NO DOUBT [bwwm]

• 32 • The Unraveling I

"So you can lie to me some more?" She sneered, walking away. "You can save it."

I called her name, but she refused to turn back around.

"Cazzo!" I kicked the coffee table, enraged with the turn of event. I know I should've told her a while ago, but the imbecile I am chose to put it off thinking it would leave us in our honeymoon phase longer. Instead, I'd just hurt our blossoming relationship. The worst part was, I didn't know if the damage I caused was reversible.

I couldn't lose her. I refused to, not like this. She is my everything.

"Don't get angry at the furniture, fratello," Luca entered the room in slow steps. "With Josie banging doors closed and you kicking tables, we won't have a roof to sleep under by tomorrow." I didn't even spare him a glance. "Tough room I see..."

"Shut the fuck up, Luca," I spat, hating his need to add poor humour to the situation.

"You know you should've told her sooner. It was the right thing to do, but you chose not to. Now you gotta own up to your mistake," Luca reasoned.

I glared at him and followed Josie's previous steps, "I've gotta speak to her."

The sun was rapidly setting and the February breeze was especially biting that evening. A thin coat of snow covered our front yard and fresh steps could be discerned on the ground. Hoping they could lead me to Josie, I jogged along the path they shaped closely followed by Luca until I made a stop at the Jeep. The door adjacent to the driver's seat was slightly open, only adding to my angst as I started to wonder what had happened. Was she planning on leaving me?

"What's that?" Luca points to something shining in the evening's shy darkness.

I crouched and reached out for the object. Consuela?

My heartbeat quickened as I recognized Josie's bracelet. She almost never removed it. Right next to where I found the bracelet was a very soft fabric. I picked it up, it was a black handkerchief with embroidered red letters.

"Las Casas," I read out loud, barely believing what I was seeing.

"Those fucking bastards, you think they got Josie?" Luca exclaimed.

I banged the car with my fist at the thought. "I'm gonna have a little chat with Ricardo."

***

My knukles hit his nose for the fourth time in the past 10 minutes. He's gonna need a very good doctor if he makes it out alive. "Where the fuck is she?" I growled at his bleeding scrunched up face. You could barely recognize him.

Out of breath he spat, emptying his mouth full of blood, "I don't fucking know, man, ask the guy who took her."

I was preparing myself to punch him again, but Luca grabbed my arm and stopped me, "That's enough Orlando, plus he has a point. Treating him like a punching bag won't help in finding Josie. He might be a part of the gang, but we know how this works, not everyone involved knows everything," he then turned to our hostage. "Tell us what you know."