Deadly Vows - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

Two months. Two months, and we have no trail. No sign. Nothing. It is almost as if she has disappeared. How does someone like Elise manage to outsmart the Mob? I keep this to a minimum between me, Nicolai, and Romelo. They are the only people I can trust with this delicate situation. If anyone finds out the ruthless capo has almost been killed by his wife and she has run away, they will see it as an opening. And bad things will start to happen. It has been hard enough keeping this a secret, and it is getting even harder with each passing day.

Lucky for me, someone has come by and found the wreckage before I’ve lost too much blood and suffocated from the seat belt crushing my chest. Unlucky for me, that means they have called the police. Which means hospital visits. And records. Which I don’t need right now. The cops are already hot on my tail about a recent incident that some of my people have slipped up in.

I laugh aloud to myself. She’s actually done it. She has outsmarted me. And I have no idea how she’s done it. The only trail we can pick up from her is a rather-large amount of money exchanged at a pawnshop in New Jersey. We have gone to the shop as a lead, and sure enough, her wedding ring is sitting in the window when we’ve gotten there. I’ve almost murdered the man in the shop for even taking it.

We have set up perimeters to show of any uncommon activity in areas and found none. And with the tension between us and the South Mob, keeping this quiet is crucial. If anyone finds out the daughter of their late capo is missing, they will assume the worst and all-out war will break out between us.

I take a seat in my desk, pondering this. Where could she possibly have gone? And how does she keep avoiding us? How is she surviving this long off the radar? There has to be someone helping her, but who? Who will be dumb enough to cross me and help her? I have thought of this before but have come up short. I’ve kept her isolated. She has never spoken to anyone around the house and rarely goes out. It’s not like she has a phone.

A thought pops into my head. I quickly move to the computer and go to the website for my phone. There is no way to pull up the call log since we’ve moved and gotten a new phone, but I can follow up on my suspicions another way. The call logs. I scroll and scroll until something pops out at me. That’s it. A number I have never seen before is sitting there, staring back at me. I look to the area code, and sure enough, it matches Elise’s hometown. I haven’t made a phone call to them. And if I have, I would have recognized the number. But who? Who from the South will dare defy me as to help my wife?

She has a cousin. I’ve completely forgotten the girl’s name. But she has a fucking cousin that she has always run to when we have visited. Her cousin that she has always dragged away from me when she needs to talk to her. I change the website and book a ticket.

Three hours later, I am sitting in the car that will take me to Stefano Gudierri’s home. That is the name of Elise’s cousin’s husband. I’ve done a background check on them. Ari is the daughter of Pietro Trovoli, the brother of Elise’s father. He was killed during a raid in a warehouse when Elise’s father was younger.

I have brought Nicolai and Romelo along with me. Nicolai is my best friend, and Romelo is my most trusted man. These traitorous rats.

I look around at the scenery that passes me by. So this is the area Elise grew up in. I’ve never paid attention to it, because each time I have been around it, Elise has been with me, so there has been no need. I can’t help myself. Even though she’s almost killed me and told me that she hoped she did it, I don’t want to kill her in return, which is surprising to me.

I step out of the car and knock on the door, scanning the yard. They have a very lax security system for their reputation. All the guards are stationed outside the gate. They also live close together. Too close for my taste. I wonder how many times Elise has come to this house to visit her dear cousin.

The door opens, and there she is. Her cousin is standing in the doorway with a large smile on her face, which falls immediately when she sees it’s me standing on the other side of the door. I don’t bother giving her a smile. If she is the reason my Elise has escaped from me, she has better hope some miracle will happen soon.

“Is your husband home?” I ask. I can see the hesitation in her face. She wants to lie to me.

“Yes. I’ll go get him,” she says.

I can already tell that she is guilty with something. In the past, when she sees me, she will shoot me hateful glares when she thinks I am not paying attention. Even when I am, she will at least stand her ground and show me she has distaste toward me. But now she can’t even look at me. And judging by the tremors in her voice, she is nervous.

She leaves us standing in the entry area as she goes get her husband. I look at Nicolai and Romelo, silently reminding them of the plan we are about to put into play. If this bitch has helped my wife escape me, there will be hell to pay. I have had it with these disgusting Trovolis.

Stefano rounds the corner with a smile on his face. He obviously doesn’t know the extent to which we are here. But his dear wife does. Poor man. Elise’s cousin is a Trovoli also, her father the brother of Elise’s father. She has the same despicable blood running through her veins.

“Luca Pasquino, it’s an honor to have you here with us in our home! To what do we owe this visit?” He holds his hand out, and we exchange a firm shake. I keep my attention focused on his wife, though. She is standing behind him with her eyes downcast. She is guilty.

“Is there anywhere we can speak in private?” I ask.

His smile falters a bit, and he leads us around the hall to his office, opening the door. He is about to close it, leaving his conniving wife on the other side, when I stop him.

“Actually, I would like it if your wife was to join us.”

He pauses a moment, and I can hear her light gasp. He slowly motions for her to come with us into the room.

“What’s this all about?” he questions.

