by K. L. Myers
Chapter Eighteen
Jefferson
I headed towards the door but stopped when I remembered that time was running out. “So, what happens now?”
My dad placed the receiver he’d picked up back in the cradle. “What are you asking, son?”
“They're still expecting Gabriel to show up at midnight tonight. If you guys don’t show up with the bag, what happens? Lorenzo said someone could die if they don’t’ get what they want.”
“Someone will definitely die tonight, son. Let us just hope it is not one of ours.”
“How can you be so calm? I don’t understand. If you know someone will die, shouldn’t you be trying to prevent that? Call the police or something.”
My dad stood and walked past me, stopping just outside the door. “Follow me,” he said as he continued to walk. Silently, I followed behind him as we made our way towards the cement building. Once inside, he led me to the shooting range and handed me a gun.
“This is what I’ve tried to shelter you from growing up. A life you’d never understand, but now it’s time you realized that we handle things ourselves.” He placed a paper target on the steel rack and sent it down to the end. It wasn’t the regular target I used for practice. No, this one had a picture of a man holding a gun as if he was aiming back at me. “We don’t ever get the police involved, and son, nothing that happens ever gets traced back to our family.”
Hearing my dad speak to me in this manner was surreal. Standing in front of me was someone who looked like my dad but wasn’t acting like him. A sudden chill crept into my bones. I raised my gun and faced the target.
“Now, son, I want you to pretend that man at the end there is here to hurt your family. Pull the trigger and put a bullet between his eyes.”
My hand trembled. It felt different to shoot at a target that wasn’t a bunch of circles. Seeing a face and body staring back at me made it seem real. I steadied myself and pulled the trigger, completely missing the spot my dad told me to hit. I tried several times before I was able to get one bullet between the eyes. The next target he sent to the end was one of another man holding two guns. This had a realistic feel to it as well. However, the difference was instead of a forehead, there was a brain, a heart, and other organs.
“Now I want you to place three bullets between his eyes. Then I want you to place three in his heart and three in his gut. When you’ve mastered that, we’ll do it again. Only this time, the target will be moving towards us, and we’ll do this over and over until you can empty your clip with each bullet landing in a spot that would kill your assailant.”
My dad leaned against the wall behind me for several hours, stopping me when necessary to share some pointers. Eventually, I accomplished what he’d demanded of me. I puffed my chest out as I removed my earmuffs and turned to face him. “Are you happy?” I’d emptied the thirty-bullet magazine into three separate targets in precisely the spots he’d ordered. Not one went astray. His smile told me the answer to my question, and I saw in his eyes how proud he was.
“You’ve done as I’ve asked, son. But this is just the beginning. It won’t be easy should the day ever come when you need to put these skills to the test. I gave you targets with faces on them so you could put an emotional attachment to your enemy. But if that day ever comes, it won’t be easy to pull the trigger. That face will now be oozing anger, or fear, possibly both. You will feel those emotions, and you’ll want to hesitate on pulling the trigger, but do not. Remember, your hesitation could cost you the life of your mother, your sister, or even my life.”
I nodded. “I won’t. I promise.”
“That is not always an easy promise to keep, son. Now, I’ve got a call to make and somewhere to be. Visit with Giovanna. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Without waiting for my response, Dad walked away. I knew who he had to call and where he had to be; I just hoped he’d be able to keep his promise and see me in the morning.
I climbed onto the bed behind Giovanna and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me. “How are you feeling, baby?” I whispered as she rested her head on my shoulder.
“Okay, I guess. The pain medicine your aunt gave me is helping some.”
I chuckled softly. “You mean my cousin?”
“I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”
I proceeded to explain to Giovanna the conversation that had transpired earlier in my dad's study. She heard bits and pieces of what I was saying because she kept drifting in and out of consciousness.
“Lillian is your aunt and your cousin?”
I placed a kiss on the tip of her nose, one of the only places that weren’t swollen or covered by a bruise. “Yeah, kind of weird, isn’t it.”
“Not really.” Giovanna scooched closer, draping one of her arms over my side. “I’m scared, Jefferson.”
“Of what?” I asked.
“When I was there, wherever it was they were holding me, I thought I heard a familiar voice tell them to mess me up but to keep me alive. It almost sounded like my dad's boss.”
“You mean Francis, the guy who runs the family?”
“Yeah, kind of. It was hard to hear clearly, and I was blindfolded.”
I had wondered if she’d told this to anyone yet. “Did you tell anyone?”
“No, I’d forgotten about it until just now.”
Unwrapping her arm from my waist, I rolled over and climbed off the bed.
“Don’t go, please,” Giovanna begged.
“I have to, but I’ll be right back. I’ve got to tell my dad what you told me just now.”
I ran down the stairs as fast as I could. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I headed towards my dad's study, but Gabriel stopped me before I could get there.
“What’s the rush, Jefferson? Is it Giovanna?”
“No, sir, it’s Francis. I have to tell my dad.”
“Hold up, son, your dad’s door is closed, which means he’s taking care of business. Let’s sit, and you can tell me everything.”
