War of the Sun

Ten

There are days where it feels like everything is coming together. Pieces or aspects of your life finally falling into place.

Today is not one of those days.

Shit hit the fan, and I didn’t know where to start. My emotions were all over the place, and I hated that. I didn’t like not being in control of what I am feeling, but I had suppressed everything down. It was about time everything came bubbling to the surface. Not only had my father gotten a glimpse of what my life was like for the past eleven years, but I now had a leech trying to join in on the attack that I was about to release on the Guajardo’s. The man from the club or as I have come to learn his name as Zander, my old friend before I left, had just declared he was joining me without asking me. Something I wasn’t used to.

“Hell no.” I uttered out in annoyance. I had already put my life on the line today, and I wasn’t in the mood for anymore of their stupid remarks or going down memory lane. I had to prepare mentally for what I needed to do, and I couldn’t concentrate with them in the room and their constant demands.

“You can’t tell me not to come. I will just go and attack them without you.” Zander spat out.

He was nothing like the boy I remembered. The boy I used to know would have done anything for me. He fought my battles for me without me asking. No matter how much I hated it. It was refreshing having someone to take care of me. The memories of him defending me against the school bullies was what got me through the rough nights in Sicily. I had come to the realization that I had taken those moments for granted at the time had made me appreciate them even more. I had hoped and prayed he would come save me or to protect me the way that he did before I left, but he never did. This man standing before me looked like a stranger. There was no trace of that boy in this man. I had been so engrossed in my memories that I hadn’t realized they were waiting for my response. It wasn’t till I hear Diego’s voice did I finally zone back into the present.

“If they get hurt, it is going to haunt you.” Diego muttered in my ear.

I hated that he was right. I knew when Zander said he was coming the rest would evidently join as well. If someone got hurt when I could have helped or prevented it, I knew it was going to torment me deep down. I would hold myself accountable, and these men seemed like they would take it upon themselves if I refused which could end in their deaths or being hurt. I didn’t know their fighting tactics, so I couldn’t put my faith in them to fight their own battles. I knew the Guajardo’s facilities from the inside out, and Sicily had been my home. I was respected and feared. The best way for everyone to make it out alive was by letting them join.

“I will also be joining with my men. They came after me, and the Guajardo’s attacked me in my own territory. There has to be repercussions.” My father snapped out viciously. His words confirming my thoughts.

I knew the anger he must feeling by this whole situation. If I were in his shoes, I’d want to burn everything to the ground. Leave no survivors. It is what happens when someone catches you unguarded and takes advantage. Especially a man like my father where he is used to being the top dog and having everyone bow to him without question. The way they took advantage and were able to have my father in a vulnerable state must have pissed him off. It would’ve done the same to me.

“If you guys or your men get hurt, that is on you all.” I retorted.

I looked at Diego, and he already knew what to do. He quietly excused himself and went to make some calls arranging our trip to Sicily. As he left the room, I knew I made the mistake of not going with him the moment my father decided to move in my direction.

His eyes glowering at the tattoos on my skin.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me what was going on?” Zach finally interrupted.

No response would be a good enough explanation for him. Anything I said would just make it harder for him for not realizing sooner, and the last thing I wanted to do was to cause him pain. He had been the only father figure I had ever known, so I felt like a complete asshole for the pain that was evident on his face. I could tell he felt he had let me down, but he doesn’t realize there was no saving me.

The times he would visit where I would be bandaged up, I would give an excuse that I was in gym class and I slipped. His visit had gotten less frequent, so it became easier to hide it. I always wore long sleeved shirts to conceal what was hiding underneath, or I would have sunglasses on to hide the black eyes.

“You should have told me you were in trouble.” My father finally got his gaze off my tattoos. His voice sounded hurt just as Zach’s did.

