Mafia's Arranged Princess Bride Book1 King of New York

Chapter 36

Nico

We are outside the rundown building, my phone beeps - it's an alert signal that only my protection at the island house will send to me in case of emergency. I take it from my pocket and read the message.

Sphynx is on the move we have an eye in the sky on her. Last seen at the stable then headed back to her room. We've caught movement on the grounds heading for the back gates behind the property. Please advise.

What the fuck, why is Lucky leaving the grounds? We gave her the codename Sphynx for security reasons, in case anyone can get across our channels or intercept our messages. "Tony, hold up I have an issue I need to take care of. Give me a minute."

Tony stops from entering the building with two of our burliest guys. He hesitates and the sign of irritation on his face is evident. I message my team back.

Let's see how far she gets, keep an eye on her and report back with more information. Whatever happens she must not get off the island. Keep me informed and find out who she spoke to in the stable. I want their blood.

Angrily, I shove the mobile back in my pocket and give Tony and the bodyguards a nod. "We'll go in first, Sir and then you can follow." One of them with a scar running down his right cheek tells me. Fuck's sake, it's a drug den nobody cares who I am unless of course I have drugs to give them on me, which of course I don't. I let them go in first, Tony follows, and I take up the rear end.

The place stinks, it's dark but not dark enough that I can't make out dead-weights laying on the floor, some on mattresses that have seen better day, rubbish is strewn around the place, bodies are propped up against pillars that help to support the rotting ceiling. Fuck's sake, where is Dario? It saddens me to think he'd even come to a place like this, why wouldn't he just take his gear and go back to his own place? It's not like every damn junkie hangs out in places like this, maybe those with no money but Dario has plenty of money, much is the shame only my father won't entirely cut him off from his inheritance or allowance. If Dario was my son, I'd cut him off completely until he had sorted his act out and had gone through proper treatment and counselling, I've tried to get him the best help and support that money can buy but he always goes back down as soon as he is out. My heart aches to think that Dario is here, that he is tormented enough to be hooked on all manner of drugs. He's my kid brother for fuck's sake, the kid I used to hang out with, play vid games with sneak down the stairs with when my folks were having balls and the such like. I've held his head when he had too much to drink as a teenager and vomited everywhere, tucked him into bed. I rake my hands through my hair.

"Can't see him," Tony tells me as we stand side by side surveying the dump we find ourselves in. My phone beeps again, I take it out of my pocket and read the next message.

She's making her way over the wall

Where the fuck are the guards? There shouldn't be any way out for her

They are in place; it looks like she's waiting for them to do their walk to the other end

Now, do I let her go as far as she thinks she can get, or do I intervene? As mad as I am at her and this whole business with Dario, I'm also intrigued to see how far Lucky Gianluca will get. Penance for being this bad will be high, will I spank her until her ass is red raw? Or will I tie her up and tease her mercilessly until she is begging for me and panting my name? Either way, she is going to know who the fucking boss is around here and in her life.

"Problems?" Tony asks trying to see my mobile screen.

"You could say that nothing you need to worry about. You two, take a side each," I tell the protection detail. "Tony, you go upstairs and I'll take a look out the back end see if we can find Dario. If he's not here, then we need to find out where he's gone."

We split up, I step over legs and bodies that are passed out, some guy extends his hands and practically begs me to give him a fix. I feel sorry for him, but I can't save him. The only thing that can is to wipe these streets clean of the rats that control the drugs, but it will never be ending. It saddens me.

A torn blanket drapes over a body, the face looks familiar please don't let it be Dario. "Dario," I say quietly there is no response. I crouch down and move the blanket further from his face. "Tony, I have him." I yell and remove the blanket from Dario. He stinks the place stinks, it fills my nostrils as my stomach churns, bile rising to the back of my throat. His hair is matted, the sleeve of his right arm rolled up. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Tony crouches down beside me. "Get him up and take him to the vehicle," Tony tells the detail. They scoop Dario up like he's a feather, and it's then I notice how think my brother is. "C'mon Nico nothing you can do now. We will get him home, cleaned up, showered and have him under surveillance and the doctor check him out make sure his heart is at least working right."

But it isn't going to be alright, Dario has issues even though he swears he doesn't, and he won't talk to us about those issues, we're all in the dark. It's upsetting, it hurts that he doesn't trust us or me especially since I have always been the closest to him. How can I help him if he won't tell me, how can I fix it?

I follow Tony out of the dark building, the sky brightness blinds my eyes in stark contrast to the dimness I've just come from. My heart feels like it's bleeding. "By the way, forgot to mention, Kratos is in the air as we speak. Your assistant has organized a car to collect him for you."

"Thanks," is all I can say as I look at my brother slumped in the back seat of the Hummer, his body is lifeless, I check for a pulse it's faint. "I'll get in the back with him you sit on the other side." Tony does as he's told. We don't say much as we drive back to the safehouse. I've messaged my assistant to have her organize for the doctor to be at the safehouse in fifteen minutes, I've let her know we need all the equipment set up to take care of Dario he will need flushing, hydrating the whole works. I rake my hands through my dark hair and sit so that Dario's head is resting on my chest, the stench clinging to my nostrils.

The gates open as we drive through, the Hummer parks, the detail take Dario from me, I feel the void instantly. My kid brother, my damaged kid brother, I pray to God that this time we can help him.

My phone pings again.

Sphynx is heading for the terminal. She's hitched a ride.

Jeez-us that woman is killing me, although I am impressed with her ingenuity, she's a fierce, independent woman. Taming her will be a challenge but one I'm willing to take on. It's a turn on and makes me wonder just how feline she will be in bed.

Intercept her as soon as she gets anywhere near a plane. Let her get inside the terminal then stop her and take her back. I expect to see her under guard in her rooms when I arrive back tomorrow evening.

You've got it, Boss.

Now, I need to focus on Dario then I have to make my way over to the casino to meet with the guy who is heading up all the camera footage. If we can find out who was with Dario, the night of the robbery I can handle it without getting Dario involved. He needs to recover, then we will find out why he was involved and who with.

Next on the agenda is to meet with Tony and the top guys we employ and talk about the shooting, pull some names together. It's a fucking bitch we can't get anything through facial recognition. It's going to be a long day and night.