And for me, well my son is the light of my life. We named him Cade, when going through names she thought I said King instead of Cade, and well, from that point on we couldn’t get the name out of our heads. He’s as much of a fighter as his mother. Austin pulled through her external injuries that Michael subjected her to. Her internal ones were a struggle. Thankfully, Michael didn’t get a chance to rape her because she passed out at some point during the beating, and he was waiting for her to wake up to continue when the police arrived. Still, she had nightmares for months before she finally agreed to get help. As much as therapy is helping, I think our son changed her for the better. They didn’t give him much of a chance to make it, but he proved them wrong, or maybe it’s that she proved them wrong. She wouldn’t let him go. He’s still very young, and Austin was not happy about leaving him, no matter how short of time it would be. I had to agree to be a hundred percent there for him and put business on the backburner. I stayed true to my word. Besides, it was nice to have some alone time with my son, some much needed bonding time.
As far as our guy trip to meet the girls and Preston, I tried to make it extra special by supplying the plane and the pilot for the trip. When Aaron showed up to meet us, he looked me over as if he was looking for a reason to interrogate me about it. I assured him the plane and the pilot were a gift from a family friend. I didn’t bother to tell him that it is the family’s plane, which means it’s mine whenever I need it.
“Daddy, are we going to the beach when we get there or after we get married?” Sage asks Antony.
“We aren’t getting married, Honey. We already did, remember? And we will go to the beach after.”
“Mm- kay,” she agrees, settling into her seat and looking through her book with her floppy dog.
“I wish Preston was that easy. Everything I say has to be followed up with a question,” Antony sighs.
“You’re such a guy,” I snarl at him, receiving a wave of his finger in my direction.
“So, Aaron, when are you getting married?” I ask the lump of relaxed cool with his shades still on and his feet up on the seat in front of him.
“Marriage? Hmm, well last time I talked to the woman, she said she hates me with a passion of a thousand man army fighting for their homeland and their unborn children. So, I think it might be a few more months.”
“I thought you were having sex?”
“Oh, we are. She calls it charity, and I call it breaking down her walls and … getting it on.” He sways with a nod of his head.
“I am starting to understand her issues with you more and more.” His laughter wakes Cade. “Great, thanks. Now, hold your nephew while I get his bottle. You know I only have so many left since you dropped those others.”
“Well, who carries breast milk in a cooler? I thought it had beer in it,” Aaron admits, still looking for the bachelor party he never got.
“Beer? Who the hell carries beer with a baby? It had pandas on it,” I say, shaking my head.
“I don’t know. I thought it might be some special Chinese beer I didn’t know about.” Aaron says, glancing over my shoulder at Antony who is rolling his eyes. “Shut up. You didn’t know either.”
“I knew it wasn’t a beer cooler.”
“Okay, I have a question. How the hell can you afford this private plane anyway, Dace? I didn’t think your dad had that much money, and Michael’s and Ettore’s money has all been confiscated by the government. Did you find some secret bank accounts of theirs or something?”
“I told you a family friend loaned it to me.”
“A family friend? Huh. Okay so tell me this, what have you been so busy working on the last few months? You have been suspiciously busy for someone who doesn’t have a job.” I knew he couldn’t hold back much longer. He and Austin are just alike, they can’t stand not knowing everything.
“For your information, I have a new business I am working on, and it’s been quite profitable.” Aaron looks me over with all kinds of questions. “Don’t worry, in some countries it’s legal.” He glares at me as he hands me the baby back. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
Our flight arrives on time and is met with some anxious people on the other end. Sage runs right into Preston’s arms with Antony following closely behind. Jessica stands with her arms crossed and shows a slight smile when Aaron winks at her. They are an odd couple. My girl is waiting impatiently for me and quickly takes our son before giving me a kiss. “Hi,” I say, nuzzling her lips with mine. “Did you see it?” I ask hoping she liked my surprise. I had the church made up perfectly for her. This wedding is going to be better than a fairy tale.
Austin blushes shaking her head. “I did, and you are amazing. It’s more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”
“Then let’s get to it. I am ready to … as your brother would say … get it on.” I sway her brother’s stupid dance for her.
“Oh please stop doing that.” She laughs.
Chapter 24
Dace
It’s been two years since I’ve seen Michael. His car explosion was deemed an attack by an opposing family in fear that he might turn the state’s evidence against them. He is considered dead for all intents and purposes, which is exactly the way I wanted it. I have had trackers searching for him and his man, Rowen, tracking his offshore accounts and his unknown accounts until they located the supposed dead man living a modest life in Cuba, the one place he thought the American government would never be able to find him and where no one would ever rat out an American criminal, especially if he continues to support the local economy to the government’s liking. Unfortunately for Michael, I have contacts there that prefer to help me locate him more than keep him hidden. I have planned this trip out to the T, but I wouldn’t dare leave out the people who want to most watch Michael’s eyes when he knows he is about to die. Austin, Aaron, and Antony are all taking vacations to conveniently accompany me to Cuba. What’s even more interesting is the people he hired to watch out for him, just happen to be my old crew. I am beginning to understand who betrayed me to Ettore. I never imagined Peter would be the one to betray me, but money is sometimes more important than friendship. I thought I could trust him with my life. Now, I am depending on my new crew, my family to back me in this take down.
