Chapter 45—Salvatore

Motherfucking bastard.

We fell straight into the trap and now we’re heading into the unknown, drafted into the game of jeopardy.

Vincent and I are heading out on a small motorboat toward Marc Fontaine’s yacht. He allowed two of us to meet with him. No weapons.

His yacht is called The Maiden and it’s ahead of us in the middle of Lake Michigan. Once again we’re not far from our offices at Giordanos Inc., but we’re out of range so that we can’t get up to our usual tricks with our back up crew of snipers. It didn’t stop us from trying to set something up, but we both know we’re basically on our own.

On our own and at the mercy of Marc Fontaine.

In his hands so we know he owns us.

That he surely does.

Within the space of one hour we not only arranged to make a deal with the devil to get Mimi back, but we learned that Gabe was shot.

Gabe was shot and is in hospital.

And… Mimi’s father is dead.

Pa went home to get the files and that’s what greeted him.

That is the seriousness of the situation that we’re facing.

I don’t know if Gabe will make it or if I’ll get Mimi back alive. I could lose them both.

Vincent and I will go in balls to the wall for the chance to save Mimi but we both know we could be heading to our deaths, and…they might have… already done something to her.

I dare not think the worse. I can’t.

Neither of us knows who will be on the boat, or what will happen.

Just that we’re supposed to meet at midday.

It’s nearly that now.

The demand left us with little time to do anything. Although I’m sure that was the intention. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to give us the luxury of time to go planning against them.

Neither Vincent nor I have said anything since we stepped on the boat. He’s been steering it and I’ve been standing next to him deep in contemplation. Neither of us is saying anything about anything, and definitely not about Gabe. We both know hope is a rare thing in our world.

The rage inside me makes me want to unleash fury on all.

I’m sorry I didn’t get to kill Joey Cipriani myself. I’m not real interested in finding out how he died, I just wish I could have done it.

Truth is truth and when it comes out pain is the only thing you can feel and truth is as potent as poison.

He did this.

All of it.

The only saving grace about it is, it would kill me to take another parent away from Mimi. That is the only thing I would have been cut up about.

When I think back to how that prick told me to do the right thing and choose what was best for Mimi because I represented danger, I could breathe fire from hell.

That evil bastard was just saying that to me because he knew war was coming for us and he knew he was one of the harbingers of death. He didn’t want her caught up in it. He was trying to fucking steer her away from us because he wanted us all dead.

Why?

I don’t fucking know. Money and power. That’s what it always comes down to- money and power. God knows how much the Fontaines must have paid him.

“What are we going to do Vincent?” I ask, piercing the silent tension that’s formed between us. It’s the first time I’ve ever sounded so uncertain.

He looks to me and shakes his head. “We won’t know what to do until we get there.”

I nod and look ahead to the waters.

I just wish we had more. Other than the communicators concealed behind our ears to talk with Pa and the surveillance team, we have nothing.

I glance at my watch. It’s five to twelve.

This is going to go down in five minutes.

I hold my breath as the tension rises and ride out the time like we ride the waves.

As soon as we approach, five men with guns appear at the main deck to welcome us.

Fuck am I ever tense. Just those fucking five outnumber us.

“It’s time,” Vincent says under his breath.

“Steady boys,” Pa’s voice sounds in our earpieces. “We’re working on things our end. Be calm and do what you can,” he adds.

There’s a slight reassurance that he can talk to us.

Working on things could mean anything, we’ll just have to see. Pa has connections and Claudius is helping. I don’t know if they’ll come up with anything or what they’ll come up with but I sure as fuck hope that they do.

We dock the boat. Vincent grabs the files and we climb aboard The Maiden.

Two bulky men step forward. They’re the usual Fontaine meatheads. The tallest blond guy has a mean looking machine gun that would serve me well if I can get my hands on it.

“Spread em,” he orders and we stretch out our arms so they can search us. Vincent only holds out one arm, the other holds on to the case with the files.

When the guy motions for him to move his arm Vincent doesn’t, he simply stares him down.

“Move your fucking arm,” the guy shouts at Vincent.

“I’d love to see you fucking make me,” Vincent shouts back. “I’d like it more if you seriously tried. I’d rip your skin off your face, shred it bit by bit and mess you up. Prep you for your place next to me in hell.” The cool edge Vincent speaks with sends a chill down me.

He’s changed.

He has. He’s had to. He’s become ruthless and heartless, and right now as he stares this guy down he’s serious as fuck. The guard must realize that too and doesn’t push him.

I steal my spine when the door at the end of the dock opens.

Marc comes out and Mimi is with him.

She has her hands tied behind her and her face is black and blue. They messed her up. It’s enough to make me kill him now, but what deters me is the little bomb vest strapped to her chest.

He has a fucking bomb on my girl.