“I hadn’t talked to you in years. Why would I suddenly call the man that sent me away? Why would I go and ask you for help when I was already knee deep in the mafia? I’d be dead if you got involved.” I made sure to pure extra emphasis on that last part. If Ricardo had gotten a whiff of who I really was, he would have had me killed, or I would have ended up being used as a pawn which would have evidently ended with my death. Hence why I had to keep my identity a secret the entire time I had been inducted in the mafia. Zander still looked as if I had just ran over his dog. I couldn’t tell whether his anger was towards me or my father.

“Is he your boyfriend?” My father questioned.

Zander had become tense as the words left my father’s mouth waiting eagerly for my response. Zach and I just chuckled in response. When Diego had started to flirt with Zach on his visits, he had become very aware that our friendship wasn’t more than what it was. I was in such a lighter mood by his question that I couldn’t stop laughing.

Coincidentally enough, Diego walked back into the kitchen, so I decided what better than to ask him.

“Diego, my father wants to know, are we dating?” I asked. I couldn’t hide the smile nor the chuckle that escaped my mouth.

“Oh god, no. Your daughter is lovely and all. She is my best friend in the whole entire world. I wouldn’t be where I am to this day without her, but she is terrifying. Also, she’s not my type.”

I had hoped that would have been enough to satiate my father’s question, but it didn’t. Instead, he seemed to get offended by it.

“How is she not your type?” My father asked in an intimidating tone.

Diego looked at me to get some assurance for what he was about to say or to proceed further in my father’s questions. “Well you see, I like men. Not women.” Diego finally confessed.

That shut my father up finally. I thought he would have gotten the hint about me not being his type, but I was wrong. It took for Diego to finally cut to the chase for my father to finally register why Diego and I weren’t together. Zach and I looked at each other as the information started to register in my father’s mind. Zander looked more at ease by Diego’s confession. I had no clue what that was about, and I didn’t want to know.

“Back to what I was initially coming here to tell you guys, we leave in an hour for Sicily. That should give everyone enough time to get what they need and meet us back here.” Diego informed everyone.

The three men nodded and started walking out of the kitchen to go gather their belongings for this trip. I followed behind, so I could make sure none of them lingered behind ‘accidentally’. If I was getting an hour of freedom from them, I was going to take all that I can get. For crying out loud, we were about to be on a plane for fifteen hours. There was no way I was going to make it that long without snapping.

As I started to get closer to the retreated men, I could hear my father’s voice asking questions.

“You got plane tickets that fast? We could just take the black dragon’s private jet for the privacy.” I could hear my father question Diego.

“We are taking a jet. Any members are not welcomed into Sicily as it will give other mobsters more of a motive to attack you when we are gone. We have more than enough members anyways.” Diego retorted.

“Whose jet are we taking?” Zach and my father asked at the same time. Their idiotic question making me more annoyed. I had just confessed I was the head of the Sicilian mafia, and they still had to ask whose it was.

“Mine” I interrupted.

The three men turned back and stared at me like I had just grown another head.

I needed to be rid of them asap. Right before I had thought I was about to have them leave scotch free. Zander pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. The caller on the other line picked up in the matter of minutes.

“I’m going to Sicily. Can you drop off a bag at the address I am going to send you? I will send you what I need specifically, but everything else won’t matter.” He quickly said. My eyes instantly went wide at what was happening.

My father and Zach both turned to him, and I could see the confusion displayed on both of their face.

“I want to make sure she doesn’t just take off the second we leave.” He said without them having to ask.

My father and Zach gave him an appreciative nod, but it meant that for an hour we would be alone. I really can’t catch a break. I can’t believe this was the man I had been eyeing at the club.

Diego shot me a mischievous look. He was probably enjoying every second of this.

Jerk.

I darted out of there and headed towards my room. I was going to hide in there till we needed to leave. As soon as I was out of view, I started to run. I was securely in my room in the matter of seconds. I double checked the door behind me to make sure it was closed securely. I was going to avoid this man for as long as I can. I went to the bathroom and headed down the hallway. I needed to find a bag in my closet and pack up the clothes and stuff I needed for the trip.

Let’s just hope I still have my sanity after all this is over.