Memories last a lifetime; you create them with people you cherish. Friends, foes, people alike, or even some that have ruined you. Memories for me all turned into disasters only a great few stuck. Mateo being placed into my arms a happy grieving smile placed onto my face. He looked like him, for such a small child he had such life and beautiful features to him.
The wailing and passing it right over to me, I cried happy tears, the company of everyone around me. My heart growing full. No one could expect the horror of the day they are ripped from your grasp. The smallest memory's you cling onto. Your heart breaks, it shatters even at the thought of losing it again.
The next two weeks I spent were rough, a flight back home to New York, being bombarded with missions and endless questions. I sat at a computer screen for what felt like hours, locked away in my room. No one had come to bother me thankfully.
I spent some time going through social media, for possible parents, pictures that could lead me to Mateo. I falter my mind drawing blanks, I fixated my glasses to the bridge of my nose. With no new leads or areas that could potentially help me.
There was a trying phone call I had to make, I opened a draw in my desk, my hand grabbing an old flip phone. "Fucking shit", I grumble I walked out of my room. "Good evening Miss, how are you?" Mrs. Wright's familiar face greets me. I slowly push the flip phone into a back pocket.
"Hello, Mrs. Wright I'm good thank you just need to clear my head". I mention with a small smile. "Be home soon, dinner should be done within the hour. Marco requested everyone be there". I nod listening to her smaller yet fragile voice.
I head for one of the family cars, and begin driving to a deserted part out of town. The tires screech once I come to a stop, I shakily grab the phone, dialing a number I hadn't seen in years. The horror flowing through me.
"Hello?" The older voice spoke and my heart inevitably drops. "Where is he Cole", I ask and I heard a slight pause. "Where is who?" He asks and I chuckle. "Mateo, where is Mateo."
Cole De Luca, Mateo's biological father. "Calling me is risky Mariana when he is still looking for you". He chimes, his very coy voice made my skin crawl all these years later.
"Well when you are twelve and have to protect someone you do what you can. It's not like you can say you ever protected him". I spoke, he laughs on the other side. A sadistic sickening laugh. He had ruined my life taking everything from me. But he did give me one gift. Mateo, that was the greatest gift I've ever received.
"You think I haven't? Disrespecting me when asking for information isn't going to get you anywhere. I know where he is and he's safe, away from you fucking freaks". I froze and my heart sunk, he's known where Mateo went.
"How have you had access to him all these years and I haven't?! I've been searching for so long". I stress running a hand through my hair. "Because you aren't looking in the right places and you couldn't even begin to. Calling me isn't going to get you anywhere. You know where he is deep down you just can't accept it." Cole pauses before continuing.
"It's been right in front of you the whole time, have a good night Mariana. Using a burner phone in the middle of New York can get you killed". The call ends and I hit my steering wheel. "Fuck!" I scream I open the window, taking out the SD card and throwing the phone. Watching it shatter into millions of pieces. I begin driving away, thinking about what Cole said.
How could it have been right in front of me this whole time? The drive home was dreaded with a quick throw of the SD card out the way. I pulled into the driveway with a heavy heart. Adrian stood outside, cigarette stashed in his mouth. He looked rough, after being hurt and almost killed.
Adrian had lost his spark, the color drained from his face. "Where'd you go?" He questions the cigarette smoke blowing out into the now colder night. "Just to clear my head, how are you?" I question changing the subject he looks down at his body.
"Like there is a huge gash that can't be closed". Adrian looks ahead exhaling smoke. "Well hopefully it will heal soon". I say before heading in. The entire house roaring. Marco's yells echoing through the house "what the fuck do you mean it was breached?!"
I opened the dining room door, Marco's fists slams onto the table. Everyone's head bowed in respect. "Someone's been feeding information through to the O'Connell's". A subordinate spoke and Marco's eyes fall to mine. "Where the fuck were you". He asks I look around realizing everyone slowly giving me a side eye or staring at me differently.
"I was clearing my head and was assured that I'd be back before dinner. It hasn't been an hour yet." I continue Marco chuckles to himself before shaking his head. Slamming his fist once more.
"You aren't allowed to go anywhere until this is fucking figured out. We clearly have something else going on here, money slowly going missing. Adrian's planned stabbing, what else?" He continues staring at me, did he think I did this?
I continued to listen to him rant, "you can see me in my office Aleah". He mentions, the food hasn't been served. "Yes sir", I say as he pushes past me and storms out of the dining room door. I follow closely behind. "Where were you?" He asks again as we walk towards his home office. "I went towards the coast, I needed some fresh air". I explain he opens the office door letting me walk through first before he shuts it locking the door.
