by S G Zertuche
“You have the cameras turned on, right?” Andy asked.
Those bastards. All of them. I stood up straight. They had cameras on me in my apartment, and I didn’t know anything about them? They thought they were getting away with spying on my every move?
“Look, man, Addie is my sister. The cameras are enough. Trust me, she may seem like she needs protection, but I grew up with her. She can take care of herself.”
Nice words to hear coming from my brother’s mouth. However, they weren’t enough to save him. He knew there were cameras watching me, and he said nothing at all. That was crossing the line. Even for an overprotective brother.
“Hey, I really hate to bring this up right now, but...” Phillip trailed off, staring at his cell phone.
Bo crossed his arms and turned to face him. “What is it?”
For the first time since I met him, Phillip began to look uncomfortable. “Um…”
“Phillip, just fucking spit it out,” Bo growled.
“She ain’t there.”
When no one said a word, Phillip held up the phone and waved it a bit. “She’s not at the apartment.”
Bo and Andy quickly glanced at each before Bo snatched the cell phone out of Phillip’s hand.
Shit! Did they know I followed them here? I took a slight step back to hide myself a bit more in the shadows.
“No. No, no, NO!” Bo yelled, tapping hard on the screen. “Where the fuck is she?” he asked, looking at Santiago.
Santiago and Phillip said nothing but stared back at him.
“What if they have her?” Bo asked, running a hand through his hair.
“What if WHO has her?” A deep voice said from the shadows of the hanger.
Guns were immediately drawn from every single man in the group with the exception of Bo and Andy. They took aim in the direction Isabella had walked… the direction of the voice.
“Isabella?” Bo asked, softly stepping toward the shadows.
“I’m here, Bo,” Isabella said.
I shifted slightly, trying to understand why everyone was so still. Silent.
Then I saw them.
Beautiful Isabella appeared first; her head cocked to the left. She looked calm and collected as she stared straight at Bo, which I didn’t understand because the barrel of a gun was being held to her right temple. She didn’t flinch, as if she were used to guns and danger.
My eyes grew in horror as I watched a completely unfazed Isabella Santini being held hostage by a overweight man wearing a plastic giraffe mask.
Both Santiago and Phillip raised their weapons higher as if they were taking aim at his head.
“Drop it!” Eric yelled, also aiming his gun.
Had I not been in tune with Bo, I would have missed the slight shake of his head.
“Who’s going to make us, Mr. FBI?” the giraffe mask asked.
It was silent for another minute before lots of laughter filled the air.
Everyone’s heads swung back and forth as they looked around to see where it was coming from. All with the exception of Bo, who continued to stare at Isabella.
From around the corner, a group of five men, wearing different plastic animal masks, appeared with guns drawn in front of them.
What the hell was happening? Tension rose in the air so thick I felt it pressing down on my lungs.
“Guns down!” yelled the giraffe as he used the one he had against Isabella’s head to steer her sideways to his group of men.
No one on Bo’s side moved.
“I am not going to fucking repeat myself! Your guns on the ground – NOW!”
Phillip and Santiago looked at the older and younger men that stood with them before squatting down slowly and placing their weapons at their feet. The older man huffed but bent down and put down his gun next. The younger guy mumbled something, but when Santiago turned to glare at him, he also put down his gun.
The men in the masks laughed again.
“Lower your masks!” Bo suddenly called out.
“Lower yours!” the giraffe yelled back.
All the masked men laughed again.
Lower his mask? Bo wasn’t wearing a mask … what were they laughing at?
The giraffe shoved Isabella to the man in a kola mask, standing next to him. The minute the kola had her, he fisted his hand in her hair and yanked her head back so hard, Isabella grunted.
Bo took a step towards them.
“So, Bo Donavan, did you tell them yet?” the giraffe asked.
Bo pulled his eyes from Isabella and looked at the man. “Tell them what?”
“Don’t play coy with us… you know, tell them. Tell. Them!” he repeated, waving his gun in the air.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Bo said.
