chapter Twenty-Eight
Safe
Victoria
I woke to my old room and the reality of the day before. Lorenzo wasn’t in the bed with me, which I really didn’t expect him to be. I figured he would be with my father and Alfonzo a lot while we were at my dad’s.
I sat in bed for a little while before getting up to go meet Uncle Frankie in the range. I wondered if Angie was at least comfortable wherever she was. I jumped out of bed the moment I realized that wasn’t likely.
I was quick about getting dressed this morning. I put on a pair black slacks and a white sleeveless t-shirt. I threw on a pair of flats and grabbed my purse with my gun resting inside.
My father doesn’t want Maria knowing I have it, so I have to hide it going down to the range. I went down to get something to eat and ran into Maria in the kitchen. She looked frustrated with everything around her.
“Hey, honey,” she said, kissing me on the cheek. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Have you seen Lorenzo this morning?” I asked.
“Yes, he’s with your father. Is everything okay, he looks so … I don’t know, not Lorenzo?” She sounded so concerned.
“I believe everything is going to be fine. He has a lot on his mind,” I tried to assure her.
“I’m worried. I know there’s something going on, but Venny isn’t talking. I was surprised to hear you guys would be staying here for a while,” Maria said.
“Everything is fine, Maria. We just wanted to be close, is all. I need to be downstairs, but when I come back up, we can get some wedding things done. Is that okay?” I asked trying to change the subject.
“Sure, Honey. What about your tutor? You don’t have a session today?” she quizzed. She was right, I had forgotten about that. I would text Preston and tell him to take the week off.
“Oh, no, Preston is on vacation. That’s why we decided to come now,” I lied, so she didn’t get suspicious.
It was time for me to get out of here. I grabbed a yogurt and finished it quickly. Then, I was off to the basement to find Uncle Frankie.
I knew he was probably excited waiting for me, after Lorenzo told him I needed to learn to use something more than my glock. I could see the smile on his face. It made me think about what Lorenzo said last night.
Why was Uncle Frankie the one to teach me? Before all of this, he barely said a word to me. Now, I’m like his favorite niece.
As I reached the range, I could hear rounds being fired and a bunch of voices, some laughing and joking. That was a little surprising, with all the tension flooding through the house. I pulled my gun from my bag to check my clip, as I walked in.
I replaced the clip and rechecked the safety, as I made out the voices in the room. I looked up to see Chris up, letting off a few rounds, while Lorenzo watched me walk in. He shook his head at the sight of me with my gun. My dad, Uncle Frankie, Uncle Sal, and Uncle Mike were the ones telling jokes.
“This is ridiculous. She walks in with a designer bag in one hand, a gun in the other,” Lorenzo laughed out.
“Do I need to remind you, I know how to use this?” I said, as I cocked the gun back.
“Please don’t,” he groaned, as he walked over to hug me. “You’re way too pretty for this.”
“What does the way I look have to do with me taking care of myself? Being pretty didn’t keep me from my black belt,” I said smugly.
“Black belt? Really, I learn something new every day,” he teased.
“Why is everyone in such a good mood, did I miss something?” I asked.
“Not really, your Uncle Terry was in pieces last night. He wanted to find the leak more than we did. He wasted no time with the plan.
“They’re already down to the last two in his team. The guy they suspect the most is in that two,” he explained. “Chris and I are looking into something as well. We just wanted to get in some rounds, since this place is down here, in the meantime.”
“Oh, so how much longer before the last two are checked?”
“About a few more hours,” he answered.
“Well, I better get started. Uncle Frankie, what you got for me today?” I called, as Lorenzo frowned at me.
“I got a whole lot, Kid, but first I want you to warm up with yours,” Uncle Frankie called back.
“Okay,” I said, moving toward the empty spot next to Chris.
Chris had stopped to watch me set up. He looked at Lorenzo curiously, then back to me. “Lo, dude, what is she up to?”
“You’ll see,” Lorenzo chuckled.
I ignored them both and emptied my first clip. When the shots stopped ringing, I could hear Lorenzo laughing hysterically. I turned to see him, pointing at Chris and holding his stomach. Chris stood, staring at me with his mouth hanging open. I had to giggle a little myself.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. This girl is like a little ninja. First the mall, now this. Angie should pay more attention when she’s with you, Victoria,” Chris stammered out.
