by Sarah Curtis
"Please, pardon me if I don't fucking believe you."
Stephen held his hands out. "I'm reaching for my phone to call Carmine."
Nico nodded and watched him carefully as he reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out his cell. He had a short conversation. When he hung up, he looked at his men around him and said, "Lower your weapons."
Nico didn't give the same order... yet.
"Carmine's on his way down," Stephen started, looking at Nico. "He'd like to handle this civilly, in his office."
Nico looked over his shoulder, and ordered, "Guns down but stay alert."
* * * * *
Olivia tugged at her bindings, hoping to loosen the tape at her wrists. She wasn't having any luck, but that didn't stop her from trying.
Travis and Al were across the room in deep conversation. Travis was doing most of the talking—big surprise—with Al doing a lot of nodding. Whatever they were talking about, Al seemed to agree.
She knew she should probably be scared, but the truth was, she was more concerned about the pains in her stomach. They were getting stronger and closer together, and she feared she may be in labor. She wasn't due for another two weeks, and she was worried something was wrong.
She also didn't fear that Travis planned to kill or hurt her. If that had been his intention, he'd had ample opportunity to do so by now. She wasn't sure what his agenda was, but she needed something to happen. She couldn't stay tied to a chair much longer.
Travis glanced over at her, and she stilled her movements, not wanting to draw attention to the fact she was trying to get loose. Another pain hit, and she breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, concentrating to mask any expression of discomfort.
His head tilted a bit, then he took the steps that separated them. "It's almost time."
At first, she thought he meant the baby but realized he wouldn't know she'd been having contractions, so he must have been talking about why he had taken her and what he was going to do with her. She wanted those answers. "What are you planning to do?"
"I'm planning to set things right." He stepped closer, his knee brushing her thigh and grasped her by the chin. "You ruined my life, Olivia. Carmine cut all ties with me when he found out I'd lost you. He was so upset, flying into a rage anytime your name was mentioned. I knew I needed to get you back and set things right."
Travis took a step back, pacing the space in front of her. "I hired a guy, Rocky. It took him weeks to finally get a shot at you and then the stupid fuck blew it."
The guy from the bathroom, Olivia thought, watching Travis warily as he clenched then unclenched his hands, clearly growing agitated.
"I noticed Carmine's anger was lessening, but I knew I still needed you before he would talk to me. I was getting desperate. I was running out of money. I had to downsize and relocate. All that took time, but my time was running out." He stopped pacing to turn and look at her. "And then fate threw me a fucking bone."
Travis looked over his shoulder, and Olivia followed his gaze to Al. Their eyes collided, and Al grinned at her. How he fit into all of this, she wasn't exactly sure, but it was painfully obvious, he'd sold them out.
Travis looked back at her, pulling a phone from his pocket. He waved it dramatically in the air. "Time to send you where you belong and get my old life back."
* * * * *
Nico and Marco followed Stephen into Carmine's office while the rest of his men waited outside the door. Stephen walked behind the desk to stand at Carmine's side.
"Have a seat gentlemen." Carmine waved at the vacant seats in front of his desk.
"We'll stand." Nico clenched his hands into fists, trying to control his rage. He needed answers before he'd get the pleasure of fucking Carmine up. "Where the fuck is my wife?"
"I don't have your wife, Nico."
"Then you know where she is. Don't twist your words."
"No, I don't know where she is. None of my men took her."
"Why should I believe you?"
Carmine shrugged. "She's just a girl. Granted, a very beautiful girl I hated to lose, but a girl just the same." Then he stressed, "And no girl is worth starting a war over."
He was wrong. Olivia was worth starting a hundred wars for.
"Why the change of heart?" Nico demanded still skeptical. "You seemed pretty adamant when you stormed into my house a few months ago."
There was a long pause before Carmine said, "Would you believe me if I told you I've grown quite attached to my wife?" He spoke hesitantly as if embarrassed to admit it.
Yeah, Nico could believe it, and his gut twisted at the realization Carmine didn't know where his wife was. He'd been so sure he'd been behind her abduction and that a few well-placed threats would get her back. Just the thought of not knowing where Olivia was and if she were safe had the twisting sickness in his gut multiplying to include a stabbing pain in his chest as if his heart were being pierced with a dagger.
He needed to find her. He needed to get her back.
He just fucking needed her.
Nico heard a ping and Carmine look down at his phone lying on his desk. He swiped the screen then took a moment to read before bringing his eyes back to Nico's. "Travis has your wife."
Chapter Thirty-One
Nico approached the warehouse door cautiously. Marco, Frankie, Ricky, and Dino were at his back. What he wanted to do was charge in guns blazing, but not knowing what or who—other than Scott and Al—to expect, kept him from doing what he instinctively wanted. He would be no good to Olivia if he wound up dead.
A plus in their favor, Scott wasn't expecting him. He was expecting Carmine. With only two cars in the lot and one of them Al's, the odds were low they were walking into an ambush.
