by Sam Crescent
Fuck that. He’d fight every single chance he got. The first fight was only a matter of time.
Driving toward the location Antonio mentioned, he found him waiting outside of one of his father’s many warehouses. It was one of the few places that didn’t have cameras or detectors to alert people of a break-in. With his father, he had a lot of people all over the place.
Antonio stood, gun in his hand.
“Fuck,” Raphael said.
He climbed out of his car, unhooking his own gun, sliding off the safety, and approaching. He stayed a couple of feet away.
“You want to kill me?”
“I want to know what it is that’s going on, Raphael,” he said. “Your father claims to have proof you’re planning on turning rat. I’ve got a lot of shit in my past and now, I can’t afford for Ellie to even be aware of some of the shit I’ve done.”
“My father claimed I’d gone rat?”
“Yes. He showed me pictures of your talking to a cop, a Fed.”
“You’ve got that all wrong.”
Antonio reached into his pocket, pulling out a photo and throwing it to the ground. “You call this all wrong? I kept my word and didn’t say anything to your father about the slave girl, but if you’re a rat, I’m taking you the fuck out.”
“I’m not a rat. I can’t even see the fucking picture to know who you’re talking about!” He yelled each word. He held the gun at his friend. “I don’t want to kill you.”
“You won’t kill me, Raphael. You may be Giavanni’s son but we both know I’m the better hit between the two of us.”
“You’re right. You kill. It’s what you’ve been trained to do and I accept that. I know I’m not better than you, but I know I’m better than my father. He’s poison, Antonio. I have no intention of turning a rat. You want to know my real plan? It’s to overthrow his power. To take his place, not because I want to but because he’s ruining everything he touches. The drugs, the women, all of it, he kills capos who question him. It’s only a matter of time before he gets us all killed. Maybe even Ellie.” He knew it was a low blow bringing in his woman, but he had to make Antonio see reason.
Even though Ellie was the one to make Antonio lose his mind, at least it made him think clearly. Completely fucked up, but he had to get through to him.
“I don’t want to kill you.”
“As if you could.”
“When I take my father’s place, I will hand you over every single piece of incriminating evidence he has.”
“What?”
“You think my father doesn’t have an entire vault of blackmail shit? Believe me, he does. You’re not family, Antonio. You’re a commodity and you’ve got a mouth so that puts you very firmly in the danger column. You’re only ever any use to him when he controls you. You take away his control, he has nothing.”
“You’re talking bullshit.”
“I’m not. I can access everything, just give me a chance.”
“Tell me who the fuck that man is in the picture. Tell me that isn’t a Fed.”
Raphael stepped toward the picture. “I’m not going to shoot you so don’t fucking do the same.”
Antonio lowered his gun, as did Raphael. He reached down, grabbed the picture, and opened it up. “Fuck!”
“Who is it?”
“It’s Timothy,” he said. “He’s a fucking doctor genius who likes to hurt people the justice system failed. He’s not a damn Fed.” He dropped the picture and called Timothy. There was no answer.
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?” Antonio asked.
“You don’t, but that’s the man I took Elenore to. The slave girl you keep calling her. He’s on my side. He doesn’t report to my father. He works for me and I pay him in criminals. I’m not ratting out anyone. I’m fucking innocent, and if my father has this, then he knows where Timothy is. Fuck! He’s got her, he’s got Elenore.”
“How would he have Elenore?” Antonio asked.
“Because that’s where I was when I got your call. My father knew all along and he played me.” He lifted his gun. “Did you tell him? Did you do this on purpose?”
“No!” Antonio said. “Believe it or not, I’m your friend.”
“A friend who was willing to shoot me?”
“No, a friend who was willing to protect his woman because he thought you’d turned rat. You don’t think I don’t know who controls me? What he has on me?”
“I’ll give it all to you, including your freedom. You will never have to look over your shoulder. You’ll be free, just help me kill my father once and for all and protect my woman. I promised her she’d never get hurt and I already failed.”
****
After Raphael left
“Do you want a drink?” Timothy asked.
“No, thank you.”
Elenore looked down at her notebook. All of the hard work she’d been doing seemed kind of a waste of time. Raphael was gone. She was all alone again. That was all she ever seemed to be, alone.
You’re nothing.
No, I’m not.
Yes, you are.
Her own thoughts were turning against her.
She sniffled.
Timothy didn’t leave. He walked into the room and perched on the edge of the bed. “I know it seems like it’s more than you can handle, but I promise you, Raphael is coming back for you.”
“And if his father kills him?”
“I try not to think so negatively.”
“Raphael told me how he pays you. For someone who likes to be given human beings to hurt, you seem to see the negative in everyone.”
“I do. I enjoy hurting those who for whatever reason have gotten away with it. I don’t like it. I never have,” Timothy said. “But I don’t see that as a bad thing. They did bad things, and they need to be punished.”
“You’re doing a bad thing and getting away with it.”
“That’s because I’m righting a wrong.”
She sighed.
“I won,” he said.
She laughed. “You didn’t win.”
