Page 40 of Unruly Protector
Fredo’s eyes widen, his skin turns ashen and his knees buckle as he sinks down in a chair.He takes his head in his hands and starts to sob.Big fat tears, snot, snorts, gurgling in his throat, the whole shebang.There is no faking this shit, the man is seriously sunken to the pits of hell.
I’m about to step away but Clemente places his hand over mine and with it keeps me pinned to him.
“Spit it out, Fredo.You’re blown to shit as it is,” Clemente calmly states and yet there’s a deadly sounding undertone lacing his words.
“They kidnapped Sofia five weeks ago.It’s my own damn fault.They showed up two days before they took her and requested a partnership.They would make all the arrangements and all I had to do was bring a few high rollers.If only I had given in...but I laughed in their faces, telling them they can’t do shit on Dimentello territory.Next thing I know Sofia is missing and they pay me another visit, showing my little girl tied to a bed.They threatened to defile her if I didn’t work with them, kill her if I so much as talked to you.”
The room goes silent.Arturo, Leandro, and Clemente exchange looks and still don’t utter a single word.
There’s one thing bugging me in all of this, though.“It’s been five weeks.Did they give your daughter back?You clearly gave in to their demands by not telling Clemente, and we know some parties took place.”
I try to remember how old his daughter is.He has two kids, a son and a daughter.One is nineteen, the other...fifteen?Fourteen?Dammit.Was the daughter older or his son?
Fredo shakes his head and his eyes fill with fury when he spits out his words.“They made her think she belongs to them now.I’ve talked to her.She—” He clears his throat and struggles with his words.“She thinks Dustin cares for her.Demands me not to screw things up.I don’t know what to do.”
“You should have come to us,” Leandro growls.“Sofia is nineteen years old and when a male gives her some attention, especially one who stands up against her father, she’s gonna fall facefirst into a web of lies.”
Ah, nineteen, she’s the oldest kid.And Leandro is right, it’s a mirage and if she’s still with Dustin, she’s in some serious danger.Dustin tortured Ivy, Beck’s sister, to get back at Daniel who he had a dispute with at the time.One he worked together with later on.They don’t care about women at all, they only care about personal gain.Dammit, there’s no telling what he might do, or hell, what he’s already done.
“When was the last time you heard or saw your daughter?”I question.
“Three days ago.She calls once a week and that asshole makes me join him and Sofia for dinner every Saturday at seven an my in-laws family restaurant.As if there’s nothing wrong and we’re one happy family.”Fredo shakes his head.“But it won’t work if you’re thinking about letting me set up a meeting between you guys.And the whole saving my daughter or kill him.Believe me, we tried.”
“You’re a capo, I’m the fucking head of this Famiglia.I make the fucking decisions here, and you should have come to me the second they approached you,” Clemente snaps with such ferocity, it makes a shiver run down my spine.I’ve never heard his voice like this.
Fredo sinks even more into himself.“It all spiraled down so fast, and then I was in so deep I didn’t know when to tell you or reach out for help.”
“At any point, Fredo,” Arturo grunts.“You could have come forward at any time.Right now, with us squeezing out the information you’ve passed the point of our help.”
Fredo starts to shake his head.“No.Please.They will kill her.My son.My wife.Please,” he begs.
Now he thinks about his wife, my mind offers.The man fucks every woman he can get his hands on, snorts all the coke, and gambles away money like it’s water to flush down the drain, and all of a sudden he begs for his family instead of for his own life.It sure does place things in perspective.
I lean in and whisper out my words meant for Clemente only, “What if we’re there for dinner at the restaurant?If we have a few on the inside and on the outside, we could end it right there.Fredo said Dustin brings his daughter, it would prevent the whole hunt and take down effort.”
His jaw locks tight and he whispers underneath his breath, “You shouldn’t interfere with business.”
A few weeks ago, I would call “Asshole,” in this situation.But now I know exactly why he responds this way.
“You’ll be right there to keep me safe,” I whisper back and place a kiss against his scruffy jaw.
Fredo looks defeated and both Arturo and Leandro are glaring at him.Clemente sighs and clears his throat, causing all eyes to land on his.
“Go home, Fredo.Act like nothing is wrong and continue to do what they say.”
Fredo looks utterly confused by Clemente’s words.
“What’s going to happen?”he asks, his gaze bouncing from Clemente to Arturo and back.
“Nothing,” Clemente simply says.“Go home and fuck your wife for a change.”
Clemente stands and addresses Leandro.“The new nightclub has another fish issue.”
“Fucking hell, are you kidding me?”Leandro groans.“I told the manager the aquarium is going to cost money instead of being an eye catcher.What happened now?”
Clemente chuckles.“The manager is too lazy to clean the damn tank with the piranhas so he thought it would be a good idea to buy one of those fish who cleans the algae.A large black one.Well, the thing wasn’t moving for a few days, lying at the bottom.He pokes the thing and it turns out the whole underside was eaten away.”
The three of them start to laugh, and I can’t help but shake my head at the stupidity of the whole incident.Fredo however is still looking confused and uncertain.We fall silent and Leandro steps toward Fredo.
