Chapter 67: Mafia Kings: Massimo: Chapter 67

The trek into town was unpleasant, to say the least.

We didn’t have a car, so we had to walk about six miles in the rain. Because the muddy backroads were so difficult to travel, we left the cabin at 9 AM and finally reached Padola around noon.

The distance was less than what we normally hiked in a day… but we were going to have to walk back, too. Maybe even farther, depending on how easy it was to find a suitable place to stay.

Poor Lucia was wiped out by the time we got to town, but she kept up a brave face and didn’t utter a single word of complaint.

I promised myself that once we got out of Padola – and once I no longer had to deal with Fausto and Aurelio’s vicious plots – I would take her someplace wonderful and show her the time of her life.

I hid the hunting rifle in a thicket on the outskirts of town. Couldn’t exactly go traipsing around with it slung over my shoulder.

Then we continued into Padola.

The first thing we did was buy cups of hot cocoa from a coffee shop. Lucia sipped hers and happily ate three apple Danishes.

While she did that, I made a call from one of the few pay phones in town.

I inserted change I got from the coffee shop and dialed Niccolo’s cell. We had a protocol where I would text him a code if I was calling from a strange number – but that only worked for cells. I was on a pay phone, so texting was out. Instead, I would leave a voice message and call back every five minutes until he answered.

Surprisingly, he answered on the third ring.

He didn’t say anything – also protocol if we broke the rules – so I spoke first. “It’s me, and things are outstanding.”

‘Outstanding’ was part of the code. It let him know there wasn’t anybody forcing me to make the call at gunpoint.

“Thank God – we were worried you were dead,” he said, and I could hear real concern in his voice.

“I came close three weeks ago when we ran into some of Aurelio’s men. Lucia actually saved my life.”

“REALLY.” I could tell he was impressed.

“Yeah, but we had to get out fast. I left my cell phone behind because I was afraid we might have been tracked. And we didn’t go into town again until we absolutely had to get more food.”

“You’re alright?”

“A few pounds lighter, but a diet never hurt anybody.”

Niccolo chuckled. “We’ll fatten you up when you get back home.”

“Speaking of which – ”

“I still don’t trust any of the private jet companies, but I can send Lars and some men to get you by car. He’s getting back tomorrow morning – ”

“From where?”

“All over. He’s been hunting for that assassin who took a shot at Dario.”

“Why?!” I asked, shocked. If Lars hadn’t been able to kill the gunman outright, there was no good reason to go chasing him all over Italy.

“It’s a long story. Things have been… interesting since we last talked,” Niccolo said grimly. “Roberto’s still in Hong Kong and Valentino’s in Sicily – ”

“What?! What do you mean, Roberto’s still in Hong Kong? And why’s Valentino in Sicily?!”

“I can’t go into detail, but let’s just say it’s been a whirlwind the last few weeks.”

Niccolo meant it wasn’t safe to speak over the phone in case we were being monitored.

Considering I was on a public phone that could have been bugged, it wasn’t paranoia on his part.

“Alright… so… what do we do about meeting up with Lars?”

“If my caller ID is correct, then it’s a five or six-hour drive to where you are.”

“Yeah.”

“As soon as Lars gets home, I’ll send him to retrieve you. Plan on 6 PM. Call me again from this number shortly before 6, and I’ll confirm where he should pick you up.”

“Can’t you just send a bunch of our guys today?”

“I want somebody I trust in charge – not just for their loyalty, but to do the job right. In case Fausto or Aurelio rear their ugly heads.”

“What about Adriano? Is he still recovering?”

“No, he’s alright – I might even send him along. But if we’re going to extract you from enemy territory, I’d rather use the guy who did it for a living.”

He meant Lars’s past as a Special Forces operative.

“Okay.”

“Can you make it another night out there on your own?”

“With my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back.”

“Ha – well, THAT won’t be necessary.”

Despite our impending rescue, I was worried that Lucia and I might be separated.

“What about the Widow?”

“Venice is still in play. It’s not safe for you OR Lucia to go back there – not yet.”

Relief flooded my body. “Okay. Should I at least call her to check in?”

“No – there’s an even greater chance that HER phones are bugged. I don’t want anybody knowing where you are.”

“Too late. After we took care of the two guys who found us, Fausto already knows where we are.”

“But you’ve been able to evade them since then?”

“Yes.”

“Well, no need to send up a flare to let them know you’re still around. I’ll get word to the Widow. Don’t worry about that.”

“Just because I know Lucia will ask – is her grandmother okay?”

Niccolo snorted. “I don’t think you could kill the old bat with a whole jar full of arsenic. She’s fine, last I heard – better than fine. Peacetime bored her. Now she has something to do. Although she’s pretty frantic about her granddaughter.”

“Lucia’s safe. You can tell her that much.”

“Will do. I’m sorry you’ve been stranded out there, brother.”

“Not a problem.”

And it wasn’t. If I hadn’t been stuck out here for three weeks, I would have never had this time with Lucia…

And that would have been an unfathomable loss.

“It’ll be good to have you back home safe and sound.”

“Amen.”

Niccolo chuckled. “Alright… 6 PM tomorrow.”

“Talk to you shortly before then. Give everyone my regards.”

“Will do.”

Then I hung up.

I walked over to Lucia, who had finished up her Danishes. She looked at me with wide eyes.

“…well?” she asked with trepidation.

“We’re getting picked up tomorrow evening and going to my family’s place.”

“Yaaay!” she squealed as she hugged me. Then she pulled back her head to look up at me. “Not that this three weeks with you hasn’t been the best time of my life, but…”

The best time of my life.

I felt the exact same way, and I smiled at her. “Let’s make the next three weeks even better – with a soft bed, hot meals, and a safe place to stay.”

She stood up on her tiptoes, I bent down, and we kissed.

When she pulled back, she had a worried look on her face. “What about Nona?”

“She’s fine – but my brother thinks it’s best if we hang out in Tuscany for a while.”

“But she’s not in any danger?”

“A little… but Niccolo made it sound like she’s thriving.”

“Yeah, that would be Nona,” Lucia said wryly.

“The only thing bothering her is she’s worried about you.”

“Well, I’m in good hands,” Lucia beamed – then begged, “Can we stay in an actual hotel tonight while we wait?”

“It’s still too dangerous.”

“…okay,” she agreed, her voice disappointed but not petulant.

“Let’s go buy enough food for tonight and then go find a new place.”

“Can we get a bottle of wine and fuck like bunnies?” she asked with a naughty smirk.

I laughed. “Sounds good to me.”

Lucia’s eyebrows rose up, and she looked down at where her belly was pressed against my crotch. “I felt that, you know.”

“You keep talking about fucking like bunnies, we might have to go get that hotel right now.”

“Fuck like bunnies, fuck like bunnies, fuck like bunnies,” she chanted.

I laughed, swatted her on the butt, and turned her around. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Man…” she grumbled playfully, then took my hand as we walked off together in the rain.