by K. Forest
Angelo just stands there and nods. I actually believe he is tongue tied with emotion for once in his life. Then he quickly pulls himself together and responds in his typical clown style. “Well, someone needs to train the donkey. I guess I’ll add it to my list of chores.” He walks away and begins talking to one of the contractors. We all start walking, and I reach out to squeeze her arm and mouth ‘thank you’.
We leave Katarina behind to get Obsidian and the rest of the stable in order with her father. I tell her I will pick her up later when we are both done with our work.
“So, did she really mean it? The third-floor suite is mine?” Angelo asks hesitantly when we are alone, still not sure of his new position.
“Yes, Angie, we both mean it. Remember, this is our business that we are starting up, so I will be needing you to work closely along with me. But she means it about bringing girls back here,” I warn him.
“Thanks, it means a lot to me. But to be clear, when have I ever brought a lady friend back to the boathouse?” He challenges. Come to think about it, he never has, at least not when I was around. “I keep my personal life separate from my business and pleasure. It’s safer that way.” He states.
“What about the hotel?” I joke, challenging him.
“Staff doesn’t count and still never brought anyone to the boathouse.” He puts his hands through his hair then proceeds to light a cigarette. “I’ll never disrespect Katarina. She’s my sister now, and I wouldn’t put you guys in an unnecessary risk.” He takes a drag and blows the swirling gray smoke out the window.
“I know you wouldn’t. However, add smoking to the list of noes. You should really quit.” I never understood why he and the other guys took to the nasty habit.
Chapter 19
Waking up slowly, I roll over to spoon my beauty. Feeling nothing but a cold bed where she should be, I’m instantly alert. Hearing repeated harsh hacking sounds coming from our bathroom, I throw the covers off and head toward the continued retching sounds. Turning on the light, I see Katarina sitting next to the white porcelain bowl.
“For God’s sake, shut the light off, Santos. I don’t want you to see me like this,” she says hoarsely, waving her arm for me to leave. “I’m not feeling very well at the moment.” She sniffles, tears threatening to spill from her watery blue eyes.
I wet a facecloth and kneel down next to her, placing it on her forehead. “Katarina, what’s wrong? Was it something you ate? Should I take you to the doctor’s?” I ask, concern running through me. She does look very pale.
She looks up with weary eyes. “You better sit for this, my husband. I believe I’m pregnant.” She immediately avoids eye contact, and her lips start to tremble.
Pregnant, why is she sad? It’s not like we’ve been very careful. Hell, this is great news. My insides are break dancing with excitement. Taking the cloth, I rinse it and hand it back to her. She immediately covers her face and leans her head back against the wall, the threatening sobs starting to escape her.
Gently removing the washcloth, I envelope her in my embrace. A tremor overtakes her as tears run down her ashen cheeks. She wipes her swollen, red eyes and finally looks up at me.
“Baby, this is great news. I couldn’t be happier. I’m ecstatic with the news of becoming a father.” Taking my thumbs, I wipe her stream of tears away from both cheeks. “Let’s get you back to bed.” I swiftly lift her in my arms and head to the bedroom.
“Wait, I need to brush my teeth.” I place her down in front of the sink, steadying her from behind as she’s still a bit wobbly. Reaching for her toothbrush I load it with toothpaste and hand it to her. She rinses and spits in the sink and wipes her mouth. She turns around, and I sweep her back up in my arms to carry her to our bed.
During a car ride with Angelo about a week later, I finally break down, not understanding my wife’s reluctance about being pregnant. “Sonny, you are killing me these past few months! You can’t just take your time with anything, especially when it involves Kat.” He says, laughing as he swats me.
“She’s a wreck every time I check on her. She’s either sick to her stomach or ready to burst into tears. I wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction from her. I never gave it much thought, but I always assumed she’d be as happy as I was when the time came.” I reply. “I’m completely dumbfounded about how to help her or even what to say as everything I do say starts a new round of tears.” I can hear the despair in my own voice.
