EL DIABLO II

by M. Robinson

  “I’m not sure. I answer to Vitale. Ask him!”

  “Vitale? Who the fuck is that?”

  “Get off your ass and find out for yourself!”

  “Get off my ass? Get off my ass?! I haven’t been able to sit on my ass since my sister was fucking kidnapped!”

  My mind raced with thoughts.

  With guilt.

  With shame from all the shit I put the people I love the most through.

  I grasped onto the front of his suit jacket, lifting him off the couch with zero effort and slamming his back up against the wall. His body jolted with a hard thud, knocking the wind out of him for a second.

  “You motherfucking piece of shit!” I seethed, attacking him over and over again with the end of my cigar.

  From his chest, to his arms, to every last inch I came in contact with on his body.

  “Please, stop! I’ve had enough!”

  “I haven’t even gotten started! Answer me, you son of a bitch!” I hurled his body across the room.

  He knocked over a few vacant chairs, tumbling over my desk before staggering to his feet. Wiping the blood off his face with the back of his arm, the piece of shit actually tried to take a few blind swings at me. Using his momentum, I caught a punch midair in my hand, and turned his ass around to crash his body against another wall in the corner of my office. Causing the drywall to crack and fall beneath our feet.

  Immediately, I held up his lax body, shoving it harder against the surface. Pulling out my gun, I rammed it into the back of his skull.

  “Give me a reason. Give me one fucking reason why I shouldn’t blow your brains out?”

  “You got it all wrong! If you don’t back down you’re going to be the reason your sister dies! Do you hear me? Her death will fall on you!”

  I let him go, stepping back. Hearing his words on repeat through my mind, as I crouched down and grabbed my phone off the floor.

  “Eye for an eye, motherfucker.” Hitting the call button, I gave the order. Doing what I had to do to prove my point. “On second thought, don’t bring her to me. Just slit her fucking throat.”

  “Noooooooo!”

  I raised my gun and blew his head off. “When you’re done with her,” I stated on the phone. “Come to my office and clean up this fucking mess.” I hung up, forever condemned.

  I was a bad man, I never claimed to be anything else.

  Who the hell knows what his girlfriend knew, having to tie up loose ends meant my family lives or theirs. Dead bodies couldn’t speak or seek revenge.

  Stepping over Giovanni, I left.

  El Diablo never once looking back.

  I was exhausted to the max, pushing my body more and more as the days passed. Despite Sienna sleeping in my arms last night, I didn’t find rest for more than an hour or two. Even then, I was on edge. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept solid or sound. Never able to relax enough to allow sleep to take over.

  No rest for the wicked.

  The demons that haunted me never rested. No matter how tired I was, they were right there with me. The closer I got to finding my sister, the harder the nights were becoming. One day rolled into the next, they were all blending together.

  The only peace I had was making some leeway with Sienna the previous night. Gino texted me a video of her when she saw her stable and Massimo that morning. There was something about watching her that brought me harmony. From one room to the next her face lit up, shocked by all the surprises I had for her. When she saw I had brought her most prized possession to live with us, her expression almost brought me to my knees. My wife laid on the attention real thick.

  I was literally jealous of a fucking horse.

  For the whole elevator ride down to the parking garage, I thought about how her body felt incredible on top of mine. The smell of her hair, the feel of her skin, the taste of her tongue inside my mouth.

  She was perfection.

  Mine.

  Trying to calm myself down with her beauty and smile, I watched the video of her riding her horse until the elevator dinged. Letting me know I arrived at the ground floor. My time of tranquility didn’t last for very long when I was slapped in the face with Gino standing in front of me as soon as the doors opened.

  He was used to seeing me covered in someone else’s blood, but his eyes widened when he took in my appearance. Looking me up and down with an expression I recognized all too well. Too fucking familiar with.

  Fear.

  “Cruz…”

  “What?”

  “Did Sienna see you?”

  “When?”

  “Right now.” He pointed, and my heart dropped.

