⚠️ warning ⚠️ chapter contains graphic scene and gun shots. Anybody disturbed with said scenes may skip the marked scenes.
ANGELO POV
I have never felt so angry and helpless at the same time. I was angry because some fucker, some anonymous , name less bastard had the fucking the courage, to pull up a kidnapping that involved a five year old.
And then I felt helpless because I could do anything accept for waiting on Eli and Blaire to trace out the video clip, waiting on them to get the location.
Yet, not sure if Belle would be there. I felt helpless because I've felt my sweet girl, stare at distance all day, blaming herself soupy for the disappearence of her little sister. I felt helpless because we had no idea in what condition Belle was. And it was clawing out my flesh.
The co-ordinates that Eli extracted lead us to a little abandoned winery just in the outskirts of Naples, between the borders of Napoli and Lazia.
Like Blaire had repeated a number of times, it doesn't make sense. The abandoned winery was a LaRusso property. A property owned by Ariel's father which has been out of use for quite a while now. Since their wine business went bankrupt.
When the tires screeched to a halt infront of the property bound with iron gates at the front. Weed and wild flower plants covering the once lush entrance and doorway.
"Is this it?" Blaire asked frowning. She was shrugging on a jacket that she had brought along. "What a bunch of hooligans-"
"I need men at the back." Roman snapped, cutting off Blaire's statement. "Half of them at the back. Angelo will lead through the front. Stay behind Capo Bestone. I'll be at the back with the rest of the soliders. and we'll circle the property-"
"What about me?" Blaire asked.
"Stay behind Angelo."
"Why can't I come with you?"
"Because, I said so, Miss Anderson. Behind Capo Bestone. Or the car. Choose yourself."
Blaire doesn't reply to that as Roman gets out of the car. A number of doors open after his and I see men, dressed in suits march behind him, falling into steps with their boss.
"What's going on between you two?" I asked, checking the magazine of my gun, just to be sure. Three spare tucked on the holster around my ankle.
"As if you know nothing." She sniffles. "Don't be so cruel and twist the knife more, Angelo."
"Man up, Blaire." I replied with a roll of my eyes, tossing her a spare Glock. "Own it. Apologize, take your time. But own it. Man up."
"That easy, init?" She scoffs.
"That easy." I add glancing out of the window and activating the little bug in my ear that connects me to Roman.
As soon as Roman give me a code green, I stepped out of the car, the late evening breeze humid and hot against the skin. A number of men follow my queue as Blaire gets down from the car, stretching.
"I want the front, surrounded." I say turning to face twenty men who were under me right now. "Shoot to injure only. Don't kill. We take the puppet master to interrogate."
With a curt nod, they distribute uniformly. The outgrown bushes and weeds makes it easier for the soliders to go camouflage.
"Blaire." I jerked my head. "Stay behind me. And as soon as we find Belle, I want you to take her and run. Occupy a car and stay put."
"Gotcha." Blaire nodded tightening up her ponytail. "Take bell and run to a car and stay put."
With Blaire behind me and soliders giving me a green signal, I opened the door of the abandoned winery. The property was old and like any other old ancient winery this has almost the same lay out. Pipes stretched to the ceilings and from both ends meeting above, a way for the wine to be carried into barrels. Wooden wine barrels stacked one above the other on either side of the long hall room like property.
"Creepy." Blaire muttered, as I heard the clock of her gun being load. "There isn't anybody."
"Quiet." I hissed but then heard footsteps. A man's shadow looked over us.
(⚠️ Graphic scene ahead. Proceed at risk.⚠️)
"Chi è?" (Who is it?) The voice called out. "Chi sei e cosa vuoi?" (Who are you and what do you want?)
"Tu chi sei?" (Who are you?) I roared. "Mostrami il tuo viso." (Show me your face.)
There was no sound for a second but then a bullet fired. It cracked through the semi darkness of the wine factory.
"What a bastard." Blaire hisses fucking down however the bullet wasn't shot at us.
The kidnappers possessed weapons. I caused a little jolt inside me. If they possesd weapon, it meant, they could harm Belle.
We needed to step carefully.
"Come out." I bellowed. "I just want to talk."
Blaire snorted behind me.
"Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?" The man yelled back from wherever he was, behind the shadows. I hear a small shriek followed by a cry.
Belle.
Another bullet pierced through the air as I caught movement behind one of the barrel stack. Turning I placed a finger on my mouth to silence Blaire and pointed at the barrel.
With a nod, she backed away. As I advanced from the other side. The barrels of the wine blocked out whatever windows they had creating a suffocating air change inside the property. As I rounded the other side, Blaire had already pointed her gun at the bastard.
