listen to me,” she begged, her voice choked on a sob.
“You pathetic bitch. What, did you get knocked up just to hang on to him for his money?” Only Maddison could get me so angry I saw red, only she made me want to hunt that Joshua bastard down, tie him up in the barn and set it on fire. If she didn’t love me anymore then fine, if Joshua was who she wanted then they could die together.
Chapter 6
Joshua
Donovan had called as he was leaving the property, he told me they’d done a sweep of the barn, the rest was just wide open field. There was nothing. Kane didn’t believe it and neither did I. We were only twenty minutes outside of Woodstock where the barn was.
“We sweep the entire plot of land; I don’t want to leave one blade of grass uncovered.” Kane was in full commanding officer mode as we rode down the long two lane road. We had three SUV’s full of guys, ready to pull a national security mission. I was simply trying to keep it altogether. My fear for Maddy and Gio pushing at the surface along with my anxiety for this mission. I didn’t want to see anyone get as much as a bruise. We were all equipped with bulletproof vests though, courtesy of Jackson. So our odds weren’t too bad. It was almost midday, after staying up since Maddy and Gio were taken, I was surprised I wasn’t feeling the fatigue. Then again, I had enough adrenaline running through me that I probably wouldn’t sleep for days.
“Empty my ass…” Kane mumbled. We’d come up to the property. The barn was in clear view just off the drive and two trucks were parked in plain sight. “Joshua stay behind me,” he held my gaze for a moment and I nodded once. The SUV came to a stop and like clockwork all our guys were out and cautiously heading towards the barn. I followed Kane out and stayed close behind, we moved at a fast clip towards the two trucks parked in front of the barn. The first shot that was let off wasn’t from our side. I got down before Kane barked the order, hurrying towards the nearest truck’s front tire and crouching down. Several shots were traded as I kept my eyes on the gravel underneath my feet. All I could see or think about was Maddy and Gio, getting to them safe, and finding them safe.
“These guys are down, let’s move!” Kane barked and I hurried to catch up with the group by the barn entry. Glancing behind me I saw three guys groaning and bleeding on the ground. All Giovanni’s men. They weren’t dead, just incapacitated. Marcus went around knocking each of them out and hauled them over to the side of the barn and used plastic cable ties to tie them up t
o an exposed pipe.
“Come on…” Kane called my attention back to Jackson and his guys who were entering the barn. More shots were fired; a whole volley of shots were heard until it was dead quiet. Some shouts were heard before Kane moved forward. I followed him in and found four other guys unconscious and being tied up like the others outside.
“There’s two more, Giovanni and Marco,” Jackson said, he was a little out of breath, but nothing too bad.
“You guys make this seem…easy,” I said slowly, and they actually laughed.
“It was, come on, let’s find where Giovanni is hiding,” Jackson said. After we swept the barn we got back into the SUV’s and continued along the gravel road until it gave way to nothing but grass and still we drove along, searching the clearing for any signs of life.
“There’s a cow…” I said when I spotted one grazing. Soon enough we passed three more cows and two goats, then a house came into full view at the very back of the property. I barely had time to take in the entire house before our SUV came under fire.
“Get down! Get down!” Kane covered my body with his as the sound of automatic rifle fire got closer to our car. I heard the roar of some powerful engine and just peeked over Kane’s shoulder to see a truck speeding away from the house.
“What’s up with that?” I shouted.
“Jackson, have one of the SUV’s go after it I saw the kid in there!” Kane yelled into the open line he was wearing in his ear, connecting everyone on our team. Kane shoved the door opposite me open and he climbed out, beckoning me forward. I watched as bullets streaked right by him. Calmly he leveled his gun leaned out of the cover of the door and shot only twice. The automatic went silent. Bullets were no longer flying at us.
“Come on!” Kane said. The other SUV finally caught up to us, the two other men in the car with us were already running towards the back of the house.
“You two, follow them around back. You two cover us,” Kane gave the orders and soon we were moving in on the porch and entering the house, the front door was wide open. What we found inside turned my heart into a rock inside my chest.
“Drop the weapon Giovanni!” Kane barked at him and the lunatic simply grinned, a sickening Joker like grin. Just like Gio had once told me.
“Perfect timing, I thought the precious family should all die together,” he said, almost chuckling. Maddy was tied to a chair right in the front room, Giovanni had a gun pointed to her head. She had a bruise on her cheek and a split lip, but other than that she seemed okay on the outside. Relief mixed with the terror and anxiety in my chest.
Before I knew I was doing it, I had the gun Kane had given me pointed at Giovanni who started cracking up then. I aimed for his shoulder and was true with my shot. A look of shock crossed his face before he staggered back a step, I used my advantage and stepped away from Kane. I shot Giovanni again, hitting him in his chest, and again in the other shoulder, his gun flying out of his hand.
Everything was oddly crystal clear and quiet as I walked over to Giovanni. He was lying there, coughing and choking on his own blood.
“I guess…was…wrong…” he wheezed and laughed before his chest ceased to rise and fall. The life faded from his gaze as he stared at me.
“Joshua…it’s over man, good aim.” Kane came behind me and took the gun from my hand.
“I’d never thought I would…kill someone,” I said in a low voice. Kane tapped me on the shoulder and turned me around to face Maddy.
“You did it to save your family. He was an evil man who deserved more than the quick death you gave him.”
