Chapter 17: CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MATTEO.

That feeling of dread.

The knowing that things are about to change drastically and there’s no way out of it except embracing that change even if it would cost your life.

That’s what I feel as I board the yacht with the boys. The crew members welcome us on board and lead us straight to cabin where we meet with the Columbians to talk business.

The smoke from their burning cigarette sticks fills the room as we walk in, naked girls walking around and taking whatever disgusting treatment those fuckers dish them. Strippers sliding up and down the strip poles and a good number of the men and women drugging themselves up to the point of unconsciousness.

What the fuck.

I clench my jaw and manage to remain as polite as I can be as I greet their Capo.

I hope this isn’t the reason I was invited out for this meeting; getting drugged up and cruising around the Mediterranean.

Irresponsible fuckers.

If I wasn’t so taken by my wife’s body, I’d be more than happy to have some fun with the women. But you see, my wife is not to be compared with these whores; it’d in fact be an insult to her if I compared her to these….. dirty things. She’s too perfect.

I look over at the boys and they’re all wearing their- this is time for serious business faces. Exactly why I love to attend business meetings with them; they’ve never and will never be swayed by any kind of fun until every business is successfully or unsuccessfully completed.

The unsuccessful times being the times when we go loco and make the world light up with our guns.

The adrenaline.

Thankfully, the boys loathe these fucking Columbians as much as I do.

“Come on Matteo, don’t be too serious. You should join the fun because that’s what today is about. Either that or you’d be directed to your various rooms and be in waiting until we’re ready to fully kick off the meeting.” The Capo-Arturo- declares through his breathy laugh and I scoff.

Disrespectful fucker.

“You’ll address me as Don, Arturo.” I state and all his men rise from their slumber. Fuckers, if I wanted to take him out, he’d be dead by now. “We’ll join the fun but make sure it ends as fast as it began and don’t fucking speak to me casually. Do you understand?” I seethe and he gives me a slight nod as his eyes express the hurt he feels from how thoroughly I ruffled up his ego.

I don’t mean to join the fun but I’d rather be in here and see for myself what truly is going on than be in a room while these fuckers plot my death.

I relax on the cushion and light my cigar as I wait.

The first twenty-four hours pass and they’re still having their fun.

I wait patiently but the foul play on display doesn’t go unnoticed. The strippers keep passing vials that contain a certain kind of substance to the high-ranking members of the Cartel and I’m curious to know what it contains.

I communicate the matter with the boys and they already know what the next line of action is. Steal the fucking drugs.

Thirty-six hours later and we finally commence the meeting. Arturo grabs the same vial and holds it up, “this is exactly why I called you here Don,” he starts his speech. “The substance in this vial. A very strong substance that can knock you completely out if administered wrongly. Its strength has never been seen or heard of.”

Interesting. “So?”

“Someone has been making and selling them to the Japanese. The said person suddenly moved to the Koreans and it has gained itself a great deal of reputation. Every fucker in this business wants to get their hands on it.”

“So? Arturo be clear with words ti prego.”

“The Russian Godfather was able to get his hands on the drug and ran a series of tests on it. He discovered that it contains,” Arturo bites his lips and my eyes widen in realization.

“It contains the seed?” I ask in desperation.

“Exactly!” Arturo beams.

My heart pounds so hard against my chest that I think it’s plotting to jump out.

My muscles tense.

No one is supposed to have access to The Seed. Everyone who did before was wiped out.

I’m definitely stealing every fucking vial; I have to run some tests and see for myself.

“The seed is supposed to be extinct. Who the fuck has access to it?” I demand answers and Arturo gulps down.

“That’s the thing Don, we don’t know who. It’s not even an individual. We believe it to be an organized crime group seeing how meticulous and well thought out their production and delivery falls through. But we do know one thing for sure, the business transactions are sometimes concluded by a female and sometimes a male.” He rushes his answer and I hum.

This issue is on a whole new level and I have to figure it out as soon as I can. But I have to pretend as though I don’t care about it, just for the moment.

I’m not giving these fuckers the benefit of the doubt.

“Arturo?” I call out his name in a whisper and he shifts in his seat. “Yes?” He answers through his trembling lips.

“Where do I come in?”

“The last transaction that was made was received in Sicily. The person or people is right under your nose and I need you to help me get my hands on them.” He states.

“And this request is coming from The Russian Godfather?” I question and Arturo hums, gaining a chuckle from me. “Well then, you go back to The Godfather and relay this message; “If you want me to become your hunting dog, you come down to Sicily and ask it of me. You’ll pay me respect as the Don of the Sicilian Mafia and soon-to-be Godfather of Italy; only then can we discuss any form of alliance.”

Arturo gulps harshly. I understand his unwillingness considering he could take a bullet between his eyes before he’s done relaying the message but I couldn't care less.

We go back and forth with other topics of discussion until we finally come to a conclusion.

