by Anthology
So I watched as Riccardo’s men waited. They were watching our small apartment, and following our movements. They were waiting for something, but I couldn’t be sure what. I was determined to figure it out before they could harm Faith or me.
It had become difficult to leave Faith alone in the apartment, especially after spending a weekend with her where neither of us had to run off to be with our respective families. We had spent the entire time together, mostly so I could watch over her without scaring her, and we rarely left the bedroom except for bathroom breaks and to eat. Even then we weren’t far from each other. I knew both of us had lost sight of why we started the charade. It was clear there was more to it now, and that’s why Riccardo had enough.
I should have known what he was planning when he ordered me to meet up with some of our men to discuss what they should do about a botched job. The target had escaped, and now knew we were after him. I should have known that it was a distraction, to get me out of the house. I shouldn’t have expected anything other than retaliation from him. Though, I didn’t think he would stoop as low as to frame me for Faith’s kidnapping.
When I returned home I was shocked to see the apartment torn to pieces. My heart stopped momentarily before the anger took over, a primal anger that I could only imagine had come from falling in love with Faith and then having her ripped from me. My heart ached as I looked through the destroyed apartment. There were vases and pictures toppled over, creating a maze of glass. The furniture had been over turned in some areas, even broken. My first instinct was to find her; I had to find her. But looking through the destroyed apartment was almost too much for me. I didn’t want to think about what she had been through when Riccardo’s men broke in.
I wasn’t sure what to do, how to approach Riccardo, or where he would have taken her, but I knew he had to be smart. I knew what Riccardo could do to hostages, and it wasn’t pretty. There had to be some way to get her back safely.
“Devon Rizzo,” a threatening voice stated from behind me.
I turned, half expecting Riccardo to have sent someone to pick me up so he could rub it in my face that he had Faith. I never expected to see Niccolo Moretti behind me with half a dozen guns pointed in my direction.
“Niccolo,” I replied curtly. Taking in his stone cold features, I noticed the blond hair that reminded me of Faith. My heart ached momentarily before I pushed it from my mind. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“Don’t play games with me, Devon.” His expression turned serious as he ordered the men to lower their weapons. While they looked displeased with the turn of events, they also seemed to be silently begging me to cooperate. “I do not have time for your games as my daughter does. While I know she enjoys your games, I don’t enjoy my daughter being taken and held hostage with a gun aimed at her head. Where is she?”
I tried to control his emotions—a mix of shock, fear, and heart-wrenching pain. How could I have let this happen to her?
“I told you, I have no time for games,” Niccolo reminded me as a hand grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me toward him. I came eye to eye with Niccolo. “Don’t hide your emotions. I find it touching that you worry for my daughter. It has also prevented you from being shot dead when you turned around.”
“Why didn’t you just kill me?” I asked curiously. If it had been me, I would have killed the man who had basically caused the kidnapping. I felt responsible, regardless of my feelings for Faith.
“Because you care for her, and that means you’ll get her out. I know you didn’t kidnap her. Riccardo would like to have me believe that so I eliminate you and throw a grenade into our war. If I kill you, the Riccis retaliate and kill my daughter then my family. I know better.”
I was taken aback. I wasn’t sure I could get her out. I didn’t even know where she had been taken, and didn’t know for sure anyone in the Ricci mafia would tell me in fear of me releasing her. If Niccolo knew I had feelings for Faith, then the assumption was that Riccardo knew, which is why he would have taken her. I clenched my jaw, furious.
“Use that anger, and get my daughter back,” Niccolo said as he released his hold on the front of my shirt and let me go. It wasn’t a suggestion; it was an order. “If you do, I will give you anything you want. I just want my daughter back, alive.”
I nodded. “I don’t know where she is, though. It will take time. Time I’m sure she doesn’t have.”
“For your sake, Devon,” Niccolo stated. “She’d better have the time, or you’ll be dead before the day is out.”
