Desired Too

by Lessly, S. K.

  The man’s head, standing next to Ducci, exploded, sending blood and brains into Ducci’s face. I ducked as Ducci fired blindly and moved to the man to my right. I threw a hard right to his nose, making him stumble and at the same time wrenching his gun from his grip. I turned and quickly sprayed behind me, getting a fourth guy in the throat before the clip hit empty.

  Ducci hid behind a pillar and once he heard the click of my empty clip, he emerged, gun firing directly at me. Fortunate for me, the one I hit was coming up behind me with his own weapon. I spun quickly, grabbing the idiot behind me, spinning him in order to put him between Ducci and myself.

  Ducci emptied his mag into his own man, trying desperately to hit me. He missed. I pounced. Ducci was a brawler too. I knew this, so it wouldn’t be a breeze, but I will tell you, it’s was going to be fucking enjoyable.

  I charged Ducci, anticipating him to start swinging the instant I was close enough. I was counting on it. He threw his right hook. I ducked under and brought a two-hundred and thirty pound colossal right hook, filled with serious inertia, to his chin.

  The force of the blow sent Ducci stumbling back against the pillar he’d hid behind. I moved quickly, taking advantage of his unbalanced stance and went in on his mid-section. I drilled into him, letting every bit of the anger and frustration I’ve buried for months come out.

  He tried to fight me off, but I was too strong, too determined, and too fucking pissed off.

  I sent an elbow to his nose, smacking his head back against the pillar and down he went. I walked over to the one that took my Glocks, the second victim of Lincoln’s, and retrieved them.

  I turned ready to empty my gun into Ducci when I started taking heat from my left. I took cover and returned fire, but was unable to prevent one of Ducci’s men from saving Ducci’s sorry ass. I watched as Ducci looked back at me before he disappeared from my sight.

  Fuck!

  He wasn’t getting away that easy. I started shooting blindly in the direction of where I thought the gunman were, but I didn’t hear any return fire. I took off, running in the direction that I saw Ducci’s punk ass run.

  I couldn’t wait to get to that son of a bitch. Ducci was going to die tonight in that nasty abandoned warehouse.

  There were still sub machine guns barking all around me, but the sound was starting to die down. I knew me and my men needed to get out of there soon before cops surrounded the building, so I ran out of the warehouse, ducking fire on my way.

  I found the coward piece of shit, Ducci, getting into his car in the front of the building. I started shooting at him and felt my anger rise even more when my bullets weren’t hitting him. They weren’t even penetrating the car windows.

  Bullet-fucking-proof glass.

  He started the car, and I started aiming for his tires. I shot all four tires, then went for his engine. I emptied my magazine into his car until it died. Through the smoke coming from the hood of the car, I could see his frantic face. He was stuck. He couldn’t get out because I would shoot him. He also knew that he was a sitting duck.

  Darrell appeared next to me and stretched out his hand. He had two grenades for me. I holstered my weapon, and as I heard Ducci screaming for his life, I pulled the pin of each and rolled them under the car, making sure one landed right by the fuel tank.

  I watched as they went off and Ducci’s face disappeared into a ball of fire. The explosion lifted the car into the air and landed on its roof. I watched it burn for a moment longer before I turned to Darrell.

  “Do you have my father?” I asked.

  “No. Hugo, Laz and Russo are looking.”

  “How many did we lose?”

  I knew I had Laz and three others with me. I wasn’t sure who came with Pops and Eddie.

  Darrell shrugged. “It seemed Ducci had a lot of men with him. Some were doubling as Basile’s guys, so we never knew they were in place until it was too late.”

  I nodded. “We need to find my father.”

  Darrell and I turned to go back into the building to look for my father and Lincoln, when a side door unexpectedly swung open from the inside and Eddie emerged. I was frozen in my spot for a second, not expecting to see him alive since Lincoln was in the building. I brought my gun up, aimed, and pulled the trigger. However, I realized my clips were fucking empty.

  Eddie noticed me trying to shoot at him, and he got off a few rounds, causing Darrell and I to hit the dirt.