  “Why would Sienna see me right now, Gino?”

  “She… I… fuck…”

  “Jesus Christ, out with it already!”

  “I drove her here. She went up to your office. The guards came back down, saying she told them she’d call when she was ready to leave. We went to get a coffee since she was with you.”

  With a seething glare, I questioned, “You brought her here?”

  “She wanted to thank you for her stable. I didn’t know—”

  “For fucks sake! Where is she?”

  He nervously shook his head, all the blood draining from his face.

  “Gino. Where. Is. She?”

  “Cruz, if she’s not with you…”

  Nothing could have prepared me for what he’d say next.

  Not one damn thing.

  “Then she’s gone.”

  Chapter 34

  —Cruz—

  “What do you mean she’s gone?”

  “Cruz, we—”

  “Gone? Or taken?”

  He looked like he was going to pass out, and I didn’t wait for him to respond. Raising my phone, I dialed her main guard.

  “Hey, bos—”

  Interrupting him, I spewed, “Where is she?”

  “We left her up in your office.”

  “You left her?”

  “Yes, she… uh… she asked us to.”

  “Since when do you take orders from my fucking wife?”

  “Sir, I thought—”

  “I don’t pay you to fucking think. Your job is to guard her!”

  “Boss, I…I—”

  “If I don’t see Sienna standing in front of me in five fucking minutes, I will break both your legs with my bare hands. Do you understand me?”

  “Ye—”

  I hung up, locking eyes with Gino.

  “We need to call Capo.”

  “The fuck we do.”

  “Cruz—”

  “Hey!” I roared, firmly pointing at him. “It’ll be your fucking funeral if we don’t find her. I left her in your care remember? She was your responsibility today.”

  Swiftly, he shut his mouth.

  “Yeah, that’s what I fucking thought. Why are you still standing here, Gino? Go. Look. For. Her.”

  He fervently nodded, getting out of my face, before I truly lost my temper and showed him what happens to the men who disappoint me. The only reason I didn’t put a hole in his head was because he was Luciano’s right-hand man, and if we didn’t find his daughter he’d do it himself.

  I couldn’t go back up to my office, it was still a fucking shit show from Giovanni’s bullshit.

  Where I was playing God, when I was really the Devil.

  Sienna didn’t deserve a life full of violence, always looking over her shoulder, waiting for her time to come. I wanted her to live a life of bliss, a life I wanted to provide her with.

  Safe.

  All I sought was to keep her fucking protected. Three months in and I’d already lost her.

  What did she see?

  What did she hear?

  Where the fuck did she go?

  I was terrified to answer my own questions. The biggest one being…

  Was she taken?

  I couldn’t fathom the thought of that. It didn’t help Giovanni’s words rang through my head as much as any other uncertain
ty I had.

  “You got it all wrong! If you don’t back down you’re going to be the reason your sister dies! Do you hear me! Her death will fall on you!”

  “Gino! I’m going to check the house!”

  Jumping into my car, I sped back to our home with the thought she maybe went back there. Feeling like a fucking failure the whole time, as I broke every law just to get to her. If something happened to her because of me…

  My sister, and now my wife.

  It would be my demise.

  Thank fuck it didn’t take long to get home. Throwing my car into park, I hauled ass into our house. “Sienna! Sienna, you here?!”

  Our estate was massive, and for the next forty-five minutes, I searched high and low. Every crevice, every corner, every goddamn room.

  Nothing.

  She was nowhere to be found.

  I sprinted into the garage and jumped onto my motorcycle, deciding it’d be faster to get to her stable that way. The wind tore through my hair, my face, my whole body, while I felt like I was burning alive from the inside, out.

  Coming to a complete stop, I called out, “Sienna!” in pure desperation before running into her stable. Panic started to take hold as I hurried inside past the threshold. “Sienna!”

  She wasn’t in there either. Only her horse, Massimo.

