by Serena Light
"What? Why?" Major inquired as Piero rushed out to do as told before the man left. "Salvatore!" He called after the younger man as he began walking away.
"That's Nicole's necklace," The Mafia boss stated, turning around to regard him with emotionless eyes. "She was wearing this on the night of the gala,"
"Fanculo," Major hissed before following him out.
The men interrogated him over an hour, as his cries of pain and grunts resonated throughout the hallway, Marco pacing the length as the Mafia Boss himself stood quietly in the corner. On more than one occasion Major had to hold him back from torturing the boy himself because he knew Salvatore would kill him before he had the chance to answer.
A man in a bloodied shirt and disheveled hair stepped out, wiping the blood off his knuckles, the five men in the hallway standing to attention as he looked up.
"He says that he was given an address by his superiors and a man in the VIP lounge gave it to him," He bowed to his boss. "He says the man who gave him the box had scars running down his right cheek, like claw marks."
"Not claw marks," Salvatore pushed himself off the wall. "They're nail marks left by the girl he tried to rape,"
"You don't mean-" Marco stuttered, instantly realizing whom he was talking about.
"Yes, him." The Mafia Boss nodded. "Major, Tazio, Piero, and Gun with me. Marco, I want you to take care of things behind me,"
"Yes, boss," The voices rang clear as three men followed after him, Marco heading towards the office as Tazio went to get Piero and Gun, Major following him up the stairs, stopping short when Salvatore halted.
"Major,"
"Yeah?"
"Tell Arsenio to get dressed, he's coming with us," Salvatore smirked over his shoulder. "He was complaining about how bored he feels, this should spice things up a little,"
Major hesitated a moment before nodding and going to retrieve Arsenio while Salvatore went up to his own bedroom.
Within 20 minutes they were all on the road. Salvatore sitting in the back of his Range Rover in a two-piece slate grey suit without a tie, Arsenio beside him in a navy blue suit and black tie, his knee bouncing up and down since he was only told to get ready and leave. Major sat in the front with Piero driving while there were Tazio and Gun in the car behind them with two more guards.
"Where are we going?" Arsenio asked, looking at his younger brother who had been staring down at the velvet box in his lap.
"You said you were bored," Salvatore looked up with a sigh. "We're alleviating that boredom,"
"Yeah, yeah, but where?"
"A nightclub,"
"Oh," His elder brother fell back with reassurance. "And here I thought you were going to take me on a suicide mission," Arsenio chuckled at himself, never noticing the look that passed between the father and son in the front.
"Arsenio," Major looked back from the front seat. "Are you armed?"
"Me? No," He laughed at his absurdity.
"Here," The man held out a semi-automatic pistol, offering it handle first. "You know how to use it, right?"
"Yeah, but I don't need it, we're going out for drinks,"
"Just a precautionary measure," Piero informed behind the wheel. "Everyone has one,"
"Okay..." The eldest Regnante brother spoke uncertainly, stuffing it in the back of his waistband, looking at his younger brother who opted to stare out the window rather than speak up.
Once the cars were parked, they all stepped out, Salvatore and Arsenio at the front as they walked past the line, hearing shouts of protest but ignoring them as they entered, the bouncer never even stopping them.
The heavy bass vibrated through them before they even entered, the hallway was lit red as there were people making out against the wall or in various stages of undressing. Salvatore's guards: Matteo and Samuel, both made their way before the Regnante brothers while the others followed behind.
The music was deafening and the stench more wretched than Arsenio would have hoped. The heavy bass caused his ribs to rattle inside him as the smell of alcohol, sweat, and various perfumes and colognes swam around him. He couldn't hear anything but followed his brother up a flight of stairs, the bouncers standing to the side as he approached, allowing him entrance.
The room was dimly lit and smelt like incense and alcohol, the sound of chatter wafting around them as the music was hardly audible.