But the man, whose back was turned to me had pulled out his gun, pointing his arm to Blaire's head.
"Drop it." I ordered. "Now."
I saw his muscles turn rigid and I turned off the safety of my trusted Mark 27.
"Lascia perdere." (Drop it.) I hissed again. "Now!"
The man tentatively dropped his arm. "Turn."
The guy obliged and turned to show his face. "Where is she?"
His nostrils flared as the realization drowns him. His master plan had failed. "Per chi stai supplicando?" (Who are you begging for?) I asked, my eyes boring into his.
I recognize his face.
Some- Donnati. Or whatever. The one Ariel talked about, once. The one whose studies her dad had funded-
"Alessio Donnati." I rasped.
"How do you know me?" He snapped.
"You will be surprise of my resources, Donnati." I snarled. "Lead the way. And mind you if you overstep, your blood will stain my shoes-"
Alessio Donnati, hissed at me again, pulling a face that belonged to the dogs.
"Lead the fucking way, Donnati." I jerked my gun at him. "Hand your weapon to the lady."
But Blaire as much of a nutter head as she was, snatched the gun from Donnati, catching him off guard and disembodied the weapon.
Not bad.
Alessio Donnati, flaring lead the way, taking us through the foyer and through up a rusty staircase and into another hall room.
Said like done, Belle was sitting on a chair. Her eyes tied with a black blindfold. Her blue dress dirty. Hand tied on her lap and cheeks tear stained.
"Release the girl." I ordered.
"Don't you dare order me around." I heard the hiss of a woman before a felt touch of a cold barrel against my neck. "I didn't realize that my pet's mistake would bring you so far."
I heard a sound of struggle behind me. Undoubtedly Blaire was caught off guard too.
"What do you want?" I asked, my gun clutched tightly in my hand.
"Ariel and Belle LaRusso's dead body on the floor." The woman replied in a cool shrill voice.
"Why?"
"You don't want to risk your life for a little whore, boy." The lady snarled behind me, jabbing a little harder on my neck.
I could see Belle's little frame try to squirm out of the bindings around her.
Hold on, buddy. I pleaded. Just a little longer.
I heard the click of another gun and several footsteps behind me. Taking the queue, that it was Roman and our boys, I turned in a flash, only to take the weapon out of her hand before Blaire twisted her hand behind her back.
"Yeah?" I rasped. "You have no fucking idea what I would do for Ariel LaRusso."
The woman made a strangling noise as Blaire rolled her eyes at the suited woman.
"Time for our abandoned winery, lady." Blaire humped. "But I assure you, it's prettier than this. We have windows and it doesn't smell like dead rats rotting."
⚠️end of the said scene⚠️
Shaking my head at her, I padded toward Belle. As if on auto pilot, she tried to wiggle out of the tight bindings and tried to kick her legs.
Her small body jerked and twisted to resist her restraints as I held her hands to untie her, breaths coming out in deep puffs. Quickly, I undid the duct tape that kept her quiet and a sob broke out from her little lungs.
"Hey." I cooed untying the blindfold. "Hey, it's me. Angelo. Do you remember me?"
As of the recognition hit her hard, she began to wail. Her little eyes screwed shut as I undid her hands and legs before plucking her from the chair and into my arms.
Her little numb hand went around my neck as her whole body shook with tears. "Shh." I cooed. "Shush, you brave, brave girl. It's okay."
"I wan mama." She sobbed, wetting my shirt. Her little hands fisted my collar. "I wan my mommy!"
"There." I rubbed her back reassuringly. "There. We'll go to your mommy, yeah? Let's get out of here first."
Belle didn't stop sobbing until we were inside the car. She also refused to look at anybody or go to anybody. Thus, with a driver only, we journeyed back to the city.
Belle slowly calmed down, her face still pressed against my neck. Her fists still tight in my collar as I soothingly rubbed down her back and rythemically massaged her hair.
"Belle?" I called. "Are you awake?"
Belle sniffled in response.
"Would you want to go get some food, princess?" I ask. "Does that sound good?"
"Humph." Belle hums, her head nodding.
"Okay." I sigh. "Let's get you some food and a new dress. Yeah? This one is dirty."
"Otay." Belle sniffs. "I just wanna go to mommy."
"We will go to your mommy." I whisper to her, rubbing her back. "We'll be with your mama soon. Don't you worry, princess."
The car halts infront of a drive through restaurant as I order food for Belle. She points for fries and a little packet of nuggets and a little burger that comes with a toy.
"What do you want for drink, darling?" I ask pushing the dark ringlets away from her hair. "Water?"
