Page 11 of DeLucas After Dark

When Nicolo contacted me to ask that I drop everything and head over to Capri, I knew something was severely wrong. He never asked me to neglect my duties as the head of security for DeLuca Law Offices, LLC. When he showed me the picture of the man who was dating his wife’s cousin, I understood the assignment.

Johnny Fucking Lip! The bastard was pretending to be someone named Giorgio. A cold chill ran down my spine at the thought of what he was planning to do to the unsuspecting woman. Sheree was a nice lady. I knew I had to get her away from that asshole. She deserved better, and I was all too happy to show her how much better it could get.

“Nicolo, we need to act quickly on this. There’s no telling what that maniac has planned.”

“I agree, Mario. The last thing I want to do is tell my wife her favorite cousin has been injured or killed. She would never recover. I need you on the next flight out. The family’s private jet will be waiting for you at the airstrip within the hour.”

It was a good thing he was taking this situation as seriously as I was. There is nothing more dangerous than a maniac who has a violent streak and an axe to grind. Everyone knew he hated Nicolo, even before he broke the fucker’s jaw. We had been looking for him for the longest time, but now it seemed he was ready to make his move.

“What do you want me to do when I get there? Should I take him out?”

“No, don’t eliminate him unless it is absolutely necessary. I want to see where he is going with his trickery. Just watch him from a distance, but not too far. I need you to be ready at the drop of a dime to take him out if he hurts Sheree.”

“What about Sheree? Can I reveal myself to her?”

“I think it wise not to let her know you’re there. No need to reveal yourself to her unless you have to. I don’t want to frighten her. Stay in the shadows and do your best to protect her. I will book a nice suite for you at the same hotel where Johnny Lip is staying. Since he has never met you, he won’t be suspicious if he runs into you.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll head home now to pack and then head over to the airstrip.”

“Be careful, Mario. I want you and Sheree back in one piece. That fucker is unhinged. There’s no telling what he might do if he feels threatened. Just try not to kill him. I want to be present when his soul leaves his body.”

“No worries. I will be like a ghost. He won’t even know I am there unless he fucks up. Don’t worry, Nicolo. I will not let any harm come to Sheree.”

After speaking with Nicolo, I got myself together and boarded the plane. The ride was surprisingly quick, and I left the plane energized. It may have been my anticipation of seeing Sheree again. She and I shared a spark when we first met, that never went away. I could see myself staking claim to that woman.

There was something special about her that made me want to pursue her like I never have with anyone before. I swore to the heavens, and anyone else who was listening, that I would send Johnny Lip to hell if he touched one hair on her lovely head. It was going to take everything in me to see him taking her out on dates. If he tried to sleep with her, I would rip him limb from limb.

By the time I arrived at the hotel I was exhausted. The choice not to sleep on the flight was proving to be a bad one. I couldn’t help myself. I was consumed with the idea of being close to Sheree again. I had an unexplainable need to protect her. It was different from the usual feeling I had when I was on a job. My protectees were my main focus, always.

However, with Sheree, it felt more personal. That was something I mulled over on the way to Italy. I determined that I liked the woman and wanted her for myself. I would have to wait to bring that to fruition. There was no way for me to keep my head on straight if I was involved with her. I would simply have to play the long game.

After checking into my room, I snagged an espresso and a snack from the hotel gift shop. Then it was all about waiting. Once in my room, I hacked into the hotel computer system to locate Johnny Lip’s room. He was one floor below me.

This assignment wasn’t going to be easy, but it would be gratifying. He wasn’t a very likeable guy. Every man in the DeLuca family hated him. Though I wasn’t a member of the family, I still had a personal vendetta against Johnny Lip. He had wronged my friend and was now threatening, not only Nicolo’s family, but my future woman.

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks, I spent my days and nights consumed with all things Sheree. It was all I could do to keep myself from strolling up to Nicolo’s house and ringing the doorbell. I wanted to see her smile up at me like she had done the first day we met. She was so beautiful when she let her guard down.

Instead of making myself known, I lurked in the shadows watching over her. On the surface, it seemed she and Johnny Lip were getting serious. They spent time together daily. However, to the trained eye, this relationship was nothing but a ruse. After every date he took Sheree on, Johnny Lip made his way back to the hotel and spent time in the bar picking up random women.

Every night there was a different girl that went back to his room with him. According to the surveillance videos, from the cameras I had an associate install while he was away, they were not playing monopoly.

It made me sick to my stomach to see him playing with Sheree like that. However, I was there to do a job, so I held my tongue. That was until I saw the asshole get down on his knee and propose to my girl. Shockingly, she said yes. That was the last fucking straw. I called Nicolo to insist we move now!

“Mario, this isn’t our normal check in time. Is everything alright?”

“No, everything is not fucking alright! Do you have any idea what that bastard just did? You couldn’t possibly, so I will tell you. That slack jawed mother fucker had the nerve to propose marriage to Sheree. Can you fucking believe that?”

I needed to calm the fuck down. I sounded like an unhinged person. I just couldn’t help it. There was no way I would let this happen. Before Nicolo could respond, I continued my rant.

“Nicolo, I won’t allow this! She will not marry that man. I will end him first.”

“What did Sheree say?”

“What the fuck do you think? I wouldn’t be this upset if she turned him down. I am about to lose my mind here.”

My friend, the man who I was closest to on this earth, started laughing. He knew that I was crazy about Sheree without me even telling him. He also knew my threat to end Johnny Lip wasn’t idle.

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