Page 4 of The Rescuer

CHAPTER 3

That little talk was exactly what Brian needed after the meeting with Ottavio. Since he’d met him for the first time almost twelve years earlier, Elyan had a special place in his heart, and finding out about how well he integrated into the group formed of Gabriele, Nicola, Baldassare, and Martino made the librarian very happy.

However, the last few words Eugene said gave Brian hope and put his mind at ease a bit; he knew the man well enough to understand they weren’t only an expression of paternal gratitude. The expressioncount on me for anything, anytimecarried a silent promise, one Giuseppe Fenelli’s nephew intended to honor when the time would come.

With this thought in mind, Brian stepped into his little office and gestured to Tanner, Malaspina, Dominic, and Luca, who were waiting patiently, to follow him. About a minute later, Bart, with a radiant but also mischievous smile playing on his lips, joined them, and everyone sat, waiting for the librarian to start talking.

“To say I'm worried would be the understatement of the century. They intended to kill me and take Blaise.” For a moment, Brian closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, then turned to Luca and Malaspina. “All the training you gave me is what saved my life and bought my son time to get away. That bastard's figured out who I am and that Blaise is my heir. I know eventually he’ll send others to try and get Blaise. I want Bart taught how to use a gun. What should we do next?”

“I think you should also talk to Don Calogero and Baldassare. Dominic and I are mere soldiers.” Malaspina’s answer came in his calm voice. “However, I can help you with Signor Bart’s training. I'll teach him how to use a gun and Luca will show him how to use a knife. You should learn that, too, Capo.”

A small smile took away some of the worry in Brian’s eyes. “I’m looking forward to starting the lessons on how to yield a knife because I’ll learn from the best. I have a lot of free time on my hands. It all depends on when Doc Alasdair will allow me to do more physical activity.”

Luca nodded in approval. “Overworking yourself won’t do any good to you. Until the doc gives you the green light, you could use some of the free time to do some talking and building bridges. What happened to you and Blaise is regrettable, but you could use it to our advantage. Reputable Mafia dons, Sicilians or not, don’t tolerate those who kidnap children.”

“Thanks for reminding me, boss.” Tanner grinned, embarrassed. “Digger got the third kidnapper, the one you only shot in the shoulder. Do you have any orders about what to do with him?”

“Not for now.” Brian’s answer came after a second of hesitation. “Have his wound treated if you haven’t and wait until he gets on his feet. I want him lucid and in top shape when I interrogate him.”

“I have to say you have a decent aim for someone who was shot himself.” Tanner shook his head, eyes shining with admiration.

“Capo is a natural. All us Sicilians are born carrying a weapon, and he has Sicilian blood.” Malaspina spoke in an affectionate voice as he pointed to the librarian. “This one here is a man made of steel like his ancestors, the Templar Knights.”

“You better stop singing him praises, otherwise he will start to think he’s really that good.” Luca said with a grin.

“Well, that’s all for today. Thank you for your time, guys. Have a nice evening and take care of yourselves.” Brian’s words were the telltale sign that the meeting was over, so one by one, the guards wished their boss a good time in the company of his family and left the office. “Will you stay a couple of minutes, please?” the librarian asked Luca when he saw him heading to the door.

“Sure.” The Sicilian turned around, examining Brian with worried eyes. “Is there something wrong?”

“Not at all. I just wanted to ask you what happened to Tanner while I was in the hospital.” The librarian frowned. “He seems…I don’t know…changed, and not in a good way.”

“What happened to you affected him very much.” Bart, who hadn’t said a word until then, intervened. “I didn’t want to bring this up, but he and Malaspina cried like two small children when they heard about the surgery.”

The frown that creased Brian’s forehead deepened. “Maybe you’re right, but now I’m back on track, Tanner should be, if not happy, at least relieved.”

Luca flinched imperceptibly and raised his head. “It could be because of the new guard, one Joseph Hagman, an arrogant asshole who looks down to all the others and tests everyone’s patience, including mine.”

“I see.” Brian nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. “Yes, I know that one. I’ve seen him around; a total dirtbag. Will you please keep an eye on him?” He turned to Bart. “Time for us to pick the nomadic tribe up from Eddie and Julien’s and go home.”

“Sounds like fun.” Luca grinned. “I’ll go home, too. A light dinner and a quiet movie night with Martino…if the horde of boys don’t decide to self-invite themselves to our place, that is.”

Brian shook his head, amused, and gave his friend a bear hug, then, accompanied by Bart who seductively swayed his slim hips, left the office and the administrative building. That day, especially the meeting with Ottavio, took its toll on the librarian, who let his husband do the driving while he sat on the passenger’s seat, thinking over Luca’s words from earlier.

Joseph Hagman. Brian recognized the name right away. It belonged to Tanner’s stepbrother, the one who’d mistreated him after his father passed away. Boiling in anger, the librarian wondered how severe the abuse was, if Tanner, otherwise a tough man who laughed in the face of danger, still feared him after all those years.

Or maybe, Brian thought, remembering how he was ready to sacrifice himself so that monster Cole would leave his family alone,he is not afraid for himself. When he was in the hospital, in and out of consciousness, Bart told the librarian that Blaise repeatedly asked to see him, begging, and promising to be a good child from then on.

Tanner’s heart had broken for the little boy, and he’d asked Bart to talk to Doc Alasdair to allow him to visit Brian, even if for only five minutes. Eventually, everyone agreed that it would be good for Blaise and the librarian alike. After spending some quality time in his father’s company, the little boy thanked Tanner with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.

The guard was attached to all of Brian and Bart’s children and would have taken down anyone who’d tried to harm them. On the other hand, as an army and Mafia soldier, he knew one or two things about hierarchy and was afraid of the consequences he would have faced had he messed with someone under Lothier’s direct command.

The car stopped in front of Edward and Julien’s house where Gabriele and all the other kids were already waiting. They climbed into the vehicle, laughing, talking, and giggling all at once. Brian’s worries vanished at the sound of their voices. Eyes closed, a warm smile playing on his lips, he listened to that sweet music the rest of the way home, promising to himself to defeat all the monsters who would try to silence it. Even Ottavio Sforza or Joseph Hagman.

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“Well, worm, we meet again.” Joseph Hagman gave Tanner an evil look and shoved him, then hit him in the chest. “Why didn't you kneel from the first time you saw me? Or have your bitches do it for you.” He cast a glance in Malaspina and Luca’s direction.

“Why don’t you mind your own business and leave him alone?” Malaspina calmly spoke, almost closing the space between him and the new guard.

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