“Where is my son?” Mario asked when Marc entered the house. Marc looked over his shoulder in the direction of the garden. He’s at the orchard; it’s his favorite place where he finds peace and quiet and gathers his thoughts.
Mario was on his way to the sliding doors which led to the back deck and into the garden when Marc stopped him. “Don’t go after Bailey. Give him the time that he needs. He’ll come around, but it will be on his terms, not your or mine,” Marc softly said. For a moment, it seemed that Mario would go to the orchard anyway, but then, much to Marc’s relief, Mario relented.
“What’s the chance that it really is Robert who is after Bailey and that the car bomb was placed at his orders?” Marc asked. As expected, the mob boss didn’t give Marc a straight answer. “I need to find out first if Robert is indeed involved. There’s still a possibility that Arnulfo is working for someone else as well,” Mario replied while staring outside.
Marc understood because Mario had raised Robert to one day become the head of the family. The heir to the throne, so to speak. Now, it seemed that dear Robert had broken the family rules by going after his brother for no particular reason. Marc knew that if that were true, Mario was caught between a rock and a hard place. That meant that the mob boss had no other choice than to choose between his children.
Marc would stay on his guard because should Mario choose Robert, then Bailey’s life would be forfeit. Not only Robert but Mario and the whole Delossantos Family would come for Bailey. What a mess, Marc thought. Then again, maybe Robert was innocent because this Arnulfo guy could actually be acting on his own, or he could be on someone else’s payroll as well; who knew?
Mario had been honest about recognizing the man on the footage as Arnulfo, who was on Robert’s payroll. Marc had a feeling that Bailey was in more danger than he anticipated. Thank God Lucas had decided to extend his stay, so he could assist Marc in defending Bailey.
Marc felt a prickling in his neck, turned, and saw that Mario was watching him intently. “Join me on the back deck?” the mob boss asked politely. Marc nodded, he knew what was coming, and he knew that he didn’t have a choice.
“We need to talk,” Mario began, and the man looked very serious. “Alright, then let’s talk. What is it that you want to know?” Marc said, even though he was perfectly aware of what it was that Mario wanted from him. “I know that you took the assignment to kill my youngest son, Fabian,” Mario said, his face impassive. “That I did,” Marc answered truthfully. Mario’s following words stunned Marc. “He had it coming. That boy was rotten to the core.” Mario sighed and added, “To tell you the truth, I couldn’t kill him. Whatever monster he was, he was my son. Thank you for being honest.”
Marc nodded. “You have another question for me, right?” Marc said. “I do indeed,” Mario replied. When Marc didn’t say anything, he said, “What are your intentions with my son?” That was an easy one, and Marc could answer with a smile. “I love your son, and I want to see him safe and happy,” Marc softly said.
“Will you respect his needs and wishes?” Mario said, and now he sounded like the dangerous mob boss that he was. “I intend to, yes. If you don’t know him, you would think that Bailey is weak, but I guarantee that he is not. Bailey is very strong-headed, and he knows what he wants. What’s more important, he knows what he doesn’t want,” Marc said, and there was pride in his voice.
Mario smiled. “I see that you speak the truth, and even though you don’t need it, you have my blessing,” Mario assured. Marc thanked him, went inside, and a moment later, he was back carrying a bottle of Chivas Regal Royal Salute 62 Guns and two crystal tumblers.
Mario nodded his approval. “That’s a damn fine whiskey. Forty-year-old Whiskey Advocate earned this one a 94 point rating and called it the work of genius,” Mario informed Marc, who smiled; it was precisely what he wanted to hear from the mob boss. “You have good taste, Marc,” Mario complimented the assassin. “I sure do,” Marc replied, but he meant Bailey, not the whiskey.
They chatted for a while, and Marc started to like the man. Even so, he still didn’t trust him because trust, had to be earned. Mario told about his early days, his late wife and how he had wronged her, and the regret afterward. He even told Marc how he had become one of the most powerful mob bosses of all time. Marc was impressed, but he kept that to himself.
“Look, there’s Bailey,” said a relieved Marc. He didn’t like it when Bailey was on his own in the orchard. Granted, Lucas had kept an eye on him, but still. If it were up to Marc, he would lock Bailey up so that he was sure that the man he loved already so much was safe.
Mario had offered to mobilize his, well, army, but Marc told him not to do that because Madison Valley was a small town, and that wouldn’t go unnoticed. That’s not what they needed right now. Marc wanted to stay under the radar.
It was bad enough that the police had to be involved when the bodyguard was shot. The sheriff had asked a lot of questions, and the man wasn’t a fool. He knew who had come to his territory, and the man was not amused. However, since he didn’t have anything on Mario Delossantos, the sheriff had let him go after questioning him, Bailey, and of course Dan and Brad. The last was stable, and if no complication arose, then Brad would be released the next day.
Marc had been honest about killing Fabian, and Mario had understood, and he had not wanted revenge, for that Marc was grateful. Not that he was afraid of Mario, but he was afraid of the impact it could have on Bailey and his relationship with the man. What would Bailey do if he knew that it was Marc who had killed Fabian, the twin he’d never met? Bailey had been angry and hurt when he was told about Fabian and that the man was murdered.
