by Sienna Mynx
He brought her over to the sofa chair. He sat her down. Renaldo got on his knees. "This has to stop. He is my boss."
"But--"
"I am your husband. That is my vow before God. And I take it seriously. I am also a man with other vows that I must take seriously. That never changes, Kyra. Never."
"I'm scared. I'm just so scared. When you were dying, I just... I can't go through that again."
"What are you saying?" Renaldo asked.
"I’m saying I’m scared. You just told him you would help him kill Don Mancini. I’m not stupid. That isn’t something you could walk away from."
He lifted her chin. He promised her the good life in Italy. He wanted to give her all her dreams. But she never knew the cost. She wasn’t made for this kind of stress and tyranny. He had to find a way. It would take work, but he could do it.
"Dominic will stay a few days. To get better. And I will be here with you. For as long as you need me to be. Give me a smile."
She tried, but failed.
He kissed her again and again.
Kyra smiled and even laughed when he pinched her nipple. She hugged his neck.
"Now you sit here and let me clean the mess. You know I'm better at it than you."
"True," she agreed. He got up and went to the mess. He shook his head at the stains on the wall. His mother was going to have a fit.
"Renaldo?"
"Yes, my love."
"You're a good friend."
He glanced back at her. "Am I?"
"And a good husband. The very best husband," she blew him a kiss.
"That's my girl."
“You belong to us Renaldo. Our family. Okay?”
He nodded. “I understand Kyra.”
***
There are too many people here. Catalina walked in Melanzana to a chorus of applause. Family members she hadn't seen in years cheered her arrival. If it weren't for her sunglasses, they would have seen the raw hurt in her swollen teary eyes. Instead, several rushed her, gushing congratulations.
And then it occurred to her. The fashion show was big news in Italy. At that very moment, the press reported on a finale without the head designer. She'd not only destroyed Dominic, but she let Mirabella down.
The family hurled question after question about her time spent on the runway. She couldn't stomach much of it. When she looked back in search of help, she saw Paolo. That meant Rosetta was nearby. The bitch was kept away from her. They sat in separate sections of the plane. She and Raffaele drove a different car home.
"Welcome home," Zia Josefina grabbed her face and kissed her brow.
"Where’s Rosetta?" Catalina asked.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her."
"Domi? Have you seen him?" she asked.
Josefina shook her head no. That was the final straw. Catalina broke free of the family circus and ran for the stairs. She didn't stop running until she reached her room. She slammed the door shut.
Wiping her tears she went to her phone and picked it up. She paged Dominic. He should know she was home. All she needed to do was talk to him. Catalina emptied her purse on her bed. The tapes scattered. Her phone book dropped out as well. Catalina picked it up and thumbed through the pages. She needed the number for Mirabella and Marietta. They would know what to do.
When she dialed, she bit her nails and waited.
"Hello?" a woman answered.
"Hi, ah, is Mirabella there?"
"No, honey. She ain't here no more."
"Oh? This is her sister-in-law. Catalina. Is Marietta there?"
"Oh, hi there! I'm Minnie. I guess we sorta like family too. Heard so much about you."
"Hi Minnie, is Marietta there?"
"No, hun, they are one their way home. They left almost six hours ago. Didn't you know?"
"They're on their way back? So soon? I thought..."
"That they would stay a week? No. I was sad too. I loved those babies." Minnie said. "I'm just over here cleaning out the place. We keep it fresh you know. Nice and fresh for Mia."
"Okay, thank you." Catalina hung up. She dialed Carlo. The phone rang, and he answered on the third ring.
"It's me, Catalina. I'm home. Have you spoken to Domi?"
"Domi? Ah, no, not since uh yesterday. What's wrong, Catalina?" Carlo asked.
She could tell he was sleeping.
"Nothing. Sorry to wake you." She hung up.
She dialed Cecilia and got no answer. She paged Umberto and Nico. Someone had to know where he was. Catalina paced with the phone in her hand. If she didn't tell Domi the entire truth, she would lose him. But if she told him the truth she would trade it in for another heartache. What was she supposed to do?
