* * *
Brrrrinngggggg!
* * *
Eve’s phone made her jump out of her skin.
* * *
She looked at it and didn’t recognize the number. Still something inside her told her to answer the phone.
* * *
She picked up.
* * *
“Hello?”
* * *
A voice with a thick Italian accent came through.
* * *
“Am I speaking with Signora Riccardi…”
* * *
Eve took a moment to answer, forgetting for a split second that she was now Signora Riccardi.
* * *
“Yes,” She replied.
* * *
“Good,” He continued, “Do not hang up the phone.”
* * *
“Who are you? What’s going on?”
* * *
“Listen to me carefully. You don’t have much time Signora. I have terrible news. I am working for Edoardo Al-Sayed and he told me to call you if anything goes wrong.”
* * *
Eve was having a hard time keeping her eagerness at bay.
* * *
“Please, just tell me quickly what’s going on.”
* * *
“Something terrible has happened. I don’t have much time here. Luca Riccardi has escaped. He was broken out of here by a man… They shot Rosario Colombo. He’s dead. Are you understanding me?”
* * *
“Yes, I understand,” Eve replied, thinking the man overly conscientious about his English for an emergency.
* * *
“Luca is alive. He knows where you are. You need to go. Run. Get out Signora.”
“Wait!” Eve stopped the man from hanging up, “Who broke him out? Describe him…”
* * *
Her heart dropped to her stomach before the anonymous tipper began the description. She knew that her worst fears were about to be realized.
* * *
“He was a fat man… Italian… Looked like a much uglier version of Luca.”
* * *
“Giuseppe,” Eve whispered.
* * *
“Signora, I must go.”
* * *
Click.
* * *
He hung up, leaving Eve with the unfriendly news that her new father-in-law and brother-in-law were on their way to her location with the intent to exact punishment. Eve tried to call Nico as soon as she got off the phone but he didn’t pick up. She heard a car outside and prayed that it would be her husband.
* * *
The black Escalade in the driveway told Eve that her prayers weren’t to be answered. She saw Luca get out of the front seat followed by Giuseppe. Eve turned to the trunk in the bedroom and hoped that she could squeeze herself inside. She opened the trunk and climbed in sealing it shut. It was a tight squeeze but unless something went seriously wrong (or they found her), it would be an unexpected hiding place.
* * *
Eve could hear her heart beating louder… and louder… as she heard the front door of the house open. Muffled Italian could be heard downstairs. Downstairs they lingered and Eve squeezed her eyes shut, praying that this would all be over soon, praying that she would get a chance to see her son Matteo again, praying that her husband wouldn’t allow her to be killed by his family.
* * *
Downstairs, Giuseppe looked at his son Luca. The man looked ravaged and hideous. Years in hiding hadn’t suited him well. Giuseppe grunted when he first saw him with disgust. When he’d been Luca’s age he’d been far more attractive. His son had let the years get to him. Giuseppe had flown on a plane to Italy as soon as he’d received Luca’s call.
* * *
Hearing that his favorite son was alive had sent Giuseppe into tears of joy. Nico was a betrayer, but Luca had always been loyal to his father. And Giuseppe believed in rewarding loyalty. He had been avoiding Italy for years and he knew it was still a risk to cross the ocean where Nico had likely turned hundreds against him. Giuseppe was surprised at how smoothly he’d managed to travel to his home country — the most beautiful country on earth.
* * *
He couldn’t describe to anyone how much of a blessing it was to hear passionate, fiery Italian on every street corner instead of guttural, harsh English. And then to see his son again and share their pursuit of vengeance was like a shot of adrenaline into Giuseppe’s veins. He’d promised himself he’d never get old, but here he was. In his age at least, Giuseppe comforted himself that he still had the hot blood of a young Italian man. Together, he’d reunite with his son and make their family strong.
* * *
But in order to make the Riccardi’s strong again, they'd have to take care of the weak links once and for all. Dead family was better than a family divided. Divisions represented weakness, one thing Giuseppe abhorred over all others.
