Page 57 of The Sicilian Bastard
Luciano
These fucking idiots. They made a ton of mistakes today. The first mistake, duct-taping my hands in front of my body rather than behind. The second mistake, bringing me back to their compound. I figured I'd wake up in the desert in a ditch. No, they brought me exactly where I needed to be. The third mistake, leaving me alone in a room so I could escape and find weapons without eyes on me. The soldiers tied my hands; all I had to do was twist my wrists and apply force and the duct tape ripped apart. Then I unwrapped my legs. That took a little time. For some reason, they used a ton of duct tape on my legs, like I was a mummy or something. Weirdos. After removing the tape, I leaned against the door with my ear pressed to it, but I didn't hear anything. Suspicious as fuck. If these were my men, they wouldn't make these rookie mistakes. Not if they didn't want to catch a bullet to the forehead. There was no room for failure in the Picone household. Time to get this show on the road.
"Hello? Can anyone help me?" Crickets. There was no response. So, taunting was something I needed to do. "You tied me up like I did to your sister last night, right before I wrecked her asshole with my cock. Did you hear me? I held your sister down and fucked her with my Italian stallion." The doorknob turned like I wanted, and I leapt behind it to take this guy from behind.
He came into the room hot. The door smacked me in the face, but it didn't deter me. His nostrils flared, gun at the ready. I wrapped one arm around his neck and used the other to keep the gun away from my face so he couldn't shoot me. He fought hard. His fingernails scraped down my forearm, trying to dislodge me, but I held fast. I applied pressure until he slumped in my hold and when I was sure he was out, I grabbed the bottom of his jaw and the back of his head and wrenched the neck. This move was easy on someone already incapacitated and snapped his neck. I checked his pulse. He had none. It was better to leave behind a body than a person who could alert others. Now I had a gun.
It was damp and dark down where I was. I assumed they threw me in the basement. That was fine. All I needed to do was find myfiore.I kept my cellphone in my boot when doing warehouse business. I felt around for it and sent off a few quick texts to Agosto and Vito. They were both in Vegas now and backup was headed to the compound. I was told to stay still and wait, but of course, I wasn't doing that. They had my woman and who knew what they did to her.
Me: Did you remember to grab my go-bag?
Agosto: Why the fuck would you even need that?
Me: Don't worry about it. I'll improvise.
Agosto: Vito said wait, Luci. Follow orders; you're already in enough trouble as it is.
Me: Then it won't matter if I make a move now.
Agosto: You're going to die.
Agosto: Don't do anything.
Agosto: Luci?
Agosto: It won't be much longer.
I clicked off my phone and walked down the hallway until I reached the stairs. I poked my head out when I got to the top of the stairs. No more guards were blocking the way. I stealthed my way down the hallway until I heard raised voices. I was on the first floor. There was no way Araceli would be held down here. I remembered Mario told me there was a meeting here, so I moved into the opposite direction of the conversation that was rising in crescendo. At the end of the hallway, there was a little staircase, something only the staff would use to keep them out of the way. I raced up the stairs. When I reached the top, I felt woozy. Blood was running down my arms, but I didn't have a choice. I couldn't wait. I needed to get to her.
When I reached the corner, I looked around it slowly and saw two guards standing in front of a room. I felt a pulse in my chest. My Araceli was there. She was in that room waiting for me. The guards stood with their arms crossed. Neither of them had their guns drawn. I took the butt of the gun and tapped the wall closest to me. The guards deliberated between each other about checking out the noise. I thumped louder. One came my way. As soon as he rounded the corner, I gripped him in a similar fashion to the other guard and snapped his neck. I wasn't able to muffle his yelp all the way. So, guard two rounded the corner quickly. So quick, I wasn't ready. I swung the gun and connected with his head, but it dazed him. He shook his head and charged me. We fell in a mess of fists and fury, one of us on top of the other. He made a mistake and I was able to slam my skull down on his. That loosened his arms and I was able to choke him out after. I didn't stop until all his limbs went limp and loose.
I rechecked the hallway and it was empty. I ran to the door and flung it open. I didn't see her. I took three steps in, and with a banshee scream, Araceli hit me on the head with a nearby vase. I clutched my head with one hand and held my hand in front of me with the other to ward her off.
"Luciano?" She lowered her hands.
I shook my head, trying to clear my gaze. I was pretty certain I definitely had a mild concussion by now.
"What are you doing here?" When I was able to bring her into view, she had her arms crossed over her chest defiantly.
"I'm your white knight. I'm here to rescue you." I shot her a look that I hoped conveyed how crazy she was being right now.
"I don't need your kind of help," she sneered. She walked around me with her head held high and climbed on top of the ugliest princess bed I had ever seen.
"Sure, you do. How else will you get away from the cartel?" I didn't think I was going to have to fight my own woman. I closed the door with a quiet snick. No one needed to know the prisoner escaped and was trying to take their prize away.
"Fuck off. Like you even want to help aratlike me."
"Babe," I tried.
She shook her head, pinched her mouth closed, and looked away from me.
"We don't have time for this." I thought through all of my options. She was being a brat and while any other time I would consider it cute as fuck, now wasn't the time.
"I don't have time for you. I'm headed to Columbia soon. After that, there will be nothing to stop them from killing me," Araceli snapped at me.
"Babe, no one is killing you. I won't let them. I'm going to protect you."
"Like you protected me in Philly? Tell me something, Luciano, who's going to protect me fromyou?"She had a valid point, but again, now wasn't the time.