“I totally did. I won.”
“I don’t know if I like you very much right now.”
“It’s okay. Not a lot of people like me. It’s why I enjoy the quiet.”
“If you hate bad people so much, why are you helping Raphael?” she asked. “You know he’s done bad things.”
“Ah, I guess you can say he’s my exception to the rule. Raphael does bad things because he has no choice. He’s given instructions but I also know he does whatever he can to make it right.”
“So long as they have an excuse or a reason, you don’t mind what it is they do or don’t do?” she asked.
“Correct.”
“I find you confusing.”
“And I find you refreshing, Elenore. Do you like your name?”
“I do,” she said. “It’s better than being called Useless. For a long time, it’s what I thought my name was.”
“I couldn’t imagine being born into a life of slavery.”
“I didn’t know any different. I couldn’t imagine having nice parents.”
“Not every parent is nice, believe me.”
She giggled.
The moment came to a stark end as an alarm blared through his entire house.
Timothy tensed up and grabbed her arm. “Time to go.”
“What’s happening?”
“I’m being robbed.” He pulled her out of the room and they headed past the kitchen. He grabbed a knife and she cried out as the first person they came to attacked. Timothy stabbed him through the chest. He pulled out the knife.
He did that same with two more people, only, at the third, he was attacked.
“Run,” Timothy said, screaming above the sound.
Just as she was about to run, someone grabbed her around the throat.
“So, I was right all along,” Gino Giavanni said.
He held her throat, crushing it, cutting off her air supply. Fear consumed
her. He looked scary, worse than any other time she could remember.
How did he know where she was?
Don’t worry about that now. Attack.
She wasn’t his anymore.
Raphael had set her free.
She wasn’t a slave, forced to do any bidding.
Lashing out, she grabbed Giavanni’s balls and twisted them. The action shocked him enough to let her go. She gasped for air, trying to get away.
He slammed his foot against her ribs, sending her crashing through the air, falling in a heap.
Pain exploded in her body. She cried out as her hair was pulled and she had no choice but to get to her feet as he hurled her up onto her feet. “So, my pathetic nephew decided to take you from me. He should know better than to take my things.”
“I’m not yours.” She screamed as he tugged on her hair again. Tears filled her eyes and she whimpered at the pressure.
“You see, that’s where you’re wrong. You’re nothing.”
“You’re wrong.” She found the strength to spit in his face. “I’m someone. I’m stronger than you.”
The men who were with him, restraining Timothy, laughed.
Gino slammed her to the floor, punched her in the face, and repeatedly kicked her. She curled up in a ball, trying to protect herself.
“I wonder how my nephew will find you when I have you sold to the highest bidder.” He began to pull her out of the house by her hair. She believed her ankle was broken. She tried to get up but each time she did, she’d stumble. He kept on tugging at her hair and if he didn’t stop, he was going to pull it all the way out.
She found strength as he pulled her outside to finally get to her hands. The tarmac hurt.
She was slung into a trunk and this time, Gino spat at her.
Timothy was put in the trunk of the car as well. He screamed as it was slammed on his hand and she heard the sound of crunching. The trunk was opened and Timothy pulled his hand in.
Closing her eyes, she tried not to panic. Stuck in the trunk, anything could happen.
“Elenore, are you okay?” Timothy asked.
“I’m scared.”
“I know. That’s not Romeo.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s going to kill us.”
“Yes.”
“How did he find us?”
“Raphael underestimated him and now we’re paying the price, honey.”
“I don’t want to die.”
“I know. I don’t want to die either.”
She sobbed. “But we’re going to?”
“I don’t want you to think like that. Okay?” He coughed and she heard something come out of his mouth.
“What was that?”
“Just a little blood. I’m fine.”
“That doesn’t sound fine.”
“It will all be fine. We’ve got to trust Raphael will find us. He will protect us, okay.”
She nodded her head. “Yes, okay.”
Elenore didn’t believe it.
Gino Giavanni had known from the start but he’d waited all this time to take her back. Why? Did he know she was hidden in Raphael’s secret room? What exactly did he know? Did he even care? Romeo wasn’t the real threat, he’d never been. Gino was the secret she’d kept. Romeo had never touched her. He didn’t even know the full extent of what Gino did. She doubted Romeo had any control over his brother, not anymore.
She shuddered as the pain started to take effect. Keeping her eyes closed, she tried not to think about what was going to happen and only focus on her time with Raphael. If she died today, at least she had some precious memories to take with her. That was all she could hope for.
Sweet, precious memories.
The car came to a stop. She listened. Eyes still closed.
Were they going to set the car on fire? Drown them? During her time being a slave, she’d heard Gino plan many a despicable ending. Would her fate meet one of them?
The trunk was opened. Timothy was pulled out.
She finally opened her eyes as Gino reached for her.
Now, she knew the real torture would begin.
Chapter Ten
There hadn’t been a single code on the gate as they’d been open. Raphael parked the car as Antonio joined him.
The front doors were open. Windows were smashed. The distinctive sign of tires with tracks.
