Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 24 ~

Adriano watched the woman leave, his anger burning high over her disobedience and the shit with the men. He couldn't have either and he wasn't sure which one ticked him off more. He watched her climb into the car and then watched Santino take her away. He knew it was for the better because she wouldn't want to be in the car with him any more than he wanted to be in the car with her.

"Is it wise you care?" Adriano clenched his teeth together before turning around and looking at Mike.

"I don't think that's any of your business, is it?" he growled out, but Mike just lifted a shoulder. "Let's get you cleaned up. And I swear, I better fucking never hear of anything like this happening again you asshole! You're a better man than that and you know better, questa è una cazzo di merda da principiante, amico (this is fucking newbie shit, man)!" Mike hung his head as he wrapped the towel around his hand. Adriano hadn't done much damage, just the tips of his two fingers, but it was a lesson that came from the boss, and both of them knew it. You didn't fuck up on this job, and Mike fucked up, regardless of what he was checking out for the boss.

It was also something that Adriano didn't want Izzy to see, which is why he told her to stay in the car. He knew he was coming in here to break bones and to make men bleed. He was going to do damage and it wasn't going to be pretty. But she didn't want to listen to him, and he had no choice but to show him the side of this life that she hadn't probably thought of and didn't want to see. And even if someone had been watching her in the car, she was safer there than she was in here.

Adriano looked down at the ground and at the blood, shaking his head to himself. He fucked this one up and he knew it. He should have taken her back to the car, forced her ass in, and then locked it up. Instead, in his haze of anger, he thought her seeing was better. Why? It was clear when the shit was done and the lessons taught, she hated him. Fuck, maybe that was for the better after all?

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Mike was right, was it wise to care? Nope. And as much as he disliked the thought, even more, he was engaged, regardless of if he was happy or not. He couldn't screw that up by caring about another woman. Sarah didn't mind if he had a casual fuck on the side, she did too, but someone that was constant, someone that he could care about that, no, that was hands off. And he knew that. Mentally, he sighed and then looked around before looking back at Mike.

"You're gonna be okay?" Adriano asked.

"I'll live. Might need a cool glove to cover the shit though." Adriano rolled his eyes at that.

"Sure man, whatever you think." Mike chuckled as he finished tying the wounds up.

"Mind if I go take some pain pills? It wasn't much but this shit hurts." Adriano smiled as he shook his head at the question.

"Next time, don't fuck up and I won't be forced to cut shit off. But yeah, I'll clean up here. And Mike, though it's a shitty deal, thanks for keeping an eye out. Just call man, I shouldn't have to hear it from lower men." That paused Mike and he glanced over his shoulder.

"I swear Adriano, I really thought I locked it. In fact, I know I did. You're right, he probably used the men and that was my bad, my fuck up and I deserved what I got, but I wouldn't be dumb enough to leave this shit open. Never, in all of my years, have I made a mistake like that." With that, he left, leaving Adriano alone with his thoughts.

He knew Mike, had been the one to actually approach him about doing jobs for the boss, so he trusted him. And in all those years, nothing this stupid had ever been done. With that, Adriano walked over to the door and looked at the lock. It wasn't broken, nor jimmied, nor had any marks around to show any sign that it had been broken into. So, now he had a problem on his hands. Did someone have keys made to their warehouses? Fuck, he sure as hell didn't want to call the boss and tell him that was a possibility.

Adriano pinched the bridge of his nose and took a moment to calm himself before he went into the bathroom and washed his hands. He was thankful that the blood splatter was contained enough that it didn't land anywhere near the packages, because he would hate to have to clean that or repackage that. Again, something Carlo wouldn't like to hear about or deal with. Well, nothing about this day was something the man would want to hear about. He just prayed that he could keep Izzy's name out of it because he knew his boss would rip him a new one if he heard that Adriano had forced her to watch that shit.

And really, there still wasn't a damn good fucking reason as to why. All to scare the shit out of her? Fuck, even he could say that was extreme. And he knew he did if her running out and emptying her stomach was any indication of what she felt. He did feel bad, he could admit that hell he would. And he knew he owed her a major apology, but by the same token, there were things she needed to do. Though things had been quiet and not too many major incidents had occurred on her life, didn't mean that shit wasn't out there, that people weren't there to harm her.

And he knew they were, he got word of it that night at the club. Messages were flying, it seemed, of another daughter that Carlo had tucked away and was surfacing. So, he was supposed to be on his guard his boss told him, and he was. Which is why she was safe in the car. He hadn't expected to have as much bloodshed as he had gotten, which is why she came along anyway.

"Fuck," he roared! Things were getting complicated with her constantly coming along with him. He didn't have a problem watching her, sure. But for things like this, it was his job to make sure shit stayed tidy and clean for the boss and he sure as hell couldn't have her roaming around and finding things out or seeing things that would scar her for life. But he sure as hell, right now, didn't trust her. He hoped she learned her lesson, but he was starting to think she could be as hardheaded as her dad sometimes.

He didn't want to tell his boss to make him do one or the other, but it looked like it was coming down to that and he just didn't know which was better. He ran his fingers through his hair before he cleaned up what needed to be cleaned. Again, grateful that shit wasn't worse. He sent a note out to the men to contact him before grabbing the loads because he was locking up a different way. Thank goodness for a back exit that only he knew about. He locked the front from the inside, the double lock and chain were unable to be locked from the outside, and strolled out the back, and to his car. He glanced around again before letting out a breath and climbing in.

Mentally, he knew he had to go talk to those men that were causing problems. Not that he didn't trust Mike, but he wanted to see who put them up to it or if there were real problems that needed to be addressed. And if Hector did do some shit, well, the message was clear, he was a dead man walking and he knew that. Still, a fucked-up mindset to think you could steal money, or drugs, or both! It was like their golden rule, yet people had dumb moments. And Hector would pay. Would suck for his wife though, she was going to have no man helping her, for what little Hector did anyway.

Adriano shook his head and started up his car. Maybe he could swing to his club after this next meeting to drown in a drink, or several before he headed to his house. Now that was a confrontation that he was not looking forward to! He could almost imagine that she would hurl every name at him, and he had no excuse for her.

He threw his car in drive and tore out of the dirt lot, kicking up the rocks as he went. Yeah, a drink sounded good, hell maybe beforehand. So, when he got to the intersection, rather than making a right to head back into town to check on the boys, he made a left to jump on the interstate. No one need know what his plan was. He didn't have to talk to the boys today, it could wait till tomorrow. And as he merged into the fast-moving traffic, he grew more comfortable with that idea. It worked for his needs at the moment.

But the moment the phone call rang through his car speakers, and he saw the caller ID, he was second-guessing himself. His eyes clocked the next exit before he hit the accept button, ready for the words that would be spilling out.

"Yeah, boss?"

"What the fuck did my daughter see and why the fuck did you allow it?!"