The Life: Sacrifice (The Life 3)

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”

“Why? Are you going back to America? No-no, you must not. Listen to me; I am your grandfather, I swear, all will be fine, you leave it to me. We do the DNA now, so you know. I already know.”

“This is crazy.”

“No, la sorte, you came here to find your family no, I am your family.” Yes, I know, and I’m here to destroy you. Well, your son anyway.

* * *

DRACO

* * *

I rushed back to the house to get my passport and a change of clothes, gave my wife some shoddy excuse about last-minute business but didn’t tell her where I was going before having Tommy rush me out to the hangar where Pop kept his plane. I was so rushed I didn’t even think about flight plans or anything else, which didn’t matter as I saw when I got there.

The damn thing looked like it had been taken apart. “What’s going on here?”

“Ah, afternoon Mr. Russo, looks like trouble with the engine.” What are the odds? That deceitful old man did this. Control Draco, stay calm. How am I supposed to do that when it feels like my heart is flying out of my chest?

I’ve tried calling Gabe for the last hour with no answer, and his team hasn’t seen him since he left the plane hours ago now. I tried once more and almost fainted with relief when he answered this time. “Pop, I’m okay, sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing, but now you know, you don’t need to worry.”

“Son, do you want Sicily to fall?

“What do you mean?”

“Do you have any idea what I’d do to that place if something happens to you there?”

“Nothing’s going to happen, I promise; I’ll be home in a couple of days.”

“A couple… Gabriel Russo.”

“I know what you’re worried about, Pop, but it’s not going to happen, I promise. I’ll be fine. I won’t do anything while I’m here; I’ll explain when I get back. Trust me.”

Ah dammit. He knew what asking me to trust him would do. He was tying my freaking hands here. If I stepped in now, I would be saying I didn’t trust him. I was just about his age when I asked my own father to trust me when I went after the ones who killed my grandfather. We’ve come full circle. “Just hurry home, son. Don’t make your mother worry.”

We hung up, and I stood there for a few seconds more, fighting the will to find another way to get to him, knowing I couldn’t break his trust. The next few days just might be the hardest of my life.

DRACO

“Sofia, upstairs, now.” Both she and Sheila, who was in the kitchen having one of their gabfests, turned to me in shock. I hadn’t raised my voice, but it was obvious that I was pissed. I turned and walked away, heading up the stairs to our room. Like I said, I’ve never raised my voice to my wife, was never even tempted to, but when she walked into our bedroom, I was barely holding back my anger.

“Draco, what’s the matter? Did something happen?”

“Do you know where our son is?”

“Gabe? Did something happen to Gabe?” She walked towards me, and for the first time since we’d met, I stepped back away from her. I could see the hurt and confusion on her face. But I was way past caring at this point.

Gabe is smart; he’s the smartest person I know, truth be told, and I went to one of the leading Ivy League universities in the world. But he’s a child, my child, and I can’t help but hold her responsible for this. There’s also the guilt of not stepping up and putting an end to this shit when he was still young.

“He’s in Sicily.”

“What? What’s he doing there? I don’t understand.”

“You know why he’s there.” She didn’t understand at first, but I guess my steady glare without uttering another word tipped her off.

“You know.”

“I’ve always known. Now here we are.”

“Draco, I didn’t….”

“You didn’t what? You didn’t mean for him to go after that fuck? You knew exactly what would happen when you told him about this. You wanted him to want revenge to seek justice for you. I can understand that it’s in our blood, but I’m telling you now if anything happens to Gabe, I won’t ever forgive you.”

She dropped to her knees as if the life had been drained out of her and scared the crap out of me. That quick, my anger deflated, and I rushed to her side. Not only because of the broken look she gave me, but because I’ve always understood why she did what she did. It’s just that now, faced with the reality of my son being halfway around the world where I can’t get to him, is making me so angry I can’t see straight.