Gabriel and I walked out the back door and took a seat at the table where Lorenzo was smoking. He quickly snubbed out his cigarette the moment I sat down and looked between Gabriel and me. “What’s going on?” Lorenzo questioned.
“It’s Francis,” I quickly said. “Giovanna said she is almost positive that she heard his voice in the building they were holding her in. He told them to hurt her but keep her alive.” I stood up. I couldn’t sit, not with the blood rushing through my body. “I’ve got to tell my dad. He has to know.”
Gabriel picked up the ashtray before him and lunged it across the yard. “Jefferson, do not say a word of this to anyone else. Take care of my daughter, and Lorenzo and I will handle this with your father. Do you understand?”
Chapter Nineteen
Angelo
Up until now, I’d only had a hunch that Francis was behind this. But now, Giovanna's admission solidified my assumptions were real. What I wasn’t one hundred percent positive of was, what would happen when we didn’t show up with the bag full of drugs?
I had a theory, and it went like this: Francis jumped in bed with Mancini and allowed them to sell on our streets. Something I swore would never happen, or I’d end the lives of the firstborn of the Capos. Then, when it suited him, he snatched Gabriel's wife and the drugs, forcing Mancini to take revenge on Gabriel’s family. But then Francis took it one step further and clued them in on who the boy was with Giovanna, knowing they’d find joy in threatening my family. Francis knew that would force my hand to become his Underboss and replace Gabriel, who would gladly give up the position to me.
What Francis hadn’t counted on was that I’d find out he was behind all of this and was playing Mancini like a fiddle. It was time to start planning my revenge on both mob bosses, and time was of the essence. The long-distance call I made earlier ended with good and bad news. News I hadn’t shared with anyone yet for fear I’d lose the best things in my life once I told Bethany. I couldn�
�t wait any longer. It was time.
I stood in the doorway of Sera’s room, taking in the scene before me. Bethany rocked with Sera in her lap as they watched the Baby First channel together. Instinctively, I raised my hand and pressed it against my chest, trying to curb the pain I felt in my heart. This was my life, the one that I risked everything for, and now the news I had to share could rip it all away from me.
I cleared my throat and caught my wife's attention. I tilted my head in the direction of our bedroom, then stepped back and headed that way. I knew Bethany would soon follow, sure I was summoning her for some sexy time. How I wished that were the case. I took a seat on the bed and waited. It didn’t take long for her to follow. My heart palpitated faster from my anxiety, an emotion I’d never truly felt until Bethany entered my life. In my earlier days, I was made of stone. I feared nothing, but today, knowing I had so much to lose, I was frightened.
Bethany’s smiling face quickly fell when she saw me. “Angelo, what’s wrong? What happened?”
I patted the bed beside me. Once she sat down, I took both of her hands in mine. “We need to talk.” I lifted one of my hands to her face and caressed her cheek with my thumb. “I love you and our family so much. You know that, right? Everything I’ve done was to protect us.”
Bethany raised her hand and placed it on mine as she leaned her head into my hand. “I know that, and I love you for that. But what has you worried now? Are we in danger? Should I take the kids and go stay with Lincoln?”
Lowering her hand from my face, I stood and started pacing in front of her. “No, I don’t want you leaving our home. Yes, our family has cause to worry, but I’d never let anything happen to it.” I tapped my chest just above my heart with my fingertips. “My life for yours, my sweet angel. I’d die for all of you before I’d let anything happen.”
“I know that, Ange. Just spill it. What’s happening?”
“I’m afraid, but not of the situation. I’m afraid of losing everything that makes me the man I am when I’m with you and our kids.” I dropped to the ground before her, on my knees. I reached for one of her hands, taking it in mine, ready to beg for absolution if need be. “I’ve tried so hard to keep us away from everything that had to do with the Vicci family. But now, being part of the Vicci family is the only way to keep us safe, protected.”
“What does that mean, Angelo?”
“With Francis as head of the family, we’ll never be safe. This situation proves he’ll stop at nothing to force my hand at being his number one. He’ll do whatever it takes for me to agree to be Underboss, and he doesn’t care whose life he puts in danger. I can’t let that happen, but I also can’t lose you.” I’d hoped she saw the pleading in my eyes and would take mercy on me, on us.
Bethany quickly removed her hand from mine, placing it in her lap. Her shoulders dropped as she lowered her head, and it killed me inside to watch my wife struggle with the words I just spoke.
“So, you’re going to be the Underboss?” Her words were nothing more than a whisper as she raised her head to look at me. Tears were already pooling in her eyes. “How does that make us safe?”
Reaching out, I placed both of my hands on her thighs as I lowered my head, resting my forehead on her knees. I took in a deep breath in an attempt to silence the shattering of my heart. “That doesn’t make us safe. Me as the boss makes us untouchable.”
“You want to be head of the Vicci family? Are you nuts?” Bethany stood to face me, pushing at my shoulders with her arms, forcing me to step back to secure my footing. “How would it be possible for our children to live a healthy life? We should just move back to Virginia. If you’re not in New York, they won’t bother us.”
“Moving to Virginia won’t change anything for me. Francis will still come for me in any way he can. It isn’t a solution to the problem.”
