Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy Five
*Domenico*
Three hours earlier
Trying to keep his mind off the things that have been bothering him, namely the girl who left without another word to anyone, he figured the best way was to go out working in the fields. It was honest work and physical activity was exactly what he needed.
So, after breakfast, he got dressed in an old pair of jeans and a beaten-up white shirt. He grabbed his dusty boots and gloves that he hadn’t worn in what felt like forever and yelled out to his grandfather that he was joining the hands for a couple of hours.
He needed the space and the time to be alone for a little while.
As he mended the soil that needed attention and checking the vines with their progress he didn’t feel any lighter about the entire situation. The bottom line is he was played by a woman who never loved him from the beginning. Used as a pawn to get to what she really wanted.
Enzo.
It wasn’t like this was the first time it’s happened. Maybe not to this extent, but there had been times where a girl tried to use him just to get to his cousin. But he didn’t blame Enzo for that. The guy couldn’t help the type of aura he gave off, it was just who he was. But he was tired of always being second choice.
As the sun rose higher, the heat became more intense. As it beats down on his back sweat dripped on his skin and he was starting to feel sticky and gross. He used to do this kind of labor all the time when he was younger. But as he became an adult the high life and society started to change him. It felt nice not needing to impress anyone while on his grandfather’s farm.
He was so focused to what he was doing that he didn’t even hear the footsteps walking behind him until a dark shadow fell over his body as he kneeled on his knees removing foliage from around the roots of the plants.
Frowning he looks over his shoulder just to tense up when he sees a beefy man standing there staring down at him. Instantly he knew who he was and why he was there. Turning back around he sighs heavily followed by a humorless chuckle.
“How did you manage to know where I was hiding?”
“Lucky guess.” He taunts.
Dom grunts knowing exactly how the man found him. He knew it was coming, he just didn’t think it would have been the very next day. Ivy must have tipped them off as soon as he left the room last night. There was no way they would have gotten here that quickly if she had told them when she got back to New York.
“So, what now? If you don’t mind I would rather it not be done here. At least allow me the decency to be away from my family.” He states as he slowly stands up to face him.
The man held his hand securely in his jacket telling him he was holding onto a piece hidden there. He was wearing casual clothing, something he didn’t expect the men of Russo to be wearing. Apparently he wanted to be in disguise amongst the locals. It was probably how he was able to walk on the Giordano property.
He chuckles making him a little more annoyed than he already was. With a pounding heart and fear slowly starting to creep up he racks his mind on how he can get himself out of this situation before the man took his life.
But the man’s words shock him as he says, “That won’t be necessary. The boss wants you alive to have a nice little chat with you before you meet your pathetic end. Now come with me quietly and no one here will get hurt.”
Swallowing hard he quickly looks around to see that no one was paying attention.
“I would think wisely on that.” The big guy’s tone darkens as he slightly pulls out his gun to show that he wasn’t playing around.
Dom nods, throwing his gloves on the ground. “Lead the way.”
Together they start walking towards the warehouse and around to the back. He doesn’t dare look back in case the man goes back on his word. He couldn’t trust him, couldn’t trust the Russo name. So they walked as if they had known each other all their lives. Once they were out of site, he pulls the gun completely out and pushes it against his back.
“So far so good. Now walk in that direction.” He nods his head towards the woods that was beyond the wooden fence that he and Enzo helped Nonno build when they were younger.
He does what he’s told, rubbing the metal bracelet that had belonged to his deceased father. The year his parents died he felt lost and alone. His entire world had crashed around him, and he didn’t know what to do or who to turn too. He had been ponded off on his uncles back and forth, but never feeling like he belonged anywhere. Enzo was the only person who ever truly showed he actually gave a shit about him.
It was on his fourteenth birthday that he presented him his dad’s bracelet. He remembered his father always wearing it, never taking it off. His name was engrained on it with a saying, “My love is with you always” in Italian that had been a gift from his mother on their first anniversary.
“My father had it stashed in his jewelry box at home. He shouldn’t have it. It should be yours.” Enzo had told him as he handed the one thing his father treasured most aside his family.
He didn’t know what had happened to it, but it was in that moment that he knew that he could always count on Enzo for anything. And no matter how much shit he put him through, the dumb shenanigans he forced him to acknowledge he never turned his back on him.
Since that day he never took it off. It was like having a piece of both his mom and his dad with him by wearing it. Now, however, he unclasped the link and let it fall without making much a commotion on the ground. Anxiety fills him knowing that he just let go of his most important possession, but it was the only way he knew to alert Enzo and his grandfather.
Because they both knew he would never be without it unless he was in danger. And he was in a whole lot of danger. He just didn’t know how he was able to get himself out of it this time. His stupidity really won against him this time, and he had no one to blame but himself.
He just hoped that Enzo wasn’t too late because he knew his cousin was going to try anything to get him back, no matter what. Because that’s just the type of person he was.