Searching For Faith
I had spent hours on the phone, contacting anyone I could to find information. At first, I tried to play it off as if I wasn’t worried about Faith, that I just wanted to know how the grab went, but I quickly realized anger got me more answers, especially when I found Mark Pizolli lurking in the shadows of an alleyway beside Faith’s and my apartment building.
“Mark,” I said as I grabbed his coat and yanked him from his hiding spot. Without planning to, I slammed him into the wall behind him and held him in place. I needed answers, and he would give them to me. “What are you doing here?”
I had seen Mark waiting in an alley from my bedroom window. I’d also witnessed a short exchange between Mark and Lucas Malzoni, Riccardo’s right hand man. While I couldn’t directly go after Lucas, I could easily grab Mark and get a few answers before Faith’s time ran out.
“Devon,” Mark stammered. He was already trying to stall, and that meant two things. He knew he had gotten caught, and would come up with a story to make it seem as if he hadn’t been a part of it. “I was just grabbing a few things the boss wanted before the attack on the Morettis. He wants to be sure he’s ready this time so we can end it for good.”
I put on a fake smile, gently removing Mark from the wall before grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back to hold him in place. “You were here when they took Faith from my room.”
It wasn’t a question, and I was sure Mark knew that from the way he squirmed in my hold. “I was,” he admitted, but he paused. Most likely to give himself time to think of a story. Time I didn’t have.
I slammed Mark against the side of the building and twisted his arm a little bit more until he was writhing in pain.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Mark said, letting out a breath of relief when I loosened my hold ever so slightly. “I was here when it happened, but I didn’t touch the girl. I was ordered to pick up a few things for the boss before the attack, and while I did that someone was supposed to distract you and take the girl.”
“Why? Tell me why they took her,” I growled, tightening my grip on Mark’s arm. If I weren’t careful, I’d end up breaking it.
“Riccardo figured out you had feelings for the girl, and he didn’t like it, man,” Mark stated through clenched teeth as I pulled his arm a little more. “He ordered a couple guys to come out here and take her. They are going to use her as leverage on the Morettis and win the war before more lives are taken.”
I was much more levelheaded and calm compared to Mark, mostly because I wasn’t in duress. I let out an angry groan, furious that they had taken her because I had foolishly allowed my feelings to become obvious, and now she was paying for my mistakes. Though I couldn’t help the smile that curved onto my lips as a new plan formed, one that hopefully ended up with both Faith and me alive, or at least Faith still breathing when it was done.
I spun Mark around to face me before leaning in, and putting a gun in his side for a little extra cooperation. “You mean to say they ruined my plan to bring her in because Riccardo was too damn impatient?” I asked, trying to make it seem as if I had meant to bring Faith in all along. If I could get everyone to believe it then maybe this whole thing could work out. “You let them ruin my plan so you could do errands for Riccardo?”
“We didn’t know, Devon. I swear, at least I didn’t know.” Mark was stuttering. It was clear that having a gun pointed at him panicked him enough to get him to t
ell the truth for once in his miserable life.
“Does it seem like I care?” I asked coldly. I forced my voice to become low and dark, a tactic I often used for intimidation. “You’ve made it seem as if I’m a traitor!”
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said, his eyes locked on the gun. “I’m supposed to pick you up as well and take you to see Riccardo. He knows that this was a part of your plan, and he just couldn’t wait anymore. He will tell you all about it, just let me take you to him.”
I lowered the gun, although reluctant to let him loose, and cast a hostile gaze in his direction. “Take me to him now, and there’s a good chance I won’t kill you where you stand.” As I watched Mark’s features for understanding, a look of relief washed over his face, and I couldn’t have that. I needed to control him where he stood, and know that he was on my side. So I leaned down and added, “If you make one move that I don’t like, I’ll kill you and leave your body where it falls, or better yet at your wife’s doorstep.”
“The prodigal son returns.”
