29. Alessandro

Chapter twenty-nine

Alessandro

It's been two fucking days since Adriana went missing. Manny's house was fucking empty when we tried to strike them. That figlio di puttana (son of a bitch) misled us. I knew I shouldn't have fucking believed him.

The news of Manny's death isn't hidden from anyone again. But I haven't heard anything about Adriana's damn whereabouts. Lorenzo walks into my house as I take a gulp of my vodka drink.

"What did you find?"

"Nothing yet, boss," he replies. My blood boils in familiar anger.

"The fuck do you mean nothing?" I angrily smash the glass on the wall. "How fucking hard is it to find her?"

I'm holding myself back from punching him in the face. He is lucky that Daniel walks in just before I can hit him. "Get out of my fucking face before I kill you right here!"

"What's happening, Ale?" Daniel asks as he strolls closer to me.

"They are all stupidi sciocchi (stupid fools) who can't do any fucking thing right!"

Daniel stares at the broken glass on the floor and shakes his head. He has always been the cool-headed one here. Not me. One nasty trait Father passed on to me after years of bending and breaking me to prepare to take over his business. He always told me, ‘ i deboli muoiono prima . (The weak die first.)' I never want to be seen as weak.

"Tell me you have something better leading to her." I grab another glass and pour myself another vodka shot.

Daniel shakes his head as he falls to the couch. "Mendes is in the dark but he says some men took her. Aldo's men."

My grip on the glass becomes tighter as I remember what one of Aldo's men said before I killed him. I'll fucking cut off all his fingers if he lays any on Adriana.

"I need to find her. Get me the address of Aldo."

Daniel reaches for the pocket of his black leather jacket. He pulls out a piece of paper and raises it in the air.

"I've gotten it. You ready?"

"I'm damn ready." I take the whole shot in one gulp and walk to meet Daniel. He is on his feet now, handing over the shirt I dumped on the couch.

"Call for some reinforcement. Aldo won't know what hit him." I slide on the shirt as Daniel and I make our way out the front door. His black SUV is parked in front of my house.

"You're driving," he says, tossing the car key to me. I catch it in the air and walk over to the driver's seat. A handful of guns are seated at the back as I slide into the car.

He joins me in the car and reaches in the back for a machine gun. I exchange glances between him and the guns he has in the backseat.

"What? I always come prepared."

I start the car and drive out of the gates. The sun is already setting as the day reaches the evening.

"Brownsville, Brooklyn," Daniel says. My eyes are glued to the road as I take a turn headed to Brooklyn. Daniel has his phone in his hand, trying to call for more men.

Unexpectedly, the sound of the windshield cracking draws our attention, just as a gunshot sounds in the air.

"Arghh, fuck!" I press the gas harder as I spot a blue Tacoma tailing us from behind.

"Who the fuck are those?" Daniel yells as he turns to see them. "Bend!"

I lower my head as I grip the wheel tighter. A bullet flies past my head in a split second, hitting the front windshield instead. Daniel sticks his head out and begins to shoot to the back. Both shooters exchange fire for a couple of minutes until Daniel bursts the tire of their vehicle.

"Daniel! Your twelve!"

"Ah, fuck!"

Another car is in front of us, driving right into the car. I step on the brakes quickly and swerve just in time before there's any collision. How the fuck do they keep knowing where I am?

Daniel takes more shots at them. The car makes a turn and pursues us again. They shoot back at Daniel. I drive the car in a zigzag motion to avoid their bullets.

"Keep the car straight. I'm trying to make a clean shot."

I hold the wheel tight as I put the car back in a straight line.

Daniel grunts as he quickly sticks his head back into the car. "Almost fucking killed me."

He waits a few seconds before sticking his head and gun out again. He hits the driver this time as I watch through the side mirror.

"Turn around."

I slow the car down and make the turn back toward them. The impact of their bullets on the car makes a clunking noise in the air.

I ram into their car as they fly to the ground. The wounded driver doesn't get out in time. Daniel takes the shot at the two others and sends bullets through their bodies. Not just once but twice.

I stop the car and we both get out. Daniel walks over to the dead bodies and searches their bodies. I walk over to the car to see the wounded driver.

His face is covered with blood and he pants harder. He tries to shoot me as I open the door. His fingers gripping a pistol. I punch him in the face just before he takes the shot. He groans in pain, and I bend his arm to let go of the gun. I break his arm instead of letting go.

His eyes bulge out in shock as he yells. " Fanculo (Fuck)!"

I kill him, shooting him in the chest. His breath seizes after a few long seconds.

"Ale! Come see." Daniel is walking towards me with a phone in his hand.

I leave the car to meet with him.

"I found this in one of their pockets. They are Aldo's men." He turns the phone's screen to me to reveal a call log. Tarik's name is at the top of the list.

"That fucking figlio di puttana (son of a bitch)!"

"We have a ratto (rat)."

