Page 11 of The Runaway Bride

I pick up the phone and hit the#4 as it is flashing, showing a call is waiting. “Hunter, what do you have toreport?”

“Good day, Boss. I’ve news aboutDiMarco. He’s ordered his territory to be locked down. His soldiers havedoubled around the territory border and they look twitchy. Do you want me toget into the territory and find out what’s going on?” Hunter Four quicklyreports, and his question has me thinking…

“No, stay away. But make it tothe warehouse this afternoon. Place yourself where you can pick off anyone whomay need it. Get two other hunters with you, and be alert because you may haveto take out others that are going to get to the warehouse early. They’ll besoldiers for Capos that I’m watching.”

“Okay, Boss. We’ll be set up andready,” Hunter Four replies.

“Interesting, Nico. Do you thinkSilvio is one that will need eliminating?” Bruno asks.

“I hope not, as he’s been a greatcapo up to this point. His father before him was loyal and one that we couldalways rely on to do what was needed,” I reply while rubbing my chin inthought.

Bruno chuckles, grabbing myattention. “Do you want me to let Alex in? He may have information about yourrunaway bride. Well, runaway bride two.”

“Fuck off, Bruno. You wait untilI find you a wife. I’m going to find you the feistiest one I can. Maybe even anugly one.” I grin broadly at the look on Bruno's face, which has horror writtenall over it.

“You wouldn’t find me an uglybride. Fuck, Nico, I may have to kill you myself if you do that.”

Throwing my head back, I laugh atthe remaining horror on his face, and am not worried at all about his threat.“Get Alex and let’s see what he has to say.”

Bruno leads Alex into the officeand they both take a seat. “Okay, what do you have to report?” I ask Alex.

“I spoke with Elli early hours ofthis morning. She’s working in the evenings, so she contacted me later than wehad planned. But she’s good. She has a friend onboard with her, so she’s setfor now. I told her if our parents contact her, she has to run and run hard andfast. We all in this room know that if they contact, it's because they’ll tryto use her as a bargaining tool. To twist what you do, or what I may do. She’shappy to run if needed, and she’s happy if we have to take the fuckers out,which I think we do. Both our parents are rotten to the core. Father is afteryour position. He’s an evil fuck and I’m watching him the best that I can.Mother, well, she’s done as she’s been told so long that she’s as evil as heis. A bullet to her head would be no loss.”

“Okay, we’ll see what happenswith them both, but I think you are right and they both will need to be gottenrid of. Anything else regarding Elli?” I ask.

“Well, she’s joining a gym andtaking her new sister with her,” Alex chuckles. “I bet that poor woman does notknow what she’s let herself in for. Oh, and she’s having her hair cut, not tooshort mind you, but she’s wanting change. Probably thinks she can disguiseherself so you don’t find her.”

Now we all chuckle at that lastcomment because we’ve known where she’s been from the start. She is safer outthere, than here at this time. Until we get rid of her father, I’ll not bringher back.

We converse some more beforeBruno and Alex go to work, and I get my head back down to the paperwork andcheck over the figures I’ve been given for the casino. Figures that don’t addup at all, and Lorenzo will be answerable for that soon.

An hour later, Gail walks intothe office with a sandwich and a coffee. She places them on my desk whilegiving me a stern, motherly look. “Eat. I have a report from the man watchingElli. I didn’t put the call through as he was following Elli as he was speakingto me.”

“Okay, what is he reporting?”

“On her way home from work lastevening, three men approached Elli and tried to stop her walking further. Whenone reached to grab her, she grabbed him, spun him, and had him on the groundwith her foot on his throat before his friends could blink. That was enough forthe cowards and the two left, leaving the one on the ground who ran when shelet him up. Our man watched closely but said she handled it so fast he had notime to get to her. But he said she was a perfect Don’s wife, and he couldn’twait for her to stand at your side.” Gail giggled as she turned and left theoffice, leaving me with my mouth half open.

The evening rolled aroundquickly, and I head out to the warehouse along with Bruno, and Tiny of course.I notice Tiny has more weapons on his body than the arsenal we keep in myoffice weapons cabinet. He’s ready for anything, and I can tell by the look onhis face he wants to use his weapons, too.

My driver, Dante, has been withme from the start. His father was my father's driver, which had me growing upknowing Dante. I have full trust in his ability and his loyalty.

“Tiny, you need to particularlywatch Lorenzo Palmeri. If anyone gives a signal to start anything it will behim.”

“Yeah, don’t matter to me he’sthe underboss. As far as I’m concerned you are the boss, and any under you aredispensable. Sorry Bruno, but the boss matters more,” Tiny chortles and givesBruno a wink.

“Yeah, yeah, no matter. We allfeel the same Tiny, and any that doesn’t, I’ll stand beside you while we takethem down,” Bruno responds with not a sign of mirth in his tone or bodylanguage.

Walking into the warehouse, Tinybehind me but to the right, and Bruno by my side on the left. Around the tableat the front of the room are my right-hand men, Aeron, Luigi, Philip and Andre.However, TJ and Alex are standing at the left of the table, and they are bothwatching Lorenzo closely.

I look around at my Capos, givingeach a close look, holding their eye for more than a moment. I notice the oneswho cannot hold my gaze and those that stand firm. Silvio DiMarco stands firm,and he has the look of a solid capo, not one that would stab you in the back.

“Welcome,” I eventually speak,and I feel the tension build somewhat. “We are here this evening, as I havesome news to give you all. I have, as you all know, Capos, each holding theirown territory. Most of you, this meeting will not affect, but for others, itwill affect more than a little.”

Lorenzo steps forward, and asUnderboss, that is nothing unusual, but as he steps closer, he holds his handup to stop the meeting. I turn, giving him my full attention, and I notice thathe is sweating, a drop running down his cheek.

“You need to stand down, Nico. Wehave had enough of your rule, and want a new Don,” Lorenzo states, and I can’thelp the burst of laughter that leaves me, right before mayhem erupts.

Capo against Capo, as everyonenotices where each other stands. I watch as Silvio steps forward, taking outhis weapon and pointing it at me, but at the last moment, without saying asingle word, he turns the weapon and shoots Lorenzo between his eyes.

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