The goons with him laugh like it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. I walk over to them, Giancarlo is still screaming for me and reaching out to me. Yakov slaps his hands which makes my blood boil. I reach out and he lets me take him. Giancarlo wraps his arms around my neck and holds tight as he’s sobbing.
“It’s going to be okay, mijo. I’ve got you.”
“Mamà.” He sobs as he clings tighter.
Before they shove me in the car, I see Diego and Georgíos watching while they’re on their phone. I wasn’t lying when I said I trusted them to find us. Our family would never abandon either of us.
Gianluca
Just as we’re taking off, my phone chimes. But my service cuts off before I can answer it. It looked like it was my papà. I’ll have to call him back once we’re in the air. I’m a little worried about why he was calling. They never call me when I’m on a flight. This plane needs to get up in the air now.
I don’t know why things always seem to take longer when you’re anxious. But I definitely don’t like it. Finally the Captain tells us we can use our phones and I whip mine out and call my papà.
“What’s wrong?”
I ask the minute I hear it connect.
“You need to keep calm. We weren’t going to tell you till you landed. But I wanted you to hear this from me. Yakov took Gabriela and Giancarlo.”
“What do you mean he ‘took them’? Do we know where they are?”
“Georgíos and Diego followed them as long as they could. But they were ready. And they lost them. But I need you to stay calm.”
“Stop telling me to stay calm. My family is missing and I’m in the fucking air.”
“Ares, Celestino, Marcello and Georgíos are coming to pick you up at the airport. Or do they need to get you from the field?”
“I’ll let Coach know I need to leave.”
“Okay, we’ll see you soon, figlio. We’re going to find them, we’re already headed to the places that we know he or the Bratva owns or lives in.”
“I’m sorry, Papà. I know you’re all doing everything you can. I just feel fucking helpless and I don’t like it. I’ll call you when I land and I’m with the guys.”
“I know, figlio. I know. We’ll see you soon.”
This is my worst nightmare come true. I have so many questions, how did they grab them? They’re never alone, are Georgíos and Diego okay? Also, Yakov had to be watching the property in order to know when they left. And then he was following them. I feel like because he waited so long, we just felt like he wouldn’t come after us. Even I thought that Yakov just let it all go and because I let my guard down, he took the two people I love most in this world. Baseball career or not, I’m going to find them.
When I get off the plane, I grab my bags and head to the pick up area. I see Ares waving his arms like a lunatic at me. I can’t help but chuckle as I make my way towards him.
“Do we know anything?” I ask them as we get into the car.
“Not yet. We’ve looked at several of their houses. We were hoping that he was taking them to his apartment in the city. But so far there’s been nothing going on there. Enea thinks that he took them out of the city to one of their stash houses. Whichmakes more sense then him going back to his apartment.” Celestino explains to me.
“How was he able to grab them?”
Georgíos tells me what happened at the store.
“I’m sorry that we failed all of you.” Georgíos says sounding defeated.
“This isn’t your fault. Neither of you could’ve known that he was following you or even waiting to take them. Hell I thought he was just letting it all go. It’s been almost nine months and he hasn’t even tried to contact me.”
“Gabriela said to tell you that she loves you and she’ll protect your son. Yakov had an odd look on his face when he talked about Faith being gone.” Georgíos says to me.
“Do you think he had something to do with her accident?” I frown.
“The council’s looking into that. Did he know about you?”
“Faith said he didn’t know about me. But come on, he’s part of the Bratva. That’s something that can be found out. Maybe it took him this long to figure it all out. But to come after Gabriela and Carlo knowing they’re under Mancini protection…well that tells me that he doesn’t give a shit about our truce.”