“Well, maybe you need to slow down a little and let her catch up to you. I’m going make a really cool, young godfather, just like Uncle Carmine.” He says cheerfully.
It’s been a week since we found out, and yesterday we received confirmation from the doctor. She’s been locked up in our room, refusing to get up. I can hear her heaving each morning, but she remains adamant that she doesn’t want me to see her like that. Her mother told me to leave her be, that she will snap out of it soon. I sincerely hope she’s right because I want to share the joy of this miracle with her.
At my morning meeting with Angelo, we discuss the businesses Angelo has been aligning in Europe as discussed. While he was in Switzerland, he met with our bankers setting up the diversification of our business accounts. During that same time, Maria provided him with the information of certain Swiss commercial properties I was interested in. He’s really picked up the slack without me even asking.
Surprisingly, he’s turned out to be a fast study in almost everything. While he still retains much of the jokester, playboy persona, I realize much of it had been a facade. Underneath it all, Angie is incredibly smart and discerning. I continue to be thankful that Angelo had chosen to come on board with me and is willingly taking the initiative with many parts of our business. The quick development of my relationship with Katarina has consumed and scattered me in a way I never thought would happen. With the added responsibilities of parenthood looming in the not-so-distant future though, I need to recenter myself and get back into concentrating on work.
My phone begins to ring, and I look down and see it’s Len Leoni. Strange that he should be calling me as quarterly numbers are not due. My mother had told me that he was in New York City once again getting more medical treatments.
I put him on speaker, so Angelo can hear what he’s saying, “Hey Len, how are you?” I ask.
“Lia is in trouble...big trouble.” He says in a panic-stricken voice. “I was checking the cameras, and that asshole Garza is there and hasn’t left. I heard Lia yelling at him. There was all sorts of commotion,” he says frantically. “Should I call the police? What should I do? I am really scared for her.”
Angelo shouts into the phone, “Definitely don’t call the cops. We will go over right away.”
It is alarming that Garza Jr. is over there. Lia would not want anything to do with him, let alone allow him on her property or in her home. I thought he was all set with his new position in the underground racing world. I quietly reiterate what Angelo yelled to Len. “Angelo and I are going there now. Keep monitoring the cameras, keep yourself rational. I will call you soon. Just stand by, and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Shit! I should have gone with my guy and kicked his ass instead of letting him become king racer. It just blew up his head even more.” Angelo spits out in anger.
“I thought he would be satisfied with our arrangement,” I sigh.
“We created a monster, giving into his ego. I should have known better. His old man was happy with the deal, but Junior must have felt differently,” replies Angelo. “Let’s use my car. It’s faster, and I drive better than you.”
After the buy-out of Garza Winery, Senior and his wife headed back to Sicily with a great retirement pension. But, as Angelo deduced, it left Junior dissatisfied, angry, with clearly a lot of hostility towards the Leonis and probably me too. It’s clear I need to think more like my father and brothers when it comes to questionable business deals. Trying to do business with a thug like Garza Jr. is much different from the dealing wi
th someone legit. This needs to be a learning lesson, so I never make that mistake again. Every action has a reaction.
Angelo is already on the phone with Sam, letting him know to meet us at Lion Whiskey. He hangs up, turning to look at me. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m going to have to ask you to wait in the car when we get there.” His tone is deeper than usual.
“Hell, no! I’m going in with you.”
“Sonny, please, you can’t be anywhere near this shit storm,” he pleads. “There is no time to argue this with you. Stay put!” He now commands me. Me being involved definitely puts a strain on the guys.
“Fine, I’ll wait for your signal and stay put.” This goes against my natural instincts, but he’s right, it’s not just me now. I can’t be putting myself in questionable situations. Before when I helped Lia, it was just me. Now, I have a wife and a child on the way. Their safety will always come first.
“Stay put. I mean it, Sonny; don’t make things more difficult for us.” Angelo once again warns as he opens the glove compartment and takes out his handgun.