“You’re the problem,” Bethany said vehemently. “It seems the only way my family will be safe is to leave you. Is that my only option?”
I had always suspected that Bethany would leave me. I guess I just never expected it to be the first option. Hearing her say the words knocked the wind out of me and forced me to take a seat on the bed once more. My heart ached to know that I was more than likely going to lose her, but it was a sacrifice I would make if that is what it took to make her feel safe even if it was only an illusion. It was time I took control of this conversation.
“No, it's not your only option. You’ve made it your only option. Now I’m going to tell you what your other option is.” Standing, I towered over my bride, straightened my spine, and spoke with authority. Maybe then I’d end up with my family intact. “Your other option is to stay, let me take my place, one that is mine by birthright, and protect our family. One I’ve been protecting since way before you married me. Haven’t I proven to you that I’d never let anything or anyone hurt you? Did I not take a bullet to ensure you were safe? Were my brothers not there to help you out and to protect you when the time came and I couldn’t? Have you had a single concern about your safety or the safety of our children once since we moved back to New York?” Bethany’s posture relaxed somewhat, and I hoped it meant I was getting through to her.
“I’ve never worried about our safety. I’ve always known you would protect us. But…”
“But what, Tesoro?”
“I don’t want to lose you or our family. How can you becoming the boss not put us in more danger?”
Pulling her to me, I cradled her in my arms. “Because as the boss, I’ve got layers and layers of men helping me protect you.”
“But Francis isn’t safe.”
“He is. His men will protect him. From everyone but me.”
I felt her hug me tighter, so tight I could feel her heartbeat against my chest. “I want us, our family. I’m just afraid.”
“I promise to do everything in my power to keep my family safe, and I mean everything. I’d kill to protect you and the kids. I just need to know we are in this together. Good and bad, we face it as a team. Will you do that for me, Tesoro, be by my side?”
Chapter Twenty
Jefferson
Not since I was ten had I eavesdropped on my family. I’d been scolded back then and promised I’d never do it again, and I hadn’t until today. I’d gone in search of my mom and came across both my parents talking about our family’s future. I listened to their conversation even though I knew it was wrong. Someone had left the door slightly cracked just enough that I was able to hear them as clear as if I were standing in the room. I shuddered at hearing my mother say she would take us and move to Virginia. I didn’t want to break her heart, but my place was with my dad, here in New York, seeking retribution from whoever had hurt my girl. I wouldn’t be running to the false illusion of safety that my childhood home would provide for my mother and sister.
In the end, my dad asked my mom to stand by his side, and I held my breath as I awaited her response. Would she or would she not break up our family? In the end, Mom didn’t back down; she was willing to stick it out here regardless of the risk. Now more than ever, I needed to become the protector that my father was teaching me to be. There would be no room for hesitation when and if the time came. The lives of my family would be at stake, and I would never be able to live with myself if anything happened to them.
I knocked on the bedroom door and waited for them to acknowledge me.
“Come in,” they both said at the same time.
My mother was standing with one arm wrapped around my dad's waist, and his around hers. She had her head rested against his bicep. Their faces lit up when they saw me.
“What’s up, son?”
“Mom, aunt – cuz, oh hell, Lillian is looking for you.”
The two of them laughed at my words, but then my dad spoke. “It would be best if you referred to her as your aunt still. She is married to your uncle after all.”
“I better go find out what she wants,” My mother said before giving my dad and me a kiss as she left the room
.
I started to turn, but then stopped. I had my dad's attention, and now seemed like a good time to let him know I’d heard their conversation. “Dad, I’m sorry. I heard you and mom's discussion. I didn’t come up here to eavesdrop, but when I got to your door, the things you said – I couldn’t just walk away and pretend I hadn’t heard them.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and began to speak, “I understand, son. Do you have any concerns about what you heard?”
I walked over and sat beside him. “Not really. But I want you to know that if Mom had decided to leave, I would have stayed here with you. I wouldn’t have left you.”
“Thank you, Jefferson. You don’t know how much it means to me that you would have stayed. I may not be your biological father, but for me, it feels as if I am.”
Hearing him say those words filled my heart. “Of course, you know if you keep calling me Peanut, I may have to reconsider my feelings. I’m not a child anymore.”
Dad pulled me against his side. “It doesn’t matter how old you get, you’ll always be my little Peanut. But you are right. We’ve got to find you a more manly nickname.”
“Just call me the J Man.” I laughed as I said the words, and my dad pushed me hard enough to knock me off the bed.
“There is no way I will ever refer to you as J Man, but in time we will find the right nickname for you.”
“So, should I start referring to you as Mietitore now?”
I hadn’t heard my dad laugh so boisterous since all this started. “You do not need to call me The Reaper. I fear your mother may not like it too much. How about we keep that between us for now.”
I got a few more minutes of my dad's time as we talked about responsibilities and such that I needed to adhere to once this was all over. All of which I’d gladly accept if it meant my mother and sister didn’t have to worry about their safety. Regardless of how hard my dad tried to make me understand that his life wasn’t mine, I had already made up my mind that I wanted his life, but maybe one with a twist. I’d eventually go to college, get my degree, but if my family needed me, I’d spill blood with them.