"Give me your phone" he puts his hand out and I put my phone in his hand. Was he my father to be grounding me? He goes through it for a moment, "you never leave this house unless ordered". He mentions and I hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but I also have free will when it comes to leaving even if it's just for a drive. Everyone in this house knows it". Leaving was a privilege I had when I worked for Mario.
He hands my phone back walking towards the window. I had already panicked with the thought of where Mateo was. I didn't need Marco's conspiracies fucking with me. "Aleah I just lost four million dollars tonight, I couldn't give a fuck less". He stresses looking at me. My brow raises and I almost laugh.
"How?" I ask he shakes his head. "Couldn't tell you how it happened in the first place. A whole boat got robbed". He stresses almost like he's coming to me to vent. "What can I do?" I question already thinking about the stressor's I'll have to deal with.
"We have to get it fucking back, every last penny and then some. If I don't, I'll be paying a hefty fucking fine for the guy who's waiting on it". He continues throwing a hand through his black hair. "When do I go?" I question he looks at his watch, "tomorrow morning at the latest". He mentions I sigh.
I fix my jacket and look forward. "I'll see you then".
The next morning, I woke up before the sun had reached its highest point. My eyes adjusting to the dimmer light, the clock reading only half past four. "Fuck" I say rubbing my eyes, I stood up heading towards the shower.
Hot water consuming my entire body forming goosebumps, my hand running through my wet hair. This morning consuming me in a darker embrace. "I'd expect you to be ready earlier Aleah". I jumped covering myself instantly. My eyes meeting Marco's, his eyes traveling down my scarred figure. An hourglass figure full of tattoos and scars, "sir now isn't the appropriate time to be in here I'll be out in a moment". I say Marco leans against the door frame.
"You wouldn't want me to join you? I think I need a shower too". He asks and I shake my head no, "I'll be fine alone thanks". I say still staring him down, "be out within the next few minutes". He angrily spoke leaving the bathroom. I uncover my body hearing the door slam. I huff out a heavy sigh before continuing my shower.
I looked in the mirror finally dressed, my hair soaked forming into curls. The black long sleeve I wore hugged my body tight as I adjust the hem of my jeans. I headed for the stairs, Marco and some others stood around speaking. Adrian's disgruntled state couldn't have come on a mission like this. Yet here he was standing with a toothpick secured in his mouth. "Are we ready?" I ask looking around everyone collectively nodding.
Marco rolls up his sleeves, his black hair pushed back. He wore a freshly ironed suit his hand extending towards me. "You are riding with me" I nod following behind. Four large SUV's parked out front, the tinted windows and expensive interior meant this was for a meeting. Marco sits in the backseat and I slide along side him.
My eyes focused on the grey sky, rain clouds slowly rolling in. Today wasn't going to be as easy. "You will accompany me to this meeting, you will be speaking as if you are the head of this house too". Marco informs as the car begins rolling off, I stare at my attire. "I'm not prepared to be speaking, I'm in the shittiest clothes I own". I spoke looking off into his green eyes.
His forehead wrinkles, reaching into the back of the car. He pulls out a bag, throwing it onto my lap. "Find something", I begin searching through. A duffle bag stuffed full of clothes, different styles of outfits. Who keeps something like this in their car? I'd settled for the black colored slacks and white button up. Marco taking off his jacket handing it to me. "You'll need this", I nod placing it over my shoulders.
"Who are we meeting?" I question he sighs looking at his watch. "It's a larger meeting, multiple heads will come together today". I nod fixing the jacket, the drive not longer than twenty minutes landed us in the middle of the city. Various tall buildings, some owned by the largest capo's around. We drove into the parking garage, seeing a dozen of black SUV's lined up. Men getting out and gathering, chatting before they head in.
This parking garage was familiar, one that I had been driven into many times. I swallowed the bile in my throat, exiting the car, men around following the noise of my heels clicking on the pavement. Marco standing along side me, Adrian and the others standing in the back. I fix my coat keeping my head held high.
A colder face greeting us, "It's very nice to see you here Mr. Esposito". The older gentleman greets he nods thanking him. "Nice to see you too Mr. Marino". The older man's face breaking with old age and stress. He looked almost ready to drop.
"Good morning! I'm here to escort you all upstairs to Mr. Russo". I tried to not let my posture or face fall listening to the smaller woman speak. We all begun heading up to the elevators in groups we started to speak. "You want me to speak to Alonzo", I continued staring forward. "I want you to prove a point to all of them". Marco adds, the familiar elevator dings and we are brought up to the top floor. Over eighty stories high stood Russo's law firm.
