The Secrets She Kept

Chapter 33

We arrived at the docks, and parked by Robbie's shack. I didn't see Antonio anywhere nor Leah. It already began raining, and thunder boomed all around us. "Maybe it's a trap?" Ben suggested. "No, he'll come for Lana." Thomas whispered. Luca squeezed my hand tightly. "Are you sure you want to be here? It's not too late to turn back." Luca whispered to me. "I'm fine Luca, I have to get her back." I looked away trying to spot them anywhere. The sound of Robbie's truck pulling up grabbed my attention. I quickly made my way to him. "Where are they?" Robbie quickly wrapped his arms around me. "I don't know. We haven't seen them anywhere." Robbie reached through the window of his pick up, and pulled out a gun. "Looks like that's them there." Robbie pointed at a boat headed our way. Luca's men all pulled out their guns. Robbie reaches back into the truck and hands me a gun of my own. I tucked it away hiding it under the back of my flannel shirt. Antonio stood at the bow of his boat. "So many men for such a small child." Antonio shouted with a smirk. "Cut the shit, what do you want?" Luca shouted back. "What's mine." Antonio grinned in a way that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was hard to believe that was the same guy I'd once been close to. Did time change him? Or was it anger?

"Antonio, give me Leah." I stepped forward.

"She's right here." Antonio smiled brightly. I had once hoped my mother would return for me. I prayed she would, that she'd come and sweep me away. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd see her on that boat holding my daughter hostage. That Leah would be the one she'd sweep away. For her own vindictive, vendetta against Luca. My mission just became a mission of revenge on everyone who's betrayed me. She had the nerve to look me straight in the eyes with no shame. "Mom?" Robbie's eyes widened and jaw dropped. "Robert?" Her eyes fell soft at the sight of my brother. "Robert, go home! This doesn't concern you." She called out to him. "This doesn't concern me? What are you doing? That's your granddaughter!" She looked back at me with a blank expression. That's when I had the darkest realization, she didn't want me. She never wanted me. "She came back for you didn't she?" I turned to face Robbie. His face went pale. That's why he fought so hard to get me to forget her, he knew. "I told you Lana, I was the only one truly honest with you." Antonio chuckled. "Just give me my daughter back!" I was done with his games. "Climb aboard Milana Bradley, we have unfinished business to attend to." He was speaking to me but smiling at Luca. "Lana, no!" Luca looked at me, almost begging me to stay put. "Why should she listen to you Luca? You didn't even tell her about the night you and Cathleen spent together." Oh God. Did he just suggest what I think he did? I looked at Luca who clinched his jaw tightly, eyes glaring at Antonio. "You didn't?" I glared at him. "Lana, do not trust him. For once don't fall into his trap." That wasn't a straight answer. I quickly ran at Luca and grabbed his shirt pulling him to my eye level. "Do not let this boat leave with me and my daughter on it. Trust me." I whispered, then shoved him away hurrying to the boat. The sound of Antonio's laughter made me want to let Luca take over but I knew I needed to make sure Leah was safe and secure with me. I climbed onboard, and headed straight for Leah. My mother, Cathleen, shoved Leah behind her. "Let go of her." I was ready to kill Cathleen. "I can't do that Milana."

"Why? Why are you targeting me?" I asked, completely ready to let out a lifetime of anger on her.

"You ruined my life little girl."

"No Cathleen, that was all you. Or were you too doped up on meth to remember?"

"You don't know what you're talking about! You were always such a stupid little girl!"

"I was never stupid, I know what you and Dad were doing. You used Robbie to move drugs when he was only ten! Put it in his bag and let a fucking stranger take it from him like he was your own personal drug mule."

"Robert was trying to help me! He loved me! He didn't know what he was doing!"

"I'm younger than him and I knew exactly what you were doing!"

"Your father is dead because of you!"

"I don't have a father, or a mother!"

"You little bitch!" Cathleen charged at me, throwing me to the ground. "I'd say it's time we departed from these redneck shores, I've got what I came for." Antonio smiled proudly. "You're not going anywhere with my wife and daughter!" Luca shouted. Guns started blaring as I fought to get my mother off of me. The sound of Leah's screams distracted me. "Baby! Get down! Behind something!" I managed to scream while Cathleen tried to strangle me. "I shou;d've sold you to that trafficker when I had the chance!" She growled. I grabbed the back of her hair as she howled in pain. "Get off of me you crack whore!" I quickly stood and ran towards Leah, only the sound of footsteps rushing towards me stopped me. I pulled the gun Robbie gave me out, and quickly spun around, only for Cathleen to ram me over the rails of the boat. I had enough time to grab her hair and pull her with me. We struggled over the gun for a split second. The sound of it firing was the last thing I heard before crashing against the water.