Marc knew that he had to come clean about him killing Fabian. Maybe it was better to tell the man as soon as possible, get it over with. Mario had been on the phone for the last couple of hours. Marc knew that the mob boss wanted to know if his eldest son was indeed involved in the attacks on Bailey. If so, then how would the man decide? Would he punish and ban or even kill Robert? Would he go after Bailey because one day Robert was to become the head of the family? Mario had said so himself that there was a possibility that Robert was innocent.
“Hey,” said a soft voice from behind him. Marc turned and smiled warmly when he saw Bailey coming through the sliding doors. “How are you?” Marc questioned. Bailey smiled. “Much better than this morning,” he replied. Marc checked his wristwatch and saw that it was already 2:00 PM. “You must be hungry, baby. Let me make you lunch,” Marc offered.
Bailey looked thoughtful, but then he noticed that he was indeed hungry. “I can make myself lunch,” he said. “I know that you can, but I want to cook for you if that’s alright,” Marc insisted. Bailey smiled and told Marc that he loved to have two slices of buttered bread and cheese. “And a glass of milk, please?” Marc nodded, “Coming up,” the assassin said before he disappeared into the kitchen.
Bailey ate with gusto and noticed just how hungry he was. “Do you want more bread slices?” Marc asked. Bailey shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m full,” he replied. Marc’s phone rang, and Bailey had expected that the man would excuse himself to answer, but to his astonishment, he didn’t.
Marc stayed seated at the table as he pushed the green button. “Hey Byron, what’s up?” “Not much good, I’m afraid.” “Alright, talk to me.” “Those two men who managed to get Bailey are in my restaurant, as we speak,” Byron informed his older brother. Marc didn’t need to ask if Byron was sure because if Byron said that these two were the ones who had taken Bailey, then they were.
“I’ll ask Lucas to watch the two. What time are you off?” Marc questioned because he wanted Byron home, just in case. By now, it was known that Byron was connected to Marc, and he didn’t want anything happening to his younger brother.
Byron told Marc that he was off in two hours, and when Marc offered to come and get him, Byron had laughed. “I’m not a helpless kid anymore, remember?” Byron said. Marc didn’t really know because he h
ad left the family compound when Byron was just a toddler.
“At least call before you leave the restaurant, okay?” Marc pleaded. Byron promised that he would, and then he disconnected. “Is everything alright?” Bailey asked, looking expectantly at Marc. “No, I don’t think so; those two thugs that tried to kidnap you are back or still in town. Byron spotted them in his restaurant,” Marc informed Bailey.
“What are we going to do? I mean, as long as they are here, I’ll be in danger,” Bailey said, and Marc noticed that the man was calm. Bailey didn’t sound scared or nervous, something had changed, and Marc wanted to know what it was that made Bailey act like this. People didn’t change overnight, so why was Bailey so calm?
“What is it?” a thoughtful-looking Bailey said. Marc pressed his lips together, considered Bailey for a second, then he said, “You look calm; I don’t sense any anxiety in you. Why? What has changed?” Bailey shrugged; he said, “Maybe I’m tired of being afraid, of looking over my shoulder every God damn minute. I want my life back.” “And you will,” Marc promised.
Chapter Thirty Three
“They are at the Madison House. I have their room number. So, we could act tonight,” Lucas said matter-of-factly. “I want them alive because we need to know on whose payroll they are,” Marc replied calmly. “I’m all for that. We will get them to talk. I don’t like torturing people, but I will if it’s necessary,” Lucas said.
Byron was home, and so was Keith. Bailey looked worried. “What’s going on?” he asked when he entered the living room. “Come here, baby,” Marc pulled Bailey close and pressed him against his body. “Tonight, we’re going to get those two men that tried to kidnap you,” Marc said. He knew that lying to Bailey wasn’t an option if he wanted a future with the man. Yes, he definitely wanted a future with Bailey.
“No, I want you to stay here, where you’re safe,” Marc said when Bailey opened his mouth to say something. “But.” “No buts, baby. I can’t concentrate when I know that you’re not safe. I can’t watch over you and protect you and at the same time catch those two idiots,” Marc said in a soft yet firm voice. Bailey knew that protesting wouldn’t help, so he conceded, but he didn’t like it.
Mario and his two bodyguards would stay at the mansion to protect Bailey when things would go terribly wrong. The mob boss had sent Brad home because the man needed to recover. Dennis Ashby, Brad’s replacement, looked like he ate kittens for breakfast, but he was surprisingly nice toward Bailey. The man came out of the kitchen holding two glasses of milk. “Here, drink this. It’s good for you,” Dennis said as he held a glass in front of Bailey. “Thank you,” Bailey said as he took the glass.
Mario chuckled, he knew that the tough-looking bodyguard could snap a man’s neck and smile, but he could be very considerate toward people he liked. All Bailey wanted was for Marc, Byron, Keith, and Lucas to come home safely. He didn’t like it that his friends had to face danger because someone was after him. “It is what it is, Bailey,” Dennis softly said as if he had read Bailey’s mind. “I see the worry in your eyes, but these men know what they are doing and how to keep themselves safe,” Dennis added after seeing the worry on Bailey’s face.
