Did his father look ill? There was something off and he couldn’t be sure of what. No, he was overthinking this shit. His father was a monster and all that was happening now was business.
Raphael knew this was Antonio’s territory. He walked away from the wakeup call they were all going to get, which would result in several broken bones before someone confessed. He’d broken many bones. It didn’t make the sound any less gross over time. He hated hurting people. It was kind of ironic he was the son of a mafia boss who took a great deal of pleasure in hurting people.
Stepping into the open container, he saw the barrels. Each one would have coke inside and would be distributed out by one of the MC clubs they used, and also in the clubs. His father even had a tendency to mess with the product, fuck it up, and sell it back to his suppliers for triple the price. Of course, he only did that to make them learn the formula and when they did, he’d get a shit load of the stuff for a cheaper price, seeing as he helped to create it. His father was a manipulative bastard.
He was about to turn away when he heard a sob.
The sound was relatively faint but distinctive.
Stepping toward it, he came to a stop when he saw two girls, couldn’t be any older than fifteen, curled around each other, terrified and filthy.
Was this a test?
He didn’t want to hurt them.
His father had more than a couple of grams of coke in this container.
Fuck!
If he brought the girls out, this could be his test and his father would know he wasn’t completely on his side. His father liked to fuck with him, to constantly test his loyalty. With Elenore gone, his father would be looking for another girl to beat. One or both were the candidates.
It took every single bit of willpower to step out of the container, freeze his features, and stand to watch Antonio get the truth out of them.
Gino whispered something into his father’s ear. It was subtle and he saw Romeo tense up before looking up at him. What the fuck was going on there? His father came to stand beside him. “Antonio really knows his skills for getting information.”
“You pay him to be the best.”
“Even his skills take it to a fine art.”
“Don’t you think this is a little dangerous? Being out in the open?”
“No. I like to see how deep their loyalties lie. You know I don’t like to keep wasted space around me. I need real men who know how to get the job done and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. I don’t have time for pathetic assholes in my life.” Giavanni smiled. “You saw the girls.” There was an edge to his voice.
“I did.”
“And yet you didn’t say anything.”
“Does Antonio know of your … desires?”
“Antonio knows what he needs to. I want you to take them home for me. I will keep him busy. Remember, they’re things, Raphael. Hurt them to keep them in line.”
He felt sick to his stomach.
“One day, you’re going to have all of this one day. You’re going to need to learn to be cruel every single day.”
“I have no doubt of it, Father. What’s Gino doing here?” he asked.
“Don’t you worry about your uncle. Do as you’ve been told.”
He stepped away from the man before he did something he’d regret. Killing him would be so easy right now.
After stepping into the container, he grabbed the two girls. “You make a sound, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?”
They nodded their heads.
“Good.” He marched them out of the container and his father was good to his word. Antonio didn’t see a fucking thing.
Raphael hated this. After walking them to his car, he stored them in the trunk and without another word, he drove all the way back to his father’s mansion. The mansion was still under repair after the attack. Part of him wasn’t pissed about being shot at, seeing as it meant he was finally able to get Elenore out of there.
Once he brought his car to a stop, he went back to the trunk, popped it open, and dragged the two sobbing girls into the mansion.
His father’s men and staff weren’t shocked by what he did.
He pulled them up to his father’s room, and with the cuffs where he knew they were stored, he bound each one to the bed. Neither of them could get out. “If you both know what is good for you, you’ll do as you’re told. He will … he will hurt you, but if you make him addicted, you’ll be taken care of.”
With that, he turned on his heel, leaving his father’s home.
After climbing into the car, he drove out of the city, down a long country lane that he knew quite well. The town it was attached to had turned into a ghost town. Only a few residents with a gas station and a bar. That was all it had.