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“I… I… I…” she blubbers. Her poor little voice is so brittle. I’m thrilled to hear it after all of this time, but it breaks my heart to see how the trauma of witnessing her father’s death and now the pain of losing Luca have affected her. It’s like this recent blow has finally pushed her over the edge. “I miss Luca,” she cries. Her voice is so weak I almost missed it. This poor child. Pushed to use her words, if only to express her utter agony in a way I can better understand.
Pulling away from her, I cup her face. “I do too, baby. I’m going to figure out how to fix this, Myla. I don’t know how yet. But I’m going to figure out something. Please, don’t you give up on me, okay?”
She nods, her sniffling making me want to cry along with her.
I lift her chin and look into her puffy blue eyes. “And please. Please don’t stop talking to me. I need you. To hear you. So please keep trying for me.”
She again clutches me as if I’m her life preserver. And that’s my job right now. Protect these kids at all costs. But how do I do that and simultaneously watch their hearts torn apart this way? If only I could reassure her somehow. That he didn’t want to leave us.
Yet that would only open the door to more questions I can’t begin to answer. And how do I explain this to her when I barely understand it myself?
Rocking her gently, I stroke her hair, willing her to relax enough she can go back to sleep. Resting my chin on her head, I think about the conversation with Mom earlier. What had she reminded me to do?
Be strong and do the right thing by my children. Have faith that everything will work out, in time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Luca
“Hello?”
“Hi, G.”
“Hey, Luca. How’re you holding up?”
“I’m okay.” Lies. I’m fucking miserable. “All right, well, maybe not okay. But at least I’m out of jail. Thank you for all you and your guys did for me.”
“Of course. We’re family. Are they still hounding you?”
“No. I think your lawyer settled everything with the FBI.” The morning I was expected to be transferred to a federal penitentiary, I instead received the news that the charges were being dropped and I could go. At first, I thought I was high off of second-hand smoke from the guy in the cell next to me. How the hell could the guards not smell that shit? Maybe they just don’t care once you’re behind bars. Once my belongings were returned to me, I called Sampson, who came to pick me up, no questions asked.
When I attempted to explain my connections to my father’s crime organization to him, he said it all made sense. Thesuspicious shipments delivered to our warehouse had only started arriving as our business picked up. Sampson said his son, Marcus, had been doing some digging after my arrest and determined that many of our new customers were based out of Italy.How had I gotten so slack?
But the most interesting turn of events, was that the local Sherriff’s office was the first to receive anonymous tips about possible money laundering and drug trafficking occurring in our location. So, they reached out to one of our employees to work as an informant. Even though this informant confirmed there was no illegal activity happening on the premises, the FBI had already placed our business on their watch list.
Luckily, between Giovanni’s cyber security team, his lawyer, and the informant, I was released from jail faster than I prayed would be possible.
Man, I can’t believe of all people, George would’ve been the one they thought was the best choice for the job. Ha, they probably assumed I’d never suspect it. And they were right. I owe him the biggest steak dinner he and the missus can handle.Hold the onions.
“I owe you big, Giovanni.”
He chuckles. “You don’t owe me a thing. I pay this lawyer’s fees in pussy. I waive his membership at The Devil’s Playground. And trust me, he gets his salaries worth when he’s here.” The line is silent for a moment. I’m sure he’s handling club business while I’m talking to him. This man is always wheeling and dealing. “Then what did you mean? Why are you not okay?”
“I may be out of jail. But it’s Vincenzo I’m worried about.”
The line grows quiet. “That’s a much tougher problem to solve.” Don’t I know it.
“Giovanni, I hate to ask…” How do I even ask this of him. He’s already done so much for me. “If you know of any waysomeone could disappear…” Heck, what am I saying? Who’d look out for Antonia?
“Luca. If you’re serious, you know I’ll help you.”
I rub my palm down my face. “G, promise not to make fun?”
“I make no such promises.” He chuckles. “Go on, Cugino. You know I’m only joking.”
“I love her, man. It’ll be hell on earth not to be with her and the kids. I…”Hell, Luca. Don’t be a baby. Grow the fuck up.We’re all in the same boat with Vincenzo. Besides, I can’t ask her and the kids to leave her mother and everything they know here. They’ve been through so much already, after losing their dad. It’d be selfish to ask.
“Listen. I get it. I’ve never felt that way for a woman. But if I finally did, I’d hope someone would come to my rescue. I’ll see what I can do.”