The phone rang, and she nearly dropped it. "Hello! Hello!"
"Catalina? It's Nico. What's the problem?"
"Have you heard from Domi?"
Nico went silent.
“Nico!”
"No. Is something wrong?"
"If you know where he is you have to tell me. Please. We had a fight. A terrible fight. I have to find him."
"I'm not supposed to say anything.”
“Nico please,” she wept. “Please, I swear to God if you don’t tell me I will kill myself!”
The enforcer sighed. “I spoke to Renaldo. He says Domi is with him. He's not in good shape, Catalina. Wait until he calls--"
She hung up the phone. Catalina grabbed her purse and hurried out of the door. The moment she reached the stairs she knew her dilemma. She would not be able to leave now. Raffaele was at the door. And she knew Paolo was close behind. They both knew her secret. And they were under orders to watch her. She had to wait, possibly use someone in the family to sneak her out. Catalina stood at the top of the stairs with her heart broken. The good news was she knew where he was. Renaldo and Kyra would take care of him. He wasn't out there trying to gun down Armando. That was the good news.
And then she saw Rosetta. Her cousin walked over to her mother and hugged her, grinning. Catalina watched as her other cousins gushed over Rosetta like she was a celebrity. Rosetta pranced around sharing stories of her time in Paris.
There would be two missions for Catalina. The first would be to beg for Domi's forgiveness for her lies and win him back. The second would be to kill Rosetta.
***
"Do you have to go right now?" Mirabella asked. "We just landed, sweetheart. Let's get the kids home and settled first." The men loaded luggage into their waiting car. She shifted a wailing Gianni on her hip. Customs was a nightmare. The Carabinieri drew out the search of their things and questioned the family together and separately until his son had a complete meltdown. The toddler pulled at his mother's hair and kicked his feet as he fought her for freedom, yet the baby would cling to her and refuse to be held by him or Marietta. Giovanni kissed his son but was glad to leave her to the task of dealing with his tantrum. He was already walking on glass while he tried to keep his temper under control. He would talk to Dominic about the constant harassment. Hell, the Prime Minster dined at his home. He shouldn't have to put up with this bullshit.
"Please, Gio. I need you to come home with us tonight," Mirabella said after an exhaustive sigh. It was enough to make him rethink his plans.
"I promise to come home as soon as I can," he said. He kissed her cheek when she turned her head, and he couldn't seal his promise on her lips.
"Arrivederci! Papa," Eve said. She rested her head on Lorenzo's shoulder and hugged his neck. Her uncle held her in his arms as if she weighed nothing. He stared directly at Giovanni.
"A presto, lucciola," he said.
Only Gino remained unfazed by the long flight. He stood tall and straight at his aunt Marietta's side. He looked up at his father and blinked. And then he smiled. Giovanni gave him a little salute. Gino tried to mimic him but only waved his hand. He winked at his son.
"I think she's right, Gio. Let's get the women home and I can go with you tonight," Lorenzo offered.
"We'll talk," Giovanni
said and turned to leave.
"I should go with you," Lorenzo said and caught up with him. "You don't need to be going to meetings alone. It's dangerous. Especially now. You can't trust the Benicias! The only person you can at trust is me."
"We'll talk when I return."
Giovanni walked toward the waiting car. He caught one final glimpse of his wife as she tried to settle down their son. She nodded her understanding to him, and he smiled. He got in the backseat and was driven away. Umberto was behind the wheel.
“Welcome home Boss,” Umberto said.
“What happened?”
“Mateo Benicia, he has her.
“I know that. How the hell did my men get caught up in a fire-fight with the Benicia’s unaware?” Giovanni asked.
Umberto gaze flickered up to the rearview mirror. It was the only answer Giovanni needed. Everything he suspected about his alliance with Benicia had proven true.
“Are you okay?”
“Flesh wound,” Umberto said. “I can still pull the trigger.”
“And Carlo?” Giovanni asked.
“He’s alive.”
“Dead?”
Umberto sighed. Giovanni knew the young man hated to deliver the news. “Leonardo, Damiano, Sergio, Aldo, Tony, Pasquale, Dino.”