“I’m surprised, Bo. Why haven’t you told them the rightful heir to the Kristof Adagio’s throne is standing out here?”
“What?” Eric asked. “Bo, you’re the fucking heir to the Adagio’s Mafia family?”
“Eric, shut up,” Bo yelled.
Wait. What? Bo Donavan was Mafia?
I turned to look at Andy. He looked so lost standing out there between all these dangerous men. I needed to get him out of there.
And then it happened. An explosion shattering the stillness of the night. One that I had just heard days ago and had been having nightmares about since.
I was staring at Andy when it happened.
But this time, there was a difference between the me standing in the middle of the airfield from the me who was terrified at The Mustard Seed… this me knew this wasn’t going to end well.
I screamed. I screamed Andy’s name so loud it drowned out the gunfire that suddenly went off from numerous directions as the men on both sides started shooting.
And when I stopped screaming, I heard Bo yell my name as Andy met my eyes. Even in the dim light from the hanger, I could see them fill with panic as he realized I was standing out there with them.
“Get down, Adeleigh!” Bo yelled again, pulling a gun from behind his back and aiming to his right while pulling the trigger.
I turned to my left and saw Isabella fall to the ground as the kola fired toward Bo, who was now moving in my direction.
However, the shot didn’t hit Bo, but instead, hit behind him. Andy crumpled to the ground.
“Andy!” I screamed, running toward him. “ANDY!!”
Bo tried to catch me, but I was too quick and shoved past him, throwing myself on my brother as I continued to yell his name.
Shots continued to fill the air. I heard another male voice cry out before Eric’s body fell within feet of where I was lying on top of Andy.
Glancing toward him, I saw his lifeless, opened eyes blankly staring back at me, and I knew he was dead.
I’m not sure when it all stopped. I was hysterically crying as I tried to put hands on where the blood was seeping out of Andy’s body beneath me.
The next thing I knew, I was lifted from the ground. “No, no please let me down. He’s my brother. That’s my brother! ANDY!” I screamed.
“Baby, it’s okay. We are going to get him the hospital,” Bo whispered into my ear.
“Andy!” I cried, and everything went dark.
15
Bo
She wouldn’t leave Andy’s side.
It had been twenty-four hours since the doctor who was performing surgery on Andy had walked out and told us he was able to remove the two bullets that had struck my best friend’s body. One in the abdomen and the other on the right side of his chest.
Adeleigh had burst out crying in relief as she clutched her tiny mother tightly in her arms.
The doctor continued to explain that Andy wasn’t out of the woods yet. They weren’t sure how much damage to his spine he had suffered, and more than likely, wouldn’t be able to tell if there was any paralysis for another week, at least.
Everyone nodded and thanked the surgeon, including myself.
I was grateful. Extremely grateful.
I loved Andy like a brother, and in many ways, for those series of years he was my brother. I missed him terribly when my father had moved us away.
It was my fault Andy was lying in that bed. My fault that he had been hit. It would have been my fault if he had been killed alongside Eric and Weston. Alongside the other three men who were trying to kill us. I still didn’t know the names of two of them. Santiago was working on finding out. But the third. The third was Miguel Cernuto. He had been wearing the kola mask, and it was my perfectly aimed gun that sent the fatal bullet into his chest and allowed Isabella to safely get onto her next plane. Right after a small pregnant woman handed Santiago a trendy, black leather designer bag that I assumed held the million dollars we were owed.
There would be hell to pay for killing Cernuto, which I didn’t care about. I didn’t come here to play nice with any of them.
Especially now. Especially with Andy clinging to his life, and Adeleigh’s hysterical screams on repeat in my head. I was standing in the corner of the ICU waiting room, watching her. She looked so young curled up in the plastic hospital chair that I couldn’t look away.
And just like it was my fault about Andy and all the others, it was also my fault Adeleigh looked haunted.