Without another word, he exits the car. I watch him open the ajar front door and disappear into the house. Scanning the yard, I notice a flash of red next to the barn. Damn, that’s my old Ducati that we gave him. Garza Jr. must have used it to get here. Mateo and Sam show up five minutes later. They get out of the car, both glancing at me with serious looks before continuing into the house. My insides are churning and tensing more with each minute I stay put. I try to keep telling myself, it’s not only you, Santos.
My phone rings, and it’s Len again. “Len, we are on site. The guys are inside. I have nothing to report yet.”
“I know, Sonny. I just talked to my sister. She’s barely coherent. She’s not allowing them to touch her. It’s bad, Sonny. I know it has to be. I can hear it in her voice. Angelo took the phone away from her. He wouldn’t elaborate, just told me to leave you out of it before he hung up. You have to understand, Santos; you’re the only one besides me she will listen to. You know that’s the truth.” He’s yelling now, overwrought with fear for his sister.
“I will go in and see what’s going on, Len; give me some time. I’ll do what needs to be done to help your sister. Don’t call any more until one of us calls you.” I calmly tell Len belying the fear building up in me.
Entering the house, I hear Mateo yelling to get the plastic out of the trunk. Walking into the bedroom, I’m immediately setback with the amount of blood and carnage in front of me. A bloodied and ragged Lia lays near the bed, moaning incoherently, still clutching a gun in her hand. Angelo is crouching near her softly pleading with her to put the gun down. Near to her on the floor lies Garza Jr., a bullet wound in his head. Blood is soaking into the rug and hardwood floor and splattered over the walls.
“What the hell, Sonny? I told you to stay in the god damn car. You can never take an order, can you?” Angelo says with gritted teeth as he spots me.
“Do you think you can assist with that?” Mateo interjects, looking back towards Lia who is obviously in deep shock and pain. “We think the bastard raped her before he stabbed her in the groin. She’s losing too much blood.”
Angelo moves away as I walk slowly towards Lia and scoot down, so we are eye level. “Hey, Firecracker, it’s me, Santos. We need to get Doc to examine you.” I say softly.
She is still naked, blood trickling out of her knife wound. I reach up for the bed sheet slowly taking it down. “Lia, I’m going to cover you. You’re safe now, my little firecracker. I’m here to take care of you.” She stops her murmurs but doesn’t look at me. “Just put the gun down, sweetheart.” Her hand slowly unclenches from around the gun, but she doesn’t let go completely yet. Knowing I have to make my move now, I slowly crawl over to her and take the gun from her. Wrapping the sheet gently around her while trying to staunch the blood flow from her groin I keep whispering to her, telling her she’s safe now. My hand strokes her hair which is coated in blood from a contusion somewhere on her head. Long scratches mar both arms, and blood is trickling from her nose. She had put up quite a struggle. I believe in that moment I could have killed Garza a second time if that were possible.
Her murmurs have stopped, but her whole body starts shaking. Angelo taps me on the shoulder. “Sonny, we need to get her out of here now; she’s going into shock. Can you carry her? I’ll drive; you sit in the back. Doc will meet us at the hotel.” He gives me a pat, more to get me moving than assurance.
I look over to Mateo. “Go on, Sonny; take my car. Sam and I will clean up everything here. We will secure the property as well.” He says as he hands Sam gloves and then lays the plastic and tape supplies on the bed. “We’ll get rid of the body as well.”
Once again, I whisper in Lia’s ear, “Firecracker, I’m going to pick you up and take you to the car.” I continue whispering in her ear, making sure she is aware of every slow move I am making. I finally lift her up in my arms. Her moans intensify. Looking down to where she was sitting, there is a pool of red. Shit, she’s lost so much blood. She fought with every ounce of life that she had to fend off that piece of crap.