Peter and my old crew are getting paid well for their efforts to protect Michael. From what I understand, they have only completed two jobs since I last saw them. They have lost confidence in their leader after the ambush from Nidia and her army of men. If not for Austin and Antony, they would have all died, and I have no idea where I might be, certainly not married with a son. The misery is written on everyone’s face. None of them want to be doing what they are doing, but they don’t know how to escape it. The crew has stuck together through everything; their greatest strength was their dedication to each other. Then, something went wrong, and it didn’t start when Peter agreed to take the job to attempt to rescue Nidia and her father. No, it was when he agreed to spy on me and have any and all communication I sent out redirected to Ettore. Peter never expected me to come back and always assumed I was a lost kid that had a concerned family looking out for him, so he spied on me for them. In his eyes, he was looking out for me. Little did he know that the same family would use his kindness against him. They knew about his past gambling addiction, and they set him up to restore those habits. They originally paid him for information about me, but when I went back home, they stopped paying him. His debts and addiction, however, were still eating away at him. Peter took whatever extra job he could outside of the big jobs the crew would do. The crew helped save me from my brother, but it wasn’t long before Peter couldn’t resist the temptation to turn me into my brother. Thankfully, his addiction hadn’t swallowed his heart completely. It allowed him time to work with Ettore and not Michael, because Michael would have had us killed on the spot. Ettore chose to use us. Peter’s guilt for the betrayal sent him looking for a reason to feel better about himself, and he found Nidia
’s uncle and agreed to the job before we ever knew about it. His guilt blinded him to the right thing to do, and it nearly cost us all. Since then, the crew lost faith in him, and they have started splitting off and doing their own thing. They are not a crew anymore but individuals just trying to get paid. I hate it for Peter. I know how the Collettos could be—ruthless in searching for your weakness and using it against you. That’s how they work, and they have no concern for the mess they create once they walk away. Michael’s money is the only thing holding him together right now, but Michael’s disgusting nature has created an issue for a few on the crew. The one person I never thought would seek help from anyone has sought us out and has been keeping tabs on Michael until we could form the perfect plan.
Le doesn’t exactly look excited about seeing Austin again, but surprisingly greets her respectively. “So you two are married, with a kid? Better you than me. If I had known that’s what you wanted, Ghost, I wouldn’t have come within a hundred feet of you. Eww.” She shivers in disgust.
“Alright, our chances of ever getting back together are never going to happen. I am completely heartbroken, devastated and all that, so I guess I will stay married in my miserable life without you … blah blah blah. Now, tell us what you know,” I confess to Le’s happiness but Austin’s eye-roll.
Le turns to a dartboard and begins playing as if she is here for fun. “I knew it would be rough for you both, but I must move on, and I am not a lesbian, or at least I am not into blonds, Mommy.” She continues the joke, enjoying the desperate attention Austin is giving her at the moment.
“I am heartbroken,” Austin sighs. “But the man you’re working for raped a young girl repeatedly and tortured her until she finally couldn’t take it anymore and jumped off his building and killed herself. He also beat me up and was going to rape me until my very new pregnancy caused me to pass out. He also had plans to kill his four year old daughter when he found out she wasn’t actually his but Antony’s because his wife was too afraid he would have her killed if she didn’t get pregnant soon. Of course, he still killed her while she was pregnant with another man’s baby even though she only did it to give him the baby that he demanded of her. He also had his own father killed, and as you know, tried to kill both of his brothers and his youngest brother’s lover. So, how much longer do you want to stand around and bullshit before we finally get to how to fuck this mother fucker up? Or have you fallen in love with him already?”
Austin’s rant causes a stir within Le. No matter what you think of her, her heart is always in the right place. She does this job because she believes in helping people and getting real justice. With each new knowledge about Michael, Le becomes even more concentrated on the dart board in front of her. Her final throw is dead on. “I think it’s time to nail him right between the eyes.”
“Finally!” Aaron exclaims, throwing his arms in the air.
“Who is this?” Le asks, looking him over.
“My brother,” Austin says proudly, putting her arm around his shoulder.
“Oh no, there’s two of them?! Ugh. Okay. I will tell you everything I know, but it’s not going to be easy. It’s not just the crew you have to be worried about. Michael and Peter have hired some locals that are known for being ruthless. Plus, he is making payments to the local government. Anything happens to Michael, and you will be put to death by firing squad if you’re caught. Hell, I am afraid just talking about it, it is suicidal around here to do so. He’s made a place for himself here. No one wants him gone, except …”
“Except who?”
