I rolled my car into the abandoned warehouse district on the other end of the city. Plans were in place, and all I had to do was play my part. The headlights of my car landed on Julia and Matteo, shivering in the cold as night blanketed the whole of the city. The door to an abandoned warehouse was wide open. I could see straight into the darkened room. Julia’s face was swollen and bruised. I could see the pain in her eyes as her body twitched with a need for pain relief. For help from a doctor. I felt anger permeate my lungs and spread through my veins. I felt it ignite my gut with a burning rage to claw Stefano’s eyes out. I stepped out of the car with my hands in the air as my eyes scanned Matteo’s body. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was puffy from crying, but he didn’t look hurt.
Uncomfortable and scared, but not hurt.
I walked slowly toward the entrance of the abandoned warehouse and stepped through the threshold. Even though the lights of my car penetrated the darkness, it was no match for the thickness of the night. All I could see was what my car illuminated, which left way too much in darkness. I couldn't see anything around their bodies, and it made me nervous.
Because all I could hear was the helpless cries of my family.
“Run, Romeo,” Julia said, pleading. “Get out. Protect yourself, please. He won’t hurt Matteo.”
But Stefano materialized out of the darkness beside Matteo with a gun in his hand..
I took a step forward and heard Stefano cock his gun. My son started crying. Julia was tugging at her restraints. She was tired. Cold. Covered in sweat and dust and tears. She tried to slide her chair over to Matteo before falling over to her side, her shoulder slamming into the concrete floor. I could see the pain rushing along her features, contorting as the crack of her shoulder echoed off the corners of the office space. Stefano chuckled as I stood there, my eyes locked onto her.
She cried out in pain, and my heart sank to my knees.
“Such an embarrassment to the family,” he said. “Really, she shouldn’t have reproduced.”
A white-hot bolt of fear shot through me as Stefano lifted his gun and aimed it at Julia. The look of sheer panic on my son’s his face made me sick. My son. My heir. My flesh and blood. Strapped to a dank metal chair and shivering for his life. His lip quivered, and his chest heaved. He was trying so hard to silence his tears. Trying so hard to be strong. But a six-year-old didn’t need to be strong. He needed the comfort of his mother. Of his father. He should’ve been running in the backyard catching fireflies and begging for one more story at bedtime.
That was the life Matteo deserved.
I held my hands further into the air, locking my eyes onto the disgusting man I hoped would drop dead after I was done with him. I knew Stefano would kill them at a moment’s notice. The man didn’t care. He didn’t have the capacity to care. He was a straight-up madman who rewrote the book on how to not play by the rules. I prayed my plan would work. I prayed that I hadn’t wasted my time coordinating with the police. I prayed they were silent in their efforts and light with their footfalls because I came unarmed.
I had no way to defend myself or my family if they fucked it up.
“Please, stop pointing the gun at Julia,” I said. “You’re scaring Matteo. He’s just a boy.”
“You mean your son?” Stefano asked.
My eyes dropped to him as his eyes widened and our eyes locked.
“Yes,” I said. “My son. Point the gun at me. I’m the one you’re angry with. He’s only six. I know you don’t want to hurt him or your niece.”
“You don’t get to dictate what I do and do not want,” he said.
“Either way, I know you respond to reason. And the gun should be on me. I’m the one you’re out to kill. Not her.”
Julia groaned on the ground, her shoulder clearly dislocated. Matteo whimpered and sniffled, trying to be the bravest boy he could be. I wanted to wrap him in my arms. I wanted to kiss his face. I wanted to wipe his tears and wash his hair and tell him everything was okay. That his father was here to take care of everything he could ever need and keep him safe from anyone who wanted to do him harm.
Relief rushed through my veins as Stefano dropped the gun from the Julia’s body.
He let out a chuckle as I slowly slipped my hands to my sides. I kept them in his vision, but I wanted them to rest. They would need the rest with the war that was coming in my wake. My eyes locked with the madman. He stepped away from my son, positioning himself between my family and me.
That wasn’t a good place for anyone to stand.
“Why are you doing all this?” I asked.
His gun raised to my forehead, and Julia cried out.
“Run Romeo! Please!”
Stefano fired a gunshot into the air, and Matteo shrieked.
“Stop it, please. You’re scaring my boy,” I said.
“Why am I doing this?” he asked.
“Yes. Why are you doing this? Why are you planting evidence against me? Why are you looking for reasons to kill me? What the hell is any of this for? If you wanted my business, there are other ways to get it. Other ways to circumvent the rules of engagement to get what you want. Why kill? And pillage? And go to all this trouble. Waste all this energy?”