Chapter 32
Michael
It’s been a month since Sainte and the MC got Romeo’s money and the women. Sainte tells me the ladies are doing fine. I’ve set up US passports and new IDs for them, and they are going to travel abroad for a while. I guess the farther away from Romeo they can get right now, the better. I think Sainte said they wanted to go to Italy. There’s no better place, in my opinion, but perhaps I’m biased.
Gio is now working for Romeo, or at least that is what Romeo thinks. Ricco had him go in as a disgruntled employee, saying he was pissed at us for not taking a lucrative deal and that he needed money. We even faked some serious debt for him so if Romeo checks, he will see Gio is in need of fast cash. That’s always a good sign that someone has really turned. They get themselves in a pinch and become desperate.
From what Gio tells us, Romeo is planning to hit us on Friday. His plan is simple. He wants me. I guess he figures if he takes me out, he destroys the whole family. The best part? He’s asked Gio to make the hit. He figures Gio can get close to me without suspicion. Gio told Romeo he didn’t just leave the family but that he took an extended vacation to care for a sick relative, so there would be no reason for me to question his return. What a stupid ass. If Romeo were a smart player, he’d check all angles. His stupidity works in my favor.
It’s Thursday, the night before my assassination, and Sainte and Ice are back in Mexico. They will hit Romeo tonight, before his plan goes into effect to get me. It’s time to take Romeo Gallardi down.
The plan is simple. Marina told Sainte that every Thursday night, Romeo visits one of his clubs and usually stays there until the early morning hours, sometimes never coming home until daylight the next day. She suspects he’s got a mistress. Ice and Sainte are at the club. The hit has to look like an accident, which is exactly what will happen. Ice and Sainte will get into a brawl, draw guns, and accidently take Romeo out. They have to ensure Romeo is in the vicinity and within shooting distance, so they have to plan accordingly. I trust both of them to see this through, and if something goes wrong, we go to plan B. I have no fucking clue what plan B is, but there is always a plan B.
Now we wait. Sainte is to call the minute they get out of there and on the plane. The only thing that could go wrong is they may not be able to make an escape, but both of these guys know what they are doing, so I have all the faith in the world in them.
My phone rings, so I pull it out of my pocket and look at the caller ID. It’s Gio.Oh, this can’t be good.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Michael, fuck, Romeo changed everything on me at the last minute. This is the first chance I have gotten to contact you. He’s not in Mexico. He’s at the hotel here with me, and as soon as he gets back, he’s coming for you. He decided he wanted to take you down personally. Fuck, Michael.”
My eyes go wide, and I feel my heart race. “Fuck! How long do we have?”
“Two, three hours tops,” he replies.
“We’ll I guess were going with plan B.” I exhale and rub my eye with the heel of my palm. “Thanks for the heads-up, Gio. Be ready. I’m sure he’ll bring you with him. One of us is taking him down tonight, one way or another.”
“You got it, boss.” He disconnects the phone.
Knowing this man is coming here to kill me, I am surprised to see how steady my hands are when I message Ricco:
Get all guards on high alert!
Romeo is on his way here!
Contact Sainte and tell him to come home.
Ricco is usually the calm one, but he doesn’t like being taken by surprise. He’s frantic when he barges in my office. “What the fuck, Michael?”
“Gio just called. Romeo changed his plans and is coming here to kill me. Get Zaira, Gina, and my parents out of the house ASAP. All guards must be ready. Gio says we’ve got two, maybe three hours.” I lean over the desk and take a deep breath.Breathe, Michael. You got this.
“Got it, Mikey.” He rushes out of my office.
I go to my office closet and pull out my bulletproof vest. I don’t usually wear this, but if someone is coming to gun me down, I want to be protected. Quickly, I remove my shirt and put the vest on, then put my shirt back on.
I walk down the hallway and see my family gathered in the foyer. “Michael, what’s going on?” Zaira asks.
“I don’t have time to talk right now. Follow Ricco’s instructions. We’ll notify you when it is safe to return.”
“Michael, you’re coming with us, right?” Her voice is shaking with fear as she knows what the answer to her question is.
“No, baby, I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Michael, I’m scared.” She starts to cry.
I look at my father, and by the look in his eyes, I know he has been here before. He’s watching me closely, and I don’t know if he wants to ensure I handle this properly or if he is looking for answers I will not give him. That’s the last thing he needs.
I take her hand in mine and caress it gently. “Listen to me, darling. Everything is going to be okay. Do what Ricco says, and I will call you as soon as I can.”
