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“What?” Luca says. He looks down at the phone in shock, as if seeing where the message came from will confirm the pain even more.
“This is why I’ve been trying to contact you! I didn’t know Michael—I didn't know Michaelwasthere. I just had my men inform me that all hell had broken out. Next thing, he’s—”
“Yes,” Luca says.
My father sighs and swears on the other end. “Okay, damage control. Your father and I exchanged information straight away in case anything like this happened. I’m the only person who knows this information.”
“His death?” Luca asks.
“No, the location of the Colombino safehouses.” My father gets up and there’s a sound of him moving things off the phone. I know he’s opening his safe. “Michael gave me these last week. Up to date as of a month ago.”
Luca turns white.It really is damage control. “Why should I trust you?” he asks. “Why should I trust that this isn’t some Russo trap?”
My father is quiet. “I would never have killed your father Luca. And like you said, you’ve got my daughter.”
Luca looks at me. The anger drains away to the fear and anxiety hiding beneath. He regrips the wheel and then licks his lips. “Fine. Where do you want to meet? I’ll know if you’re lying.”
My father is rummaging through papers. Finally he stops. “Let’s meet at Abraham and Schofield. Then we can head to wherever you feel is safest.” he says, a sigh escapes his lips. “I’m so sorry, Luca. This is a great loss for the Colombinos. But also, for me. As a man that respected your father, I’m very sorry.”
Luca says nothing. He’s swallowing a thick throat, fighting back tears. “Abraham and Schofield,” he says finally. “We’ll be there in forty-five minutes. If you’re not there in fifty, we’re gone.”
He hangs up my phone and says nothing more.
I stare at the phone, then I stare at him. Disbelief is washing over me that I’d cared for him. Disbelief that I’d considered keeping the baby. Disbelief that I could have loved him … Would he really have killed me?
Luca continues to say nothing and keeps driving. He increases the speed and soon the lights of Miami are little more than just a horizon of glowing orange. There’s lights and buildings and homes screaming towards us. There’s life. All of them are asleep and safe. Alive.
All except his father.
We arrive at a random warehouse. There’s a light on by the side door, a lone bulb hanging from a long chain above a cement stoop and rusted out handrail.
“What’s there?” I ask.
Luca says nothing. He gets out and goes to the door, he takes a set of keys from his pocket and digs through them. He unlocks the side door and goes in. A moment later the light is off, and Luca comes back, carrying a shotgun.
I grab the door handle and shut the door, slamming his lock down once it's closed.
But he hasn’t left the cement rise of the side entrance. He takes his phone out and then takes the butt of the gun and slams it down into the phone. The thing explodes in a shower of glass and plastic. He comes towards the car then, realizing it’s locked and closed up. He looks at me like I’m an idiot. He frowns and takes out a beep, unlocks the car with a single press. He shucks the shotgun and loads a cartridge into the pump chamber.
“This is not for you or your father. It’s for our protection.”
“Why’d you break your phone?” I ask, needing to distract him. But he’s still not answering any question I ask.
A car pulls up into the car park with us. The windows are tinted and the number plates have rolled back into the body of the car. I know it’s a car my father would use. Still, Luca readies the gun. The car pulls up next to us and my father steps out immediately.
I open the door and run to him, tears streaming from my eyes. Suddenly I’m in his arms and he’s hugging me to his chest. I cry harder than I’ve ever cried. Sweet relief washes through me as I sob into his chest and he stands there holding me, petting my hair and doing nothing but be there for me.
I eventually pull away and he’s staring at Luca. “Thank you,” he says.
Luca shakes his head. “It’s nothing. I never touched her. I—” He pauses, conflicted and looking at me. “I never realized how hard it would be to trust among us. I’ve grown up my whole life against you, it’s hard to change in a few weeks.”
I stare at him, knowing that the apology was for me.
My father nods though. “I understand. I really do.” He signals to his driver in the car and the engine dies. The lights turn off. “Now, we’re exposed here and we need protection.”
Luca nods, “I have a place in mind. It’s a house not in the list my father gave.”
My father agrees immediately. “Good. Wherever you want to go.”
