Page 20 of The Rescuer

“Good.” Brian ran a hand over his face. “We can't fail. These kids are extremely important.”

“We won't, Capo. Trust me.” Malaspina put both hands on the librarian’s shoulders, looking him in the eyes.

“I’m sorry for earlier.” Don Calogero went next to the librarian, his voice a lot calmer. “Gaspardo… he is my grandson, the only child of my son, Gennaro, who was mortally wounded in a robbery that went wrong. Or at least that’s what the police said.” The old mafioso inhaled sharply. “My wife and I sent our grandson away with his nanny and one of my most loyal men who promised to protect him with the price of his life. We decided that it would be safer for the little one, but...”

Brian went on the other side of the desk and wrapped Don Calogero in a warm, filial hug and held him like that for a few good seconds. The ghost’s agitation, his distrustful nature, even his aggressiveness—everything made sense in the light of the Educator’s revelation. The man whose spirit got in touch with the librarian blamed himself for not being able to protect Gaspardo, and that made him act so desperate.

Eyes misted with tears, Don Calogero disentangled himself from the embrace, thanked Brian for everything he did and continued doing in the name of the Old World Mafia’s values, and walked out of the library. Once alone, the librarian went back behind the counter and plopped down his seat, running a hand through his long, thick hair.

We can’t fail. When he said those words to Malaspina, Brian wasn’t talking only about freeing those kids from Ottavio’s claws, but also about the plan the two of them and Dominic put together to get rid of the traitor once and for all. It involved Don Giovanni borrowing the librarian’s body to write a letter to Don Calogero and The Council, giving them his blessing if his firstborn became too great of a threat and needed to be physically eliminated.

Everything was perfect, except for a little detail: Don Giovanni only wrote his official letters on a special type of paper, which was no longer available. Brian didn’t doubt that they could find all the paper they needed at Palazzo Sforza, but a trip there would have made Ottavio wonder what they were doing at his childhood home.

The librarian was sure Don Giovanni’s firstborn had the family palace surveilled and didn’t want to take any risk, so Dominic had to recreate the type of paper the deceased mafioso used. Malaspina was a wise man; he knew the encounters with the ghosts left the librarian drained, and they needed him more than ever, so he convinced Brian to let Dominic imitate Don Giovanni’s handwriting.

“Are you the librarian named Brian Knight?” Three men walked into the library, the one who spoke seeming to be the leader of the other two. “I'm Ottavio Sforza, Don Ottavio to you. I'm here to see you and talk to you.”

He doesn’t remember we met before.Brian imperceptibly flinched at the realization. “Yes, what can I do for you?” he asked in a cold voice.

“Is everything all right, boss?” Tanner came into sight, alerted by the presence of the three men.The bastard who hates Luca and Martino, the manipulator, is here, he texted Malaspina.

Ottavio ignored the guard, turning to the librarian, his voice arrogant. “Get rid of that little brat and send my beloved to me. You have twenty minutes, or else.”

“I’d be careful if I were you, dude,” Tanner growled in warning. “You are disrespecting the boss.” He sent another short text to Baldassare.

“Now why would I do such a thing?” Brian calmly spoke, turning to the one who was threatening him.

Ottavio shrugged nonchalantly. “Because you love your children more than anything. Or don’t you care about them anymore?”

Hennessy and the boys are at your house.

Thank you, Reardon, Brian thought when he saw the note flowing in the air and read it. “Now, Ottavio, I'd be very careful what I say, if I were you.” He spoke in an ice-cold voice. “You've wronged me twice. I thought you’d remember our previous meeting, but now I see you don’t. What were you using then?”

Ottavio blushed in embarrassment because he couldn’t remember the meeting the librarian mentioned, but he managed to not show it. “A librarian playing the mafioso,” he huffed in contempt.

“Librarian, your house is surrounded by O'Hara soldiers led by Hennessy himself.” Luca walked into the library, speaking in a worried voice. “Do you know something about it?” He gasped in shock at the sight of Ottavio. “What'sthisserpent doing here?”

“Well, my friend, this asshat wants me to kill your fiancé and hand you over to him or he'll kill my family.” Brian smiled coldly as he looked back to Ottavio. “Did I get that right?”

“He deserves to die for disrespecting the boss.” Tanner shook his head, casting a poisonous glance in Martino’s brother’s direction. “Disgusting pile of shit.”

Ottavio went for his gun, his face crimson red. “Maledetto figlio di puttana! Goddamn son of a bitch, stop insulting me.”

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Brian spoke in an ice-cold voice, pointing his own gun at the unexpected guest. “Now, put it down and step away from it.”

“He came to see how powerful you are. Didn't you, Ottavio?” Smirking, Luca opened the door for Baldassare, Don Calogero, Malaspina, and Dominic.

CHAPTER 14

“Did he now?” Brian smirked, then softly gasped at the sight of the boys hiding behind the Educator and the two guards. “You did it, you rescued them.”

“Ma che cazzo...” Ottavio stared at Gaspardo and the other heirs in disbelief. “What the hell? I thought…” He turned to the librarian. “You couldn’t possibly have found out about the kids and got them out of there hours before the auction started. Who, or better said,whatthe hell are you?” He took a step in Brian’s direction.

“Member of The Council or not, if you ever threaten Il Capo or his family...” Malaspina warningly growled, moving in front of the librarian and protecting him with his body.

“Andrea, my friend, please wait for your turn because I'm the first who will rip the motherfucker's heart for threatening the boss.” Tanner took a few steps ahead, almost closing the space between him and Ottavio. “You are Martino's brother, you filthy piece of shit, your job is to take care of him, not threaten him. Disgusting fuck! Man of honor, my ass!” He spat at the mafioso’s feet.

“You first tried to kidnap my eldest son, then you were going after my two youngest twins, too. You went after my children. Add Martino to that.” Brian spoke the words in a voice which sent chills down the other man’s spine. “You better hope Luca, Malaspina, or Tanner get to you first.”

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