"Cola." She whispers taking one fry and munching on it. "Please?"
"Alright." I sigh ordering a coca cola for Belle. I don't know if she was allowed coca color or whatever, but tonight was exceptonal. "Let's get you one cola and we will go to buy you a dress, yes?"
Belle nodded as I held the paper bag of food for her. With her head still on my shoulder, she sticks her hand into the bag pulling out whatever she wants one by one to nibble on.
With a wave of my hand the driver puts the car on drive. The only sound dominating the silent air inside the car was the occasional rustling of the paper food bag from which Belle ate, poking about her fried and nuggets.
Stopping infront of a kid's clothing store run by one of our family captains, I bought Belle a dress and new socks and shoes, asking for a sales woman to assist her to change into her new clothes and wash her up.
The lady kindly obliges after a hefty tip that I offer her.
"Are you police?" Belle asks once we slide back into backseat of the car. She was still reluctant to sit on the seat but comfortably settles down on my chest.
"No." I answer using one of the rubber bands that we purchased to put her unruly hair into a ponytail. "Why?" I ask. Urging her to go on and keep talking.
However, I have no idea how she was mentally. Like any child kept without her mama and food, she had cried and kicked her legs and thrown her hands all around. But then she went quiet with her head lolling about my neck.
I couldn't quite place her mental state. And until I interrogated the bastard who had this little girl as hostage, I can't at all put my finger on whatever might have taken a toll on her.
"Because you has a gun." She whispered. Her eyebrows pulling into a frown. "And a wot of people with you. Is you police?"
"I'm not police." I smile at the little human. "But something like a police."
"I don't like police." She whispers.
"Me neither." I agree.
"Where are we going?" Belle asks perring out of the window.
"We're going to my home." I reply. "Your sister is there. And your mama and papa."
"Bun is?" She asks turning her head to me. "Bun is there where we are going?"
"Sí." I whispered. "Bun is. And she's waiting for you to get home."
"You know that miss Bernardi said papa was waiting for me somewhere too?" She whispers as a shiver runs though her. Belle snuggles closer to me. "She said papa was waiting for me at home and he didn' wan me to go to Francesca's because she's a bad girl who talks to boys-"
"She did?" I ask with a frown. "Who is this Miss Bernardi?"
"Papa's girlfriend." She whispers. "She works for daddy at the office."
Well that somewhat explains it.
"But then she became mean when I got into her car-" Belle mumbles a sniffle escaping her as she wipes away her nose agressively. "I dun like Miss Bernardi no more."
"Don't worry." I say. "You won't be seeing Miss Bernardi anymore."
Belle stares at me doe eyed before leaning her head back down on my shoulder.
"Do you want to finish the rest of your nuggets?" I ask.
"Hm." Belle mumbles as I hold open the paper bag for her. "Grazie."
"You're welcome, princess-y."
By the time the car halts infront of the house Belle had fallen asleep in my arms. Undoubtedly an exaustion induced slumber that made her unable to stay awake.
Stepping out of the vehicle, I saw Ariel, totally dishevelled. A thin shawl over her shoulders, cheeks stained with tears as she makes her way to me. Bare feet, her lovely hair a mess in top of her head.
I have never seen her so distressed before.
"Hey." I whispered. But she reached out for her sister, looking at her for any visible injuries or discomfort.
"Shh. She's sleeping." I cupped her cheek with my free hand. "Just fell asleep. She's fine, baby. She's fine."
A sob broke out of my girl's chest as she threw her arms around my waist and hugged me. Wrapping my free arm around her shoulder I placed a chaste kiss on her head. "She's fine now, baby. She's fine."
After I lay Belle in the guest room bed that was prepared for her and Mrs. LaRusso, Ariel sat by her little sister, clutching her hand while the little human slept on peacefully.
"This little woman is so incredibly brave, sweetheart." Angelo whispered shaking his head. "She was so very brave today." I whispered to Ariel placing a hand on her shoulder. Hoping that it would reassure her that her little sister was fine.
Andrea LaRusso thanks me before I walk out of the guest room and into the study. I talk to my men for a brief moment, explaing everything and thanking them before they excuse themselves.
I stand up from my chair when I watch Ariel's father knock on my study door.
"per favore, entra." (Please, come on in.) I offered him moving toward the alcohol cabinet to retrieve a decanter of whiskey and two glasses.
"Come posso mai ringraziarti?" (How can I ever thank you?) The man sighed walking in as he took a seat on one of the visitor's chair.
"Quello che hai fatto per la mia bambina..." (What you have done for my baby girl-"
"Signore, you needn't thank me." I reply. "I love your elder daughter. Her family is mine. Her little sister is like a little sister to me. And I was taught to kill and die for family."
