CHAPTER 69: Blackmail
CHAPTER 69: Blackmail
CHAPTER 69
LUCAS
“What?!” Riccardo yelled, glaring at me. “What has come over you, Lucas? Are you out of your fucking mind?”
I said nothing to him as I walked out of the study, heading to the armoury while he followed behind, slamming the door behind him.
“Hey, Lucas, you can't do that!” Riccardo said, his voice rising in frustration.
“I can't do what?” I snapped, turning suddenly to glare at him. “I can't do what, I ask you? You expect me to sit back while I watch things go wrong? And you're here telling me I can't do that? I'm going to do just that, Riccardo. Watch me.”
“You need to properly think of your actions before you embark on them, Lucas. Take a moment to critically assess what you're about to walk into, which is obviously a trap,” Riccardo said and I hissed, turning away from him.
“Your problem is that you never listen to anyone whenever you're upset and then you let it take the better part of you,” Riccardo said, following me still. “Have you thought about the fact you might just be walking directly into a trap if Sofia is truly in the hands of Codice Oscuro? They sure are expecting you to charge at them, and that'd be you just proving them right.”
“Exactly my aim,” I said, walking on towards the armoury. “I'm going there to prove them right, and I'll keep proving everyone right if that's what it takes to get Sofia back.”
“Lucas, listen to me, for God's sake!!” Riccardo yelled as I stormed into the armoury, his voice reverberating around the room.
I said nothing to him as I walked to the shelf, grabbing two compact pistols and strapping them tightly under my shirt. I picked a pocket knife from the table and tossed it into my pocket. I turned around on my heels, heading for the door.
I walked briskly down the stairs into the living room and Riccardo rushed past me and stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“Get the hell out of my way, Riccardo,” I said, my voice darkening in anger.
“There’s no way in hell I’ll watch you walk to your death blindly, Lucas,” Riccardo said, standing still and returning my gaze.
“I’m the blind one, yeah?” I asked, giving him a deadly look. “Okay, wise one. Tell me what you see, since you’re not blind. Where the hell is Sofia?”
“I’m not saying you’re wrong, and at the same time I can’t say you’re right,” Riccardo said, shaking his head in frustration. “All I’m saying is you can’t just go out there and let your anger blind you to a mistake you could have easily avoided. Even if Sofia is in the hands of Codice Oscuro and other members of Unit 13 at Il Palazzo di Ombra, you’ve got to make a proper attack plan, not storming there like you’re on your way to hold your debtor to ransom.”
“Get out of my way, Riccardo, for the very last time,” I said, my anger brewing up inside me. “I wouldn’t want to push you.”
“I’d rather you push me, Lucas,” Riccardo replied sharply. “But I won’t let you do what you’re about to do right now. That’s a very silly mistake, and I’m just shocked that you can’t even see beyond your nose and understand what I’m trying to tell you.”
A knock came on the door, and a guard opened it gently. “You have a visitor, sir,” he said as Riccardo and I turned sharply towards the door.
“Tell whoever it is to go to hell for all I care!” I yelled angrily but was cut short as the door flew open and Isadora walked in, her dress clinging tightly to her body like a second skin, revealing her curves and her heels clicking on the marble floor with confidence.
She walked towards me, ignoring Riccardo and smiling at me.
“Oh, Lucas,” she said softly, flipping a strand of hair around her finger. “I’ve missed you terribly, baby.”
I became enraged and I turned sharply to the guard, pointing my gun at him. “Why did you let this bitch into this premises? Who let her in through the gate?”
Riccardo promptly stepped in, snatching the gun from me. “Stop this, Lucas. You’ve been raving mad since your wife went missing and it’s high time you take a chill pill before you make an irreversible mistake.”
“Wait… what?” Isadora said, feigning surprise and clasping a hand over her mouth. “Sofia’s missing? I didn’t know that, really.”
She walked up to me, closing the gap between us and cupped my face with her hands, reaching to kiss me. I felt irritated and shoved her aside with a hand in one swift movement, hard enough to send her crashing to the ground.
“You think I have time for all of this?” I barked, rolling my eyes at her. “Pick yourself up and get the hell out of my house right now.”
I turned away from her, making to walk away but paused as she burst into an evil laughter. I stopped dead in my tracks, turning to look at her. She rose slowly from the ground, still smiling at me.
“Lucas, you don’t have to be so rough all the time, you know,” she said, winking at me. “Anyways, my father would like to see you. And you know that when Don Marcello summons you, you had better answer.”
I froze, cold shivers going down my spine as I heard the name of Don Marcello. I looked at her stiffly, my face plain. “What business do I have with your father? And why does he want to see me?”
Isadora said nothing as she kept laughing, turning around and flipping her long hair behind her shoulders and she walked towards the door.
I exchanged glances with Riccardo as she stopped at the door to take one last look at me before she opened the door and walked out, her laughter echoing loudly around the living room.