His Bambina

Chapter 34

Vincenzo's POV

Pride is a bitch. I'm not sure what I have can even be called pride. The pain I feel is deep in my bones, embedded into my soul. If I could rip my heart out I would. 

It seems a little vixen has already done that for me. Her laughter echoes down the hall punching me straight in the gut. The amount of times I've imagined shooting those idiots in the head for making her smile that way towards them is immeasurable. Honestly, I don't even have the energy to truly be mad. 

 When was the last time I slept? The night she tried to leave? No, I haven't slept since she stopped sleeping next to me. I lay in bed, tossing and turning, until I find myself dozing off outside her bedroom door. 

I'm behind on sleep. I'm behind on work. And everyone I've ever cared about seems to be avoiding me like the plague. 

 "Call me back when you get the chance, Vincenzo. Your silence is making my father... anxious."

Beep.

"Vincenzo. I may have... overstepped at the party, but we're allies now. You can't ice us out. Call me-"

Beep.

"Benardi." Carbone's voice sounds displeased, as if calling me himself instead of his daughter is beneath him, "My people are getting antsy. The clubs are slowing down, and the trade is getting... tricky. Handle this. Or we will find someone else who will."

My jaw ticks. I don't like what that old fool is implying. The news of our trades and clubs struggling is new to me, however, which brings me back to my next troublesome human being.

Every second the ringback tone hums in my ear makes the air around me feel thinner. "Dammit, Stephano, answer your damn phone. It's time to stop throwing whatever fit your throwing this time and come home. We need to talk."I hang up and throw my hands to my desk. I don't like this feeling. Yes, Stephano has gone on night benders before, but I thought he's outgrown those. It's as if the empire I've spent years building up is slowly eroding from under my feet. My brother is defying me, my cohorts are getting ballsy and demanding, and the love of my life- 

I groan. 

Aria won't even acknowledge my existence.

The buzz of my phone sucks me out of my own damn pity party.

"Speak." I bark, not bothering to check the caller I.D..

"Hey Vince." His breath is labored and I can hardly recognize his soft voice. 

"Stephano?" I stand up so quickly the chair behind me crashes into my office bookshelf. Nothing in my surroundings distracts me from the sinking feeling in my stomach. "Stephano, where are you?"

A new voice, deep and technologically altered, interrupts the only proof of my brother alive and breathing, "The depot. Midnight. Come alone or your brother pays."

The line drops, the buzzing is the only thing I can hear from the worthless device. Here I thought he was being irresponsible, I didn't even bother with the idea that someone could've taken him right from under my nose. How long has he been gone? I try my hardest to think of the last time I spoke to or even seen my baby brother. How could I have let this happen?

Dammit. 

Dammit.

 "Dammit!" I throw my phone across my office letting it splinter into shreds like the rest of my life. The air in my lungs slowly turns into tar. Each breath I take feels like a chore and my head spins faster than the floor beneath my feet. Doctor. I need a doctor. I grasp my chest waiting for my heart to fall out. Instead, my feet give out from under me and I fall into someone's grasp.

The ringing of the dead line still echoes in my brain, overpowering the voice of whoever is speaking to me. Dammit, I can't save Stephano, I can't even save myself.

"-enzo!" A sharp sting to my cheek breaks the fog of my vision. Aria grips my chin firmly, "Breathe Vincenzo. Hey, stay with me. Breath in. One, two, three. Out. Four, five, six." 

I nod my head, gasping for breath to follow her instructions. "Again for me. In. One, two, three. Out."

Eventually we're counting together in whispers as we breathe in sync. My heart thrums under her touch and I lose myself in her chocolate eyes. We sit together in the middle of my office in silence and the urge to kiss her is overwhelming.

"Is everything okay?" She's so genuinely concerned for my well-being I can't understand it. We haven't spoken to each other in weeks. She is my prisoner, and I her captive. Yet, I don't see any hatred or fear towards me at this moment. 

"They have him." I cough and straighten up. We both stand together and she looks so puzzled.

"Who? Vincenzo, talk to me." She follows me to my room and I scrounge my room for a change of clothes. At the bottom of my sock drawer is my extra pistol and silencer. The click of the full magazine fills the room followed by an agitated sigh.

 With her hip popped out, she looks at me expectantly. Eye contact with her is too much, so I go back to busying myself with what I might need.

 "Somebody called. They have Stephano." 

She gasps, taking a step back, "Do- do you know who it could be?"

"I didn't get a chance to ask." Her gaze hardens at my attitude and I sigh, "They had their voice altered. But I have a time and a location, that is all that's important."

"You are sure they have him?" 

The sound of Stephano's pained breathing flashes through my mind, "Yes."

She steps in front of the door, "Well you're not going alone."

No, I wouldn't dare go alone. I'm not stupid enough to do that, and I'm sure that's exactly what they're expecting.

"I will get my brother back at whatever cost." I have to touch her, hold her once more. Her eyes flutter the moment my palm touches her pale skin, and my thumb brushes past her trembling lip.

"Aria, I must tell you. I'm so s-"

"Don't." She breathes the single word before looking me in the eye, "You can tell me once you and Stephano return."