by Rimmy London
“Ms. Lane?” he said quietly as if merely asking a favor.
“Yes, Mr. Ginetti?” I wheezed.
He turned to Max. “What on earth is she doing here?” His growl set me off.
“It’s not his fault I’m here, Marco, it’s yours!” They both stared back. “Your fault for tangling Shellbrook with the wrong people, and now you’ve got good men risking their lives to straighten out your mistake!” My eyes stung, and tightened my hold on my emotions, I refused to release them. With a steadying breath, I clamped my mouth shut. Maxium stepped in front of Marco, fairly pushing him aside.
“Five minutes and we’re on our way out,” he whispered. He brought his hands to my shoulders. “Have you seen Givanni?” Fear flushed over me like ice water.
“He’s not here?” I whispered. Sympathy crowded into Maxium’s worry-lined features, but he didn’t hesitate from shaking his head.
“No, no sign of him.” I kept my eyes forward. He most likely knew my fault of looking at the floor when I wasn’t being entirely honest.
“I thought I saw him around the back of those storage units, but I assumed he was heading here.” I glared the next question at Marco. “Where else would he go?” His strong chin lifted slightly at the direct accusation. When I looked back at Maxium, he had one eyebrow lifted. I hadn’t fooled him. Maxium brought his wrist forward and pressed a button on his watch, stilling a silent alarm. Within seconds, five men crowded in the room, Falen and Senic among them. The rest were the same strangers as before, and I realized that I was with the entire team, minus one. Maxium looked at me again before stepping forward, assuming the lead. His Italian was fluid. He had hardly taken thirty seconds to direct them before we were hurrying back out, abandoning Marco.
I ran with them, my head twisting back again and again in hopes of finding Givanni in some brilliant location, but there was nothing. Maxium stayed at my side, and I struggled with the urge to ask him if they were going to do anything about their missing leader, or if the plan was to hightail it out and save their own skins. When we reached the loading door, Maxium held my arm and pulled me aside, waiting until everyone was under. I inched forward, anxious to be going. “Was that all you saw?” he asked quietly. Even in the dark, I knew my expression was readable. “Loriel, please tell me what happened. I’m not leaving without him. The others know as much. It’s their job to get out, and they’ve done that.”
I could hardly raise my voice to a whisper. “Enrica was here.”
He snatched my elbow, pulling me closer. “Here tonight?” he fairly shouted.
I nodded. “They were kind of at a standoff. I was back in the alley where Senic had left me.” My voice was dry. “She said something about Givanni not being the only one to take a job opportunity?” Nodding furiously, Maxium seemed to understand more of what I saw than I did.
“Do you know what she was talking about?” I asked. This time he shook his head.
“No, but I can see why he would follow her.” My eyebrows creased together.
“You think he followed her?”
“I know he did.” With that, he stepped to the opening and slid underneath. I scrambled after. He slid the freight door closed, crouched down beside me, and looked out at the darkness. Following his motions, I stood when he did and we broke out into a run. The long stretch of open seemed just as dangerous as before, and I was glad when we inched around the first metal container. Maxium didn’t seem to be in a hurry now, stopping and pressing his ear against the container at almost every step. Suddenly his arm flew up, stopping me. He mashed his head to the metal and I copied him. There was definitely something disrupting the silence from inside, and I stayed where I was even when Maxium inched around the front of the container.
Just as I made my way around the corner I saw Maxium pull the trigger. The muffled gunshot hardly broke the silence when compared to the loud clang of the broken lock. Following on his heels, I made out a faint light. Maxium pushed on his watch, a bright aqua glow illuminating our dingy surroundings. On the floor in front of us was a body, tied and gagged. I dropped down, remembering what his last injuries had been. Maxium pulled a cloth from his pack and held it over Givanni’s motionless face, shaking his shoulder. Glancing down, I saw the illuminated face of his watch as it vibrated its silent alarm. When he did move a groan came from his mouth and Maxium nodded at me.
“They weren’t just going to leave him here all night.” He cut the ropes in one upward jerk. “We need to get out of this place.” Lifting Givanni off the floor, he wrapped one lifeless arm across his shoulders. I dipped my head under the other, helping to drag him. Gaining consciousness, Givanni made an attempt at walking, but he mostly just slid his feet along with us.
“Do you think Senic took the car?” I whispered anxiously. Maxium shrugged his heavy-laden shoulders.
“Let’s give it a shot,” he breathed. We made our way forward, past more metal bins and receiving a little more help from Givanni as his legs began to revive. The dark alley was tougher to negotiate, and even with a tint of moonlight, I stumbled almost every step on some unknown debris. But the car was there. Senic must have left with someone else. No doubt he felt I was in good hands with Givanni. I glanced at his drooping head and leaned forward to try and get a glimpse of his face.
My foot caught on a mess of cardboard and I almost plunged to the asphalt. Givanni didn’t react like I would have thought, his arm still limp around me. We lowered him carefully across the back seat and Maxium jumped behind the wheel. I hovered over Givanni, anxious to know if there were injuries beneath the surface.
