Tempted By The Mafia Boss

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Salvatore

Motherfucking bastard.

We fell straight into the trap and now we’re heading into the unknown, drafted into the game of chance.

It feels more like jeopardy because the odds are definitely not in our favor.

Vincent and I are heading out on a small motorboat toward Marc Fontaine’s yacht.

He allowed no more than two of us to go to him.

We thought we were the best two.

His yacht is called The Maiden and it’s ahead of us in the middle of Lake Michigan. Once again we’re not far from our offices at Giordanos Inc. but we’re out of range so that we can’t get up to our usual tricks with our back up crew of snipers. It didn’t stop us from trying to set something up but we both know we’re basically on our own.

On our own and at the mercy of the Fontaines.

In his hands so we know he owns us.

That he surely does.

Within the space of one hour we not only arranged to make a deal with the devil to get Mimi back, but we learned that Gabe was shot.

That’s why he didn’t answer his phone.

Gabe was shot and is in hospital.

And… Mimi’s father is dead.

Pa went home to get the files and that’s what greeted him.

That is the seriousness of the situation that we’re facing.

I don’t know if Gabe will make it or if I’ll get Mimi back alive. I could lose them both. I could lose Gabe and Mimi. They could have already killed her. There’s no guarantee they haven’t.

Vincent and I will go in balls to the wall for the chance to save Mimi but we both know we’re heading to our deaths.

Neither of us knows who will be on the boat, or what will happen.

Just that we’re supposed to meet at midday.

It’s nearly that now.

The demand left us with little time to do anything. Although I’m sure that was the intention. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to give us the luxury of time to go planning against them. I doubt that I would have been in the right frame of mind to do anything that wouldn’t make the situation worse.

I know Vincent is gunning to see Stefano, as am I. The odds for us don’t look great but I want him to be there. Which will most likely mean that Riccardo will be there too.

“What are we going to do Vincent?” I ask, piercing the silent tension that’s formed between us. It’s the first time I’ve ever sounded so uncertain.

Neither Vincent nor I have said anything to each other since we stepped on the boat.

He’s been steering it and I’ve been standing next to him deep in contemplation.

He looks to me. “Salvatore… it’s times like this when you rely on instinct. That’s the best answer I can give you. I hate that you were pushed into this because none of this is fair.”

I look away because he sounds like he’s reiterating Diego’s words. Like I’m not ready to be a capo.

I’m the idiot who didn’t know Joey was a fucking rat. I’m the idiot who’s incompetent and inadequate.

“It is what it is, and I’m here. I’m here fair or not. We need some kind of plan, just something,” I point out.

We need something more than what we have.

We have communicators on us, concealed behind our ears. Pa and Nick are with the surveillance team. He took the bullet in his arm and it looked pretty bad but he insisted on coming out and helping in whatever way he can. They can both hear what we’re saying now.

“We can’t let them kill Mimi and we can’t just hand over the files,” I state. That much was clear.

“We won’t know until we see who’s there and… what’s going on. It’s all shit, Salvatore. All of it and I’m on edge. Ready to snap.”

The day had just gotten worse with each passing second. Neither of us is saying anything about Gabe because we know hope is a rare thing in our world.

The rage I feel now is the kind that makes me want to unleash fury on all.

I’m sorry I didn’t get to kill Joey Cipriani myself. I’m not real interested in finding out how he died, I just wish I could have done it.

Truth is truth and when it comes out pain is the only thing you can feel and truth is as potent as poison.

He did this.

All of it.

The only saving grace about it is, it would kill me to take another parent away from Mimi.

That is the only thing I would have been cut up about.

When I think back to how that prick told me to do the right thing and choose what was best for Mimi because I represented danger, I could breathe fire from hell.

That evil bastard was just saying that to me because he knew war was coming for us and he knew he was one of the harbingers of death. He didn’t want her caught up in it. He was trying to fucking steer her away from us because he wanted us all dead. Why?

I don’t fucking know. Money and power. That’s what it always comes down to – money. God knows how much the Fontaines must have paid him. It makes me wonder what might have happened in regards to Mimi’s mother’s death.

I glance at my watch. It’s five to twelve. We’re minutes away from the yacht now.

This is going to go down in five minutes.

I hold my breath as the tension rises and ride out the time like we ride the waves.

As soon as we approach, five men with guns appear at the main deck to welcome us.

Fuck am I ever tense. Just those fucking five outnumber us.

“It’s time,” Vincent declares.

“Steady boys,” Pa’s voice sounds in our earpieces. “We’re working on things our end. Be calm and do what you can,” he adds.

There’s a slight reassurance that he can talk to us.

Working on things could mean anything, we’ll just have to see. Pa has connections and Claudius is helping. I don’t know if they’ll come up with anything or what they’ll come up with but I sure as fuck hope that they do.

We dock the boat. Vincent grabs the files and we climb aboard The Maiden.

Two bulky men step forward. They’re the usual Fontaine meatheads.

“Gun’s now,” the blond one says, stretching out his hand.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

We hand over two handguns, one each.

We foresaw this so we didn’t bring any more weapons than necessary.

Our weapons will be what they’re carrying if we get a chance to take it. My blond friend has a mean looking machine gun that would serve me well if I can get my hands on it.

“Spread em,” he orders further and we stretch out our arms so they can search us. Vincent only does one arm, the other holds on to the box with the files.

When the guy looks at him to move his arm he doesn’t, he simply stares him down.

“Move your arm,” the guy says to Vincent.

“I’d love to see you fucking make me. I’d like it more if you seriously tried. I’d rip your skin off your face, shred it bit by bit and mess you up. Prep you for your place next to me in hell.” The cool edge Vincent speaks with sends a chill down me.

He’s changed.

He has. He’s had to. He’s become ruthless and heartless. it’s him because I know he’s serious as fuck.

The guard knows it too and takes the hint not to push him.

I steal my spine when the door at the end of the dock opens.

Marc comes out and Mimi is with him.

She has her hands tied behind her and her face is black and blue. He hit her and messed her up.

It’s enough to make me kill him now, but what deters me is the little bomb vest strapped to her chest.

He has a fucking bomb on my girl.