Bellona- The Blaze of Ice

chapter 20 (Day 4)

Andi was sitting in the middle of the room, me on his right, and Leander on his left. The rest were spread over the room, except Charlotte who, by the sounds coming from upstairs, was really angry at the boys for not going after her to see if she was alright. I don't like her, if you did not already know. Anthony was still crying, and was being comforted by Apollo and Alfonio.

"Dad, how? You were kidnapped and tw-two years" chocked out Estian.

"We owe my life, all of your lives, the two mafia, ALL that we have, to this person right here." He gestured to me. Their eyes immediately snapped to me.

"I-I do not understand i-" Stuttered Alexandre.

"And you do not need to. He is here, you all are here, the mafias are fine, that is all that matters. Drop it." I stated coldly. I did not like him as well, if it was clear by the way, and i was not particularly looking forward to discussing that topic.

"Uncle, start from the beginning. Tell us Everything." Said Abel.

"Okay, here goes nothing. Get comfy cause this is going to be long." He started off.

"You know how i had been searching for Samantha since she took Taylor away. The first 11 years, i was unsuccessful. It was like she had disappeared off the face of the earth."

"I wish" I scoffed.

he continued. "Until one day, I got a lead. Samantha was spotted in a bar."

"Red flags. You were the leader of such a great mafia. How?" I asked. I never knew his side of how he was kidnapped. Being the mafia leader, i never thought he would make such a foolish mistake of taking up the lead.

"I was not thinking like a mafia leader, my love. I was a desperate father, who had searched the entire damn world for his princess, who had not seen his daughter in eleven years." He explained with a small smile. "And if i say so myself, i do not regret taking the lead."

"Anyway, i followed the lead, got a little out numbered"

"That is an understatement, one against thirty is a little outnumbered? And you managed to kill twenty three of them." I scoffed.

"Hush now." Said Andi.

"Dad you did that? Wow" Exclaimed Alexandre. 

"Oh it is nothing for me." He said haughtily.

"I know big guy, i know." I sighed sadly. He had been tortured so much, and yet here he was, still the same jolly old man, making jokes. He knew what i was thinking because he wrapped his arm around me and continued.

"I was taken by the Cironio mafia, and kept in their cells for the next two years." He said, looking at the boys with sadness.

"I had my doubts. Dammit, i should have known. I am sorry father, so damn sorry. I-i could have saved you, saved you th-the torture. I failed. You trusted me, and and i failed you. I am so sorry. Fuck." Leander started apologising and cursing himself profusely.

"Son, you did very well. You helped your brothers when their own father wasn't there, you took care of the mafia alone, it is where it is because of you. You put aside your feelings and pain, and was there for everyone else. I am so so proud of you." Andi said, hugging the now weeping Leander.

My respect for him might have just increased a lot. 

"I think you can imagine what had happened there. No food, water, continuous torture, always chained and blah blah blah."

"Then the letter, was that really-really you?" interrupted Anthony.

"You guys are pathetic listeners. And yes I was the one who wrote it. Taylor had posted it. As i said, we owe her everything. Continuing from where i had been interrupted, they wanted to know the addresses of our central building, private house and main warehouse. Here also, Taylor helped me a lot, in not giving in to their torture. They were not able to retrieve any information from me. I escaped a month ago, and three days ago i contacted Ruby and Augustus, which leads us to here."