  I could hear Eddie getting away. Darrell got up quickly, emptying his gun into the darkness as Eddie ran. I stood and stared at the door he’d come from. I headed in its direction and with each step I took, I felt sick. My pulse quickened, and I found myself running to the door. I couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the look in Eddie’s eyes, but the sense of urgency was there.

  I flung open the door and stopped dead in my tracks. I could feel my lungs collapsing. I couldn’t breathe.

  God, no, this can’t be happening.

  Drake

  I tried to look at who held the gun to my head. However, he wouldn’t come from behind me.

  Pussy.

  It didn’t matter. I would find out who it was and kill them both.

  Right now, I had bigger fish to deal with; Eddie.

  Eddie wiped his nose, and mouth then smiled, “Well, well, well! Déjà vu!”

  I didn’t reply. The person behind me took both of my weapons that I had in my hand and the one in the middle of my back.

  Eddie looked slightly behind me. “You can go. I’ll take it from here.”

  “Are you sure you can handle it?”

  The recollection of the voice behind me ran my blood cold.

  “Yes. Of course, I can.”

  “I expect my payment in full when this is all said and done,” Agusto said behind me.

  “It’s already on its way to you.”

  I felt him move from behind me and leave me with Eddie.

  Eddie smiled at me, but kept his distance. “You know I’ve dreamt of this day for so long.”

  “Maybe that’s your problem.”

  He scoffed. “Maybe it is, but I won’t have to deal with it any longer. Ducci will take care of Angel for me, start a war that was inevitable really, and I’ll finish it. You don’t mess with a Leonetti, right?” He then laughed and shook his head. “You know I never believed in that bullshit. Every man for himself; that’s how it should be. None of this family bullshit.”

  I sucked my teeth. “For fuck sake, just pull the fucking trigger. I can’t deal with hearing you ramble on about shit you know nothing about in that fucked up nasal voice of yours. The moment you try to take over, you’ll be dead. You don’t know shit. You’re not built for anything, but being butt fucked without lube. Basile is going to screw you; so is every family here. You ain’t shit, you coward, little bitch.”

  I knew it wasn’t wise for me to egg him on. However, I knew Eddie was a crappy shot. Since Agusto failed to check my ankle holster, I was hoping against hope for just a second that I would be able to go for it and empty my gun into Eddie’s body.

  Eddie, though, remained still, keeping his gun trained on me.

  I decided to go hard when I heard more footsteps behind me.

  Eddie looked over and frowned. “Pops get out of here.”

  I saw Uncle Bruno come from behind me with a gun pointed at his son. “Put the gun down, son.”

  “What for? I have him Pops.” Eddie smiled, letting his excitement show, as if he was showing his blue ribbon project to his father for approval. “Can’t you see? I got the better of the infamous Drake Lincoln.”

  Uncle Bruno didn’t waiver. “Put...the…gun…down...now!”

  Eddie’s smile died as he realized his father had a gun pointed directly at him.

  “You’re just like Angel,” he spat. “You can’t see that we’ll be better off without this bastard in our lives, in our family.”

  “Son, I will not say it again.”

  “Or what? What are you going to do old ma
n? Shoot me? Please! I’d have a bullet in both of you before you both take your next breath, but, Pops, it doesn’t have to be that way. You and I can run this family the way it should. None of this conforming shit. You know you never agreed to the direction of the family. Here is our chance.”

  “You’re such a pussy,” I interjected.

  Eddie enraged, moved a little closer to me. “What the fuck did you say?”

  “Lincoln, that’s enough,” my uncle said to me, then softened his voice slightly.

  “Eduardo, you need to listen to me. Whatever you had planned has backfired. Whatever plot you had in your head to take over the family hasn’t worked. Put your gun down so we can talk this through.”

  I inched closer to Eddie, hoping he wasn’t paying any attention as my uncle continued to speak. “I’ve been trying my best to understand what you have against your brother, and I think I had a hand in it. Let me make this right, Eduardo…You, Angelo and me can sit down and talk this through. Then me, you and Lincoln will do the same. It’s all about family, son. I don’t think I stressed that well enough.”