Giovanni rubbed the stress from her brow. Next to Giovanni on the back seat was a little case. It was brought to him and tonight he hoped to put it to good use. The drive was long and silent. He had plenty of time to digest the news. Benicia phoned him in America. The bastard said he had Isabella and wanted to hand her over.
Isabella was being held in the historic municipality of Nola. The place was located between the plains of Mt. Vesuvius and the Apennines. At night there was little but the moon to guide the way through the sleeping hamlet. The streets were deserted. The only light was from their car as it cut through the darkness and guided the way. There were risks with every reward. And he'd taken plenty by going into Benicia territory with only one of his men tonight. The show of strength and resolve before his enemies was needed. He was vulnerable to them. Now they had to know he was strong.
The car swerved to a parking slot before a six-story building. It was the tallest of all the buildings on the block. Umberto turned off the engine. He glanced back to Giovanni.
"This is the place, Boss." Umberto got out of the car. Giovanni picked up the gun left for him in the back seat and the case. When Umberto opened the car door, he stepped out into the night and tucked the gun to the back of his pants underneath his blazer. He stared at the building. Were they at the correct place? Nothing stirred. And then there was movement. Not from the boarded up door. But from his right. Benicia and twelve of his men approached from around the side of the building. The men were armed.
"Salve!" Benicia said with arms extended for a hug.
Giovanni greeted him with a handshake. "Where is she?"
"Inside. Of course. Waiting on you," Benicia gave a nervous chuckle.
"She knows I'm here?" Giovanni asked.
Benicia looked over to one of his men. He then returned his gaze back to Giovanni. And the glint of humor in his eyes was clear and present. "I'd say she's been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. Asked for you repeatedly."
"Andiamo," Giovanni said.
"We treated her well. Made sure she was comfortable and alert," Benicia prattled on. Giovanni followed their escorts. The Benicia clan didn’t search him or Umberto for a weapon. If they wanted him dead, which Giovanni suspected they did, they could do it easily no matter what guns they carried.
The men were led to the side door and inside. The place was dark. A single source of light bled out an open door. It was the beacon of truth he marched toward. Inside the room they found Isabella. She was seated. Her hands were bound and out of sight behind her. The sash or gag that was used to cover her mouth had slipped out and hung around her neck. Although her dark hair was disheveled, and her face was flushed with anger, he saw a resemblance that stunned him. The earliest memories he had of his aunt Isabella surfaced. How could a mother and daughter who never knew each other look and act so much alike?
A hint of triumph sparked in her dark eyes. Giovanni respected an opponent who played the game to the very end.
"What took you so long?" Isabella asked.
Giovanni glanced to Benicia. He wanted privacy. The Benicia clan, every man under their boss, left the room. He and Umberto remained with Isabella.
"Where's my brother? He's not here to face me?" she asked and moved her head from side to side to try to see around him. "Or is he hiding behind you like always? The coward!"
"Your brother could give a shit about you."
"Father always said you had tunnel vision. Didn't know you were both blind and stupid." She tossed silky dark hair from her shoulder as if she were seated on a throne instead the chair of death. The corner of her mouth tilted up in an evil smile as her gaze narrowed under her long lashes and fixed on him only. "This isn't the end, Giovanni. Not for you. This is the beginning."
"Insulting me won't prolong your life," he said.
"What will?" she asked.
"Answers. I want to know what you have on my cousin," he began.
The smile on Isabella's face dimmed
"My men tell me everything. Let's just say I was disappointed my cousin didn't tell me you two have met.”
“Maybe he had his reasons,” Isabella said.
“Maybe. Hard to believe. You see, Lorenzo is loyal to me, I have no doubt about that. But he's also a self-destructing time bomb ticking in his head that can be unpredictably predictable thanks to that cunt of a mother he had."
"Don't you speak of my mother that way," she said through clenched teeth.
"Lorenzo would kill you without a thought. But he didn't. That means only one thing; it means you have something on him. Something that he doesn't want me to know. But I get this feeling that you want me to know what that is."