The ICU door opened, and a tiny Italian woman walked out. I hadn’t remembered that Maria Moreson was that small, but then again, I was eight when my family moved.
I could tell the minute her eyes spotted her daughter by the worry lines that suddenly increased on her forehead. She watched her for a minute, as is she was thinking hard about something before looking at me.
“Bo Jason Donavan,” she called. “Come here, please.”
I nodded and walked toward her. I almost cost her, her son and mentally destroyed her daughter. I would understand if she hated me with everything she had.
I stopped a foot in front of where she was standing and looked down at her.
We both stood quiet for a bit before she stepped into my chest and wrapped her tiny arms around my waist.
I took a deep breath and engulfed her with my embrace. I wanted to crumple at her feet and beg for her forgiveness.
“It’s okay, Bo. You did what you had to do. And although I am not happy about the outcome because of my son, I do not hold any of this on you,” she said.
Words that had no business soothing me, provided the strength I had lost just hours before.
“I’m sorry, Maria,” I whispered, clutching her even tighter.
She clucked her tongue and pulled her head back to look up at me. “Hush now. There are things to take care of.”
“What?” Adeleigh angrily asked from where she had suddenly appeared beside us. “Ma, he is the reason Andy almost died, and Eric is dead!”
Maria’s arms dropped to her side as she turned to look at her daughter. “Adeleigh, stop. Bo didn’t mean for any of that to happen. Your brother is an adult, and so was Eric. They knew the possibilities of what could happen.”
Adeleigh’s arms raised in the air at her sides. “Do you even hear yourself? That is your son lying there, dying!”
“Adeleigh Maria Moreson, watch your mouth. Bo has been nothing but kind to you and your brother. And your brother is NOT dying. By God’s good grace, he will come out of this on top, so stop with your carrying on.” The final tone of Maria’s voice sent chills down my back.
I recalled a different time, watching her as a child. She had always appeared soft-spoken and quiet, but she was one of the most powerful women I knew.
Adeleigh took one look at her mother and began to pace across the waiting room floor.
Maria sighed. “Now go, Bo. Go take care of what you came to do.”
I nodded, kissed her on the forehead, and walked toward the elevator.
She was right. I needed to fix this, and I would.
When the elevator door slid open, I stepped inside. I felt the brush of material against my arm as someone else crammed in beside me. A hand reached out and hit the close door button immediately.
I turned to my left and faced a frowning Adeleigh.
“Who the hell are you?” she growled.
“You know who I am,” I replied.
She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. “No, no I don’t think we do. I think you have been lying to all of us, and I am done with your lies. I want to know who you are, and I want the truth, Bo Jason Donavan. Who the fuck are you?”
I stared at her, wanting to give her all the answers, but knowing I would never tell her the truth. For her own good. Not knowing the truth was the only way to keep her safe.
I was already afraid it was too late. The enemy, the Mafia who killed my grandfather, now knew. Andy and Adeleigh, and even Maria, would be targets. I would have to protect them always.
“Tell me,” she whispered, her eyes flickering over my face. “Bo, tell me. We made love. You were inside me, does none of what we did mean anything to you?”
When I said nothing, she stood up straight and walked until she was positioned inches in front of me. Looking up, she searched my eyes. “Please, Bo,” she begged.
My heart pounded; I shook my head and reminded myself I could never tell her.
The elevator doors slid open.
“I can’t,” I said before giving her my back and walking away.
16
Adeleigh
Ma had walked into the room so we could trade turns sitting with Andy. She clucked her tongue when she saw me and told me to go home to get some rest.
“No,” I had said, stretching my legs out in front of me. I had been sitting in the same position for so long they had cramped up.
“Addie, do not tell me no. You need to go home and get some sleep. You heard what the doctor said earlier when he came by. Andy is already looking better. I will stay with him.”
The doctor had said that. He had hope Andy wouldn’t be affected long term. The problem was the doctor couldn’t guarantee it. His words were just a prediction. I didn’t want to base anything off a prediction. I wanted the guarantee I was going to get my brother back the way he was before.
