Chapter 77: Chapter Seventy Seven

*Enzo*

*Enzo*

It took my father and uncle less than an hour to get to the farm. Not sure how they were able to get here so quickly when New York was hours away, but I had a sneaky suspicion that they were lying low a lot closer than they wanted us to believe. Ever since my father discovered we had Gabriela I was sure he had known where we were keeping her.

I’ll give him some credit that he hadn’t barged into Nonno’s home to take her himself when he knew this entire time. Which meant the threats he kept throwing at me were real. I had a high tolerance against my old man when it came to his business sense and personality, but at least he still held that respect for his own father. Regardless of how out of touch they became over the years.

But knowing he was here still made me feel highly on edge with Gabby so close by. We were on the property, standing by the fence that marked the line of his land. Right where Dom was taken, and where I found the bracelet. Nonno was ready to set off to follow them, but I had to make him understand that just the two of us couldn’t take them all on. We need my dad and the resources he could provide.

And did he provide it as car after car showed up lining down the beaten dirt road for about half a mile. Each vehicle held at least four to five men in them, and they all wore the traditional getup of what New York city thugs would look like. There was no hiding what their profession was.

Seeing all of them caused a bit of anxiety in me to flare. I never liked being a part of this crowd. I always wished my childhood had been anything different than the one my father and uncle was so hellbent on preserving since my great-great grandfather started the whole clan of the Giordano’s. While Domenico and Benny thrived in it, all I ever wanted was to get away from it.

Now I’m standing here doing exactly what I never wanted to do. But it was the only way to get my cousin back from Russo and his men. I just hoped it didn’t turn into a bloodbath.

Nonno and I stood there as we watched my father and Uncle Tone walk up to us. I watch as they look around the fields and the old house. A place they haven’t set one foot on in well over a decade. The tension was thick as we all faced each other, standing three feet from one another. At first none of us said anything as we just stared.

I couldn’t help but look behind them at all the men that were slowly walking the property, looking around trying to act tough in front of the workers. Workers who looked wary and confused of what was going on. But while they slowed and stared at us, they still continued to work.

I couldn’t help looking towards the upstairs window where I knew Gabby’s room was located. I could just barely see her watching us through her curtains even from this far away. Immediately the curtains fall back as she steps away. I was glad she did, I didn’t want my father or the others knowing where she was.

“Boys.” My grandfather states curtly with thin lips and a hard jaw.

“Father.” Uncle Tone states just as curtly while my own just stares at him with dead eyes.

I could never understand why he felt like Nonno was no longer a part of the family just because he wanted a way out, wanted a different life as he got older. But I guess Nonno did such a good job instilling those hateful beliefs into them as they were growing up that it was too late to undo what he had done.

I was just glad that he came to his senses when Dom and I were young enough to be converted away from this mess. A mess that only gets worse with each passing day.

“If you had just let me handle this from the beginning none of this would be happening now.” My father starts off looking right over to me, ignoring his old man altogether now.

I clench my jaw at his words. Saying anything to overlord me in any way possible when it came to my mistakes or dealings that went astray. He was trying to belittle me like he always does. But getting older only made me realize that he isn’t as scary as I always thought him to be when I was younger.

“If you handled it Dom and half of your men will most likely be dead.” I growled, not helping the fighting instinct in me he always had a knack in bringing out of me.

Sparks of fire flashed in his eyes, but I didn’t back down even though my entire body was screaming at me to do just that. If I was ever going to be my own man then I needed to start standing up to him and make him realize that I’m not a child anymore.

“Here’s what we’re all going to do.” He gritted, looking highly pissed off. “It’s clear Russo took the kid; he didn’t really leave it to the imagination on that. He expects us to blindly follow in to get him back. But we’re not going to do that.”

I stare at him. “You’re just going to allow them to do whatever the hell they want to Dom?”

“I’m not going to let him die. He’s my nephew after all. Anything before that is his own damn fault. Consider it repercussions of his idiotic actions of kidnapping the wrong girl.” He spats back.

“He thought it was Ivy!” I nearly yelled at him.

“That doesn’t make it right!” He roars back at me, a vein popping out on his forehead. “Regardless of whose bitch he stole, he threatened a war lord.”

My entire body tightens with anger, my breathing labored as my fists clench at my sides. I was getting really tired of him referring Gabriela in those terms. If I wasn’t careful I was going to snap, and we were going to be sitting even deeper in this boiling oil we created years ago between us.

He then gives me the glare. “You must think I’m really stupid, don’t you? You don’t think I don’t know that she’s waiting in that house right now? My men could go in there at any time to snatch her ass up without you ever knowing Enzo. You have feelings for her, I’m not blind to what I see. Your emotions aren’t as well hidden as you think them to be, son.”

“You touch one hair on that girl, and you’ll answer to me, son.” Nonno’s voice took a dark menacing turn. “You don’t come here on my property threatening someone I care about. You seem to forget who taught you the game. I may not be the leader I once was, but you bet your ass that the teachings never leave the teacher.” He growls, standing taller than I have ever seen him do since he went into hiding.

For the first time in my life I watch my father back down from someone. The slight fear in his eyes made it nearly impossible to believe if it hadn’t been for Uncle Tone and the men just behind them bowing their heads in automatic reactions from the old days. Seems they all never forgot either.

“Now you all listen to me. Here’s what we’re really going to do…”

And I was so fucking grateful that Nonno was on my side.