The Secret Life of Blythe

33. Leo

Tom greets me in the town car in the same cheeky way he always has.
"Back for more drama Romano?"
"Not this time Tom, those days are behind me.  Nearly thirty now, I'm getting too old for that shit" I joke.
It's been well over a year since I've stepped foot in my home city. So much has happened in my life since then, all for the better. Blythe and Luca have given me the purpose and direction I so desperately needed. My wife was right all along, being a father has made me, that little boy and my soon to be daughter have tampered down my troubling thoughts and lack of confidence I have in my own capabilities.  All born out of the horror's of drugs and violence. I don't let those thoughts infiltrate my mind anymore, it's not what's important to me anymore, I've spent enough time feeling sorry for myself. What future I give my family is what keeps me up at night these days and the determination to keep them safe and away from the people like I used to be, that's what my goal is.

Leaving the house this morning went against every living fibre in my body, I walked back up the stairs at least three times to kiss them again before I built up enough courage to leave. Blythe is right though, I can't let Mattia down, he's putting his life on the line to bring back Aurora for us. If I have to make myself uncomfortable for a couple of days then it's the least I can do. 

We pull in to the mansion gates, the vulgar gold metal furniture now removed to give the entrance a more discreet appearance.  As we get closer to the main house I'm surprised to see the fountain with her nude epicentre gone and the front softened with plants and flowers.  I'm guessing Mattia was serious when he said the house was getting an overhaul. 

He greets me at the door, a huge smirk on his face when he see's how flustered I am. 
"Missing them already?" He says in a baby voice as he clasps my shoulder in greeting.
"Dude, you have no idea how hard it is to walk away from them" I add seriously.
"For someone who looks like a hard motherfucker, you sure are a pussy Leo" he laughs. 
"You just fucking wait until you start a family, I'm gonna kick your arse if you start to bitch to me about them" i wink.
His face turns solemn when I say this, I have a feeling he already fantasises about my sister in law and judging by the deep frown on his forehead I'd say I was right. 

We land in his office space, a bottle of Macalan and two tumblers, soon placed on his desk and ready to be enjoyed. 
"The place looks great mate" I say as I scan his new decor and furnishings.
"The whole house has been gutted.  I couldn't have any trace of that mother fucker left here and sleep soundly at night anyway" he says as he looks out of the window towards the manicured lawns in deep thought.

He goes on to tell me about what's been happening, the two lots I'm here for representation on in court tomorrow, being the main source of conversation. The office buildings a front for highly illegal offerings.
"Who'd have thought a trafficking syndicate have the balls to have a fucking head office, and right under my nose in one of my buildings" he shouts after several whiskies.
"Am I going soft Leo?"
"Do I need to spray some bullets around to let these fuckers know I'm not to be messed with?"
I sigh as he gets more and more irate. I lift the briefcase that's been burning a hole wherever I place it, ever since Blythe placed the encrypted hard drive inside of it last night. 

Mattia's attention is hyper focused again when he loads up my wife's findings.
"How the fuck did she do it Leo?  I've been looking for months and all I keep doing is uncovering shit on my own turf!" He says exasperated.
I can't tell him the truth, the fact that Blythe really is something else when it comes to finding things.  It's in her blood and she has a set up that would make the most notorious of cyber criminal jealous. 
"She's got a talent for tracking things down, what can I say" I smile back at him. 

I watch him as he eyes the grainy photo of Aurora.  He jots things down before removing the hard drive and placing it in his safe. 
"So what's the plan?" I ask
"I'm going to fly in and get her" he says arching a brow at me.
"As simple as that?"
"Not quite, it all depends on what sort of operation it turns in to" he says as I frown in confusion.
"Leo, you might not have thought about it, but what if she's happy? If she is, I'm not going to have much choice about what I do"
"It's gonna be a rohypnol and kidnap kind of scenario" he says as I cringe.
"If she's not happy then it'll be a rescue mission and she'll come willingly" he says blowing out his frustration.
I can only hope it's the latter, I know it would hurt Blythe if her sister was drugged and taken back to the US against her wishes. 
"I'm gonna speak with Muhammad tomorrow" he says as I flinch at the thought of more people being involved.
"I trust him Leo, and he owes me one.  If there's one man that can get me in and out undetected it's him". 
"Whatever you need to do Mattia, we're both grateful, more than you know" I add on a whisper as my throat dries up.