We round the corner and everyone begun greeting or sitting. "Marco, welcome in son glad you could join us". My father spoke looking at all of us. "Aleah, nice to see you again dear". My heart dropped and I'd wanted nothing more to puke right there. "Thank you sir", I spoke entering the all glass meeting room. A tv and whiteboard on one end the other covered with pictures of their entire family.
I was in that very picture, my wide toothy grin, the little red frilly dress I wore standing next to my brother. A happy family picture, for one that wasn't happy at all. The broken life surrounding it. "Janet we're missing one". My father speaks snapping me out of the trance I was in. Janet checks her tablet, "He's a bit late sir something came up with his family". My father sighing before sitting down.
The table lined with about seven men. The Marino's, The Esposito's, The Russo's, The Ivanov's and hell even more Esposito's. Diablo and Blaze Esposito sitting right next to Marco looking ahead. Diablo's long hair tied back in a bun his eyes fixated on Alonzo, Blaze looked more relaxed. Almost high off something, his eyes fixated on the family picture.
"We won't start the meeting until he's here". We waited and waited for what felt like hours. Some begun chatting again before the glass door opened. My heart wanting to stop, the familiar scent the strong lavender hitting my nose. Everyone's heads turned and a De Luca has now joined the table.
I wanted to take the first flight out of that large picture window. Cole De Luca stood his hand fixing his short black hair. His brown eyes looking at everyone, at his older age this felt horrible. I had talked to him the previous morning now I'm meeting him after disappearing. "Now we can start, everyone knows why we are here". He explains tapping on the table as Cole sits beside my father.
"We need trades and exporting to continue within these ports. But someone is selling all of our information. Frankly yes Mr. Esposito I did attack your shipment last night unknowingly." He admits to it off the bat and my eyes lock with my father. Alonzo's very demanding stare at me wanted me to at least break and bend at his will.
Those very piercing blue eyes I loathed more than anything. "Frankly, Mr. Russo those shipments wouldn't have unknowingly been attacked. The Esposito's have their names written in bold white letters on each container". I spoke up Marco looks at me, in shock. I knew I'd get in trouble for what I've done but I know my father. His lies and made up stories to make us to be the morons.
"Aleah, you are a subordinate for his enterprise. Why are you able to speak for him?" He asks, I smile daringly at my father. "The Esposito's like to make their women feel more comfortable and welcomed. I'm his right hand and I know his company better than anyone. Truthfully with all respect Mr. Russo, I think you've been fed information and decided to make an attack. Only after realizing it was Mr. Esposito's shipment, you continued."
The Esposito's didn't cater to women, but what would I know. I got my lying from my father. "Do you think its justified Aleah?" He asks I shook my head no. "You're a family man, you'd know what its like to have something taken from you, right?" I took the largest jab and I watched his figure tense.
"Well, I'm sorry Aleah was it. Mr. Russo does have a very well off family". Mr. Marino buts in, I look back at the picture tilting my head. "I don't think you're youngest is a boy, but that little girl right there. Who is she Mr. Russo?" I look back, my eyes fixated onto his blue ones. "My only daughter, she's none of your concern. This meeting isn't about family affairs". He changes the subject trying to go off into another escapade.
"It isn't but when you see bold letters stating who they belong to. Wouldn't you just try and cause a war? The Russo's can't afford to go to war because why else would they steal a 4 million shipment crate?" I adjust myself leaning forward on the desk. For the first time Cole made eye contact with me his eyes widened. "You have a lot of nerve speaking for them just as someone as who's a lower class than us". He spoke, I bowed my head hiding a small chuckle.
"I was professionally trained, I come from one of the wealthiest families. I've worked for almost every family. You just don't see it". I look back up giving him a condescending glare. "I think that's enough", Cole spoke looking at me. His eyes glaring daggers towards me.
"I'd like to make it known, that this is also about a current bounty". Marco finally looking up, "for the remainder of the four million I'll add, forty one million on top of that. In search for that girl in that picture". Alonzo points and my head turns to the family picture. Valentina's bright smile as she rests her hands on her husband's shoulders. My brother and I side by side his hand intertwined with mine.
"How long has she been missing?" Diablo chimes in, Alonzo locks eyes with all of us. "The last fourteen years, I've heard she's been snooping around back in New York". I continue to look forward I have a forty five million bounty on me. My heart slowly sinking.
"So if I get her I'll get my money plus the shit you owe me?" Marco asks, Alonzo nods.
Marco stares at me his eyes sharing a glimpse of greed and lust. "Then we will do whatever it takes to capture her".
Marco doesn't realize his forty five million dollar prize is right here.