A squeal of tires echoed in the narrow alley like a deafening scream and I sprung back, hitting the brick wall and at the same time blinded by headlights. Metal crunched together, filling my ears. And in the next second, it was still.
I jumped up, hurdling over bags of garbage. Tears stung my eyes but I leaned in the window, looking for movement. Burly arms wrapped around me like a vice and lifted me off the ground. Having some idea of what was in store I kicked my legs as hard as I could and screamed with all my might. Throwing my elbow behind me, I collided hard with something. The arms around me loosened and I ripped myself from their grasp only to be pressed to the ground, an entire body on top of me. A moist cloth was pressed tightly to my face and I assumed it was the end. But as the sounds blurred and I slipped from consciousness, I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Chapter 17
I’d hardly opened my eyes when I was sitting up and scooting to the back of the bed. Everything I saw disoriented me. It was all warmth and comfort - flowers on the sheets, lamp on the nightstand. Where was the cold, dark room and hard cot? Where were the cords binding my hands? I folded the comforter down, sliding to the floor. A light tap on the door had me spinning around, my heart racing. It swung open and Givanni stood squarely in the doorway, his face a pale white but otherwise looking okay.
“Givanni?” I breathed.
“Loriel…” His voice sounded constricted, like moments before a breakdown. I took a step forward. He focused on me for only a moment, and then looked straight ahead. Creases formed in his smooth skin. “I don’t know what will happen, but don’t say a word unless you are asked a direct question, and even then try to stick with yes or no.” He was now all strength and precision. It was something I was getting used to - the way he could lock up his real self so quickly.
I took his hand and fastened mine around it. His expression didn’t change, and that was fine - if he needed to be strong then let him. I only knew how to be me. Together we headed to a patio door. Givanni positioned me behind him and released my hand. The moment the door opened, sunlight streamed in. My eyes had barely adjusted before a man lunged forward, his fist sinking into Givanni. With a choking grunt, he fell to his knees, both his arms wrapped around his middle. I rushed forward, but his hand flew out behind him, stopping me. With my feet rooted in place, I glanced up at the amused faces surrounding us.
A few men stood clos
est, one of them being the man who had thrown the punch. His face was round and smooth, matching the top of his head and the curve of his shoulders. The other two were strong but lean, their hair black and sleek and reaching to their shoulders. With such soft faces and elegant postures, I doubted they would be much to worry about. But the rest of the group was hardened. Content with his work, the thick man pulled Givanni to his feet and dragged him forward merely to push him into a chair. I followed, anxiously watching the men we passed. Without waiting for an invitation I grabbed the closest iron chair and pulled it noisily across the stone, sandwiching it next to Givanni’s.
There were three men seated in front of us. On the farthest right was the youngest and most able-looking. The other two were older, the one on the left looking well past eighty. The young one leaned forward with confidence, uncrossing his legs and smiling pleasantly. I felt a little sick. “To humble a man before he needs humbling is to prevent any need of it,” he said theatrically, his English clear and carefully spoken. I tried hard not to glare back at his sallow, elongated face. Casting a glance at Givanni I relaxed a little seeing he was no longer doubled over. The ancient one cleared his raspy throat.
“Givanni, my son, do you not recognize me?” His eyes were a confusing mix of sympathy and warning.
“I know you well, Aleandro,” Givanni said simply, managing to leave any sharpness out of his voice. “I have not forgotten to whom I owe most of my success.” At that, I swung my head around to look at the wrinkled face again. His mouth had stretched out in a thin line. I guessed it was an attempt at smiling. Aleandro nodded, looking like a morbid bobble toy the way his head was perched precariously on top of his shriveled neck.
“You have become successful,” he croaked. “And I am glad you have not forgotten to whom you are still indebted.”
“I hold no debt to you,” Givanni interrupted. Without so much as a glance, Aleandro continued.
“There is much you have accomplished for us. In fact, you have quite exceeded our expectations.” Givanni’s eyes had narrowed as he stared back with a look of increasing defiance. “But as it is said, the tides are changing. With Marco, we have managed to keep a favorable contract. That is, until his quite recent change of heart.” He paused lazily. “We were forced to resort to the petty rules of blackmailing. His sensitivities were easily won, even with someone so unconnected to him personally as you are Miss Lane.” My eyes widened, and he smiled wider. “It was quite effective until you began to interfere.” His eyes swung back to Givanni, “After that, we found you around every corner, at every turn. You have left us no other choice but to go through you instead of around you.” Surprisingly the withered man stood, beginning a shuffled pace.
“I repeat that I owe no debt to you,” Givanni said, rising from his chair like a lion when compared to the feeble old man. “Shellbrook is an honest company. To partner with an …organization,” he fumbled, finally spitting out the word with contempt. “Such as yours would be to sign for its death, and I will not do it.” He remained standing, the strength in his face unwavering. Aleandro’s throat rumbled as he laughed.