Snapping his fingers, Salvatore's men emptied the room; all save for the man sitting on the love seat with a waitress giggling in his lap, his hand stuffed down the back of her shorts. Nodding towards the man, Matteo grabbed the girl from his lap, both of them crying out in protest as he took her away. The man about to get up to get her back, but fell back in his seat when Salvatore planted a foot onto his chest.
"Keep sitting," The Mafia Boss instructed as the man looked up in a daze, blinking at the man before him.
"Regnante!" He slurred with a smile, throwing his hands up in joy. "Come! Have a drink with me!"
Arsenio got a look at the man's face behind his younger brother. His thin brown tresses were combed to the side to try and cover the bald circle at the top of his head, his face round with a double chin and deep gashes on his right cheek, resembling claw or nail marks. His nose was crooked and his teeth yellowing with a single gold tooth glinting with his smile.
Lowering his foot from the man's chest, Arsenio watched uncertainly as he seemed to wiggle in his place, taking a step back when Salvatore nodded towards Major.
Making his way towards him, Major grabbed hold of the melted ice in the bucket and threw the contents on the man's face, forcing him to jump up with a scream before he was pushed down by Samuel and Gun behind him. The man spluttered and stared at Salvatore with wide eyes, coughing and breathing heavily.
The elder brother followed the younger one's example as he sat down, looking around him at the Regnante men having the other man's guards on their knees and held at gunpoint.
He watched as the Mafia Boss put down the velvet box between them, popping it open to show the emerald and diamond necklace.
"If you think you can buy my assistance-!" He started to yell at Salvatore in fury, trying to stand up but being pushed down by the men above him, falling silent when he raised a hand to silence him. "What do you want?"
"Where did you get this from?" Salvatore asked calmly.
"The fuck am I supposed to know!?" He struggled once more
"A messenger came to me, saying that you gave him this box, Simone." He closed the lid, holding it over his shoulder as Matteo took it, Arsenio watching silently. "Now where did you get this box from?"
"What's so great about that jewelry box, huh? I can buy gems worth hundreds of those! Keep it as a gift, Regnante," Simone tried to stand up but groaned when Gun held his pistol to his head and growled for him to keep sitting.
"If this is your own box, then you must also have the owner of this jewelry,"
"Your mother," He taunted.
"My wife,"
Instantly he fell silent, his face paling as he stared at the men around him. His eyes widening in fright as Salvatore leaned forward.
"Now either you hand her back to me, or you tell me where you got this from," He spoke calmly.
Arsenio looking around him in confusion, not understanding what was going on as he wanted to say that he came for the drinks and wanted nothing to do with the interrogation going on.
"I-" Simone wiped the sweat from his brow before slamming his elbow into Gun's stomach, sending the man stumbling back as he grabbed hold of Samuel, pushing him back as Simone's five men either broke free from Salvatore's or tried to attack them.
Salvatore stood from his place, going to grab Simone when a gun went off, forcing Arsenio to fall to the floor as the Mafia Boss winced at the sound before he noticed Simone fighting Major. Grabbing his gun, Salvatore shot at the man trying to kill Matteo, sending blood splattering everywhere, and he took his aim for Simone's leg, ready to shoot.
"Salvatore!" Arsenio called out in panic when one o
f the men grabbed hold of him, picking him up off the floor and hurtling him towards the Mafia Boss, sending them both toppling as Salvatore's gun clattered away.
"Get off me!" He yelled at his brother, pushing him away as he tried to reach for his gun; but another man intercepting his way and punched him in the jaw.
The elder one looked around him frantically, staring in shock as a man grabbed him by the front of his jacket and slammed him onto the floor. Once, twice, three times. His world was spinning by the time someone pushed him off Arsenio. A blurry figure standing before him as he yelled at him for something, the eldest far too dazed to make sense of what was going on around him.
Blinking rapidly, Arsenio turned onto his stomach, getting on all fours before realizing he was in the middle of a bloodbath, corpses lying around and blood soaking through the carpet while men fought men and Salvatore tried to fend off two at once. One of them having his arms wrapped around his neck, trying to choke him as the second man came hurtling towards him with a broken bottle. Arsenio wanted to scream for him to watch out but instead froze as his brother jumped up, and kicked the man square in the chest, sending him stumbling back and the man holding him toppling from the sudden shift in weight. In the blink of an eye, he was on top of the man, grabbing hold of his head and twisting it in one swift motion, breaking his neck before he could even react.