He was trying not to think about Al's betrayal. He still didn't understand Al's part in all of it and wouldn't until he had him behind the barrel of his gun. Something he was looking forward to. His trigger finger was itching in anticipation. But first, his knife wanted to come out to play. That cocksucker was going to wish he'd never been born. But the fun would have to wait until Olivia was safe.
"Ricky. Dino. You guys go around the building and cover any exits you find. I don't want any of these assholes getting away. Frankie, you stay here and guard this door."
Dino gave him a chin lift, and Ricky said, "You got it, Boss," before they disappeared around opposite sides of the building. Frankie gave him an acknowledging nod.
Pulling his gun from its holder at the small of his back, he turned to Marco. "Let's do this."
Nico swung open the door while Marco, squatting, covered him from a low position. Nico then came around the door, gun trained over the top of Marco's head. After a few beats of silence and detecting no movement, they edged inside, Nico soundlessly shutting the door behind them.
He heard Marco whisper under his breath, "Door, twelve o'clock."
It was the only door Nico could see. If anyone were here, they'd be behind it. "Let's make some noise, draw them out. If Olivia's behind that door, I don't want her to get stuck in the crossfire."
Marco nodded and Nico looked around, motioning they should position themselves behind a pile of boxes. He waited for Marco to get into place before he went over to a large, metal shelving rack and tipped it over. The clatter echoed around the room with a deafening roar.
Nico ducked behind a nearby stack of boxes and waited. He didn't have long to wait until the door opened.
Nico covertly watched as Al cautiously stepped out, gun drawn, scanning the area. Al noticed the fallen shelf, becoming alert, his body stiff as he slowly approached. He would pass by the stack of boxes Nico hid
behind.
Nico waited patiently, not daring to even breathe until Al passed him. As soon as he had Al's back, Nico stepped out behind him, raised his arm and brought his gun down with all his force on the back of his head, dropping him instantly to the floor, out cold. Marco came over, cuffing Al's hands behind his back while Nico took his gun and cell phone.
They dragged him across the floor, propping him up in the corner of the room. Marco gave him a slap on the cheek to rouse him while Nico held a gun to his temple, so he didn't get any ideas when he woke.
It took a few minutes for Al to come around but only a few seconds for realization to hit, his eyes growing wide when he saw it was Nico and Marco who surrounded him.
"You shout a warning, it will be the last word you ever speak," Nico growled, leaning in close, gouging the gun into his temple.
Al nodded.
"Now tell me Olivia's all right. That you didn't harm her."
He was shaking his head, his eyes growing wider.
"Is that, no, she's not all right, or no, you didn't harm her?" When he was slow to answer, Nico pulled back the hammer on his Colt 1911 with a soft click.
"N... no, she's okay." A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. "We didn't touch her."
"I thought you were smarter than this, Al. What the fuck could have been so tempting, you would think to betray me?"
Al's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Travis. He promised Carmine would make me Underboss when he came into power."
Nico swore, then said, "Sei un pazzo."
"No. Not a fool," Marco disputed. "A fucking traitor."
Nico took out his knife and held it under Al's eye. "Anyone else besides Scott and Olivia in that room?"
Al minutely shook his head, sweat flowing freely down his forehead and into his eyes. "No."
Nico put pressure on the tip, drawing a bead of blood. "Don't lie to me."
"I... I'm not. I swear."
"You trust the word of a traitor?" Marco snarled.
Nico smiled, but his words were laced with disdain. "If he lies, his death will be that much slower."
Nico removed Al's tie, rolling it up and shoving it in his mouth. Then he removed his own, wrapping it across Al's mouth and tying it at the back of his head to keep the fucker quiet and not call out a warning.
He felt Al's phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out.
Everything okay?
Everything's fine. I'm coming in now.
Nico stood and looked down at Marco. "Stay here and keep an eye on this cafone."
Nico made his way to the door, pushed through, and came to a sudden stop. Olivia sat in a chair, arms behind her back, while Scott stood behind her, one hand around her neck, the other with a gun pointed at her head.
His mind flashed back. Another place, another time, same situation. He felt his rage trying to take over, but his fear wouldn't allow it free rein.
"Why am I not surprised you showed up instead of Carmine?" Scott smiled, his expression way too cocky for the current situation, and Nico wanted to punch the smile off the fucker's face. "You didn't think you fooled me with that text, did you? Al may be stupid, but I'm not." Scott nodded toward Nico's hand. "If you value your wife's life, you'll put the gun down."
Nico's grip tightened on his gun.
Scott retaliated by tightening his hand around Olivia's neck. Nico made the mistake of looking into her eyes. Fear and worry simmered in their depths.
His chest clenched, and he did something he'd never done before. He hesitated from making a kill shot. "Take the gun away from her head, and I'll lower my weapon."
Scott laughed, and he saw Olivia flinch. "That's not how this works. I told you, I'm not stupid. I know you must have talked to Carmine to find out my location. Either lower your gun or I will shoot your wife. You can trust me on this. I have nothing to lose, now."
