Chapter 66: A Body In Palermo

Chapter 66: A Body In Palermo
Dante
Isla had not spoken to me. again. Just when I thought we had moved past the tough phase we kept rolling back into the mud because the circumstances had called for it. It was a shame on my part that I could do just one thing right. Protect her from external harm, let her know how much I wanted to keep her safe. I knew it was going to take time to pull all form trust between us but everything kept replaying in my head. The gunshots, Cesare calling and I who had procure the habits of staying close by in the pretense of having a meeting close by. She was home for now, but I had a feeling she was going to bounce out of the house in no time.

In the mean time I was livid, angry. I watched Padrino's eyes move from his simmering gin to me. "Being angry at me like that isn't going to please your case." He sounded unbothered.

"She needs to leave my house. Don't underestimate my ability to send her out of my house." My eyes squinted as I gritted my teeth. We almost hit a bump on the road, as my vision were blazing hot. I tightened my fist around my stirring, as I flew through the roads and several cars. Padrino poured in another drink in the glass. A bad habit of his, he had always had a drink and glasses in the car. That's because he didn't know what he was going to face and if he was going down, he needs alcohol to keep the anger at bay.

"And where would she go? My house?"
"Actually, yeah. You are the one fighting for this marriage, you should at least live with who you are out to pin on your grandson."
"Let's talk about something different. What did you say was the issue?"
"Well, the gangs under Bellini have been missing for days. He asked for us to pull some strings for him. In return he gives me his vote."
Padrino rubbed his chin, trying to scratch off the confusion lined on his face. "I still don't see how you need me. Romano and I are trying to find ways to clear my name, see if we can bring in few allies we can trust." I ignored him. He was always bringing people into the fold and not trusting them. That was the least of my issues as I sighed stoping at the parking lot of the war house.

They have a tight security and he would only listen to you. Also he said it is somehow connected with me." I sighed as I continued. "You and I know if trouble is connected to me, then it has some..."

"Rafael. That asshole is going to ruin everything we've built." We stared ahead at the security team , holding on to their weapons. We are still in the car. "If we knew what he wanted..."

"He wants the book. The record of our family's betrayal."
"ll Libro Di Sangue." Padrino had tighten his fist. "I thought I was never going to hear about that book ever again. I gave it to your father, he told me he destroyed it. So why is he looking for what it's destroyed" I kept my expression stern. "Except the book is still with you."

"I thought it was. I buried it long ago, I wanted no memory of it. Someone took it from where it was."

"You think he did." his eyes darkened, panic rose quickly to his eyes, situating a storm inside him.
"Nah, if he did. We would be losing a lot by now." I paused. "But I think I have an idea where it might be."

"If he gets his hands on that, he would be able to manipulate everything. Our connections and all of our wealth. We would cease to be the most powerful and fearful family in Cosa Nostra." Padrino was already losing his grip on his emotions. The next move of his was to punch the glass until each shards draws blood.

"Well, you trusted the book to the wrong person in the first place. My father was only looking to have direct contacts in Cosa nostra. He was a gold digging bastard. Too bad Rafael looks and acts like him." I spat. There was a part of me, I wash Rafael had knew. The brutal side of me.

He had preyed on the blood ties between us for too long, but it was only going to end one way.
"See to it that he doesn't. We don't need these trouble after you take your seat in the Parliament." We both got down, walking towards the security guarding the tall gate of the warehouse. As soon as they saw padrino, they opened the gate. Led us to the warehouse where Bellini was waiting for us.

He was dressed in a red patterned sleeve and black pants. His hands filled with blood as he cleaned it, with a piece of cloth. His eyes met ours, he smirked. Pulling Padrino into a fake gesture. Bellini Is said to be a clever man who was careful about who he trusts. He tested for loyalty more than he trusts his next breath. The smile wiped off his face in an instant.

"I think you know why you are here." His clear accent hindered his speech.
"I know why you called..."
"Is that why you brought your grandfather so he would pacify my anger. You are meant to be a made man."
"I am. Padrino had told me you are ruthlessly pragmatic, using diplomacy only as a disguise but you listen, negotiate, and flatter when it serves you. You promised me a vote if I connect the dots."

"Yes. But..."
"You shouldn't have said that. Because I will collect your vote if it suits you or not." Every word of his was an ultimate tool used to reach an efficient or permanent outcome.

Something I was yet to discover.
We entered into one of the locked rooms, it reeked like a dump for dead bodies. The bruised culprit lowered his head as Bellini spoke.

"We found him at the place where Antonio body was found. Two of my men are still missing. If they missing, it means they are going to end up dead because they know breaking their loyalty for me is death anyways."

"Who is this?"

"He said he has to connections with you and claims to know your brother." I sighed. I had hoped I was wrong. I wanted to be wrong. The culprit raised his head, eyes almost closed up for good. Thin streams of blood flowed out of his mouth. That was enough grotesque to know who he was.

"Marco."