Grabbing the gun lying on the floor, he rolled onto his back, shooting twice into the man trying to stand up.
"Gun!" Arsenio realized, reaching behind him for his own pistol before shrieking when someone ran into him, sending him sprawling onto his back before gasping when two heavy hands encircled his neck. Snaking one arm behind him, he grabbed the gun, holding it to the man stomach before pulling the trigger, gasping for breath when nothing came out. Crying out, he managed to get the gun above the man's head, hitting it down as hard as he could, the man finally falling off him with a cry.
Suddenly two men grabbed him, Arsenio screaming and thrashing against them, his blood rushing through his ears as adrenaline washed over him. Arsenio stomped his foot onto the man's foot as he groaned but didn't let his hold falter before Major came into view and told him to calm down and that it was just them. Looking over his shoulder he found Samuel and Matteo holding him up, asking him if he was alright.
Turning his gaze back, he found his brother with blood streaming down his temple and splattered over his shirt and watched him grab the man on the floor. Picking him up before moving him towards the railing, dangling him over the metal bar with a chokehold around his neck and a gun to his forehead.
"Where did the box come from?" He yelled at the man.
"I don't know!" The man cried out, trying to pry his hands off his neck.
"You tell me now or I swear to God-!" Salvatore seethed, clicking off the safety and pressing it into his forehead, the man whimpering as he was dangled further off the railing.
"I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!"
"I'll count to 3 and if you don't tell me where this box came from I will kill you," Salvatore tightened his hold around the man, his hands being the only thing keeping him from falling. "1!"
"I don't know!"
"2!"
"Please! I beg you! Please!"
"3-!"
"-Jayson!" The man wept desperately. "Jayson gave it to Simone and told him to get it to you!"
Without saying anything, Salvatore pulled the trigger, the bullet piercing his head and sending blood splattering everywhere before the Mafia Boss released his hold on the man, sending the corpse toppling down as screams ricocheted in the club, drowning out the music.
Salvatore took a step back, breathing harshly as Major walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, but taking a step back when he shrugged him off. Turning on his heels, he made his way over to Arsenio, the eldest feeling the sudden urge to run.
"From tomorrow you are joining the recruits in their training," He seethed through gritted teeth, Arsenio staring at him in shock. "I don't care if you're a fucking pilot, you need to know how to fight for your life! You could have fucking died!"
"You're the idiot who brought me!" Arsenio retaliated, pulling free from the guard's hold. "You knew I don't do this shit! You know I want nothing to do with the Mafia!"
"If you want to live then you will join the recruits in their training from now on," Salvatore glared at him, begin to walk away.
"You can't fucking force me! I'm the elder one!"
"And I'm the Mafia Boss!" Salvatore whirled around at him. "If you want to die, tell me now and I will kill you myself just so that you don't get tortured. Is that what you want? Getting caught by the enemy because you couldn't defend yourself! Do you really want your daughters to learn their papa was tortured and then killed when he gave them all the information they wanted against us?"
"I am not in the Mafia-!"
"-You're a Regnante!" Salvatore's voice rose above his. "You are the fucking Mafia!"
Before Arsenio could say anything, Major intercepted the both of them, holding back Salvatore as they both glared at one another. The elder's gaze softened to see the blood stream down his temple and onto his shirt.
"Salvatore, you're bleeding," He spoke gently, making his way towards him.
"Matteo, take Arsenio back home and to Elia, he probably has a concussion," Salvatore stumbled away from Major, looking dazed as he put a hand to his side, a sharp pain resonate through him. Feeling something wet, he looked at his hand, seeing it come away with blood as he exhaled shakily. "Ah, fuck," He murmured before his knees buckled beneath him, Piero catching him as Arsenio tried to make his way over to him, a sharp pain shooting through his head and having him stumble back as Matteo steadied him.