My teeth clenched together in an attempt to hold back the words I desperately wanted to say as I forced a smile. Mark had called ahead to figure out where Riccardo was hiding, and where he had taken Faith. I did my best not to injure Mark, but he tried to tell Riccardo I was coming to help Faith, and that I was furious he had taken her hostage. He ended up with the butt of a gun hitting him in the side of the face. He was currently knocked out in the car, and wouldn’t wake up until it was all over.
“Riccardo,” I said, stepping forward to greet him. The anger must have been prevalent on my features because his guards stepped forward to protect him. I could make this work to my advantage; I just had to play my part correctly. I was always playing a part for Riccardo, anyway. Now it was time to turn the tables on him. “You realize that you’ve ruined my plan to bring her in, right? I had finally gotten her to trust me, and then you go and snatch her. How am I supposed to play this now?”
“The concerned boyfriend?” Riccardo suggested, unaffected by my deceit. “That’s what you are after all, aren’t you? You let her move in with you. Wasn’t that risk enough?”
Fear stabbed me in the gut. He either knew, or someone had reported it to him. When I found out who, I’d kill them for threatening her life. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about or why you seem so angry about my charade. I did exactly as ordered to. I even got her to live with me so it would be easier to grab her when the time was right. I clearly did a great job since you and your men believed it, but now you’ve ruined it.”
He laughed and waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t try to lie to me, Devon. I know you fell for the girl, and I should have known it was going to happen. She is quite beautiful after all, but I couldn’t stand by and watch you play house anymore.” Riccardo gazed toward me and waited to see if his words caught me off guard. I didn’t react. “I did think it was a genius method to have her move in with you. Then you’d be able to find out so much more, but the information always turned up a little short.” Riccardo’s voice became darker, more threatening and intimidating. “They were either ready for us, or we lost more men than they did. There was something wrong with your intel.”
“Or she was smarter than we gave her credit for and she fed me what she wanted us to know.”
Riccardo scoffed, pushing aside the idea without another moment of consideration. “Or you did it on purpose.”
A silence filled the room as we waited for the other to speak. We watched each other carefully, trying to determine what the other was thinking. Though as time went on, we both became more anxious. I needed to save Faith, and soon. I knew what my mafia was capable of when it came to hostages, and very few of them made it out alive. While Riccardo waited for an answer so that he could take care of Faith, and if he needed to, a traitor—me.
“Well?” Riccardo questioned. “Did you do it on purpose?”
I didn’t respond at first, letting Riccardo sweat out the response a little more. I knew in order for both Faith and I to make it I would have to continue with the game on both ends, except this time I needed to crush Faith’s heart and reveal who I truly was so Riccardo would believe me. Then I could take a risky chance and set her free. It was dangerous, and would probably kill me, but it was the only chance to save her.
“I have no feelings for her, and I never have. Though, the fact you and your men think I did only proves that I had her wrapped around my finger as well. She’ll be shocked when she sees who the person is behind her kidnapping, and then she’ll break.” I smiled, letting out a low chuckle. If this worked, I was both a genius and a miracle worker. “Take me to her, and I’ll prove it to you, Riccardo. Either you take that how it is or you tell your men to kill an innocent man. How would that look to the other members? No matter how you spin it, they know I’m loyal, and what will they think when you start killing loyal members?”
Riccardo hesitated for a moment. He knew that the members would either attempt to leave or go out fighting.
“I’ll give you this, Devon,” Riccardo said, motioning me forward, which I immediately followed so as not to seem taken aback by the sudden trust. “You played a good game. You had everyone believing it, even us, but most importantly her. So let’s see what you can get out of your girl, and then use it to our advantage.”
The part that stuck with me was your girl. Riccardo was right; I played a good mind game with everyone involved in this charade. I just had to pray Faith could see past the deceit and figure out what I was doing for her, for us.