As soon as we are in and the door is closed, the plan is put into action. Nicolai turns on Stefano, attacking him so that he is kneeling on the ground and completely immobile. Romelo is standing over him, aiming the gun at the top of his head. Elise’s cousin lets out a short scream, and I pull out my gun, aiming it at her. She shuts up real quick.

I motion to one of the sitting chairs with my gun. She slowly sits down, and there are tears brimming in her eyes.

“Do not move, or I will kill him where he kneels.”

Her eyes are wide as she nods her understanding. I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I feed off the terror shining in her eyes. She has no idea what she has gotten herself into.

“What the fuck is this?” Stefano shouts from his place on the ground.

I step to him slowly and aim my gun underneath his chin. “Why don’t you ask your beloved wife?”

He looks at her frantically, and she's crying her eyes out from her place across the room.

“Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to answer my questions, or I will shoot him. Try to move, and I will shoot you, and then I will shoot him.”

She nods violently and keeps her eyes trained on her husband.

“Show me your phone.”

She slowly reaches into her pockets and retrieves a small phone, handing it to me with shaking hands. I unlock the screen and go to the call log. There is nothing but random numbers. I am about to give up when I come across a number that looks familiar. Mine. More than a month ago. I press the number to see the date the call is made. The day I’ve buried my father

I can feel my rage pooling and grow more and more angry. This fucking bitch. I look up from the screen, and before I know it, the phone is flying across the room and shatters against the wall. I am up out of my seat, screaming before I can comprehend anything else.

“You fucking helped her escape! You helped her get away from me! What the fuck did you do?” I shout.

I hear shuffling behind me and turn to see Stefano moving, trying to get to me. I walk close to him, and my foot lashes out, connecting with his face and stomach. I can hear Elise’s cousin scream and beg me to stop, but I keep going until he can barely move on the floor beneath me. There is blood pooling beneath him from his nose and split lip. I ought to shove his face in it. Drown him in his own blood.

Then I turn back to the dumb bitch that has helped my wife escape.

“Where the fuck is she?” I ask.

She doesn’t respond. She is sobbing continuously, and it is irritating the fuck out of me. I yank her hair back and force her to look at her husband. A shot fires through the room, and she screams as Stefano grunts in pain, holding his arm. I motion for Romelo to fire a shot that will harm but not kill the man.

“I don’t know!” she shouts. She is lying. I can tell by the frantic movements she is making.

I lift my hand to tell Romelo to fire another shot when she jumps from the seat.

“Wait, wait! Please.” She sobs. She falls to the floor on her knees. “She called me from a phone in Colorado a few weeks ago.” I can feel my blood boiling beneath my skin. I have to fight hard to keep my rage suppressed.

“How did she get there?”

“I … I helped her escape. She didn’t deserve to be with a monster like you! Elise is kind and loving, and you’re killing her! You’re breaking her into nothing but a shell of her former self! She can’t live like th—”

I press the gun into her shoulder. The space that is right underneath the bone. She gasps aloud and begins whimpering, but it does nothing but fuel my anger. I pull the trigger without hesitation. The fire echoes throughout the chamber, and I can hear Stefano shout a string of curse words. Elise’s cousin sits in front of me screaming in agony, and I watch, mesmerized, as the blood soaks her shirt. I take my thumb and push it deeper into the wound.

“I’m a monster?” I laugh, truly finding amusement in her choice of words. “You just awoke the demon sleeping within me. You obviously don’t know who the fuck you're dealing with. And now because of you, she may not live at all.”

She's biting her lip in pain. I've had it with these people. I want my wife back. Now.

"I will fucking mutilate your husband and make you watch as I pain the walls with his dead carcass." I growl. I lean down so that I am in her face.

"What else aren't you telling me?"

Her eyes widen in terror as she finally realizes who she's crossed. I don't know why the fuch she even bothered to help Elise out, knowing who her husband is.

"She moves every two weeks to a different location. The next time she moves will be two days from now. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! P-please!"

Her words have no effect on me. If anything, this little stunt helps set my decision on these filthy people.

"Sir." Romelo's voice pulls me from my thoughts. I look up. Stefano is holding his shoulder in pain, but the look in his eyes shows that he is hurt by his wife’s actions and infuriated by the fact that I’ve shot her. It is just a flesh wound. Nothing that will kill her. I stand and walk away from them both, turning before we exit.

“Do not cross me again. I will kill all of you, including Elise.” I let Nicolai and Romelo exit before I turn and look at Elise’s cousin.

“Do not contact her again. It is clear that you can’t be trusted with the little bit of freedom you did have.” I make sure to slam the door behind me.

We leave the house with a new directive and a fresh, new trail to find that traitorous bitch. Just like her whole family. Something needs to be done about them. All of them.

“Set up a perimeter around Colorado. I want everything nearest any pay phone tracked. I want the phones tapped and wired. I want hotel tickets monitored. Any that’s been there or checked in at the beginning of the twelve days from Friday and any after.”

No sooner have the words gone out of my mouth than Romelo and Nicolai taken action. I hope Elise enjoys her time away from me, because just like her wishing I were dead, well, when I am done with her, she’ll be wishing she were.