“I don’t want to leave,” I said, wiping the wetness from my cheeks.
“Addie, I will stay with Andy. I will call you if something happens. Don’t worry. You need a shower, fresh clothes, and sleep.”
I looked down at the clothes I was wearing.
Ma was right. I needed a shower and clean clothes. I was still dressed in the blood-stained shirt and jeans from the night before. I had tried to clean up some in the small bathroom, but it hadn’t helped. Maybe I could take a nap and come back to relieve Mom, so she could go home for some rest.
Reluctantly, I nodded and ordered a car to take me home.
Although the distance from the hospital to my apartment wasn’t very far, it seemed like the ride there took forever. I kept playing over the conversation Ma had with Bo, not understanding a lot of what she was telling him.
By the time I had arrived home, anger and hatred toward Bo had settled in.
This was all his fault. Eric was dead, Andy was almost killed, and Bo just acted like he had nothing to do with any of it. True, the expression on his face didn’t look happy. He looked ready to destroy the world. But the fact that he wouldn’t explain who he really was, was unforgivable.
A Mafia king. Heir to a Mafia throne. Dangerous. A killer. And doomed. I had watched enough shows about Mafia families to know they were always looking over their shoulder until someone took their revenge.
They were all doomed.
But Bo wouldn’t admit to anything. And what did I expect from him? Nothing, honestly. He owed Andy, Ma, and I absolutely nothing. Even after sleeping with me. All those tender kisses, all the touches, and passion between us— meant nothing.
I felt more abandoned than ever.
I threw my purse on the sofa and stomped down to my bedroom. Yanking my mess of a shirt over my head hard. Several strands of my hair pulled from my scalp as they were ripped out
along with the material.
I flung the soiled garment against the wall and watched as it slid down into a puddle on the floor. Marching over to the dresser along one wall, I opened the second drawer and pulled out an oversized nightshirt. I tugged my bra off as I walked to the bathroom and started the shower. Squirting half a tube of toothpaste onto my toothbrush, I made the mistake of looking up at my reflection in the mirror over the sink. The woman who stared back at me was a complete mess. Black mascara spread all over her blotchy cheeks.
Andy would have made fun of my raccoon look in a heartbeat if he had seen it.
The thought of Andy was too much for me to handle. My frame shook as sobs racked through my chest. I dropped the toothbrush into the sink as I lost strength in my knees. Collapsing onto the floor, I cried harder than I had ever cried in my life. I cried for Andy. I cried for Eric. And I cried for Bo.
My heart was completely destroyed. And when I finally stopped crying, I laid in a protective ball as I tried to shield myself from the overwhelming hurt that was radiating through my chest. I was all cried out. Even when I had tried to stop, I couldn’t. The tears kept falling, dripping down my cheeks and landing on the front of my chest.
I hadn’t been able to leave Andy’s side. I sat in the oversized pleather chair next to his bed, with my legs pulled up and my chin on my knees, as I watched him lying there.
But that was yesterday… and today was a new day.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I took a deep breath and pushed myself into a sitting position as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I needed to get up. Ma had wanted me to close up shop completely until Andy was doing better, but I didn’t want to turn down any work. Even with Bo backing us, we needed the money. Now there would be hospital bills on top of everything else. That was the downside of working for a small company. We couldn’t offer any health insurance because the cost had been astronomical.
So, I had made the decision that I would go into the office, take a look at the books, close out payroll, and reassign the day jobs. I planned to reach out to two past employees Andy had working for us to see if they could pick up the day’s appointments. Both men were good at what they did and had worked for us for a couple of years, but when the business took a turn for the worse, we had to lay both of them off. The good thing was, they had understood and enjoyed working for us. Because of that, they were always willing to pick up an extra job here or there. Best case scenario, they took over the appointments for the next couple of days until Bo and I could make a decision on what to do.