Page 16 of Ludovico's Vengeance

“Speak.” I bark out the command.

Michael sits up straighter in his seat and begins to speak, “We were able to identify the intruder as Bastian Caprioni. The security feed shows that Rich fell asleep next to her door. Caprioni moved Rich into her bathroom and jammed the lock so that he couldn’t get out. He was still asleep when we found him.”

I sit with my hands crossed in front of me at my desk. My foot taps quietly under the large piece of furniture as I wait for the information on how the hell Caprioni got in to begin with. Michael must sense my impatience because he clears his throat and finally delves into that portion of the story.

“From what we’re able to determine, the man was able to get in through a blind spot. We have men rotating around the house every hour, however, the cameras are on a constant sweep, so during a rotation he must have gotten in.” Michael’s words sink in and the anger I felt last night is nothing in comparison to right now.

"You're telling me, that my grandfather, the motherfucker into drugs and behind a whole host of murders in his time as Capo, let a fuck up of this magnitude occur. A blind spot in security of this magnitude was not a simple oversight." My words come out in a roar that would make Mufasa tremble.

Michaels mask of calm flickers briefly before he puts it back in place. "When we looked back on the recordings, it seems he changed the angles and guard shifts about a week after you were set to come home."

Knowing that Frederico’s involvement in the day to day wasn’t quite as extensive as it is now, gives me reason to pause.

“So, someone told him I was coming home, and he knew he wouldn’t be around for much longer.” I chuckle darkly. An audible pop sounds in the room as I roll my neck, the tension from the last twelve hours taking a toll on my body. “Keep Rich in the cell downstairs. I’ll deal with him later. Right now, I need you,” my eyes lock on Milo who sits up straighter now that he has my attention. “We’re going to make a scene and make sure Barone knows I'm not to be fucked with”.

Milo’s eyes gleam with mischief as my meaning clicks. His mouth twists into a wide grin as he jerks his head with a quick nod.

An hour later, once Milo’s task is completed, the three of us are in one of the large SUVs with tinted windows heading to a familiar location. I pay no attention to the scenery during the drive, instead I drag my phone out of my jacket pocket and send a quick message.

Johnny:

Short Stack, would you like to go out this evening?

I know she hasn’t received the phone yet, but that message being the first thing she sees when she opens the box makes my smile widen.

The rest of the drive goes by quickly. When we pull into the parking lot, Michael, Milo, and I step out. The two of them flank me as we approach the entrance. I place my hand on the door handle, the heavy metal groans as I pull it toward us.Oh good, announcing our arrival.I can’t help the amusement as my men follow me inside. Matt is the one who greets us this time.

“Mr. Ludovico? What are you –” His question is cut off when I raise my hand indicating I don’t want to talk here.

“How about we head into the office, Matt.” My suggestion is a command, and we all know it. Matt’s expression is filled with annoyance as he leads us down the same hallway he did the last time we were here. Before we step into the office, Milo speaks low in Michael’s ear and leaves us before the door is shut, leaving it two against one. I remain as neutral as possible while I wait for Matt to speak.

I pull the loaded Glock from my holster vest and take a seat at the large leather chair behind his desk. After laying my right leg over my left, I rest the gun on my thigh, stroking the metal like a pet. Matt’s body goes rigid, which only fuels my delight.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Ludovico?” His tone is clipped, which only makes his fear transparent.

“What do you know about Bastian Caprioni?” I cut straight to it. There’s no reason to hide why I'm here. Matt’s face turns into a mask of stark terror. I don’t miss the way he stumbles backward at the mention of that name. He tries to steady himself, but the damage is done. “You may want to just give me the information you have now, otherwise it will just make everything a hell of a lot more painful for you.” The faux friendship in my voice is quite comical, but it calms him enough to open up.

“All I know is that Mateo had plans for Nina that you ruined by claiming her the way you did. He’s been a maniac about losing his golden ticket.” There’s a tremble in Matt’s voice which makes his confession all the more fucked. “Bastian was expected to have the girl back at Mateo’s home at some point between last night and this morning.”

The office door opens and Milo steps in. He takes his place next to Michael and nods a quick confirmation.

“Well, Matt. This has been fun, but I’m going to need you to sit here for a few moments while I decide what to do with you.” Without another word, I stand and carefully place my Glock back where it belongs. Milo and Michael follow closely behind. There is no sound coming from Matt’s office, which is a bonus for us.

When we reach the exit, Milo rigs the door so it can’t be opened from either direction. The two of them fall into step behind me as we head for the car. This time, I slide into the passenger seat and pull my phone out of my jacket pocket again. After a few taps on the screen, I open the camera and start recording —the building and button in my hand are both in the frame.

“Boss,” I hear Milo’s voice as a small black device is held out in front of me. I grin as I place it in my palm.

I hold the device with the large button face up and gently glide my thumb over the temptation before finally pressing down. A chorus of explosions sound as the bombs Milo placed around the building blow. We begin to drive off in the opposite direction, and I press the button to end the recording.

I pull up a blank message in our encrypted messaging app.

Come after what’s mine again, I dare you. You will beg me to kill you after what I have planned. [Video Attached]

I step into the house and am hit with the intoxicating scent of Mrs. D’s spicy sausage Bolognese. Fuck me, it’s been years. As I meander toward the kitchen, I hear the voices of Mrs. D, my mother, and Nina; the latter of whom is laughing, and my heart warms at the sound. When I step through the threshold into the kitchen, I see Nina and Mrs. D cooking together. The sight of her coming out of her shell and doing something she’s never had the opportunity to do before instantly has my dick swelling in my pants.Down boy.Thankfully my mother takes that moment to pull me aside, which instantly ices the growing arousal.

“How did he get into the house? I heard something about the cameras, but Milo swore the men to secrecy, which I don’t fucking appreciate, by the way.” She rapidly spews out her frustration from last night – which, fair.

After I explain to her what I know she breathes a small sigh of relief, but her eyes lock in on me.

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