Sitting in the back seat with her on my lap, I push her bloodied, matted hair away from her face. Her eyes are swollen shut, and the blood is drying around her nostrils. “Shh, Firecracker, you’re safe now. No one will harm you; I promise.” I continue murmuring words, hoping they give her comfort. Guilt creeps up inside me, knowing it’s all my fault she was Garza Jr.’s target. “I am so sorry for having gotten you into this.” Feeling her body go limp, I frantically search for a pulse. It’s weak, but it’s there. I think she passed out.
“Stop it, Sonny,” I hear Angelo say from the front. “That piece of crap has been infatuated with her for years. The last race they had, she won once again and embarrassed him by going public with her identity. Not sure why she decided to go public. Maybe because she didn’t owe him anymore. So, stop the blame game; there’s no time for it.” I keep silent and continue caressing her to calm down.
Pulling into the hotel driveway, he continues down to the boathouse. “Where are you going?” I ask.
“Doc’s at the boathouse waiting for us to arrive. You know we can’t take her to the hotel looking like that.”
“What? No way! Katarina is going to freak out. She’s already having issues with being pregnant. This on top of that? No way, Angelo.”
“Sorry, bro. There is no other option. We can’t have her at our reputable hotel given her condition. It’ll spark too many questions. Public hospital isn’t an option either. This is the only option.” He says with a finality that brooks no further argument.
Standing at the front door is Doc, and beside him stands Katarina. There’s just no time to explain things to her now. Lia’s life stands in the balance, and now maybe my future with Katarina as well. I can’t believe I have put both of them in this situation. This shit shouldn’t have tarnished Katarina at all. I’m supposed to be her shield, and I’ve failed both her and the woman in my arms.
Looking at Katarina as I carry Lia into the boathouse, my eyes silently plead with my wife. She only briefly makes eye contact with me before lowering them and following us into the house.
I carry Lia upstairs to Tony’s room, so Doc can give her an examination. Placing her down on the bed, I watch the blood seep into the clean white sheets. I step away and look down at what was once the white shirt I am wearing.
Doc walks to the bed and immediately starts putting an IV into her. “You can leave now. I’ll take it from here.” He orders.
Walking out of the room, I bump into my wife. She looks a little wiped out but better than earlier than she had this morning.
She gives me a tight smile and continues into the room where Lia and the Doc are. “Where are you going?” I ask.
She stops at the door and turns. “Santos, I need to assist the doctor. Having a female help with the exam is needed, don’t you think?” She gives me a matter-of-fact look and calmly proceeds
into the room.
After I have cleaned up, I make my way to the living room. It’s been an hour and a half, and Doc is still examining Lia; neither has Katarina left the room. Angelo is looking out the window on his cell phone. Trying to decipher the context of the conversation, I hear only his end.
“Yes, completely understood. Have no plans too. I’ll let you know if we do.” Angelo hangs up walks to the refrigerator and takes out two beers. Handing one to me, he takes a seat on the couch. “I really hope after tonight’s event you will negotiate having Lion Whiskey stocked under this roof again. This beer is not strong enough for what we need right now, and the other whiskey tastes like crap.” Taking a sip, he then holds the cold bottle against his forehead, before he continues on, “Sonny, my new job is starting to be more challenging than my old job.”
He takes another sip and was about to say more when the Doc enters the room. “I’ll be back tomorrow early morning to evaluate more. She’s cleaned up, and I’ve given her some pain meds that will keep her sleeping until then.”
“I’ll walk you out, Doc, and you can fill me in more,” says Angelo, who gets up giving me a look not to push him, and walks out behind Doc.
I’m finished with my beer when Katarina walks in. Like Angelo, she goes to the refrigerator also. Grabbing a beer bottle, she comes over and sits next to me. “Here, drink and enjoy this for me please.” She’s almost back to herself trying to make a light out of the situation.
“I’m sorry that we brought her here.”
She covers my mouth with two fingers to keep me from saying more. Leaning her head against my shoulder, she says in hushed tones. “Doc told me everything Angelo told him. She’s really beat up badly, Santos. No woman should be treated like that.”