Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Marcellus

I have been waiting for three days for that kid to call me with an update on Jamie, there’s no way he would be dumb enough to cross me, even if he thought I am a danger to his sister, he should know that there would be nothing that he could do even if I am.

I don’t want to hurt her, I want to know her, I want to make sure that if she does get into trouble especially with her brother involved with us, that I can save her, or someone will be there to save her.

Endless, agonizing longing for this simple young woman is torturing me, maybe if I just got one taste of her soft, feminine lips, I can be done with this ridiculous obsession.

I walk out from the warehouse, puffing on my cigarette, needing some fresh air, I hear my men in the background scolding the Americans on how to properly receive a shipment, making sure they are prepared for another attack from anymore street gangs. I have been overseeing everything for the past week ½, and nothing has happened.

Not one single attack has happened since my presence, which makes me feel like they are waiting for me to turn my attention away from them, and then when I leave they will do something futile. I wasn’t supposed to be here for this long, it was supposed to be a quick fix, and then I can go back to Italy, and take over for my father, but this is all turning into something more than a couple local gangs, it’s much bigger than that.

“Marcel,” Mario walks up behind me, with this weeks hair color purple, the only thing I can focus on when I look at him. Mario, is stranger than most people, which is why I like him I guess. Not to mention, his hand to hand combat skills are almost as good as mine… almost.

That’s not the only reason I keep him around, his people skills have saved me from many situations that my judgment was wrong on. If there’s anyone's gut that I trust more than my own, it’s Mario’s.

“Is there something that I can do for you Mario?” I say not turning around to look at him, flicking my cigarette.

“Damon is on the phone, he says it’s urgent, apparently he has a gift for you.” I am surprised to hear him speak in English, it’s like the longer we are here, the more accustomed we become, which I don’t know if I like.

I don’t know what the hell Damon could possibly give me that I would want from him, he’s such an ass kisser. It worked for my father but not for me.

“Give me the phone.” I hold out my hand behind me, still not looking at him. I’m not in the mood right now if he can’t tell. He hands me the phone and I hold it up to my ear.

“What do you want?” I say immediately.

“Boss, you are not going to believe the turn of events that happened at Old North Dayton Warehouse tonight.” He sounds way too happy with himself, and it angers me extremely.

“You are already wasting my time Damon,” I say with a no denying agitation to my tone.

“I have a girl for you,” he replies immediately.

“Oh yeah? Do what you want with her? I don’t need a girl to be brought to me if I want to fuck.”

“Well, this is the sister of the man that was going to try to kill you tonight.” I immediately clench the phone in my hand so tight that I’m surprised I don’t break it. I don’t even have to ask, it automatically clicks for me. I know exactly who he’s talking about.

“Who the fuck’s sister, Damon?” I say through clenched teeth.

“I mean you won’t know the kid, he’s one of our low end drug dealers, I…”

“What’s his name?” I yell through the phone. I could feel the veins popping out of my head.

“Josh Stone.” I compulsively hang up the phone, and throw it on the ground not even bothering to hand it back to Mario. I can hear him trying to catch up with me as I practically run to my car.

I will kill him, I will kill anyone who even lays a finger on her, that stupid ass brother of hers tried to one up me, tried to double cross me… but it was because he thought he was protecting her.

I get in my car and immediately start the engine. I see my men in my peripheral vision all racing to catch up with me and make their way to their cars as well. As I pull out of the overgrown parking lot I realize I don’t know where he has taken her. I pick up my cell sitting in my car, and redial Damon’s number.

“Boss, we lost connection,” he says answering the phone.

“Where have you taken her?”

“I have her locked up in the basement at your house in one of your cells, she should be waking up soon.” I clench my fist on the steering wheel.

“Listen carefully Damon, if you hurt her, if there is a tiny scratch on that girl, I’m going to kill you!” Before he could say anything I hang up the phone.

After about fifteen minutes, I finally arrive, all of my mens cars pull up next to mine as soon as I go to get out of my own vehicle. I walk up to the house, pulling out my gun, feeling someone walk up beside me.

“Marcel what’s going on?” Angelo says walking next to me. I don’t answer him, I am set on the task at hand. Make sure Jamie is safe, no matter how much it doesn’t make sense, I can’t ignore the strong urge to protect her. I rush into the double doors, I hear Clara run up behind me.

“Sir,” she says, but I just keep walking forward to the entry of the basement.

I finally get to the bottom of the stairs to find Damon and a bunch of his men waiting to greet me. Damon’s facial expression looks like he is more curious than afraid which surprises me.

“Which cell is she in?”

He points to the very first cell right behind the long bar, I rush over only wanting to make sure she is okay before I deal with him. When I approach the cell, the first thing I see is her limp arms hooked to the wall as her head slouches down making her hair fall over her face. I open the cell immediately, and start unhooking her arms.

Her shirt looks as if it has been ripped from someone grabbing her, her face has a small bruise on her cheek, she didn’t look nearly as bad as I had thought she would.

I pushed up her sleeves checking for any other marks on her beautiful skin, and finding very dark purple finger imprints, like someone had been squeezing the life out of her arms. I pick her up, cradling her to my chest, supporting her limp head with my hand. She is knocked out cold, she won’t be waking up for a long while now.

I walk back out into the basement feeling everybody’s eyes on me, I’m not supposed to show weakness, or compassion, but at this moment in time the only thing that matters to me is her, but I know that there is an even bigger problem brewing that I have to deal with. Her brother, and why she was even anywhere near Damon for him to get his hands on her.

I look over at Angelo, and motion for him to take her out of my arms. I reluctantly gave her to him, not really wanting her in anyone else’s arms, and also not wanting to part from her.