Isabella glanced from Giovanni to Umberto and then to the door. She smiled. Isabella stood. She revealed her hands were not bound behind her back. She had a gun, and she aimed it directly at Giovanni. Umberto raised his weapon, but Giovanni knew it wouldn't prevent the inevitable. The cold steel of a gun met the back of Umberto's head.
Benicia.
"It's ridiculous how long you've lasted. Are there no men in the Camorra with balls enough to put a bullet in your skull?" Isabella laughed. “Do you think I’ve done all of this, won these many battles to let you just walk in a room and kill me?”
Benicia chuckled. He walked in with many of his men, possibly all of them. "She has a point, Gio. It was really stupid of you to come here tonight alone."
"Capo di tutti capi? Are you serious? This is the boss of all bosses?" Isabella laughed. "Well, Big Boss. I'm your master now. And I intend to have you begging before I'm done.."
"In culo a tua madre," Giovanni said, and Isabella flinched. She gripped the gun with both hands.
"Calm down, Isabella. Remember the deal," Benicia said and stepped in front of Giovanni to keep her from killing him.
"Fuck the deal," she said, “Get out of the way.”
"He's yours, but not until we conclude our business. There’s no one here. Just him and a pup. None of his men. I've made sure of it." It was then more men arrived. But this time, it wasn't Benicia's men. The last to step in through the door was Don Tacchini. Giovanni cut his eyes over to his friend.
“Who are they!” Isabella shouted and swung the gun in the direction of the other clan boss and his menacing crew.
"Isabella! Calm down! They are friends, fans of yours; they are here to make sure we get what we want." Benicia turned and faced Giovanni. He snatched the gun from his hand the case from the other. “You have no friends in la Camorra. You think we want to be Mafia? That we want you to be king? We are all Kings," Benicia said. “It will be my pleasure to give that pretty brown wife of yours, my cock as she begs for the life of her children before we burn the Battagl
ias to the ground."
“It takes this many men to face me?” Giovanni asked Benicia with a smile.
"Where is it?" Isabella asked.
Benicia glared. He backed away from Giovanni. He walked over to Isabella and handed over the small cassette player.
"I want this to be the last words you hear before you die." She pressed play. Not only Giovanni but everyone in the room heard Lorenzo and Giuseppe bemoan their existence as second best in their families. And then both men agreed upon a solution. It was clear. Lorenzo’s betrayal went far beyond a sibling rivalry, or thirst for power. This betrayal was a shotgun blast in the sanctuary of their very existence.
The Russians didn't kill Patri...
Giuseppe ordered the hit on Patri to have his father killed...
Lorenzo laughed and gave up ideas on how it should be carried out. And then he agreed it would be an even trade...
Giuseppe said he would deliver...
Lorenzo told him to go for it... and then recanted thinking it was something neither could pull off. Giuseppe thought differently. Lorenzo said he was too miserable to care nothing ever went in his favor. Giuseppe swore to be his champion, suggested they speak again when Lorenzo was sober over the details...
And so went the bargain that would leave Giovanni’s father bleeding to death in the streets. Benicia brows lowered. Apparently, it was the first time he or any of the men in the room had heard of Lorenzo's betrayal. A deafening silence filled the room.
Each word, each drunken insult from Lorenzo's lips burned through Giovanni like lava. He glanced to Tacchini who gave a sly smile and a nod. And then it happened. Every man under Tacchini’s gun turned to a Benicia and opened fire. Even Mateo Benicia didn’t understand the scene until it was too late. He was disarmed and wrestled to the floor. Umberto, even with his bandaged arm, grabbed Isabella and put her in a chokehold. She screamed.
Bullet's zipped past Giovanni so close he could feel the trajectory of each tiny missile as they barely missed him. He didn't move. He stood there staring at the cassette player Isabella had dropped. He suspected Lorenzo couldn't be trusted. He suspected his cousin wanted nothing more than to be a drug lord and the ruler of their family. And he even suspected that he'd done something to undermine him. That was the reason he put distance between them after Santo warned of his betrayal. But nothing in his nightmares prepared him for this bitter truth.