Page 6 of Rise
4
Antonio
My girl is alive.
She’s out there and hoping that I find her.
I refuse to let other thoughts take root in my mind because the idea that she’s gone is impossible.
I feel her. She's alive somewhere, hoping we put all the pieces together,praying we track her down and save her from whatever she’s been going through and finally bring this disaster to an end for her.
But there’s one part of Vinny’s message that haunts me the most. Night after night, it torments me. Hour after fucking hour. It’s the detail that I feel is the worst possible realization for Romano’s organization. It’s the fact that someone caught Vinny and hismen off guard. It means someone on the inside tipped off whoever it was that took Natalia or hired those bikers to take her.
It’s been sixty-three days, and although I already acted on that fact, I still can’t get over it.
Fuck yes, I acted on it.
I had to.
The string of messages from Natalia on the very same day, with one sentence warning me of the same truth, makingthe same fucking point, was more than enough justification.
Natalia: Do NOT trust the Pinuccis.
Natalia: Why aren't you calling me back?
Natalia: Are you okay?
Natalia: Please call. Sorry for over texting. I have to go.
The Pinuccis.
Lorenzo and Cristiano.
I should’ve killed both the fuckers.
If I had found them both, Iwould’ve.
Both father and son alike would’ve each had a bullet to the head and one through the heart by now.
We got Lorenzo.
He won’t ever have the chance to betray anyone again.
But just like most fathers would do, Lorenzo made Cristiano go deep into hiding before my men could get to him.
No amount of coaxing, negotiation, threatening or even torture could dragthat information from Lorenzo.
We finished him off, though.
And soon, Cristiano will be next.
We’ll find him.
It’s just a matter of time.
In the meantime, excommunicating him will have to be enough.
Cristiano has been completely cut out of the operation. He has no access, no authority, no friends left. And once he’s found and made an example of, it’llbe one less thing for Romano to handle when he’s back. If my boss had to deal with this, that fucking disloyal father and son duo would be rotting in the same ditch somewhere. Even Nonna Romano agrees. She had no qualms telling me I was too fucking slow. That I needed to make an example of Cristiano soon, to send a message so that no one tries to cross us like that again. She swears on her husband’sand daughter’s life that Xantos had no part in taking Natalia, but as far as I’m concerned, no one has been ruled out, especially not the man at the top. Money alone isn’t enough reason for the Pinuccis to go against Romano.
