BlackHeart

Chapter 24 (Domani's POV)

(Warning: violent)


        I sat down to a card game since my day had been a long one. I just wanted to unwind. Elio was across the table from me and we had my Mechanic, the professional cheat that I acquired when I caught him trying to steal from me. I gave him the option to either die or work for me. He chose to work for me. We were up against a couple of guys who weren't in any of my crews, but loved to come here and gamble. They'd drop good money too. My Mechanic was going to screw them for their cash without them even realizing it, and then he was gonna split the profit with me. 

I played along. Winning some and losing some to him. Either way I get it all in the end. The guys who didn't work for me all grumbled when they lost their money and demanded a new game. My guy started shuffling the cards. Elio was beside me with a cigar between his teeth. He was ready to play the next hand when my phone went off.

 I'd ordered Riccardo to go pick Mia up from work, so I wondered why he was calling me. "Yeah?" I answered, but I paused when he didn't respond. Instead I heard voices in the distance. Is this a butt dial? The room was loud, so I stepped out momentarily ready to speak when Riccardo started to speak over me.

        "Mr. Kristoff, there is no need to hold a gun to Mia. I am doing as you ask" Riccardo spoke loud and clear. He wants me to hear him. A gun pointed at Mia? My hand gripped the phone harder. I put my line on mute, so I wouldn't alert that mother fucker to the phone Riccardo obviously secretly pulled. I'm on his speed dial and I'm glad for it. "Then shut the fuck up and do it," I heard the voice of that piece of shit I should have taken care of the first time. He has Mia and one of my guys held up at gunpoint? I ran back inside and grabbed Elio. 

"Come on, we gotta go. Now." I ordered him. By my tone he knew some serious shit was going down. The men around the poker table looked at each other and us. I don't give a fuck about the winnings. I ran outta there and Elio followed. 

        "What's going on?" he asked. "I don't have time to explain it all at once, but your sister's ex is holding her and Riccardo up at gunpoint and it sounds like they're driving somewhere" I put the phone on speaker so Elio could hear too. "What?!" Elio grabbed my phone. "If I tell you I'll come with you will you put the gun away and leave Riccardo out of this?" I heard Mia ask. 

Don't do this Mia. Don't sacrifice yourself for him.

We jumped into my car and my knuckles were white on the wheel as I began driving. "Track her phone," I told Elio. I know he has her phone set up to keep tabs on her. Thank god because now we'll find them before they have a chance to get too far. My guy was smart though. Riccardo started naming streets they were on. I drove like all hell down that way to catch up to them. "FUCK" I cursed when we got caught up in the traffic. 

        "What the fuck is going on, man? How do you know that's my sister's ex?" Elio asked me the questions I didn't want him to. I told Mia I wouldn't tell Elio about all this, but I need him for this take down. I need him to ensure things go my way without the girl getting hurt. I started telling him bits and pieces. Just that I'd come across this asshole being rough with his sister, and bashed his face yesterday. Obviously the man clearly isn't well in the head because he didn't learn his lesson the first time. "Shut up" Elio stopped me when voices started up again. 

It was Riccardo naming a bunch of side streets. After a minute I knew exactly where he was going to take him. I own that little neighborhood. If we were going to do a take down that'd be the place to do it. People would look the other way. 

        "I'm gonna remind you why you loved me," I heard that filthy grimey voice say to Mia. I wanted to jump through the speaker and kill him. Elio gripped my phone and kept it up close to us so we could hear them in the background. Since the phone was with Riccardo we couldn't hear everything going on back there. Riccardo mentioned traffic and back roads again. I cut out of traffic and started for that point. Swerving in and out into side streets.