  Eddie’s hard eyes lost some of its anger. “Pops, it’s not that simple.”

  “Yeah, it is. Just come with me. I’ll protect you. Trust me, son.”

  Eddie looked at his father, and I could see he was really thinking hard about it. I could see the tension in Eddie’s hand let up.

  Then Eddie fired.

  Eddie was like an open book. I could sense he was going to shoot, so I dove to the floor, expecting to get a bullet in the shoulder or a graze in the arm… something. But I didn’t feel a thing. As I hit the floor and looked over at Eddie, he was white as a sheet, still holding the gun in his hand.

  I heard Uncle Bruno fighting for breath before I saw him. When I laid eyes on him, they immediately shut in anguish. This shit can’t be happening. Fuck!

  I immediately went into action.

  Shit, there’s blood everywhere!

  I tried to apply pressure to the chest wound, but there was consistent blood flow coursing through my fingers. The sticky feel of it wasn’t something that was foreign to me. I knew all too well what life felt like flowing through my fingers, even what it smelled like, but when it comes from someone you know, you admire and love?

  Fuuuccckkk!

  “What were you thinking?! Shit!” I softly admonished the man lying before me, pain torturing my body, causing me to start to shake with emotions I never allowed myself to feel. I refused to look in Uncle Bruno’s eyes, I didn’t want to see what was waiting for me, what would be staring back at me.

  He started to move underneath my touch, his face turning white as snow. I knew he wanted to talk to me, but I shook my head.

  “Don’t you do it. There isn’t anything you need to say to me that you can’t say once we get you to the hospital.”

  I looked up at a pale-faced visibly shaking Eddie. “Don’t just stand there! Help me! Call the fucking ambulance!”

  I was hoping the tone in my voice would snap him out of his trance, but he didn’t move.

  He just stood there mumbling, “He wasn’t supposed to get in the way. Why did he get in my way?”

  “Eddie, go and get help, for fuck sake!” I yelled, and saw him finally start to move.

  I looked back at my bloodied hands as I heard the door open then close.

  “This can’t be the end. This can’t.” I didn’t want to look at him, but I could feel his eyes on me.

  Our eyes finally met, and I knew in that instant that we wouldn’t be going to anyone’s hospital.

  Shit, she’s going to kill me.

  The sudden, unsettling noises coming from Uncle Bruno told me that death was closer than I thought. I blinked a few times; hoping the panic, which I knew was starting to consume me, didn’t take over. I nodded my head and gripped the hand that was reaching towards me. I was paralyzed at that moment as I watched the man that I’ve grown to respect and admire slowly start to slip away.

  I took a deep, ragged breath of my own, “Listen to me… Just take it easy... Hey, everything is going to be fine...” I said to him, trying to express in words the encouragement that I knew I wasn’t feeling.

  He opened his mouth to try to speak again, but nothing came out, and I could tell he was getting frustrated with every breath he undoubtedly wasn’t taking in. This was it; I felt it. I knew it… He knew it.

  I took a deep breath and leaned into him. I spoke quietly to him, my eyes starting to fill with dread, remorse and sorrow. I couldn’t hide what we both knew was happening. I owed it to him.

  I leaned into him and said solemnly, “Hey, don’t you worry about anything, do you hear me? You know I will look after your wife and son. Your family is my family. I will protect them with my last breath. You can count on that. I will never leave his side. He will be a great leader of this family; firm, fair, and honorable.” I swallowed, then said with every strength and conviction I could summon, “Just like you.”

  I took a deep breath again, seeing that he was studying me, no longer trying to talk, and continued, “I’m sorry I failed you. I just wanted to let you know you were right to do what you did back in Miami, and I respect you for it. I hope you can forgive me for doing what I did. It was an honor and a pleasure just being in your presence. You’re a good fucking man despite what you may be thinking right now. Your strength, your beliefs, your loyalty, it’s something that I’ll strive for every day of my life. It’s what you’ve bestowed on your sons. Don’t blame yourself for anything of this shit. You’ve done all that you could. You lead by example. That’s how it’s supposed to be. Thank you for showing me that side of you.”