“Well, there are rumors he has been given girls, women, whoever to satisfy his hunger. The local police help find him victims supposedly. Michael sends them home bloodied and broken and with pockets full of cash to keep the family from making waves, and if that’s not enough, then people disappear. The local poor are scared of him, too scared to go against him. I really don’t know how you are going to get near him, and if you do, getting away will be impossible,” Le admits, twirling her beer bottle between her fingers before finally taking a drink.
Everyone looks defeated already. “So you will get us all the information we need on the layout of his compound?” I ask confidently.
Le looks up at me like I am crazy. “Did you not just hear what I said?”
“I heard you, and now hear me. He’s done here. He’s done period. I will have a plan that will keep us all safe and make sure Michael is dead. All I need is forty-eight hours. You get the information I need, keep it in your head, and I will have someone make contact with you.”
“Someone? How will I know it’s someone I should talk to?”
I look over at her, and she promptly stands back. “You’ll know,” I confirm with knowledge and power.
I haven‘t been here since I was confirmed, since my father was still alive. John died only a few months ago. I am thankful that he got to see his grandson at least once before he passed. His alter ego allowed him to be killed without really dying, passing me the torch so I could change the rules and make him simply, Dad and Grandpa. I miss him and my mother more than I ever have, but at least they are together now.
The old building, the family home, is gorgeous with its statues and immaculate carvings. The ride in is even better, the tree-lined road with the moon set perfectly at the roof’s edge is quite captivating. I wish I could bring my family here to see this. The secret, the family secret, has been hidden within these walls since the beginning of its formation, or close to it at least. No one knows of its existence, and no one knows how to get here. The protection of the secret is of the upmost importance, and it hasn’t, and will not ever, be broken. My arrival feels noteworthy. I am greeted as a leader, as a king. My escorts have no right to even look me in the eyes. They speak only to me if necessary and never question. I was nervous and unsure of myself the first time I was here, and if not for John, I would have been even more so.
“You have nothing to be afraid of, Dace. This is your birthright, and not just the lowly Colletto birthright. The family, your true family, is all you will ever need, and they will follow your every word. That is not only their birthright but the demand of the family,” he would whisper to me as I followed the men into a back room.
There is no electricity here, only candles as you would think it would be walking into this home. I remember wondering how the home was kept up, who painted it, who kept it clean, and who took care of the landscaping. How would they not ever question the family ownership? Then, I realized it’s because they are the family. The main room where everyone sits is wide and tall, white and detailed in every way. I have to believe a king lived here at one time, maybe will again when it’s necessary. My chair is pulled out for me, and I nod towards all of the family before I sit. They nod back standing and waiting until I give them permission to be seated. The Collettos were considered a crime family, mafia, but this, this is considered royalty. I sit and make a statement of truth. “There are matters that need to be dealt with before the family can move on. Michael Colletto has been located in Cuba. He has gained the respect and help of the local police. I have a single in, a person that is willing to give us the complete layout of his compound. I will need help getting to Michael without issue. The local police are not going to be helpful or happy about his demise. An escape may be impossible.”
“I have a friend that may be of some help in this matter,” a family member speaks from his heavily detailed, hand carved chair.
“I also have a friend, many actually, that can help with the tactile advance on the compound and out again,” another man speaks up.
“Anything you need, I am willing to help with. I would relish the idea of this man’s demise. I only hope it is slow and painful,” A woman speaks with a side smile.
“Thank you, and now I open the floor to other business,” I say with a smile. The meeting goes as usual. Plans for development here, emergence here, and a need for help in business transactions there. If Austin knew the power I had, the t
hings I agree to and have done, I am not so sure she would stay with me. In fact, I am pretty sure she would question everything she thought about me. What she will never know though is that I have a responsibility to not only protect my family, but the family too. Otherwise, we are all at risk. My father thought enough of the family to hide the key from his own two sons. Grandfather Colletto put the family in turmoil with his insanity. My two older half-brothers would have done much the same if they had been given the chance. When my father suggested me, the family was nervous about it, but kept watch on me and Antony as we grew. It wasn’t until I arrived here, that I found out how much the family support for me to take over, had grown over the years.
After the family recommended a friend to me that could help, I went to a location in Cuba to meet with this so-called friend of the family. He shows up, not only on time but also with heavy security of his own. We discuss the business I have and need, and I give him details of the issues Michael creates in Cuba. The friend is not happy about an American taking advantage of Cuba or Cuba’s young women, and that alone is enough to convince him to help. We discuss the details and the agreement that I will not return after Michael’s death, ever. When our business is concluded, we both stand and nod in agreement. “Thank you, Fidel,” I say, and he waves a simple hand before exiting our meeting place. I pick up my phone and make a call. “It’s set. Get here as soon as you can.”