"I only assumed you knew the construction business." The old man jokes.
Shaking my head, I chuckle as I pour two glasses of Macallan.
"Do you have any idea of who might be behind all this?"
"Belle mentioned of somebody called a Miss Bernardi." I replied. "She said she was your lady friend who worked with you."
"Chiara Bernardi." Signore LaRusso confirms. "But-"
"Belle says that she came to pick her up from her friend's party claiming that you were waiting for her. " I add. "We also encountered Alessio Donnati, who you were funding, if I am correct-"
"Sí." The man frowns.
"The lady claimed to have your daughters dead." I take a sip of my whiskey. "However, she hasn't quite stated why. I suppose for the reason of taking Airel and Belle's life she had abuducted Belle and asked Ariel for the ransom-"
"I don't understand-"
"It might appear confusing and distressing." I reassure. "However, I do plan to interrogate both them. I would like to ask what you would for me to do with them?"
"What do you mean?" He asks.
"I am asking what would you like for me and my men to do with the kidnappers and vowed killers of your daughters?" I repeated. "They haven't done anything to the family and therefore my hands are tied. I would like for you to vouch an appeal."
"What do you suggest?"
I chuckle. "Me? I would kill anybody ever so slowly if they even dared to look up to any daughter of mine, signore LaRusso. They kidnapped your youngest daughter and had planned to kill both- I would probably loose my sanity if I were you."
"You're a dangerous man, signore Giovanni." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I vouch an appeal for them to be punished for abducting la mia bambina, however, if you don't mind I would like to be present while you question Chiara and Alessio."
"You have every right to hear their confession, signore." I nod.
After the little conversation with Andrea LaRusso, I walk into the bedroom hoping to get a shower and lay down for a while. Hopefully catch some sleep to wash away all the thoughts that had been troubling me all day.
Instead, I stand on the balcony, balancing my favourite ashtray on the rail as I lit up a cigarette.
Ariel often if not always gets bothered and fussy when I light up a smoke inside the room. She says the smell bothers her and that smoke was going to ruin my lungs.
What my woman doesn't know it, due to her utmost concern and scolding, I had tried to cut down and by a far margin I had succeeded as well.
"Hey." I heard her whisper before I felt her hand on my waist.
After a day like today, her touch was welcome.
"Sweetness." I mused, squishing the butt of my cigarette on the ashtray before turning to face her . "Did you eat?"
She nods. "Alyssa made stew."
"Has everybody gone to bed?" I ask cupping her cheeks in my hand. God she looks so worn out.
"Hmm." She whispers looking back into my eyes. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Saving our family." She mumbles again, placing her head on my chest, pushing herself closer to me. "How can I ever live without you?"
"Sweetheart, you don't have to live without me." I whisper back. She has lost her sanity if she thinks she has to see a day without me in it. "Aren't I your family? How can I not save my family?"
"Thank you." She whispers again. "Thank you."
"Shh." I coo. "Let me draw us a bath, sí? I'm tired."
"Let me give you a massage." She offers with a smile after wiping away her leaked tears. "Would you like that?"
"I would love that, sweetheart."
⚠️ graphic scene. Proceed at own risk⚠️
It was later the the next morning, I sat behind the desk in the interogation room. Bored.
Alessio Donnati was getting on my nerves and boring me at the same time. Roman was fussy because he was getting bored too.
Bored Roman and I at the same time, in the same place in not usually fun for who becomes our source of fun.
"Donnati, make this easier for me." I said. "I have a date to attend to with my fiance. So spit your pathetic story out. Why?"
Alessio Donnati only fumed, his eyes boring into mine. I pointed my gun toward his left eye.
I would rather,guage it out. Nobody dares to look me in the eye only to disrespect me and lives to see the next day.
"Let's play a ten second game, Donnati." Roman finally sighed. "I ask you a question, you fail to answer, my brother here, shoots. Wherever he wants. Sí?"
Donnati doesn't answer.
"Let's start with did you attack Ariel on the wedding?" Roman asks leaning back again his chair. "One. Two. Three-" he continues to count to ten. I move my gun toward his shin.
When the ten second game is over, my finger on the trigger slips. The interogation room being sound proof conceals the noise of the bullet and the loud shriek of Donnati
"See?" I ask our subject. "That was a demo. Ask away boss."
"Did you attack Ariel on the bar?" Roman asks.
Silence.
Roman count's to ten. Bang.
"Did you attack Ariel on the wedding?" He repeats.
Silence.
Roman counts to five. I point my gun at his eye.