"Salvatore," He tried to make his way to him.
"Matteo, take him," Tazio ordered, three men surrounding the Mafia Boss as Major pressed down on his wound, Piero speaking rushed Italian into the phone as Salvatore stared up at the ceiling.
He could hear Arsenio fighting against them, but he couldn't bring himself to look towards him as the world around him grew muffled. Bringing his hand up before his face, he looked at his platinum wedding ring which was caked in blood, a soft smile making its way on his face as he felt his grip on reality loosen.
Chapter XLIV: Growth
Nicole remembered how confused she felt when she had woken up in a room that wasn't her own. And her bewilderment had just grown exponentially to see herself dressed in the attire she had worn to the gala. Stumbling out of the bed, she had looked around herself, the room was scarcely furnished, with a wooden platform bed in the center, a wardrobe to her right along with a door leading to the bath, and a window to her left.
Gathering her dress in her hands, she looked out, surprised to find it being dark, but her body was awake like it was morning. Walking towards the door, she tried turning it, finding it to be locked.
"Hey!" Nicole banged on the door with her fist. "Let me out!"
The moment she had awoken she had realized she was kidnapped, and she had to wonder what happened to Salvatore, remembering the way he had stopped breathing. Knowing she had no way out, she settled back on the bed, removing her jewelry and opening her hair.
There wasn't an ounce of surprise she could muster when Jayson stepped inside a couple of hours later. He looked so smug and self-satisfied that Nicole had to fight the urge to claw his eyes out, reminding herself to remain dignified.
"I told you, sweetheart," He grinned at her, making his way forward. "You'll come back to me eventually,"
"You took me without my consent," Nicole corrected him, looking at him with disgust. "I didn't come to you,"
"Stop fighting with yourself," Jayson sat down in front of her. "If you ask for forgiveness, I'll take you back in, baby,"
Just as he said those words, Nicole brought back her fist and slammed it straight into his eyes, relishing in the cry he let out and the way he fell back and off the bed. Three men ran inside at the commotion, shocked
to see her sitting calmly with Jayson prostrating on the ground and clutching his eyes.
Much too stunned, the men rushed to their boss on the ground, and taking the opportunity, Nicole jumped up and ran towards the door, shrieking when someone grabbed the back of her head. Grabbing hold of the wrist, she spun around in his hold before wrapping her hands around his neck. The man instantly releasing her and clutched at her wrists instead, trying to pry her off him. Having to act fast, Nicole kicked the man in the knee, sending him kneeling on the floor before standing behind him, holding his head and glaring at Jayson and his men.
"Let me go or I'll kill him," Nicole threatened, watching Jayson put a hand up when the men behind him raised their guns.
"Baby, you're soft, so don't be unreasonable, let the nice man go and we can-" He hadn't even finished his sentence when she twisted his head, effectively breaking his neck and released him to fall face first.
"Just because I am soft doesn't mean I am not a force," Nicole stood above the corpse, unperturbed by the fact that she just killed his man. "Honey and wildfire are both the color gold,"
Jayson stared at her in shock before looking down at the corpse lying between them.
"You bitch!" He yelled in anger, running forward and grabbing her by the shoulders as she brought her knee up between them, hitting him where the sun doesn't shine. A high-pitched yelp escaped him as he fell to his knee before her, clutching at the abused area.
He cried out in pain when Nicole grabbed a fist full of his hair, tilting his head back and smirking at the bruise surrounding his eye, a deep satisfaction settling in her to see that her ring had ruptured it too.
"You're the bitch here, baby," She mocked with a condescending smile, letting him go when both the men restrained her and pulled her away from Jayson, Nicole allowing to be moved away.
No matter what, she couldn't keep the smirk off her face, glad to see that he was in pain and beyond shock to see her act out against him; clearly having forgotten who she was.
On her first day of captivity, she had killed a man and forced Jayson to wear an eye patch.