Lie To Me
I followed Riccardo through the warehouse where they had a few men ready to head out and wage war with the Moretti’s. They were looking over their weapons, AK 47s, to be sure they were ready to go in for a fight. A few men, I noticed, pulled back the bolt and checked to see if there was a round in the chamber. Others were checking to see if there were rounds in their magazine and doing a quick count of how many extra magazines they had available. They were ready to fight to the death. I just hoped that I could stop it before one of the families lost more than they could recover from.
Riccardo led me through the bowels of the warehouse, into a dark area I had never been in before, and because I was supposed to take over once this was done, it worried me that I hadn’t known about this. The hallway was small, hard to maneuver in places due to the clutter and lack of lighting. There was a light every other two feet, but at times we were engulfed in total darkness. I heard something running along metal bars, as if there was a jail cell somewhere nearby. Cries for help called out, and a few times a gunshot went off to silence the pleading.
A shiver raced up my spine at the thought and stayed with me as the sensation danced across my skin. I needed to find Faith, and I knew I had to do it fast. There was something gnawing at me, a gut feeling that told me whatever would happen next, it wouldn’t be good. It only validated my thoughts when Riccardo led me into the room where Faith was being held, a dark, desolate room that gave little hope of survival.
Her back was to us. She was tied to a chair in the center of the room with three men watching over her who, upon our entrance, came to attention and pointed their weapons at Faith in case she reacted. Though, it was me who reacted. I tensed as I waited to see what would happen to Faith. I didn’t want to give away my affection nor my anger at their treatment of my girl, but I had to swallow the emotions and be prepared to rip out both her heart and my own to save her.
Please let this work out, I prayed as Riccardo and I stepped from the darkness and allowed Faith to see who was holding her captive.
Faith’s eyes grew wide as I slowly stepped from the shadows. They quickly turned to slits as she scowled at me. “Why am I not surprised?” Her voice cut like a knife, and suddenly I wasn’t so sure I could fake it and somehow manage to get across to her the plan I had laid.
“You shouldn’t be,” I said, putting on a strong front to continue with my plan. “I know you figured out who I was. That’s
why you leaked information to me, and then let me send men into a fight they were ill-prepared for. I couldn’t play this game with you anymore. It was risking too much, and you didn’t seem to care either way.”
Faith’s jaw dropped open in shock. “I don’t care? About what exactly, and what makes you think this was all just a game to me?”
“Come on, Faith,” I started, taking a moment to look around the room. There were no windows, no exits except for the door Riccardo and I had entered from, and no way to get a signal to her without being seen. I’d just have to trust that she would figure it out. “It’s always been a game with us from day one. You knew it, and I knew it. It was all a game. There was no real interest between us.”
Faith looked as if I had slapped her across the face. There was a hint of tears in her eyes, and it was clear she was hurting under my words. She didn’t understand what I was doing, and while it hurt, I knew I had to continue.
“It’s all been a game, Faith. I’m sorry if this is coming as a shock to you, but I’ve always known there was nothing between us. I was using you to gain information to help my family, and yes I mean my family. I’m taking over the Ricci mafia, and I was planning to take you so the war could be over. You see, I’d hate to take over during a war. We need a strong leader, one everyone can trust, and that meant it had to end in order for Riccardo to step down. I couldn’t play along anymore, and while it was fun while it lasted, it’s over now.”
“Over?” Faith questioned, her eyes returning to tight slits. “How could it be over if according to you we were never really together?”
“By me ending this relationship and the war between our families,” I said, stepping a little closer to her. It took all I had to not reach out and wipe away her tears, but breaking from character now would only be detrimental to my plan. “I will end this once and for all, making sure that there aren’t any Morettis left to deal with. I’m sick of this war, as is everyone else, so I’m going to end it and let everyone move on. Then I’ll take over from Riccardo, and we will spread into your old territory and take over. Soon you’ll be the only Moretti left, and then after that you’ll be gone too.” My voice turned dark and intimidating, but it didn’t have the effect it usually had now that my attention was on Faith.