“Take her to my room Angelo, nobody touches her,” I say glaring at everyone. Angelo nods his head, taking her away.

I roll up my sleeves, which is routine for me before I’m about to kill people. Luca, Stefano, Mario, and Alessandro are all standing behind me, ready and waiting for whatever comes next.

“So, you aren’t going to share her with everyone, boss?” Damon asks me. I immediately face him, pulling my fist back along with my body, and punch him directly in his nose.

I hear a crunch as he stumbles back into the wall, knocking a couple wall pieces off. Blood pours out of his nose. His men start to go help him, and I put up my hand, stopping them. These American’s forget very easily who they are really working for.

“Remember where your loyalties lie gentleman,” they slowly back away from him, and face me, not even taking a second glance his way. I walk slowly toward them, taking a good look at them all, walking in and around them, just letting the suspense build, the longer I wait the more I can feel their fear transmit throughout the room. My face is devoid of any emotion, showing my anger wouldn’t do any good, showing any emotion wouldn’t do me any good.

Emotions like anger do not make men cower, it’s when there’s no life in your eyes, it’s when you let your savage nature take over, showing that you are nothing but an animal acting on instinct.

“Where is the girl’s brother?” I ask, still circling around them. After a long pause, finally someone speaks.

“We were told to dump him somewhere,” the tallest one speaks up.

“L'hai uccio?" Did you kill him?

“Se non e'morto, e'mezzo morto.” If he’s not dead, then he is half dead. My fists close tightly at my sides, if that kid is dead, Jamie will hate me forever.

“Where is he?” I say putting my face up to the guy’s ear.

“R-roger made us dump him in front of a hospital.” I remember calling a Roger about Jamie, I told him to warn her brother about Ryan Scuderi, and his snake of a family.

I knew he would tell Jamie about who I was if I didn’t. I didn’t want Jamie to come asking questions. He must have felt sorry for the kid to go against Damon. Damon is who my problem is, they were just following orders, but apparently an example needs to be set here.

I look over at Damon still sitting on the floor with his back hunched against the wall, holding his nose in his hand, blood seeping between his fingers.

“Mario, go to the hospital, I want you to make sure the girl’s brother is okay. If he is coherent, make sure to figure out when he will be released, I want him brought to me.” He nodded, and hastened up the stairs, I then turned my attention back to the men, and Damon.

I stare at them for a good minute, again trying to build their suspense.

I pull my gun out of the holster hiding on my side under my jacket, and automatically point it at Damon. Damon’s trepidation is unmistakable as he stares back at the barrel of the gun. The men’s eyes widen at my audacity. I’m not going to kill him without my father’s permission, but I am going to make him suffer.

I take the first shot in the knee cap, and then the second in the other. I pause for a second to admire the screams, and wails echoed throughout the room, and the paralyzing fear of all his men, I take one more shot in his left shoulder, and take joy in the sonorous screams!

I can’t look away from his suffering, it’s as if I am addicted to his pain, I guess that’s what makes me such a monster.

I finally break my happy gaze away, and center my engrossment on the men again. Not taking my eyes abroad from them as I address Stefano, and Alessandro.

“Call Gregory before he bleeds to death, even though nothing would make me happier, and take him out of my sight,” they immediately approached him on both sides, grabbed an arm and dragged him into one of the cells.

“You all forget who is really in charge, and I hope I reminded you who is today. Jamie Stone, and her brother are under my protection, and will only be dealt with to my will. Until I leave, no decisions are to be made without my permission, is that clear?” They all nod their heads, too stunned to speak.

“Ora esci dalla milla vista!” Now get out of my sight! They practically scramble to go up the stairs leaving me standing alone. I hear Alessandro on the phone ordering Greg to get here as soon as possible. I walk over to the cell where Damon has been placed, and look in on him and his suffering.

“Damon the only reason you are not dead, is because I haven’t gotten the permission to do so yet. And keep in mind you will be stripped of your title, regardless. I don’t know who left those marks on her arms but you will be the one to pay for it.” He still screams out in pain as I speak to him but manages to spit out words that finalize his death sentence.

“I don’t understand!” he says, clenching his teeth while breathing heavily, trying to get himself through the pain.

“She’s just a fucking whore! Her brother was going to kill you!”  I don’t respond to his confusion, I just walk away hearing him scream my name for my return. I feel Stefano’s, and Alessandro’s eyes on my back.

When I reach the stairs eager to check on Jamie, I hear Alessandro speak.

“What is the importance of all this Marcel?” This is the problem that is going to bite me in the ass. The look of scrutiny on his face, and maybe even the judgement for protecting someone that has betrayed my trust says it all.

It is unspeakable in their eyes.

I have shown weakness that I cannot take back, the only thing that I have left to prove my strength is to keep Jamie in my custody, or eliminate her brother. Either way there is no saving her from both. I wanted to keep her at a distance, and watch over her to make sure she is safe. I may have been working myself up to build a friendship with her, I don’t know what I was doing to be honest. Being in a relationship with her is out of the question, she deserves someone that could love her, and care for her.

I know I could keep her safe, but she deserves more than that, and I could never give her anything more than that.

I am supposed to have an heir one day, but I was  hoping I could find some way out of that eventually. I am just not capable of loving, I hardly feel anything unless I have a blade in someone’s gut.

I don’t know why I am risking all that I am for this ridiculous fixation I have for her, but there’s no turning back. I mean if there wasn’t an excuse to keep her locked away, I have one now. The only answer I could manage to give is the truth. I turn my head around to look at him with a scrawled expression.

“I don’t know,” and then I continue up the stairs.