“Gio, they have Gio they’re taking him to the train station!” Maddy’s panicked voice burst my brief bubble of shock.
Chapter 7
I hurried over to her, her entire body was shaking. “Don’t worry, we have two SUV’s after that truck, we’ll get Gio,” I told her. My hands were roaming her entire body. Making sure she was really okay. “Is…are you—”
“We don’t have time to talk right now,” Kane nudged my shoulder and I kept my arm around Maddy’s waist, guiding her out to the cars. “The cops will clean this up, but um, ma’am do you know which train station it is your son is being taken to?” Kane asked her, his cell phone out at the ready.
“I’m not sure, the closest one?” she said, her voice shaking almost as much as she was. I realized she was in shock, and that couldn’t be good for the baby.
“We need to get to the hospital,” I told him as he spoke into the phone telling whoever it was what information Maddy gave him.
“N-no I need to go and make sure we get Gio!” she said, squeezing my arm in a tight grip.
“Maddy you’re pregnant and your body is going into shock or something!” I said. Her eyes widened briefly and she paused long enough for us to hear Kane’s sigh.
“Look, I called Donovan and Arby, they’re having the county sheriff’s office go up to the nearest train stations to intercept Marco and Gio. Jackson and the other SUV are still on the truck’s trail though.” I glanced at Maddy after Kane filled us in. “We can stay here to give statements to the police and wait for Donovan and Arby to get here, or follow Jackson’s trail.”
“Let’s follow Jackson,” Maddy said.
“You guys stay here, give the cops a play by play. Make sure none of Giovanni’s guys escape,” Kane gave the orders and it was just he, Maddy, and I that took one of the cars and sped back to the main road.
“H-how did you…what did you guys do to get here?” Maddy asked me.
Kane was in the front driving like a controlled madman. I couldn’t bring myself to let Maddy move away from my side. My arm was glued to her waist and my other hand itched to touch her belly.
“We can talk about that later…Maddy why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant? Is it…is the baby…” If the baby wasn’t mine I didn’t know what that would do to me. Especially as the only other possible father was someone I shot dead not five minutes ago.
“The baby is yours Josh…I’m two months along,” she said softly. “I don’t know why I felt it wasn’t the right time to tell you I just…I had to get past something, but I was going to tell you. Then I found the stuff in your desk…” she took a deep breath and I had to blink past the tears filling up my eyes.
“I thought…Jesus I thought he would—”
“He didn’t, I’m fine, the baby is fine. I’m just worried about Gio,” she said, her voice choking up.
“Don’t worry, we’re getting close. Jackson’s vehicle has stopped only a mile away.” Kane piped in. Of course he’d been listening the whole time. Soon enough we were pulling up to a train station. There were our two SUV’s parked outside along with three county sheriff vehicles.
“Come on,” Kane parked the car with the others and we all hurried into the station, Kane knew exactly where to go and we simply followed him, jogging through to the tracks just in time to see an officer cuffing the infamous Marco, and Jackson carrying Gio off of the train.
“Gio!” Maddy called him and as soon as Jackson put him down he came sprinting over to us. He leapt up into his mother’s arms and held onto her tight.
“I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry…” she said to him, letting her tears flow then.
“We have a lot of cleanup to do,” Kane sighed and I glanced away from Maddy and Gio briefly. The uniformed officers were milling around and I knew that we’d have a long while before we could go home and unwind.
“Dad…” Gio called my attention back and I opened my arms to take him from his mom. He held onto me just as tightly.
“I’m so glad you’re alright buddy,” I said and he took a deep breath.
“Mommy said you’d come,” he murmured. I hugged him tight, taking a deep breath to center myself.
“I couldn’t let him take you guys. I love you too much.”
* * *
“Aunt Aida’s spending the night,” I said as I stepped quietly into Gio’s room. Maddy was curled around him on one of his bean
bag chairs. He was asleep, curled up into her, his chest rising and falling quickly as if he might have been having a bad dream.
“We might have to let him sleep with us…” she said softly, brushing hair from Gio’s eyes.
“We’ll be okay, day by day…” I told her while going over to sit on the floor next to them.
“I think…we should find someone for him to talk to very soon…”
“Yeah, that’s the best thing to do.” I looked up at her and she took a deep breath, simply nodding. “I think I’ve aged about ten years,” I said, trying to lighten things up a bit. Maddy laughed, her hand going to her belly and a huge wave of warmth spread through my chest and enveloped me. Without thinking I leaned forward and kissed her stomach.
“I’m really happy about this by the way. In case you couldn’t tell while we were panicked about Gio, or at the hospital making sure the baby was okay, or talking to the cops, or…” assuring Aunt Aida we were fine, trying to recover from the craziness of the past thirty-six hours…it was a long fucking list.
“I’m glad…I—I want us to be a family Josh…” she sighed.
“She finally admits it,” I smiled and leaned up to kiss her softly on the lips.
“Will you marry him now Mommy?” Gio woke up out of nowhere with his question, as if he’d been awake the whole time. Both Maddy and I burst into laughter then, it turned into hysterical laughter as all the stress from the day leeched out of us.
“Well you know honey technically he still hasn’t asked me to marry him,” she said after wiping tears from her eyes. Gio looked at me with a dropped jaw.
“Are you kidding me!” he said, sending us into another bout of laughter.
