Red

CHAPTER 56.

unedited...

A soft thud resounded through the car as I shut off the outside noise coming from the airport.

Rafael chuckled as he started the engine, his voice slipping into the speaker as he chatted with his son Angel.

My heart was at ease as I thought back to the heartfelt conversation I had with my parents two weeks ago.

I shared to them the major struggles that I had went through over the years, including everything about River, Artem, Xamuela and Lorenzo. I left nothing out.

My dad was unimpressed and very pissed off at this Artem and wanted to come with me to at least help with gathering intel but my mom told him no with a scary glare and demanded me to report the issue to the police but I already had my heart set.

His words were along the line: 'He had the guts to fuck with my daughter what kind of a father will I be if I don't return the favor.'

They cried for me, cried for the struggles that I went through while asking why I didn't find a way to contact them for money after I found my self living on the streets.

I told them that I was so ashamed of myself that I thought they would too to which they reminded me that I was their only child, their job as parents were to protect and provide shelter even when I am an adult and could make my own decision.

"Red, you're going to be so surprise when you see this, Angel just sent it to me." Rafael grinned and then showed me his phone.

A smile curl on my lips and I chuckled as I glance at the picture of Salt.

He was mad tall, seven months ago he was just a small puppy that reached right just above my ankle but now he pretty much outstretch my thighs.

His black hair was polished and he was muscular compact and just from observing the image I knew how much care Lorenzo had put into my dog and I sighed as my heart warmed at that.

"Did you find the information on Artem's arm's dealer, Ludovica Barbieri?" I asked Rafael as he drove us through the busy city of New York.

My eyes glanced around the tall buildings with a smile on my lips, a completely different side to my parent's house in the country side back in Spain.

"Si, Ludovica is a very private woman but her privacy couldn't influence these fingers to stop from finding her." He wiggles his fingers and winked at me and I snort at his goofy side.

I lit up a quick blunt, the weed over taking the car and I softly exhaled the smoke in a sigh.

"What relation is this woman to Artem."

I asked but Rafael shook his head and muttered. "I swear this is gonna be so fucking hard."

Frowning, I tit my head at him. "Why?"

"It is going to be harder for you to do this because Ludovica is Artem's and River's mother. They share the same mother but different father."

My mouth dropped open then. "What the fuck, before you say anything else, which other information that I don't know about River that I should know before I go through with this."

I gritted my teeth, fuck, how am I supposed to kill River's mom? I stated inwardly while weighing my decision. I wanted to wipe out Artem's every core of organization and in order to do this I needed to kill both of his strong suit that keeps his mafia family running.

His drugs dealer which I've already done.

And his arms dealer.....

Rafael sighed and let out. "That's the only surprising information there is. Artem has always been jealous of Lorenzo and River's relationship because their fathers were half brothers and as such both cousins spend most of their time together so you can say that they were practically grown as brothers."

"Ludovica was a stripper who worked for Enzo's Club and as such that was where she met River's father, Vito Greco. Eventually over the time of their relation she kept on stealing money from the club to support her child when one night she was finally caught by Vito who founded out that she had a previous son which is Artem who she never told him about."

"He hated her for the betrayal and told her to leave and if she came back he would kill her so yeah, that's the story of why Artem is still jealous of Lorenzo and about Ludovica Barbieri."

I puffed out smoke as my phone ran right there and then. I glance over at Rafael in confusion, seeing that no one knew my new contact number.

Not even my parents.

Glancing at the screen at the unknown number, I swipe to answer and paused at the crying voice of Sveva.

"Aurora... or Red is that you?"

I honestly thought she would be upset with me because I left her, Viviana and Xamuela in disappearance for seven months.

My heart squeezed as I thought about how Xami would react if she saw me again not to mention Rosa who would curse the fuck out of me.

"Sveva what's wrong, what's happening." I asked in panic, Rafael frowned at Sveva's voice and mouthed for me to put the phone on speaker.

"I- You need to meet me at Rosa's house Red-I-I can't..." She sob and then the call connection cut off right as she was about to continued her sentence.

I knew something was up, I could feel it as my fingers squeezed from cynical.

"Gas that shit Rafa." I glared at him as he continued to drive slow. I slip out my gun from my pocket and pointed it to him to which he chuckled then sink the gas pedal.

"Damn, you're crazy."

"I need to know what the fuck is happening and your turtle moving ass won't help."

I kept on praying to the big man up stairs, praying and hoping that nothing was wrong with my best friend nor Sveva.

In under thirty minutes, we pulled up to the gated private community that Rosa lived.

I couldn't hold my composure as I held unto the burning uncertainty. Over the course of the ride, I tried calling Sveva's number but it went straight to voicemail.

When I heard Rafael pulled up the hand brakes to stop the car, I flew out of the now coldness of the vehicle.

I jumped over the wooden gate quickly, I didn't have the time to unlock the gates.

When I drop unto my feet on the brick walk way that led up to the one story brick-home, I sprinted towards the front door which was slightly open.

Multiple voices along with shouts came from the house as I ran with my heart speeding up.

And when I kick the door open harshly in slight anger, my whole body freeze immediately at the heart wrenching sight before me.