* * *
“She must be in this house,” Luca said.
* * *
“Well we’ll find her. Take your time. It will make her scared, likely to make a mistake,” Giuseppe replied.
* * *
Luca grinned, “I can’t wait to put the bitch out of her misery.”
* * *
“Cautious Luca. You must not let your eagerness translate into clumsiness.”
* * *
“Have I been clumsy so far, father?”
* * *
Giuseppe looked at his son and noticed there was something different about him. There was nothing behind his eyes and even Giuseppe felt uneasy about Luca in a way he never had before.
* * *
“No you have not.”
* * *
“Good,” Luca said, “Once we get out of here, we’ll find Nico and make him pay for betraying you.”
Giuseppe grunted and followed Luca as he started to survey the downstairs portion of the house.
* * *
Eve could hear the floorboards creaking below. They were looking for her, trying to rut her out of her hiding spot so they could treat her like prey. Eve heard footsteps drawing up the stairs. She clasped a hand over her own mouth, hoping to stifle the agitated sound of her breathing.
* * *
She could hear their footsteps as they entered the room. A blessing came just in time. The front door slammed.
* * *
She heard Luca and Giuseppe mutter to each other in Italian and then again, they left the room the way that they’d come. There was either someone downstairs or they thought it was Eve, trying to make a break for it.
* * *
“Papa!” She heard Luca yell as they descended the stairs.
* * *
There were gun shots, then footsteps. Eve heard the front door slam again. She heard more gun shots and then she lost track of what was happening. Eve heard a car peel away from the driveway so fast she could practically smell the rubber against the asphalt. Eve was shuddering desperately for breath.
* * *
More footsteps came up the stairs, but Eve heard no voices until the footsteps were in the room with her, inches away from her head. She remained still.
* * *
“Eve!” She heard her husband’s voice call.
* * *
Eve didn’t dare move since her husband’s voice could be so precisely imitated by his twin brother.
* * *
“Eve!” Edoardo called.
* * *
He was the one standing next to the trunk she was in.
* * *
“Bellissimma, it’s safe! Come out!” Nico said.
* * *
Eve knew she’d have to risk it. Unless someone had a gun to Edoardo’s head, she was relatively certain it was safe. Eve knocked on the lid of the trunk as she tried to push it open.
* * *
“I’m in here!”
* * *
“Hold on, let me help you get out,” Edoardo said.
* * *
Eve lay still and then Edoardo opened the trunk. It really was just Edoardo and Nico. She was safe.
* * *
Edoardo helped her up and then carried her out of the trunk with ease. Her limbs had turned to jelly from being contorted in such a strange position for too long.
* * *
“Are you alright?” He asked.
* * *
Nico ran into the bedroom.
* * *
“She’s here, thank goodness.”
* * *
Nico ran to her and wrapped Eve in his arms. Her husband kissed her forehead again and again.
* * *
“You’re alright,” He whispered, “Thank God you’re alright.”
* * *
Edoardo smiled at the two of them.
* * *
“I’m glad too.”
* * *
“What happened?” Nico asked, pulling away from Eve for a moment.
* * *
Eve shrugged, “I got a call from the station. He didn’t give his name but said that he worked for Edoardo.”
* * *
Nico stopped Eve, “Wait, you have officers on payroll?”
* * *
Edoardo shrugged, trying not to answer.
* * *
“I thought your whole thing was to end corruption on the force.”
* * *
Edoardo nodded, “It is, but I still need informants. There may be ways for the Savellis to regain control at any minute. I need to keep myself safe.”
* * *
Nico let it slide. He wondered what other secrets Edoardo had to hide, but now was hardly the time to interrogate his half-brother.
* * *
Eve continued, “He told me that Luca shot Rosario and that he was broken out of prison by a man…”
* * *
“My father,” Nico finished.
* * *
Eve nodded.
* * *
“Wait… Giuseppe Riccardi?” Edoardo asked.
* * *
“Yes,” Eve replied, “I had him describe the man and it has to be Giuseppe.”
