Family Business

Chapter 36.

August 2037

I was pleased when I saw the two Violante brothers standing by their car in the middle of the road. The prison was about a mile away. The afternoon was turning into evening and my heart began to race. Ryker's hand clenches on the wheel and I unbuckle. "I got this," I said firmly. I climb out of the Range Rover, walking to Orlando's brothers. "Thank you for coming," I said, looking up at them.

"Is this some sort of trap?" Matteo asks, hand obviously on a weapon behind his back. Both he and Deangelo were in dark suits, despite the late summer heat.

I shake my head, "No... Orlando's in trouble. The warden wants to let him out on good behavior but this guard is extorting me for $300,000 to keep him there for some fight club... He's getting hurt."

"You're sure about this?" Deangelo asks, his voice was deep and resonating. His eyes are dark as he looks at me.

"Yes."

"So what's the plan?" Draven asks, coming over.

I look between the men around me, "Listen... I know that there's bad blood between everyone but please, Orlando is in trouble and we have to help him. As for a plan... I was going to go in and talk to the guard. If I can get him to come out, can you guys deal with him?" There were grunts of agreement. "And then Draven, you need to tell the warden about the fight club or whatever it is. Then you need to convince him to let Orlando out now."

"What if he..." Fletcher pauses, glancing at the Violante's. "What if the guard tries to hurt you again?"

"He won't," I said, hoping my voice sounded more sure than I felt.

"Why does Draven talk to the warden?" Matteo challenges.

"Because he's second to our father!" Ryker snaps in an 'that's obvious' voice.

Deangelo crosses his arms, "We do a number on the guard and then what? We still have to wait until the warden may or may not approve the release." I look at Draven, unsure what to say.

"He will," Draven says. "The guards never weapon check me... Besides, I'll just buy him something nice and he'll forget all about it."

"That was the guard's initial plan," I said. "To bribe the warden."

"Do you even know the guard's name?" Fletcher asks.

I nod, "Dodge. Can we go? We're burning daylight... Draven and I will drive in one car and y'all stay here."

"Why?" Matteo protests.

"There's cameras everywhere," Fletcher says, rolling his eyes, mimicking Ryker's 'that's obvious' tone from earlier.

Ryker turns to them, "Come on, let's get the car off the road and hide."

I walk back to our car and then turn back, looking at Matteo and Deangelo. "Thank you..." They nod a little.

Soon, Draven and I were driving back through the gate. "Here," He says, pulling out a small gun. "Just in case he tries anything again."

I shake my head, "I'll be fine."

He sighs and nods. "Aria?" I look over at him. "This is the right thing to do..." I nod a little and he goes into the prison. By now, the sun dipped beyond the horizon. The prison evening lights were beginning to blink on, bathing the grounds in a fluorescent white light.

I waited four minutes, which felt like an eternity, before going in as well. I go to the front desk, running a hand through my hair. "Hi, I'm looking for a guard?"

"Name?" The officer asks, not even looking up.

"Aria Rossi," I said softly.

"The guard's name!" The guy says, annoyed. He taps the side of the pen on the clipboard rapidly, a bored look on his face as he observes me.