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Chapter 12
Marcel
“Marcel, every day we have spent together has been incredible. That doesn’t even begin to cover it, but it’s the best word I can think of right now. I didn’t want to leave you in the middle of the night like this, but I knew for a fact you wouldn’t’ let me go if I told you while you were awake. But you know we can’t be anything real while I have this assignment hanging over my head. Franco wants to take me with him to the Hamptons. Please, respect me and my safety and don’t follow us. I am going to get my in as fast as I can and get him to trust me so that me and you can reconvene and see what this is when I make it out on the other side. And I am sorry if this is much too quick, but I love you, and I am saying it now just in case I don’t ever get to. Goodbye, Marcel.”
It doesn’t matter how many times I listen to the message it doesn’t make any more sense to me than the first time. I mean, realistically I know she has to be all in. Working for the CIA is serious and so is the fact that she is on the hook for this possible weapons trafficking charge. But things were going so well, I just was in this routine and thought it could stay this way. I didn’t expect her to end up leaving town with him and his family. I don’t know what the worst part of that is; knowing he is for sure now going to have his hands on what was once mine or the fact that I won’t be there to protect her if something goes down. They are a ruthless crime family. If she makes one mistake, I know she will not make it out of there alive, not if she’s lucky. And if she’s not, she will be so ruined she will never be my Isabella again.
It has been two days now I have been holed up in this hotel room since she left, wondering what I should do. I am a little lost and wish I knew how it was going, that I had an inkling of hope this would all turn out the way we want it to. But she has kept to her word to not contact me. Which is probably best for her safety. But that doesn’t make me feel any better.
Part of me knows I should go back to Cali. I have the Clan to run and family to worry about. Aria is pregnant with twins and not feeling well, and Sal is still dealing with the loss of his mother. It’s selfish of me to sit here and wait for her to come back to me, but that’s what I want to do.
I have never been this man, following behind a woman like a pitiful mutt. I am a Funar and have been training to be the head of this Clan most of my life. I have a bigger heart than my father, but other than a duteous marriage, I have not felt there was room in my heart for a woman. But that’s because the one I needed has been by my side the whole time, and I have been ignoring it.
I have been such a damn fool.
My phone rings, and I know the number this time, having saved it in my phone.
“What did you find out, Christian?”
“Hello? Who is this?” a female voice comes through the phone, and I sit on the edge of the bed, wondering what the hell this is about.
“You called me, sweetheart, so why don’t you tell me who you are and why you have Christian’s phone.”
“So, you do know Christian? I’m his sister.”
“I was not aware he had one.” To be fair, I don’t know him that well, so I am not too surprised at this bit of information. I just hope this is not some kind of trap.
“He is pretty protective of me; my name is Madigan. Look, that doesn’t matter right now. I found your number in his recent call history. He’s missing. I haven’t seen him in two days now, and neither of my brothers knows where he is either.”
I can hear that desperation in her voice now. She is in panic mode, and I can’t ignore the fact that he has turned up missing shortly after contacting me regarding the death of Vinny Falcone. And this can’t bode well for Isabella either if they are putting these details together. If it eventually gets back to me, then it will get to her. Franco and his sons may be the worst of the worst in society, but they are not stupid. And their money means as many resources as I have if not more.
“Look, we are going to have to be careful about this. I doubt you are safe now that you have used his phone. Don’t let anyone get a hold of it. Destroy it, do something so no one gets it. I am going to call the airport closest to you and leave a ticket under your name. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going. Let’s get you to where I am, then we can talk. I don’t want to tell you my name, but I am a member of the Clans.”
I add the last part just in case she is afraid to trust me.
“Okay, thank you for being willing to help me, I don’t know what I’ll do if he –“
“Just don’t think like that,” I interrupt her.
She hangs up, and I immediately get that ticket handled for her, and then I wipe my sweaty hands on my pants. This could get bad real fast. The first thing I need to do is get out of this hotel room. And then I need to get in contact with Isabella on the burner number she left in the drawer. I just need to make sure she is still safe. Because shit is about to hit the fan.
***
I find it easiest to hide in the most dangerous places; places where people are up to a lot of shit, so they know better than to snitch on someone. That’s why I have a rental in the Bronx now, hiding in plain sight where the Falcones are unlikely to look for me if they do connect me to anything.
I look out the crooked, yellowing blinds to see a girl that is dressed much too well for this neighborhood coming to the door. I open the door and pull her in before anyone can see. Her appearance is too suspicious, especially in a place like this.
“You stick out like a sore thumb,” I tell her sourly as I shut and lock the door, several hook and chain locks.
“I didn’t exactly expect to be coming to a place like this.”
“It’s called keeping a low profile. By the way, I’m Marcel Funar.” I hold out my hand for her to shake, and she takes it lightly.
“I know of you. My brothers keep me apprised of things even if they pretty much keep me under lock and key to keep me safe. Not that it has worked so well.” Her eyes are cast to the ground, and I can tell she has been through something. It’s the same look Aria still gets sometimes even in her now happy life as a wife and mother very much loved and cared for.
“So, I am not going to beat around the bush. Your brother called me because I was looking into the Falcones. I think they must have something to do with his disappearance. He told me he and his brothers offed Vinny.”
“Damn. Then, you should know something. I was the one that killed Vinny. They took the heat to protect me. He was an obsessive ex, the worst kind. The dangerous kind. If the Falcones are involved, my brother is dead or will wish he is.”
If I could wash my hands from all of this right now, I would. It is just as I had told Isabella; it’s way too complicated for us to get involved in. We are in over our head, especially if these people can take Christian Steele so easily. Who knows what’s actually going on in the Hamptons, if that’s where they truly are?
“Look, I need to make a call. You probably need to rest. Use my bedroom. When you wake up, we will figure out the next steps. I don’t want to get the Clans involved, but I may have to. Someone I care about could get hurt too if we don’t figure out how to get the Falcones off this trail.”
I can see some tears going down Madigan’s cheeks, but she nods and leaves the room. I don’t know if she will actually sleep, but if nothing else she can get cleaned up and have some private time to come to terms with the fact her brother may already be lost.