******
Lucas had crept under the window of the room that the two thugs were in, listening intently for any noises that indicated if the two men were awake or asleep. He didn’t hear anything, and he signaled Marc that all was silent. Marc signaled back that he had understood and that they would take action. Marc, Keith, and Byron also crept to the motel room, and Keith pulled a card key out of his jeans pocket and silently opened the door. Both men were fast asleep.
Lucas smiled evilly when he woke the one who was sleeping on the left side of the bed. “Hey,” Lucas whispered. When the man opened his eyes, Lucas grabbed him by the throat, and then his fist met the man’s face. It happened so fast that when the other one, who was occupying the bed on the right side, opened his eyes, he woke to Marc’s fist.
Byron told them that the coast was clear, and the four men lifted the two thugs into the trunk, one in Marc’s car and the other in the car that Keith drove. Both cars belonged to Marc, and they were big enough to transport the unconscious men. Keith’s car was too small, as was Byron’s vehicle. Marc hadn’t wanted to use Bailey’s new car, and he had two cars that were perfect for what they needed to do.
******
“What the hell?” Dennis growled. Mario grabbed for his gun, and so did the two bodyguards. “What’s wrong?” Bailey asked in alarm. “There’s someone in the garden,” Dennis said as he kept staring out of the window. Then he went into the hall, and after a few seconds, Denis opened the front door, stepped outside, and closed the door quietly behind him.
Bailey stiffened when he heard shots. “Go into the dining room and stay there until I tell you otherwise,” Mario said, and Bailey obeyed because he couldn’t refuse Mario’s commanding tone. Mario, however, stayed in the room, gun at the ready. Dan was gone too now; Bailey hadn’t seen him leave, though. “My bodyguards know how to be a team; that’s their strength, that’s why I’m so powerful. I pay them well, but what’s more important, we are family,” Mario explained.
Bailey understood, family was important, and his thoughts wandered off to Brendan. God, he missed his brother so much. Mario considered Bailey for a while before he finally said, “Would you accompany me tomorrow to Brendan’s grave?” The question was so unexpected that Bailey didn’t immediately answer the man.
Mario waited patiently for Bailey to collect himself. The mob boss saw so much hurt when Bailey finally lifted his head and looked at him that it broke his heart. “It’s alright if you’re not ready to accompany me. I understand,” Mario softly said as he sat down beside Bailey. Mario had closed the curtains in the dining room, so no light was visible from the outside.
Even though Mario had focussed on Bailey, he still had his gun on the ready. “No, it’s fine. I just didn’t expect.” “For me to want to visit my son’s grave?” Mario gently interrupted. Bailey nodded because the man had hit the nail on the head. “So, what do you say? Shall we visit Brendan’s grave together, tomorrow or the day after that?” Mario carefully suggested.
“I would like that,” Bailey quietly admitted. “I like that too. You let me know which day, okay?” Mario said. “We need to wait until the others are back.” Bailey wanted to say more, but the window was scattered, and Mario pushed Bailey behind him as he pointed his gun. The man was ready to shoot the first person who came through the window.
The noise outside let Bailey know that the bodyguards were fighting the intruders. Then, shots were fired, and Bailey stiffened. Mario wanted to go outside and join the bodyguards, but he didn’t dare leave Bailey unprotected.
Bailey was glad that Mario had stayed with him because he didn’t have a gun, and even if he had one, Bailey didn’t know how to handle a weapon. It had never been necessary to possess a gun to defend himself, until now, apparently. No, Bailey didn’t want to own a gun; he was afraid of weapons.
Suddenly the noise stopped, and it became eerily quiet outside. Bailey wanted to go and see if Dan and Dennis were alright when the two bodyguards came into the dining room. “They got away; I’m sorry that we failed you,” said Dan. “What happened, and are the two of you alright?” Mario informed, surprising Bailey once again. The man really had feelings. Bailey only knew mobsters from the movies, and they were ruthless.
“Just some bruises come morning. We managed to shoot one of them, though,” Dennis grinned. Mario, however, didn’t smile. “I’m glad that both of you are alright,” he said. “Why was the window shattered?” Bailey asked. “One of the intruders took a swing at me, and I ducked; he hit the window instead,” Dennis explained.
“Good for you, and I’m glad that both of you are okay. The window can be replaced; you two can’t,” said Bailey, and he realized with a shock that he meant it. Dan and Dennis started boarding up the broken window, and then everyone sat in the living room, waiting to hear
from Marc.
It was almost midnight when Bailey and Mario’s phones began ringing simultaneously. Bailey smiled in relief when the display showed Marc’s handsome face. “Marc? Is everything alright? I was so worried,” Bailey began. “Whoa, slow down, baby. I’m fine and so is everyone with me. I just wanted to let you know that I probably need to spend the night in the warehouse. We need to get information from the two men that we captured tonight,” Marc said in a calm tone.
Assassins the Florist Book One Part One Page 19