***

Seventy hours have passed without me laying my eyes on my wife and it’s mentally strenuous to say the least. Fortunately for me, I’d be home in less than twenty minutes and I’ll make sure to make out all the time in the world to spend with her.

Our new chapter is about to begin in just a short while.

“We’re entering the gates in fifteen.” Alessio declares and the corners of my lips curve up. The thought of seeing Mirabella and probably making her cum clouds my mind and my cock twitch.

The taste of her, the way her body reacts to my touch, her beautiful pussy, her purity, her voice, her fucking eyes. It’s all imprinted in my head.

Fuck.

I thrust my hips into the air and adjust my pants.

“You seem excited,” Maxwell chuckles. “Are you starting to enjoy being married to her?”

I chuckle and feel my cheeks burning hot like a fucking teenager. “I’m getting a hang of it,” I murmur and slightly nod my head.

Pablo chuckles.

Maxwell scoffs.

Dean gasps his surprise.

I heave out a sigh.

Alessio grumbles. “You hate her father,” he seethes.

“I do.” I affirm.

“She’s a liar,” he states an obvious fact and I nod. “She is but I believe she’s ready to tal—”

Everything happens in a blur and before I can decipher why there’s a loud thud, or why there’s a screeching sound or why I and the boys are screaming at Pablo not to step on the brakes, my car is already crashed into a pole. I choke aggressively and gasp for air as do the boys.

“What the fuck happened Pablo?” I breathe out as I continue gasping. “A car crashed into us,” he answers.

Fuck.

I’m quick to grab my phone and call the main house, passing them a stern instruction to make sure my wife’s safety is their utmost priority.

We’re surrounded by men in black in a split second, a few loud bangs on the car is all I hear before one of the men starts speaking. “Walk out of the car with your hands right where we can see them. Don’t try and act smart or you’ll be faced with the consequences. Don.”

The way snickers when ‘Don’ rolls out of his tongue.

Do I sense mockery in his tone?

Bloody fuckers.

The Columbians.

I and the boys slowly get out of the car with our hands above our heads and the anger I feel has no comparison. These little boys stepping all over me in this manner. Fuck them all.

“Were we such bad hosts that you had to steal from us and disrespect our boss? Don?” One of the men asks and the rest snicker when he says ‘Don’.

I chuckle and the man steps forward. “How much I hate this fucker!” He growls as his palm connects the side of my face full force.

I chuckle again.

My pride screams at me in my head.

Those intrusive thoughts creep in and yell at me to pull out my gun and do what I know how to do best. It’s a challenge I’m willing to take on.

“Don’t do it Matteo,” Pablo warns and I smirk as I subtly lower one of my arms, immediately grabbing my gun and taking down two of the men. Chaos. The boys take advantage of the distraction and pull their guns and begin lighting those fuckers up.

Shit.

I stumble back and my hands instantly clutch my abdomen. I feel the force of my blood as it gushes out and I groan. I go to alert the boys that I’ve been shot but I choke on my blood and everything immediately becomes a blur.

I crash to the ground with a loud thud. The ringing in my ears blocks out every sound but I can hear my name being called; faintly. Nothing and everything is happening all at once, making me feel as though I’m being submerged underwater and waiting for someone to pull me out.

I have no thoughts of my own at the moment.

Except for one. My fucking wife. Fuck Mirabella has done a number on me.

“Where's my wife?” I grunt and cough out more blood. “Where the fuck is Mirabella? Why isn’t she here?” I mutter as I gasp for air. Dean is kneeling by my corner, firmly pressing a material on my gunshot wound in his attempt to curtail the bleeding.

“Your wife is at home,” Pablo whispers as he lifts me off the ground and places me in the backseat of a car. “Those fuckers fucked me up,” I chuckle and groan in frustration.

The pain.

“They did. We’ll pay them a visit as soon as you’re safe.” Pablo affirms. Good.

I keep screaming and asking for Mirabella as though her name is the only one I can remember. How sick. The boys carry me into the mansion on a stretcher, straight up heading to the medical room.

You’d think it’s a mini hospital in here the first time you walk seeing how fully equipped it is but those are just normal precautions to take when you’re entangled with the drug business. You never know when an attack is launched.

Plus, my father is a doctor, hence his obsession with medical equipment I’ve lost a lot of blood and am still losing more, the bullet hit a very delicate part of me and the boys are unable to help me in any way. My father on the other hand is away on business.

My bones and body weaken and I barely stay conscious. I know I’m about to go, about to take my last breath but I suddenly develop a need to fight for my life when I hear her voice; smell her even.

Is she in here? “Where is he? Let me see him!” I hear her voice and it all feels like a dream but it’s not because she runs into the medical room and freezes in place when her eyes connect with mine which are on the verge of closing shut.

“Dio mio,” she mouths and I scoff with my last strength.

“There she is…my wife. I’ve been asking for you.” That’s the last thing I say before it all goes black.