  I darted around the grounds, cursing it for being so fucking enormous. Searching every place I could think of just to come up empty. Memories from when my sister was taken came flooding back to me. Remembering this was how I felt, losing my mind from one spot to the next. For the first time since my sister was kidnapped, fear began to make its presence known. Settling deep within my bones.

  The room started to spin, my stomach fell to the fucking floor. Crouching down, I was unable to stand anymore. I buried my head in my hands, heaving for air.

  My whole fucking world was crashing down on me.

  Again.

  “Please…God…please have mercy on me,” I shamelessly prayed, not deserving any leniency.

  As if the Lord above answered my prayers, a freight train suddenly hit me at full speed.

  Her phone!

  I grabbed mine out of my slacks and turned on my tracker, locating hers.

  Out of nowhere, it ignited.

  Bright.

  Bold.

  All consuming.

  An address I didn’t recognize popped right up, indicating she was there. Once again, with no guards by my side, I hauled ass back to my car. Falling into the seat, I floored it out of our driveway. Oblivious of what I’d be walking into, I needed to be prepared and called Gino.

  “I found her. Meet me at 976 Rumeli Road. Bring all our worst men.” I hung up, having to focus on reaching my wife.

  Pushing seventy.

  Ninety.

  A hundred and thirty on the speedometer of my Ferrari, testing the power of the sports car like my life depended on it. Zooming down the highway, backstreets, turning left, whirling right, flooring it through every fucking red light. The engine over-revved, the car swerved, as I shifted into fifth gear.

  The adrenaline coursed through my veins, searing in my body. Scalding, making me feel like a worthless piece of shit. My endorphins sky-rocketed, triggering my breaking point. It took over every inch of my fucking being.

  Downshifting into first, I fishtailed onto Rumeli Road, nearly causing a fucking collision with a truck. The only sounds that could be heard were the squealing tires, as I came to complete stop in front of what looked like an abandoned church.

  “What the fuck?”

  I grabbed my gun, heading out of my car toward the entrance. Being extra cautious, so I wouldn’t be heard. No one was supposed to be here if this cathedral was closed. Rounding the corner with my gun held tightly in my grasp, I pointed it directly at the floor as I trodded lightly down the long, narrow pathway. Sticking close to the old, frayed building.

  It was smart to go into these situations undetected. Catch the motherfuckers by surprise. Take them the fuck out before they even knew what hit them. It was my life or theirs, and at this moment…

  It was Sienna’s on the line.

  Which was what led me to this place and time. The next few minutes of my life went down in slow fucking motion. The closer I got to the church where the door was slightly ajar, the more the bile rose in my throat.

  I was suffocating in my own repercussions.

  How many men had I killed in the name of La Familia, my sister, and now my own wife?

  I couldn’t take it anymore. My whole body felt like it was going into overdrive. There were too many thoughts happening all at the same time, and I couldn’t control any of them.

  An eternity passed by as I made my way inside, unable to get there fast enough. Stepping in through the back door, I aimed my gun in the direction of my sight. Toward a shadowy figure who was lighting a candle on their knees to God.

  When the devil was standing behind them.

  Bringing their hood down from their jacket, they turned.

  The reality of my world, had me aiming my Glock at the center of…

  My wife’s forehead.

  Chapter 35

  —Cruz—

  Slowly, I lowered my gun to the side of my body while breathing out a huge sigh of relief.

  “For fuck sake, Sienna. How did you get here?”

  “I hotwired Uncle Gino’s car.”

  “Then where is it?”

  “Behind the building. I hid it out of sight.”

  “Do you have any idea what you just put me through? Do you even fucking care? Or are you that goddamn spoiled you don’t think about anyone but yourself?”

  With wide eyes, she jerked back. Shaking her head, obviously offended. “Why do you think I’m here? It’s not for me. Although, maybe I should be. I’m here for those innocent lives you ordered to kill tonight. You dragged me into your hell and called it love. I saw you. I heard you. I thought I knew what you were capable of, but I was wrong. It’s one thing to assume and another to see it with my own two eyes. Hear it run through my own mind. I can’t believe I’ve been so blind, actually thinking you’re different than every mafioso who’s ever come into my life.”

