Ben had panicked when I told him Emanuele knew the truth and had come to kill me, but didn't. He immediately grabbed my bag that I had packed earlier, locked the door of the house behind me and forced me in his SUV, much to my protests. He had looked at me like I was crazy when I refused to leave my house, even after knowing that I was now number one on the mafia's hit list. Maybe I was crazy sitting on my ass all day and waiting for someone to come and finish the job Emanuele didn't.
I still don't know why he didn't kill me though. From all that I know about them, their family comes above everything for them and they never take lying and betraying easily, it is only punishable by death in their books. By assassination. I really thought he would carry out his order and shoot me but he spared my life even when I was ready to die. I don't know what to make of the second chance I have been given to at life. I would rather die than live in fear of them for the rest of my life.
But what about Emanuele? He didn't carry out his order, didn't kill me, so won't he be subjected to some kind of harsh punishment for not obeying his boss? Isn't it a crime on its own? He could even die, so why did he risk his life to save mine? It couldn't be because he had feelings for me, could it?
Ben dropped me off at some cheap motel just a few hours away from the city. He gave me some money and asked me to stay low for a while, until he arranges my escape from the state with a new identity. He even made a call at my work to tell them I would be resigning soon. I was angry at that but Ben's exact words were, "Things aren't normal anymore Jade, it could be too risky. You can't go back to your old life." Apparently I had no other choice but to listen to him. I can't go back to work and my house because those are the first places they will look for me. My life as Jade Reyes really was over!
What Ben doesn't understand is that I can never escape from the mafia. They are everywhere, ruling everywhere. Even if it isn't Raimondo and his family, there are other families who will be willing to shoot me the instant they spot me. I will never be safe again! And what about my poor brother? I still don't know if he is really dead so how can I leave him in this hell of a city while I run for my life?
As I sat on the bed blankly staring at a wall, images of the night Emanuele came to kill me filled my mind and I winced. It was frightening; he was frightening. Entirely different from the person I came to know him to be. I have seen his dark side, his urge to kill, his capacity to hate but it was directed at me this time and I have never felt more afraid. But more than afraid, I was guilty.
There was a knock on my door and I hesitated, straightening up on the bed. "Jade, it's me." Ben whispered from the other side and I relaxed. Ever since he brought me here four days ago, I have been on edge. Even though I wanted to die when Emanuele pointed the gun to my head, I don't want that situation to repeat itself. The decision of dying was instant, and the death at Emanuele's hands would have been instant. I would take instant and sudden death any day other than anticipating it like I was doing right now.
I opened the door and Ben entered after glancing around, making sure no one was looking. He was in stress; I could see it in his eyes, his shaky hands and his panting. He had a bag in his hand and some documents. I frowned at this.
"You didn't leave the room, did you?" his voice was grave.
"No Ben, I have been stuck here for the last four days!" I rolled my eyes.
He gritted his teeth. "Jade this is a serious matter. How can you take it so lightly? Death isn't a thing to be taken lightly, especially when you know it is coming for you."
I sobered up.
"I am risking everything to protect your ass here Jade, by keeping you out of their radar. I am risking my own life here because you were too stupid to uselessly throw away yours by involving yourself in this mess. I will appreciate it if you show me some gratefulness instead of acting like a brat." He spat.
My eyes filled with tears. "I am sorry Ben!"
His face softened. "I am just worried about you kiddo. They are not easy people to dodge or fool. They captured your brother even though he is a detective and you don't even have the skill to protect yourself with. Samuel will never forgive me for putting his children in danger." His eyes moistened.
I gave him a hug; he returned it and then composed himself. "I brought some food for you." He handed me the bag. "And also these are documents for your new identification." He handed me a brown envelope. "There is your new id card and passport in there."
I stared at the ID card. "Alice Brewer." I raised my eyebrows. "How did you even manage to do this?" I was surprised that Ben would go as far as breaking the law like this just to save me.
Ben just shrugged. "I have encountered a lot of guys in my career who do this kind of stuff. I requested them to make me one of these in exchange for keeping their work a secret." Oh Ben! I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him. "Once you escape you might have to change your appearance. Dye your hair or something..." he trailed off when he saw the look of annoyance on my face at that.
"And how am I going to escape?"
"I am going to pick you up and drop you off at the airport in two days."
I crossed my arms. "You make it sound so easy Ben. And what makes you think that their men will not be standing guard at the airport? That is one of the places they will thoroughly search because they are expecting me to run."
He raised his hand in front of me reassuringly. "I have a plan Jade!"
"What is it?" I huffed.
"You don't really have to know. Just be ready in two days, alright?"
I nodded my head reluctantly. "But what about Charlie?"
"When we rescue him, I will make arrangements for him as well."
Ben's words were comforting. They spoke of optimism and that was what I needed right now instead of this feeling of hopelessness nagging at me. He didn't bring up the possibility of my brother being dead; instead he reassured me that we will see each other soon. I was glad for that.
******
Two days later as instructed, I was ready. I had changed into jeans and a gray hoodie as to cover my head, lowering the chance of being spotted and getting caught. The attire will probably look inconspicuous. Ben told me his car will be here at seven in the morning and I still had half an hour to go. I was sitting on the bed, tying the laces of my sneakers when I heard a loud bang. I immediately became rigid as I recognized that sound to be of a gunshot.
Oh god! They have found me.
I instantly got up and rushed to the window of my room as the gunshots neared. Opening the window, I was about to climb out to escape when the door was ripped open. I froze and my face paled as I turned around and saw Saverio with the other men, who usually used to guard my house and me, were now pointing their guns at me.
