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“You dare to even speak about my woman, you don’t deserve to be on the same planet as either of them.”
For a split second, I wonder what papa is talking about, because I had no idea Sebastian had a girlfriend, but these are conversations for another time. Sebastian’s eyes are glaring at papa, drilling him with hate. I have never seen him so angry. Papa comes at him again, running toward Sebastian with his knife angled above his head, ready to strike his only son.
But Marco yells and throws his gun toward Sebastian who catches it in mid-air quickly. Without any further warning, Sebastian aims at papa and pulls the trigger, the bullet landing right between papa’s eyes.
Jake and Marco cover me, but we all watch as papa’s body slumps on the floor and nothing can hide his blood and brains that now decorate my bedroom wall.
39
Marco
A bullet between the eyes.
It happened so fast. I merely reacted to the situation when I threw my gun, I didn’t think. It was do or die, and I sure wasn’t letting Sebastian die today. The decision needed to be made, it was either Sebastian or his father, and I chose Sebastian.
I try to pull Frankie close to me, to shield her from the carnage, but she sees it all. There is no hiding the blood and brain matter that now drips down her childhood bedroom wall, and the slumped figure of a man, her father, that is now without the back of his skull. His body has sunk to the floor, blood seeping into the carpet, and if it wasn’t for the bullet size hole in his forehead, from front on, you can’t even tell he has met his bloody end.
Jake, Frankie, and I are in a tight circle, protecting each other. That was our role today. Jake and I knew coming in that protecting Frankie was our main objective. We were aware that Sebastian was going to overthrow his father today, he had no choice. In order to protect his sister, he needed to get rid of his father, and the only way to do that was to kill or be killed.
We were well aware of the consequences and what was likely to happen. But as prepared as we were, I can’t say that I was ready to see a man shot in the head in cold blood. But I am relieved that Frankie is safe.
I look at Sebastian. He is splattered with blood, standing still, looking at his father. The gun is still in his hand and aimed at his father’s lifeless body on the floor. Frankie pulls away from me, and I look at her confused. Slowly, she walks to Sebastian and puts her hand on his arm, and he lowers the weapon. She stands in front of him and speaks in Italian, the words I can’t make out.
She hugs him, the blood of their father now covering both of them. Sebastian lowers his head to her shoulders and they both take a minute together, reaffirming their solidarity to each other.
The pressure he must be feeling right now, not only being the man who killed his father and the man who killed the leader of the mob, but also the man who will be the next leader of the family, it must be overwhelming.
Dante moves quickly to the bedroom door, and Jake is next to him in a flash. They both have their guns in their hands, because we can hear pounding footsteps getting closer. Sebastian pockets my gun that I threw to him and hands me his other gun from the floor which hasn’t been used. He walks Frankie back to me, nods, and I know he is back in control and the shock has passed for the time being, but I am sure it will return later.
“You remember the rest of the plan?” he asks and I nod in return, wrapping my arms around my wife, ready to get the fuck out of here. Men rush through the door. Jake and Dante are ready to take any action necessary, and I push Frankie behind me again and stand shoulder to shoulder with Sebastian. The men draw their weapons as they look at Sebastian and then look at Alessandro’s slumped, bloody body on the floor then back to us again.
Sebastian looks at them all dead in the eye. “Clean this shit up, legacy exchange has occurred.”
All of Alessandro’s men nod at Sebastian in understanding. They pocket their weapons, and I breathe out a small sigh of relief. I feel Frankie lean against my back, her relief felt as well. The men pick up Alessandro’s body and take it out of the room. Sebastian drops his head, and Frankie hugs him again, speaking Italian in his ears silently.
Jake and I look at each other, not quite believing what we just witnessed, knowing that it is something that will stick with us for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait any longer, I grab Frankie and pull her into my arms.
As we are gathering ourselves ready to leave, Frankie’s mother strides into the room and gasps at the site of blood on the wall and floor. She starts screaming and yelling in Italian at both Sebastian and Frankie, but Sebastian has had enough and grips her tight around the arms. “Pull yourself together, mama!” he shouts. “Things around here are going to change. You have a choice on whether you stay here or move on, make it, because I am in charge now.” He grits out to her, and she turns and walks out of the room crying.
I am sure that no one has ever met their parents-in-law in quite the same manner as I have today.
Sebastian looks at me. Blood is still splattered on his face, and his white shirt is now bright crimson red at the front. Frankie doesn’t look much different, and I want to get out of here before things turn again. “There is a car waiting outside, take Francesca and get back to the plane and back to Boston.”
“Sebastian…” Frankie starts, but there is no room for questions. Not looking at her but looking at me dead in the eye he shouts, “NOW!” I know we need to move. I grab Frankie around the waist and hoist her to me, her feet dangling off the floor so she knows there is no room now for questions. She grips onto me tightly, not letting go, wanting to be in my arms, wanting to come with me. Jake follows and the three of us walk swiftly back the way we came, not looking at anyone or anything and keeping our heads down. We get outside and reach the car and climb in, locking the door as we drive away from the house.
We pull away from the compound, men and visitors running around everywhere; the whole place is one big, disorganized mess. We keep our heads low and keep Frankie hidden; both Jake and I are holding our breath until we are outside the gates and making our way to the airport. The journey is quick, we pass sirens and cars that are all streaming to the mansion on the cliff, and I feel for Sebastian who now needs to take care of everything.
Our car doesn’t slow and takes us straight to a waiting jet at the small airport where we landed only hours before. The engines are running, they are only waiting for us to board before it takes off. The pilot, well-briefed on what has occurred, wants to get out of Sicily as quickly as we do. We have enough time to sit down and buckle up before the plane is already off the ground and in flight.
It is mere moments until the plane has reached altitude, and I can’t wait a second longer. I unbuckle our seat belts and pull Frankie into my lap. Holding her, wanting to feel her and touch her and not ever wanting to let her go again.
“I’m, so sorry, baby,” I whisper to her. “So fucking sorry.” I stroke her hair with one hand while the other has a tight grip around her waist. She snuggles into me, her head buried into my neck, and she silently cries. Tears of sorrow, tears of joy, tears of relief, and tears of fear. She quietly sobs halfway to Boston before falling into an exhausted sleep on my lap.
Jake and I share a look, one that requires an expensive glass of whiskey and the comforts of home, where we can talk freely and dissect what we all just endured.
But here, at this moment, we don’t say a word and the plane remains silent for the entire trip.
40