* * *
“Isn’t he supposed to be flagged whenever he enters Italy?” Edoardo said.
* * *
Eve nodded, “Maybe he just got here.”
* * *
“Or they’re traveling under fake names,” Nico suggested.
* * *
“Either way, I got the call and I looked out the window.”
* * *
“What are they driving?” Edoardo asked.
* * *
“Black Escalade.”
* * *
Nico snorted.
* * *
“I could have guessed that,” He mumbled bitterly.
* * *
“Got the plates?” Edoardo asked.
* * *
Eve shook her head.
* * *
“Don’t worry,” Edoardo touched her arm gently, “It’s not a common vehicle in these parts. I’ll have one of my guys on it. If we can track the car, we can figure out where they are.”
* * *
“And do what?” Eve asked.
* * *
It was a question that no one in the room had an answer to. It was clear that Giuseppe and Luca had gone to regroup. They weren’t willing to fight on anyone’s terms but their own. Hunting them down right now would be foolhardy too. Still, they needed to do something. Luca was still in hot pursuit of his mission.
* * *
“We’ll need to be careful about our next move,” Edoardo cautioned.
* * *
Eve nodded. He was right. She could see Edoardo’s hands tapping anxiously against his thighs. His attempts to quit smoking would have gone well if they hadn’t been thrust into this sort of situation so urgently.
* * *
“Want to head outside for a smoke?” Nico asked him.
* * *
Edoardo grinned sheepishly, “I know I should be quitting.”
* * *
“If a cigarette will ease your mind enough so we can make headway out of this bloody mess I advocate for you having one.”
* * *
Eve looked at Edoardo sympathetically to indicate that she agreed.
* * *
“Fine. Let’s stand outside. But stay armed in case they loop back ‘round. We should get out of here soon anyway.”
* * *
They walked with Edoardo outside and he lit a cigarette, holding it up to his trembling lips and taking an anxious drag inwards. He let out a loud sigh of relief after his first drag.
* * *
“You alright?”
* * *
“I’ll ditch the pack after this one,” Edoardo said half-heartedly.
* * *
Neither Nico nor Eve said a word. They waited for a few moments and then Nico spoke.
* * *
“We tried the legal route and people got killed.”
* * *
“No one from the force has called to see if we’re alright,” Eve said.
* * *
Edoardo nodded, “My guess is a load of them were taken out. Including Rosario… They must all be reeling.”
* * *
Eve nodded somberly. She hadn’t caught a glimpse of a television in a while but she was certain this incident would be made public and her husband’s face would be one that he shared with a mass murderer. Eve got chills at the thought — and the thought of the ramifications this could have. No wonder Nico had always wanted to distance himself from his twin brother.
* * *
“We need to do something else then,” Nico suggested.
* * *
“We’ll leave first and then we’ll regroup,” Edoardo mumbled.
* * *
“Right. But where are we going to go?” Eve asked.
* * *
“Let me make a call.”
* * *
Edoardo re-entered the house, leaving Eve and Nico on the porch. The streets were quiet. So quiet that any approaching vehicle would have caused an obvious ruckus. As they stood on the porch together, a morose mood overcame them both.
* * *
Defeat had been especially bitter, especially when they’d been so close to thinking this whole thing was over. Nico took a good look at the brown-skinned beauty standing across from him. Eve looked vulnerable. Her eyes were widened in a state of constant alertness and her gaze kept flitting from shoulder to shoulder as if she feared their peace may be abducted from them at any instant.
* * *
“I don’t know if I believe we’ll be safe anymore,” Eve said somberly.
* * *
“Sh…” Nico pulled her close.
* * *
“Let’s not talk about this yet. Let’s wait.”
* * *
“Why?” Eve said, pulling away slightly.
* * *
Nico kissed her forehead and told her, “I’m not sure I’m ready. I was so scared that I’d lost you by taking a big stupid risk. I’m not over it yet.”
* * *
“Well I’m fine, aren’t I?” Eve whispered, looking up into Nico’s blue eyes.
Out of Bondage Page 12