“You seem to have realized a few things, but I do not believe you know what this organization, as you call it, is founded on.” With small steps, Aleandro shuffled to his chair, lowering into it and waving one hand at the youngest of the three. “And now, Demetrio will help to inform you.” Breathing heavily, the old man seemed to choose another speaker out of necessity.
“Please do sit,” Demetrio said, his English rough. Taking a deep breath, Givanni glanced at me cautiously before returning to his seat. I could feel it too, the danger that hung in the air. “She is very beautiful, no?” Demetrio sneered, his tongue rolling around the words. My face flushed, and I wished there were not so many men gathered around, now with their attention directed toward me. Demetrio was the only one not looking, his focus instead on Givanni. Givanni stared back angrily, but Demetrio’s smile was smooth and unalarmed. When he did finally look at me, my face grew warm. “Ah, and modest, no?”
“You were saying?” Givanni’s voice was louder and stronger than before, and his gaze circulated through the group, challenging all the eyes that had suddenly switched from me to him.
“Yes, yes, I was saying. But I am sorry my dear.” His eyes rested patronizingly on me. I lifted my chin, staring back with what I hoped looked like confidence. “I will have to continue in Italian.” The rest of the conversation was a blur, the only thing making sense to me being Givanni and Marco’s names. I made a point to watch Givanni’s expressions, glancing at him often and not enjoying the way his normally brilliant eyes had hardened. I felt almost desperate by the time the conversation had ended. Or at least I assumed it had ended - no one was speaking and Givanni didn’t look like he would be answering any of the foreign-sounding questions that were shot at him. After a long silence, Givanni’s head came up.
“Callisto?” he asked, staring at the one man who had not yet spoken. The middle-aged man looked back at Givanni with a question in his eyes. “Do you feel this is necessary? For out of this group, you are the one who knows me well enough to know what my answers would be.” I watched the man called Callisto, surrounded by the young and the old. He shifted in his chair and looked not at all pleased at the direct inquiry.
“Without doubt, I know what your answers would be. But that does not make them mine to give.” After a drawn-out sigh, the man named Callisto blinked lazily. “I must ask of you, Givanni, to consider. We as a group are somewhat bound by bloodlines…” His eyes flickered toward me. “But that is our only boundary. You must not make this decision rashly, for those who break the family contract are no longer family.” For the first time, a look of concern crept into his face and then vanished just as quickly. “And if you are no longer family, then you no longer have our protection.”
“I have made no contract,” Givanni answered quickly. But his voice, although raised, had lost its authority. Even the group around us seemed to hear the whisper of surrender, and I caught a glimpse of more than one smile. Sputtering out what I assumed was profanity, the oldest man seemed to have gained his strength. He glared at me before continuing.
“Foolish boy, this is not the kind of contract you file away with other precious documents. It is not made at all. It is simply there from the moment you take your first breath. Think back, and you will see how it has preserved your life when you would have otherwise perished. How it has given you the opportunity to gain knowledge and power, and that in turn can be used to build up the very vessel that made your success possible. Think! And you will know that unless we have your support, this grand empire you take full credit for will crumble within a matter of months.” Feeling chills shiver through my body, I looked at Givanni’s trance-like state and hoped he was merely acting out a false indecision. But what I saw when I looked into his eyes was not a façade. My lungs ached as I forced a steady flow of breath through my otherwise frantic body. This could not be happening. I could hardly bring myself to accept the words that came next out of his mouth.
“If I make this agreement,” he began. The entire group seemed to exhale in unison, hushed chortles of laughter sounding victoriously around us. “Shellbrook will be left completely alone.” The panel of three men in front of us nodded angelically. “And if not, the agreement will be undone. I’m sure even your untouchable band would be hurt by the demise of Shellbrook.” His mild threat had no effect on their pleased faces, and I felt my heart sink as Givanni walked forward, passing Demetrio’s outstretched hand and grasping Callisto’s firmly. Demetrio rose.
“Ah, what a great future we build,” he boomed, clapping Givanni on the back. “You will see more prosperity than most men dream about.” Givanni remained expressionless, turning toward me and waiting until I had stepped alongside him. Avoiding my eyes, he nodded toward the retreating group. I followed mechanically. It was unbelievable. One moment he had seemed dead set against them, and the next… I tried to put my finger on
what they had said to change his mind.
A taxi was waiting, and without a word, Demetrio opened the door and stepped back. His face had lost the boisterous energy it held only minutes earlier, casting hard grey shadows across his features, making him look for once like a true enemy. We settled in without a word and the cab jolted forward. “You must think I am a coward Loriel,” Givanni spoke to the window. I stared at the back of his head for a moment waiting for him to turn. He didn’t.
“No, I…”
“Well maybe I am a coward, but there are some things that can’t be bargained,” he said. The confusion on my face deepened.
“Givanni, maybe if you would explain why you changed your mind so - ”
“There’s nothing to explain,” he shot back. I sank into my seat, puzzling over how everything had gone so wrong. But at least we were safe - at least they had allowed us to go free. I bit my lip, sure that free was not exactly the right word.