Page 34 of The Holy Ghost
“And wherewould Itake this ten milliondollars?” Luca asked. “Are we going to PayPal it?”
“Don’t talk to melike I’m stupid!” he yelled.
I felt Cirocome stand next to me, but I couldn’t look at him. I knew if I did,I’d lose my shit in spectacular fashion. BecauseFrankie meant different thingsto the each of us, what we were feeling at this moment differedfrom one another, but those feelings were equallystrong.
“Then quitplaying games and tell me what you want,” Luca retorted, his voicestill relaxed. “If you’re calling me to demand a ransom, I assume you already have a plan inplace. Quit wasting time.”
“I want tenmillion in cash brought toCedar Creek,” he said. “Call me when you are on your way with themoney. Once you reach Cedar Creek, call me for further direction.”This had all the makings of a bad action movie. This man was eitherhigh, stupid, or desperate. It didn’t really matter which becausehe was going to die for daring to go near Frankie.
“I’ll have themoney in an hour,” Luca told him. “It’ll takeanother hour to reach CedarCreek.”
“I lookforward to hearing from you in an hour,” was his reply. “I alsoknow I don’t have to tell youto come alone, Mr. Benetti. Come alone or Frankie doesn’t make ithome unscathed.” Luca’s lip curled, and I knew he was close tolosing shit.
We all were.
The second thephonewent dead, I grabbed theglass tumbler Luca had been drinking from earlier and threw itacross the room.“Motherfucker!”Iroared.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,”Ciro chanted, his voice low and deadly.
“He gaveusan hour,” Luca said. “Wecan make it to Cedar Creek in about forty minutes.” He jerked hischin towards me. “Pull up the tracer, Phoenix.”
I pulled outmy phone and pulled up my tracker app. Because I knew she’d nevertake them off, I had Frankie’s weddingrings specially made and personalize. The platinum onboth the engagement ring and the wedding band was thicker thannormal because, not only did I have my name engraved on the insideof the wedding band, but I had a microscopic tracker inserted onthe ring. Frankie thought the ‘diamond’ in the middle of the P wasan actual stone, but it wasn’t. It was a tracking device. I justnever imagined I’d have to use it on our first day ofmarriage.
The room wasshrouded in complete silence as I pulled up the appand tracked her. Afterpinpointing her location, I looked over at both Luca and Ciro. Theyboth looked like they were out for blood.
I knew thefeeling.
“She’s in CedarCreek,” I confirmed.
“Let’s go,”Cirosaid. “Do we need to stopby Kratos?” Luca had named the penthouse building Kratos after theGreek goddess of strength and power. And Ciro was asking if weneeded to stop by for more firepower.
“No.” Luca was already walking to the back of theoffice, pushing the false hardbackof The Tales of Two Cities that was wired to separate theshelves on the bookcases that lined the back wall. As soon as theshelves slid aside, rows upon rows of weapons shined in thelight.
As we reachedfor what we needed, I glanced at Ciro. “That sonofabitch is mine,”I told him.Told both ofthem.
“Of course,” Lucareplied, while Ciro remained silent.
I stopped grabbingweapons and turned. “Ciro?”
He finishedinspecting the SIG-P226 he’dchosen and looked over at me. “She’s my sister,” he said, and Ifelt those words in the marrow of my bones. We all loved herdifferently, but she was the only family Ciro had left. Luca hadsaid Frankie was his entire world, but she meant the same thing tome and Ciro.“She’s my fucking sister,”herepeated. “I didn’t just get her back to have some stupidmotherfucker take her from me.” His voice was controlled, andthat’s when Ciro was at his deadliest.
“She’smywife,” I countered beforerealizing we were actually arguing about who had the most right toavenge her.
Luca jumpedin, ending the conversation.“If she’s unharmed, I’ll take the lead since it’s my money themotherfucker demanded.” Ciro and I turned to look at him as heholstered a Glock-17. “If her hair is out of place, Ciro can lead.”Then he stopped what he was doing and looked me in the eye.“Anything worse than that, he’s yours.”
“I’m not goingto stand back and let you guys avenge my fuckingwife, Luca,” I snapped.
“I know you’renot,” he remarked, his lipcurled up in what could be considered a smile for Luca. “That’s whywe’re all three going in there, and we’re all three going to fuckhim up. Don’t forget, he might not be alone.”
“Let’s getgoing,” Ciro said. “We can argue on the way.” With that, Luca closed the armory, and we headedout. “And don’t forget to call Basco.” Basco wasour…familydoctor.
Wemade it to Cedar Creek in underforty-five minutes.
Chapter 18
Francesca~
Myhead hurt like a bitch. But thatwasn’t my main concern at the moment.