"Yes " Donnati hissed out, tied to the chair opposite to us. "Yes. Damnit. That whore deserves to die!"
My aim falters from his eyes to his crotch. The interogation room rings with a bang before I shoot up from the chair grabbing him by his collar. "What did you call her?"
"A whore!" Donnati spat on the floor as I forced him to look at me. Hissing in pain, the fucker continues. "Selling herself for money, that fucking bitch! I could have-"
I shove my gun's barrel inside his mouth, the bastard. Dare he calls my girl a whore. I will make sure he doesn't have a voice anymore.
"Cat got your tongue?" I hiss shoving the barrel inside so it gagged him. "Huh? Can't speak? Dare you call my woman a whore, you fucking son of a bitch- I'll rip your filthy voice box out, you fucking bastard-"
"Angelo." Roman drawls out. "Get back. He would need his voice to answer."
Reluctantly, I push him, so the chair skids on the floor.
"Did you lit the Giovanni house on fire, three weeks ago from today? The red car that fired bullets to Angelo's car, was that you?"
"Yes." Donnati croaked out. "Yes. It was me. It was all me!"
"Why?" I ask putting my gun down on the table, massaging the bridge of my nose. "Why the fuck, did you lit my fucking house on fire? And how the fuck dare you-"
"That's because I love her, alright?" Donnati yells. "I loved her and then she went and ran away like a pathetic whore-"
I snatch the gun from the table and aim at his crotch for a second time.
"Say it again." I challenge as Donnati screams out. "say it again."
"Chiara Bernardi promised that if I agreed to make Ariel sign up the documents she prepared she would let me have her-"
"What documents?" I snap.
"I don't know."
"Donnati I'm fucking warning you-"
"I said I don't know!" He yelled back at me.
That's it. This bastard was no use. He was just following Bernardi like a lost puppy. Hoping to get his treat. Ariel.
My Ariel.
The mare thought of it boils my blood and churns my insides.
"I think we are done here, brother." Roman sighs. "This wasn't fun. Let John take care to rest of it."
"I answered!" Donnati reasoned when both of us exited the room. "Let me leave, you bastards."
⚠️ end of the said scene⚠️
Roman talks with John for a second. However, I don't interogate Bernardi. I let that pass to mama and Blaire. They occupy the next room with Chiara Bernardi.
Interogation was a messy job.
Blaire as a nut case as she was, she was efficient in everything that interested her. Right now it was interogatting Chiara Bernardi.
Almost an hour later we sat in Roman's study. Ariel's father to our addition.
Blaire fingered the little butterfly necklace that had a tracker fitted into it, testing the device on her laptop.
Chiara's confession revealed that she had gotten a copy of Andrea's will. And to her dismay and anger, it stated that all his property and riches would be devided between his daughters and their husbands, it had enraged her.
She was with Andrea only for the money and when Andrea's lawyer drafted the will, it had enraged her. The only way to obtain what she wanted was either to make Ariel and Belle sign papers that would claim they don't want their father's inheritance or just to take them out of the way.
And Belle was still too young to sign anything, therefore she had taken the rare way out. Pairing up with Donnati who already had an unusual obsession for Ariel made her plan easier.
Donnati was vouching for her dirty work while she pulled the strings from behind the curtain.
"This is fine." Blaire sighed placing the tiny diamond encrusted butterfly necklace back in the cushion box. "This works just fine. Doesn't blink or anything. Records too."
"Grazie, Blaire." I mutter accepting the box from her and pocketing it.
"Do I have to sign anywhere?" Andrea LaRusso asked turning to Roman. We just had a discussion about the outcome of the abductors.
"I don't back away from my words, signore LaRusso." Roman chuckled taking a seat behind his desk. "You needn't sign nothing. We're fine. You needn't worry about anything anymore. Not Donnati or your girlfriend. However, I do advice to have your family under protection."
Signore LaRusso nods and heaves a sigh of agony. "Grazie for what-"
"Signore, Ariel is like my sister. She's family. We kill and die for family." Roman repeated my words for previous night.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
One more chapter to go before huge ass epilogue lol. Well, I do hope y'all liked this chapter. Yeah. I can't believe this is ending.
Also those who follow me on Instagram might have a little glimpse of a new story that is based on Belle and our new hero. *Wink. Wink* so if you do follow my IG, thank youss. If you don't please go ahead and hit that follow button because well, I'm active on IG all day.
( ___nov_ember___ ) this is my @ so go ahead if you want sneak peaks or edits or just want to hear me complain or whatever.
Also, vote and comment. Let's show Angelo and Bubbles a bit of love before they leave us.
-November.