He stepped into Timothy’s home and went straight to the security footage. He ignored Antonio’s calls. The surveillance was in every single room apart from the operating room where Antonio liked to hurt and torture people.
Finding the right button, he turned back the time to three hours ago. He frowned. His uncle Gino arrived. His father was nowhere in sight. Timothy trying to protect her. The beating she took at his uncle’s hands. The way he dragged her out. Picking up one of the screens, he threw it across the room.
The reason he’d brought her to Timothy was for her safety and he’d fucked it up. Why had he done this?
“Raphael, we’ll get her back,” he said.
“Three hours ago. This is what happened. How do you expect me to get her back? He’s killed her. What the fuck is Gino doing here? Is my dad using him now? What the fuck is all that?”
“I don’t know, Raphael. I don’t. There have been rumors but whenever I talked to Romeo, he said they were all false.”
“What the fuck are you saying?”
“Rumor is, Romeo doesn’t have the power or any way to hold his position. They believe Gino is calling the shots but I haven’t been able to find anything solid.”
Raphael stared at the frozen screen. He was going to kill his uncle, there was no doubt about it. Pulling out his cell phone, he called the capo. “I don’t care who you’ve got on our side, it doesn’t matter. I’m killing Gino Giavanni today and taking power from my father.” He hung up the cell and left Timothy’s house.
Antonio grabbed him and Raphael slammed his fist against his face. “Do not fucking touch me.”
“I will let that one slide because you’re clearly not in a good place right now.”
“No? I wonder what makes you think that?” He went to his car.
“I can get you in,” Antonio said. “You’re going to need to go to my car. I can drive you right up to the front door. I will loosen the seat so you can sneak out.”
“Why would you help me? You were willing to kill me.”
“You didn’t lie. You’re my friend. Whatever the fuck is going on with Romeo, I no longer give a fuck. He has used me for the last time. I will put you on that seat and you will grant me my freedom. I won’t be owned anymore.”
“Deal,” he said. Raphael grabbed out several guns. “If you betray me, I will make sure Ellie suffers.”
Antonio gritted his teeth. “Our boundary of friendship is being tested to the limit.”
“Don’t give a fuck. Take the deal or piss off. That’s really all there is to say about it.” He opened up Antonio’s trunk, threw his weapons inside, and climbed in.
Antonio true to his word, unhooked the seat and Raphael held it so it didn’t slide back into place.
He’d hated cars with adjustable seats, and now he was thankful for them.
With Antonio taking the wheel, they left Timothy’s house and drove toward his father’s. He couldn’t stop replaying the image of Elenore being beaten, of his uncle even touching her. He was going to chop off that son of a bitch’s hands, then he’d take care of the man’s dick.
Piece by piece, he was going to make him pay. There was no way he was going to live with what he’d done.
The ride seemed to take forever. He was tempted to order Antonio to drive faster.
“We’re here,” he said, bringing the car to a stop. “I see three guards. There will be more around the perimeter. I’m going to head in. I’ll take as many as I can. You will have to sneak in.”
“Don’t worry. I intend to make an entrance.”
“Give me ten minutes,” Antonio said.
Checking
the time, Raphael knew if his friend needed ten minutes, he’d wait. It would give him a bigger chance of surviving. The clock ticked by. The hands not moving fast enough for him. It only served to piss him off.
He wanted this to be over with. If Elenore was dead, he would take out his uncle, his father, and join her. He had no interest in living in a world without his woman. She was his everything and now, his biggest mistake was never telling her he loved her. If she was alive, he’d tell her every single chance he got.
The hand struck the ten-minute mark, and he climbed out of the car, moved to the front, and saw Antonio had left the keys in the ignition. The men were standing there, guns at their sides, enjoying a smoke.
As he turned over the ignition, the sound drew their attention. Pressing his foot on the gas, he charged at them, driving into each of them. None of them would survive and he slammed the car through the house. The impact knocked the wind right out of him, but he laughed, coming to a stop.
After climbing out of the car, he grabbed the guns he’d packed, turning off the safety.
Guards came out of his father’s office. He shot each one, advancing into the room in time to see Timothy strung up by his hands and neck, precariously balanced on a stool. His face was a bruised mess.
Three more guards stood there, guns poised, ready to take him out.
Elenore was strapped to the desk, naked, bleeding. It looked like she’d been whipped. Blood coated her back and thighs.
Entering the office, he noticed Gino was the one standing there and it looked like he was about to open his pants as if to rape her. “Raphael, I’m surprised you’ve decided to join us. Look who is here, Romeo. Your son is finally here.”
He shot the guards, one after the other. Throwing one gun away, he looked toward his father. For the first time in his life, Romeo Giavanni looked frail. He sat behind his desk, face pale and vulnerable.
“Do you really think you’re going to win this?” Gino asked.
“Elenore, are you okay?”
“Raphael?” Her voice was hoarse, clearly from all the screaming. The mess of her back told him she’d been hurt. No one would be able to take a beating like that and remain silent.