Page 68 of Traitor
“Just go,” she whispered.
We sped down the driveway and almost crashed through the wrought iron gate that definitely didn’t open quickly enough. I sped us all the way home, sticking to the backroads just so we didn’t get clocked by the police. How the hell Lorenzo ended up in that home after being chained up in the hospital was beyond me. But, the only thing that made sense was the fact that the Lucchese Family had people paid off in the hospital as well as the police department.
Just my fucking luck.
“I could send him to prison for life if you put me in front of a judge, you know.”
Char’s soft voice piped up just as I shut down the engine of the car. “We don’t have to talk about that right now. What we need to do is--.”
“He killed my fucking mother right in front of me,” she said curtly, “so yes, we’re going to talk about this right now.”
I looked over at her and took her hand. “Are you okay?”
She scoffed. “Am I okay. Am I okay? Are you really asking me that after everything we’ve been through and everything that just happened back there? Am I okay!?”
I winced as she shrieked at me. “Char, let’s get inside and run a nice hot bath. We can relax and toss around some—Char!”
She pulled away from me and shoved herself out of the car. I went rushing after her, all the way inside until we were upstairs in my bedroom. I closed the door behind me as she started tearing her clothes off. Literally, tearing them at the seams as she tried to dispel the anger coursing through her veins.
“How the fuck can they do this? How the fuck can they get away with this!?”
She sounded completely animalistic, and it ripped me back to my first memory like this. I had been on a job with my father and I watched as he ordered the death of a business owner that hadn’t paid us our percentage of his wages in almost three months. And when the man started groveling for his life, my father started laughing at him. Actually, physically laughing at him.
Kill his wife, too. Get his boy in here running this shop. He’ll listen to me.
I heard my father’s voice echoing off the corners of my mind as if it were yesterday. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t harbor guilt every time I walked into that fucking pharmacy. After I took my father’s place at the head of the family, that young man couldn’t even look at me. And I had a hard time looking at him, too. Then and there, I vowed to myself that I’d run a tight ship. One with better morals than what my father had.
One with better morals than the Lucchese Family.
“He has to go away. He has to be killed. I don’t give a shit what happens to that asshole, but Lorenzo Lucchese has gone too far!” Char roared.
I wrapped my arms around her and felt her thrashing about. She shrieked and screamed, letting out unearthly sounds as I closed my eyes. It reminded me of my first breakdown. When my mind first started to wrap itself around the things I was doing and the life I was really leading. But, when I felt her go limp against me, I peppered the top of her head with kisses.
“Court is a good route to go, and I have a couple of old contacts in the local police. I’ll call them after I get you in a hot bath and I’ll get this plan moving. Okay?”
She sniffled. “Really?”
Feeling her tears through my shirt broke my heart. “Really. We did it my way today, and it backfired. So, we’re doing this your way. You ready?”
She looked up at me with eyes of fire. “I was born ready.”
I grinned. “Good. Because I’ve killed too many people in my lifetime, and if there’s a way to end this without more bloodshed, I think I might enjoy that route. But, first? Let’s get you a bath drawn.”
I led her into the bathroom and turned on the hot water. I waited until the entire bathroom was filled with steam before I even tempered the water with a bit of cold, then added as many bubbles as I thought were fit for the scenario. I helped Char ease into it, listening and reveling in her soft sighs and groans as she sank beneath the water. I perched myself on the bed just outside, wanting to give her privacy but also wanting to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.
Then, I began placing my phone calls.
“This is Officer Mancini.”
I drew in a deep breath. “Mancini. It’s Mateo Emiliano.”
I heard shuffling around before his hissing voice sounded in my ear. “You know damn good and well you can’t call me at work. If they know I’m talking--.”
“I’m not calling for a favor, I’m calling because I have evidence I want to turn over regarding Lorenzo Lucchese.”
He paused. “Wait, seriously?”
I nodded. “Seriously. My lawyer and I have been working on a case to bring that entire family down, and I believe we’re ready to turn over all that we’ve collected to the proper authorities.”