"Buon giorno signora Jade!" Saverio smiled at me, but I could see the distaste in his eyes at my sight.
This is it. I was going to die.
"How did you...find me?" Perspiration gathered on my forehead and my throat constricted.
"You really didn't think capo Bertolino was going to let you off the hook so easily, did you?" he sneered.
I gulped.
"He always knew where you were, he was just waiting for the right moment to strike."
I was confused. Wasn't the day he came to my house and pulled a gun on me the right moment? Maybe Emanuele was unable to do the deed so he sent his most trusted men to finish what he left incomplete. But why wait for six fucking days? Why not send them to kill me the day Ben left me at this motel if he knew all along where I was? And why was I thinking about this stuff when I was going to die anyway whether at his hands or his men's?
"So...are you going to do it?" I tried to keep my voice from wavering but it still shook.
"We will." They all lowered their guns simultaneously. "But now we have another use for you. You need to come with us."
"Why?"
"Capo will explain to you. For now he has ordered us to bring you to him."
"And...what if I don't come?"
"Then we will have to force you, even if we have to kill people here to make you cooperate." He crossed his arms at his chest and looked at me expectantly.
I inhaled deeply, pondering on my unexpected circumstances. If I go with them then there was no telling in what they will do to me and if I try to run then I will get hurt along with the people at this motel. I was a loser from both ends.
I nodded my head, making my decision. "I will come with you."
Saverio gave me a small satisfied smile and gestured for me to follow. I slowly and carefully made my way towards them and they all surrounded me. Two in front of me leading the way and two behind me making sure I had no escape. I was intimidated by their huge, bulky muscular bodies and vacant faces. Not only me but other people that saw us passing by were too. There was fear in their eyes and their mouths were open as they watched me squished between these scary men like a sandwich. The ones who had abandoned their rooms after hearing the gunshot noises staggered back and out of our way as we walked towards the exit. Even the receptionist and the staff ran off as if their asses were on fire.
The wind hit me hard as we walked out of the motel. There were gray clouds in the sky hinting towards a heavy rainfall. Saverio opened the back door of the car for me and I got in without protest, what was the use of it anyway? In the middle of our way, the sky ripped open and rain began to pound. On any alternate situation I would have enjoyed the weather but seeing as I was taken on my way to be executed, I couldn't.
The car stopped at the mansion and my heart instantly clenched with terror. My idea of a perfect execution was an easy one. The one where I wouldn't have to suffer much and will be given an instant death, but now seeing as they brought me to their headquarters and there was an underground room inside solely used for the purpose of torture, I was filled with dread. Were they going to torture me to death?
The back door of the car was opened and I was dragged inside. I was trembling by the time we reached the billiard room -trembling due to the fact that every man present in and outside the mansion had hostility on their faces and it will not take a genius to guess that it was directed at me. I was pulled into the billiard room by Saverio who had my elbow in a vice grip.
"Capo." Saverio called out to grab Emanuele's attention, who was busy leaning against the billiard table with a cue stick in his hand, not really playing but waiting for our arrival. His stance was casual just like his expression. He was in a dark suit with a cruel smile on his face and a wicked shine in his eyes. It felt like he was the devil and I was in his territorial hell, waiting for the most brutal punishment he has in store for me.
"Ciao Tesoro!" he mocked.
I flinched.
He turned to the man beside me. "Grazie Saverio, I know I could trust you to bring her here unharmed."
Saverio nodded his head and after giving me a last glare and squeezing my elbow to the point of breaking, left the room through the glass door. The only people present in the room now were Emanuele, Dario, me and one other soldier whose name was unknown to me.
I lowered my head as I felt Emanuele's burning gaze. I resisted the urge to back away when he made his way towards me after throwing away the cue stick. He stood in front of me, observing me. I didn't- couldn't meet his eyes.
"Do you know how much trouble you have caused us?" he growled a few inches away from my face. "No one in this mansion wants you alive Jade. They personally want to torture and slay you."
He took another step towards me and this time I couldn't control by bodily instinct of detecting a threat and took a few steps back. His eyes darkened even more when he saw my response. He continued this until I jumped when I felt the wall against my back. He trapped me with his hands on either side of my head, his face a breath away from mine. I felt fear; it was the most rational emotion I should feel at this moment. But I couldn't help my body from becoming alive at his closeness, the shivers that ran and the goose bumps that erupted on my skin. My breathing hitched and all those things I shouldn't feel for him anymore, clouded my mind.
"Harmless." He scoffed. "You are more poisonous than cyanide, Jade."
I averted my eyes from his face. "You are going to...kill me now?"
"If I wanted to kill you I would have done that the night when I was supposed to kill you or even when I got the phone call on that day confirming your betrayal to me, which I wanted to, might I add. Pretty badly!" he spat.
"Why didn't you?" I asked in a small voice.
He was stumped for a few seconds. "I would do that now Jade but I have a need for you." He deflected my question.
"What?" I stared at him perplexed.
"Raimondo has been arrested." He informed stiffly.
I gasped.
"He was arrested by none other than Benjamin fucking Lane."
My eyes widened even more. Shit Ben! Was this his plan to get me out of the state? Did he try to distract Emanuele and the rest? So their thoughts would be filled with their boss, trying to find ways to get him free and I would be far from their minds and easily slip out from right under their noses?
But it clearly backfired as I am in their clutches again.
"And what use you have of me?"
He smirked. "Oh Jade, you are a way to convince the lieutenant to free Raimondo. He wouldn't want to see you dead so he will free him and once he is out of prison and back with our family, you will meet your obvious fate."
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