I kick the door of the car hard. It all makes sense now… Father's death, Aldo's men always knowing when I'm leaving.

That fucking cunt. "I'll gut him alive," I growl as I walk back to our SUV.

"There could be more," Daniel says as he slides into the car.

"Then I'll have to fish them all out. Ungrateful bastards!"

We drive back to the warehouse in East Harlem.

Daniel had called Tarik on the way to meet with us there. He has no fucking idea he's walking to his death. I will torture every piece of information out of him till he tells me every fucking thing he knows.

I'm trying to keep my cool as I walk into the warehouse.

The sound of the workers packing deliveries fills the space. Daniel waits outside for Tarik as I retreat into my office there. I've been dealing with fucking snitches all along, and they were right under my nose. I'm stupidly pissed at myself.

Daniel walks in with Tarik a few moments later and I lunge at him just as I spot him. I grip his throat and squeeze tight, digging my nails into his skin.

" Ratto (Rat)!" I say through gritted teeth.

His eyes widen as he fights to breathe. I'm stopping myself from snapping his neck with the rage scorching through my veins.

"Cuffs, Daniel."

I drag Tarik by the neck to the wooden chair facing mine. There's a wooden table in between both of them. Daniel walks over to the table and unlocks the drawer to grab a handcuff.

Tarik is tall, just a few inches shorter than I am, with a less muscular build. He has a tattooed neck and arms. The maroon colored short-sleeved shirt he has on reveals his inked muscles.

I push him onto the chair and punch him in the face. He grunts from the impact.

I'll kill him slowly and make him regret that he ever double-crossed me.

Daniel handcuffs his wrists to the arm of the chair and pulls his dark brown hair to the back. Tarik yells in pain.

"You know what we do to fucking rattos (rats)."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I swear."

"Don't you fucking lie to me!" I punch him hard in the abdomen.

"Arghhhh. I swear," he coughs.

I tear his shirt off his body to use the pieces to gag him. He wriggles in the seat as I tie the rag behind him, leaving a sufficient amount of material at the front.

Daniel leaves the room and returns a few minutes later with a toolbox.

"Who are you working for?" I ask as I turn to Daniel.

He sets the box on the table and unlocks it. I grab a screwdriver and twirl it in my hand.

"It's only L'Uomo and you I've ever worked for. I am no ratto (rat) , boss."

Daniel tsks, staring at Tarik. He murmurs as he turns to the toolbox and searches for something.

"Lying to me is one thing. But lying to my fucking face?" I say, slipping the gag on his mouth.

I hook the sharp edge of the screwdriver into his clip earring and pull it.

The gag muffles his screams as I tug harder, pulling it till his ear hole cuts into two and the earring is sliding over the screwdriver. His blood is dripping on the floor as he breathes heavily, with bulgy eyes and a sweaty face.

I'm just getting fucking started. I ungag him and punch his face again.

"Who are you working for?"

"Chito," he blurts.

Fuck .

Daniel and I exchange glances.

"I work for Chito."

He is breathing heavily, with blood dripping from his ear to his body.

"You fucking cunt!"

I return the gag to his mouth. Daniel hands me a hammer as I give him back the screwdriver.

Tarik's pleas are muffled as he watches me stretch his fingers on the arm of the chair. He's going to wish I killed him quickly.

I hit the hammer on his fingers. He screams, shifting in the chair. I take his other wrist and hit the hammer on it again. His muffled screams fill the room. I ungag him.

"How many of you are here?"

"Please stop. I swear, I'll tell you everything," he cries.

I set the hammer back on the table and rest on the edge, staring at him.

"Start talking."

Daniel walks to lock the door and rests on the frame.

"I work for Chito. He wants to take over the business and have the city with Aldo. They are half-brothers and are working together."

My eyes narrow on him as I stare at him in disbelief. He takes a few seconds, struggling to catch his breath as he pants.

"He had us work for you to gain your trust and let him know more information about you. And the business. Our final task is to kill you."

"Who killed my father?"

Tarik locks eyes with me, his face red. He lets a moment pass before he responds.

"I did."

I move closer to him and punch him again. Once, twice, thrice, until I lose count and Daniel is holding me back.

"Stop stronzo (asshole)! You'll kill him before we get the names."

My fist is stained with blood. Mine and his, as my knuckles burst from the punches. "Tell me their names."

His head dangles in the air, covered with blood and a broken nose.

"Mattia… Giorgio…" He coughs out blood, and his head falls to face downward. I can hear his slow ragged breaths. Blood is streaming down his face when he raises his head again. "Armani and Enzo," he adds.

"Where the fuck did they take Adriana?"

His eyelids flutter as he tries to keep his head straight. I punch his face again to fucking wake him up. He grunts, spewing more blood.

"Aldo has a warehouse where he keeps his prisoners."

"Where?"

"South Bronx."

Daniel pulls the trigger at the back of Tarik's head and blows his brain.

Not so soft after all.

"Kill all of them!"