#3 Chapter 44
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Salvatore
I call the surveillance team above who can get quick eyes on the manor.
The panic puts me on autopilot, not allowing me to give in to the shit of the situation.
“Yes boss,” Freddo, my lead guy answers.
“I need eyes on the mansion quick. Something’s happened,” I answer.
“Sure give me a sec.”
Fuck, it takes less than that second before I hear a gasp from him.
“Boss, there’s dead guys on the lawn, doors open, blood all over.”
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“Mia’s not answering the phone,” Nick says, balling his fists. “My wife and baby.”
“What’s happening?” Pa demands looking at me. I can’t answer and tell him there are dead men on the lawn. I can’t even look at Nick.
Vincent holds up a finger and moves his phone from his ear.
“I got Ma on the phone. She has Charlotte, Mia and the kids. Gabe got them in the safe room and went back for Mimi. Gabe didn’t get down there with her.”
Numbness fills me. It’s the clank of footsteps that makes me turn and I see Claudius and the guys coming up the steps.
“What happened?” he asks.
“Fontaines went to the house, Mimi… Gabe…” I can’t say the words.
Pa gets a grip on my arm. “Hold it together boy. Let’s go back and see what happened.”
The Fontaines already wanted Mimi so I know in my heart what’s happened. There’s no way they would have found the files because they’re in the family safe and I purposely made sure Mimi wasn’t aware of that.
She wouldn’t have known. Gabe knew though.
Oh God… Gabe… I hope he’s alive.
He can’t be dead. I can’t…think…
“Ma stay right where you are,” Vincent says into the phone and shoves it back in his pocket.
My phone starts ringing and I answer straight away, thinking it’s Gabe. It’s not though.
“Salvatore Giordano, Marc Fontaine here,” Marc says like we’re about to meet for business.
I bare my teeth seething. “Motherfucker,” I balk. “Marc what have you done?”
When everyone hears who I’m talking to they look on in anticipation.
“Fucking hell capo, you really are taking charge of your new role,” Marc taunts. “You may want to calm down some if you don’t want me to end your girl right the fuck now. She sure is a little firecracker, can see why you like her.”
“Fucking give her back to me,” I shout.
“Let’s make this simple. You bring the files and sign over the shipping company and I’ll consider if you get to see your lady love alive again.”
“Fucking bastard,” I bellow.
“I’ll give you half an hour to give me an answer, then we’ll decide where we’ll meet to make the transfer. Those are my demands. Cross me and the girl dies quicker, or becomes a fuck toy for me and mine.” He hangs up before I can answer.
Fucking bastard.
I wince and look at Pa.
“He wants the files and the shipping company. Then he’ll consider giving us Mimi alive.” I can’t believe I’m speaking those words. It feels like I’m talking and speaking them but it’s not real. Just like everything else. It’s all part of the same surreal nightmare world we’ve fallen in.
I can’t do this by myself but it looks like I have to. We all know Mimi’s father is responsible for all of this. I didn’t expect anyone to do anything for us. Her.
I know what I feel though and she is mine. Doesn’t matter who her father was, or is, or what he did to us.
She’s mine.
I move to go but Vincent catches my arm.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he asks, grabbing me.
“Saving her.”
“By yourself?” he challenges. “It’s Mimi, Salvatore. She’s one of us. We’re all fucking going.”
I breathe hard and stare at him. I’m grateful, damn grateful and fuck… the damn emotion catches up with me.
“Thank you,” I say.
He releases me and I look to Pa and Nick.
“Call Intel and get them to locate that bastard,” Pa orders. “We need everybody on this. Vincent gather the rest of men.”
I do as he says and hope like fuck I can save her.