  That seemed to calm him and as he watched me, I could see his face filling with resolve, with peace.

  And I sat there, not wanting to let go, holding on to him for as long as I could. I was soaked in his blood, but I didn’t give a shit. Here lies a man who I admired and who had trusted me without question. He had saved my life countless times, and it was fucked up that I couldn’t return the favor. There was no way I was going to be able to come back from this. I knew for a fact that I would feel his loss for the rest of my life.

  I heard the door open again, and I knew instantly who it was without even looking up. I could hear his breath catch in his throat, and I could feel his heart breaking.

  I put my head down and stayed where I was. Uncle Bruno blinked, then slowly moved his head in his younger’s son’s direction. Angel moved quick, and I saw him kneel in front of his father. Angel took his hand and brought it to his father’s heart. I stood, not wanting to come between them, but I didn’t go far.

  “Pops, hold on, please. The ambulance is coming just… Shit…” He just shook his head, and I highly doubted help was coming, but it was something to say, you know, in order to ease Pops’ worry. I saw the emotions start to take over Angel’s body. But his face remained passive, composure kept as long as he could, for his father. Angel moved closer to his father, pushing his father’s hair back as if he was trying to sooth himself more than his father.

  “I love you, Pops. It’s going to be all right. We’re going to be fine. I’ll take care of mama. I’ll take care of the family. I know what to do. I know how to lead. You taught me that. You taught me to be a man, and I thank you for that.”

  Angel did the sign of the cross over his chest and brought his forehead down on top of his fathers. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I knew whatever it was, it was needed.

  When Angel finally broke down, I knew it was over. The man I’d known as the only father I’d ever had was gone. I collapsed on the floor, my head lolled down, tears falling profusely, heart heavy with sadness and emptiness as I squeezed my eyes shut in disbelief.

  This fucking sucked.

  We stayed there, not moving, not saying a word. Then I opened my eyes and found Angel sitting up just staring out into nothing. He then looked at me, face filled with streaks of tears, pale as the moon, and lost. This night would haunt
my cousin for decades to come. I knew it would be the same for me.

  “I want him,” Angel said, voice flat and empty. “Do you understand? I want them fucking all. They will pay heavy for what happened here.” Angel looked down at his father and kissed both his cheeks. As he sat back up, he said, without looking at me. “You find that motherfucker and bring him to me.”

  I knew this was bigger than me, that it wasn’t just me that wanted revenge. It was needed for the entire family. Eddie had killed the Don, and he would pay with his life. How he would pay would now be up to Angel.

  I asked, “Alive?”

  Angel looked at me, not with reproach, but with thoughtfulness, as if he was thankful that I even asked. “Barely breathing, but yes alive. That piece of shit will pay dearly for this shit. Everyone will fucking pay.

  I only nodded once. “Consider it done.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Angel

  Today, I buried my father, a man who meant everything to me.

  He’d been that rock, that foundation that I needed in my life. He was brave, wise, fearless, and noble. He was a pillar of strength that could never be replaced, and I couldn’t believe he was gone.

  The night father died, as I sat motionless, the warehouse had suddenly turned into a zoo. Police, ambulances, fire trucks, and the FBI, namely Daniel, charged on the scene, ready to push buttons and raise hell. When Daniel entered the warehouse and saw my father’s body, however, he stopped everything. He and I would never get along, but that night, he acted somewhat like family. He did his job, I have no qualms about that, but he was very discreet about everything else. He never allowed anyone into the warehouse or close to my father without an okay from Lincoln.

  More importantly, he left me alone the entire time my father lay on the concrete floor of this building, until the Coroner showed up. Once Pops was gone, we were drilled, but again, Daniel took control of every interrogation held. He didn’t let anyone step out of line with questions, but I didn’t think anyone would. They saw the shape I was in, the shape Lincoln was in, and they were respectable when asking their questions.