  “The truth hurts, baby.”

  “You shameless bastard! Or should I say, murderer? An innocent woman! An innocent pregnant woman! How could you?!”

  “I’m a lot of things, Sienna, but I’ve never lied to you. Instead of giving me shit...you should be thanking me.”

  “Thanking you? For what exactly?”

  “Every order I give is to keep you safe!” I shouted, annoyed it had come down to this.

  It was only a matter of time until she saw the side of me I’ve never tried to hide from her or anyone else. If she didn’t like who I ruthlessly was, then she’d have to get used to it. I wouldn’t change for her or anyone.

  “At the end of the day, my family comes first over everything.” I stepped toward her and she stepped back. “What, baby? You fucking scared of me now? You weren’t scared of me last night when you were panting beneath me, soaking your panties, and dry fucking the shit out of my cock!”

  She didn’t hesitate, slapping me across the face. “You don’t get to speak to me like that! Ever!”

  I touched the side of my face, feeling the sting from her hand. Cocking my head to the side, I growled before forcefully gripping onto her hair at the nook of her neck and yanking it back, hard.

  Hovering above her petite frame, I gritted through a clenched jaw, “If you ever put your hands on me again, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what? Hit me?” she bit, her chest rising and falling. “I thought you said you weren’t like my father?”

  I let her go, jostling her away from me. Quickly turning around, needing a minute to control myself and rein in the devil. No longer able to look at her with love.

  Only anger.

  “Do I have your attention now?”

  “You’ve had my attention since the first time I laid eyes on you
, but you’re losing my respect.”

  “You mean you actually feel something? I didn’t think El Diablo could.”

  I met her eyes.

  “Actually,” she stated, raising her head higher. “The truth is, I came to this church because I thought it’d be the one place you wouldn’t have the audacity to walk into. I should have known better, you don’t respect the sanctity of anything. I’m surprised you didn’t burst into flames the second you stepped past the threshold of God’s kingdom. This is the Lord’s house. The Devil isn’t welcome here.”

  “I’d follow you anywhere. From Hell to Heaven, to kingdom fucking come so you should have thought about that before you ran away like a scared little girl. If you don’t like what you heard and saw tonight, then it’s best you stop asking questions about your husband’s dealings. It’s not personal, Sienna, it’s business. But rest assured wife, the things you didn’t mind your own fucking business on this evening are mild in comparison to what an enemy of mine or your fathers would do to you at any given point.”

  She winced, knowing I was right. I could see it in her eyes.

  “I could tell you stories that would truly make you hate me. Although, what’s more disconcerting to me is that you’re mourning a man who was manhandling you up against a balcony rail, when you can’t even fuck your own husband.”

  She glared at me. “She was pregnant with a baby. A baby!”

  “No fucking shit, Sienna. When he became a man, it’d be too late. I don’t protect you by being fucking nice to anyone. Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. You see an innocent pregnant woman, I see revenge written all over her. You’ve said it yourself, your life is valued more than mine and I don’t give a flying fuck whose blood is on my hands, or whose soul I have to take on. I’m forever enslaved by demons. Through the flames, I’m going to make damn sure you live until you’re old enough to walk through the gates of Heaven. We both know, I won’t be there. I’ll be rotting in Hell for all eternity, because I kept you and my family safe. But in this world,” I affirmed, sternly pointing at her. “You’re my angel and I’ll crucify anyone who thinks it’s your time to fall.”

  “It doesn’t matter how you try to spin this, I don’t want to be the reason innocent people have to die. It blows my mind you think I’d be okay with what you did tonight, when you know I was supposed to die in a car bombing. I was eight-years-old! An innocent child! And I haven’t sought retaliation for the men who took my mother away from me!”