"You shoot Olivia and you're a dead man."
"I'll be dead either way, won't I? Might as well go out with a bang."
Nico started to lower his weapon and Scott taunted, "Giving in so easy? Olivia must be something special to have two men wanting her. Maybe I should have sampled her myself while I had the chance."
Nico bent his knees, a growl escaping his lips as he slowly lowered himself into a crouch. Patience, he reminded himself.
"Please, Nico, don't. He'll shoot you if you lower your weapon." He heard the plea in Olivia's voice, low and raspy from her restricted air supply.
His jaw tensed, but he never took his eyes from Scott when he said, "Don't worry, tesoro." Then right at the moment Scott's eyes flicked to Olivia, Nico quickly raised his gun and fired, hitting him dead center between the eyes. "I won't."
Nico jumped up and raced to Olivia. He kicked the gun from Scott's lifeless hand and put away his own before cradling her face between his hands. She hadn't made a sound, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Are you okay?"
She looked up at him, eyes glassy and full of relief. "I'm..." she winced. "I'm okay."
Nico leaned in, kissing her on the lips, lightly running his hand down her throat. "Don't speak."
Marco rushed into the room gun drawn. "Everything okay?"
Nico stood to his full height, pulling out his knife. "Everything's fine." He stepped behind Olivia and was about to cut her binds, but stopped when he noticed how badly his hands were shaking, not wanting to accidentally nick her. He took a deep breath, repeating to himself that she was safe. Hands steadier, he cut through the tape. "I'm getting Olivia out of here," he said, carefully pulling the tape from her skin.
Olivia brought her arms forward with a moan and he massaged her shoulders before helping her to her feet. She tried to take a peek behind him, but he distracted her, turning her body and shuffling them forward.
"Call the cleaner, then you and the boys take care of the two cars out front. You know where to take Al. I'm not done with him yet."
Marco nodded, tossing him a set of keys. "I'll check in once everything's finished."
Nico gave him a chin lift before leading Olivia out the door.
* * * * *
Olivia clutched Nico's hand, still in a daze as he led her out of the warehouse and tucked her safely in the car, buckling her seat belt. She watched, unable to take her eyes from him as he jogged around the front of the car and climbed in. She took a shaky breath, repeating to herself that he was okay.
She'd never been so scared as when she sat helplessly in that chair thinking Nico was going to put down his gun. And knowing if that happened, Travis would kill him. Reliving that moment petrified her. She couldn't even contemplate her life without Nico in it.
She felt wetness slide down her cheeks and realized she was crying.
Nico noticed, too. He reached over, trying to brush away her tears, but they kept falling. "Hey, it's over. We're okay."
She nodded, unable to speak from the lump in her throat.
He started the car and put it in gear before pulling away from a place she never wanted to think about again. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and rested it against the seat. She knew she just needed to process everything that had happened, and she would come out okay in the end. She'd never doubted for one second that Nico would save her. Even with a gun to her head, she hadn't been in full-blown panic mode. As cliché as it sounded, looking in his eyes had kept her calm... and maybe even feeling a little bit invincible.
The silence stretched as miles passed until Nico finally broke it. "Tesoro, please say something. Let me know what you're thinking, that you're all right. Your silence is killing me."
She was
about to answer, let him know she was okay but was suddenly seized by a crippling pain, doubling her over in her seat. She felt a wetness between her legs and had a feeling her water had broke.
"Tesoro, what the fuck? Are you all right?"
"The baby." She managed to get out on a panted breath. She noticed Nico had stopped the car and pulled to the side of the road. "I think I've been in labor for a while." Another pain hit, and she had a sudden urge to push. "Oh God, I think the baby's coming, now."
"Fuck!" She'd never seen such a look of utter panic on her husband's face, and if the circumstances hadn't been so dire, she probably would have laughed. But the situation was anything but funny. Alone in the middle of nowhere, giving birth to a baby in a car.
She heard a click as Nico undid her seat belt. "Don't move."
She hadn't planned to. It was taking all her attention to keep from pushing.
Nico got out of the car, phone to his ear as he ran around to her side. Her door swung open, and she heard him say, "Yes, mile marker one-eleven." He then opened the back passenger-side door. "I need to put the phone down to transfer her to the back seat." There was a short pause. "Yes, I'll put it on speakerphone."
Things started happening in a blur. She was lifted from the car then the next thing she knew, she was lying on the back seat with no true recollection of the time between.
She heard him say, "Yes, I can see the head."
She heard him tell her to push.
She heard a disembodied, female voice giving instructions.
She heard Nico ask, more than once, if there was supposed to be so much blood.
She heard the sound of her baby's cry.
Dizziness was consuming her. Blackness fractured by bright spots of light.
She heard a distant siren, but not before she heard her husband's broken voice. "Ti amo tanto. Sei la mia vita. Ti prego non lasciarmi."
And then his whispered, "I love you so much. You are my life. Please don't leave me."
Chapter Thirty-Two