Ricky and I ran out into the living room where Sasha was filling up her coffee cup. “Whoa, where’s the fire?”
“Sandro’s here, and we think he’s going to do something really dumb,” I replied. “We have to go find him, okay? We’ll be back.”
I heard Sasha protesting, but I was already out the door with Ricky on my heels. We made our way down to my car and got in, and Ricky started to direct me on the route to get to where it seemed like Alessand
ro was. I saw him typing a message on his phone, sending a picture of the address to someone.
“Who are you texting?” I asked.
Ricky sighed. “An ace in the hole.”
The hour seemed to tick by at a snail’s pace. Traffic was bad everywhere. There were streets under construction everywhere, and if there was a delay for me to experience, I was experiencing it. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake loose the fact that I was supposed to be getting an abortion at the moment. I supposed that would have to wait.
I stayed the course for where we were headed, praying to any god that would listen that we got to Alessandro before it was too late.
24
Alessandro
The plan to stop and observe the Binachis for a little while was a good one. Horatio had guessed that there were only two or three of the family members staying inside the house that he brought me to, but sitting and watching for a few hours proved that there were actually about six. It wasn’t a large house, only a rowhouse among a bunch that looked like it, and it was most likely a cover house for them to keep tabs on Marco. I looked down the line of houses, imagining that my brother, his wife, and the niece I’d never met were inside of one of them. I couldn’t go knocking on every door, though, at least, not yet. I had to get the Benachis out of my way first.
I looked back at Horatio, tied up and gagged in the back seat of my rental. “Well, well. You proved to be useful. Well done.”
He tried to mutter something, but I couldn’t hear it because of the duct tape. I returned to watching the house, but it seemed like I’d officially gotten down to where the same six people were rotating in and out at any given time. I could take on six of them if I was quiet about getting in. I’d leave Horatio in the car. He was pretty well tied up, and I didn’t think he’d be getting out anytime soon, but to be safe, I looked back at him once again.
“Now, you say here. If you’re good, we’ll see what we can do about getting you back home safe and sound, yeah?” Horatio started nodding, and I smiled and nodded back. “Good.”
I was lying, of course. Horatio had been deeply involved in my family’s business and had proven to be a turncoat. No one who knew as much about the business as he did could turn and walk away. That wasn’t how it worked.
I grabbed the guns I’d brought with me and climbed out of the car, ducking down behind it. The house the Binachis were in was right on the edge of a set of homes. I needed to get around back. If I could get in without being seen, it was a done deal. When it seemed like none of the Binachis were out and about, I slunk across the street and into the alley on the side of the homes. I could see bodies moving around inside, but they all seemed relatively unbothered. I hadn’t been detected yet, and with their guards as low as they seemed to be, getting in was going to be a breeze. I pushed past the trash cans and around to the back, where I saw a small white door. I didn’t have any silencers. Once my first shot went off, they would know I was there. I didn’t want to try and pull the same stunt I pulled at Horatio’s in broad daylight with the amount of attention it would attract. I was going to have to take a different approach.
I pulled out one of my pistols and walked up to the door, peering around to make sure none of the rowhouse molding held any cameras, and then knocked on it a few times, hopping back into the crook in the stairs. The back door opened, and a man, who didn’t look to be particularly tough, poked his head out. It didn’t make any sense to me. If they were planning to make a move on Marco, why send such a pipsqueak? He stepped down the stairs and turned into the alley, and I quickly seized the opportunity to hop up onto the stairs’ landing and slide my way into the house. I could hear voices inside, five distinct ones, and knew my count was probably correct. As soon as everything started, it was going to happen quickly. I needed them dead so that there was no threat to Marco and his family, plus it would send a message to the Binachis that they were messing with the wrong family. I was going to need to lure them to one place where I could catch them all off guard, all at once. I noticed another small white door and figured it led to a basement. It would have to do. I quietly opened the door and slid behind it.
On the other side, I could hear the guy I’d coaxed outside coming back in. “There’s nothing out there.”
“Check the basement, just in case,” someone responded.
“Shit,” I whispered to myself. I started down the stairs, but the door was opening, and I knew I was out of time. The second the door opened, I fired, striking the lean guy I’d goaded outside right in the chest. He fell face first and slid down the stairs.
“What the fuck?” A voice boomed. He peeked around the corner of the door, and it was all I needed. I fired at him as well, hitting him square in the forehead.
He also dropped on the stairs, sliding a few feet down and gathering near the other body. I was waiting for another body to come around the corner when I felt cold steel press against the back of my head. They’d gotten the drop on me. So ended my miserable life. It was probably just as well.
“Well, well, well, look what we have here. If it isn’t one of the Prince Varassos?” I recognized the voice. He was a high ranking member of the Binachi organization, Colton. Not Binachi blood, himself, but highly trusted, like Ricky was to us. “I have to admit, I expected you guys to take the bait much sooner. Five months is a little long to leave your brother in harm’s way, don’t you think?”
Fuck. It was a trap the entire time. My senses slowly started to return to me one by one. It was like coming down off a very dangerous, very active drug. Why I would rush in, thinking I could handle it all by myself, was beyond my understanding. Whichever version of myself took over in mourning of Willow was a dangerous and terrifying man. I only wished that I could see Willow’s face one more time before I had a bullet in my skull.
“My brother was never in trouble,” I replied, playing cocky. “He may have gotten away from the organization, but the life is in his blood. He’s escaped death more than once. You people are hardly a threat.”
“Yet, here you are,” Colton replied. “Tell me, if you’re so big and bad, why did you only take out two of my bottom men, and now my gun is to your head?”
“I suppose that’s a pretty good question. Maybe you should be asking yourself.” I played a bluff, hoping he would go for it. “No, no, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ve got a handle on things.”
“I guess I’ll blow a hole in your brain and see if anything else happens. How about that?”
I started writing mental notes that I wished my family could hear.
Dad, I’m sorry I let you down. I spent all twenty-four years of my life trying to figure out which was up and only ever managed to go down. I took care of Gabe, just like you asked. Luca’s going easier on him, and he’s getting a little bit better at managing the business. Even without me around, I think he’ll be okay.