“My niece is lethal, young man. She saved your friend here once,” Uncle Frankie boasted. “She’d make a great sharp shooter.”
“I bet,” Chris said, shaking his head. “I’d love to see if she could out shoot you, Lo.”
Lo just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. I wanted to know what Chris meant by that. It sort of rubbed me the wrong way.
“What do you mean?” I asked a little annoyed.
“I guess you haven’t seen Lo in action,” Chris answered. “Lo doesn’t miss.”
“Chris, let’s not go overboard,” Lorenzo said. “Besides, she’s not here for that. Let’s go, I have something I want to check on.”
“O-kay… I guess I’d leave too, if my girlfriend might embarrass me,” I teased. I wanted to see what Chris was talking about. Chris laughed and Lorenzo smirked at my comment. My father and our Uncles were chuckling in the corner.
“Victoria, you shouldn’t talk about things you know nothing about, Baby,” Lorenzo said in a sly tone.
“I can only know about what I see,” I challenged.
He raised a brow and shifted his weight back on his heels. I shrugged my shoulder, as if I had given up and went to reload. Suddenly, I felt his arm wrap around me, pulling me aside. Lorenzo placed two pistols down on the counter and put on a pair of earmuffs. He kissed my nose.
“Pay attention,” he said. “I may teach you something.”
Before I could answer, Lorenzo had both pistols drawn and emptied them both simultaneously. He was quick, ripping the target to shreds. I took in his stance and the way he handled the pistols.
He was right, I was learning something. I knew I could do what he did. When he was done, he turned and pecked me on the lips.
“I’m much better when they move, it’s more fun,” he chuckled and winked at me.
He was in that confident mode again, that was a total turn on. It was insane the energy that was pouring off of him. In that moment, Lorenzo was like ten times hotter than ever.
I had no doubt he’s be better with moving targets. I could only look at him in amazement. He had a smirk on his face, confident that he had shut me up.
“Hmm, we’ll see,” I managed to say, not wanting to be out done.
“We sure will,” he said frowning at me. “Stay focused, Victoria. Not one hit, you hear me. No showing off.” He had his hand pressed to my stomach, his face only inches from mine. “You promised me I won’t regret this. I know you can handle yourself, but you’re gonna be smart for me. No showing off. You got me?”
I threw my arms around his neck. “I got you, not one hit. I will not show off, but Lorenzo.”
“Yes, Victoria.”
“Anyone that aims in your direction is mine,” I hissed and let a wicked grin stretch across my face.
“What I’m I going to do with you?” he said before kissing me. “See you later.”
He and Chris took off before, I could make a fuss. I went back to warming up. I had no trouble focusing.
I had Angie on my mind and what I was going to do to whoever had her. When I was done with my warm up, Uncle Frankie was at my side with a huge rifle.
“Okay, Kid, this is a 25 round, Smith and Wesson. I think you can handle this,” Uncle Frankie said.
Uncle Frankie fixed my stance and showed me how to hold the rifle handle, while keeping my accuracy. Within thirty minutes I was set. My daddy had a huge smile. Alfonzo had appeared and was grinning as well.
I didn’t see when Lorenzo and Chris returned, but they were there when I emptied the last round Uncle Frankie asked me to fire. Uncle Frankie was at my side again, taking the rifle and replacing it with something new. This gun looked dangerous.
“Victoria, this is a tec9. It has a scope, infrared, and a silencer on it. Let’s see if you can use the scope,” he said.
“Did you just see her with that rifle?” I heard Chris chuckled. “I’m so glad she likes me. I never want to be on her bad side.”
“You’re reading my mind. She never has to worry about me cheating,” Lorenzo chuckled.
I just laughed and focus on what Uncle Frankie was showing me. Uncle Frankie must have had his own armory. I used so many different kinds of guns that morning, my arms felt like Jell-O when we were done.
I think I was beginning to understand what Lorenzo was talking about with Uncle Frankie. He known about every piece he gave me and he knew how to correct me to use each one properly.
“I’m proud of you, Vicky.” Uncle Frankie said. “You handle everything better than I thought you would.”
When we finished up Lorenzo pulled me over into his arms. He rubbed my back and shoulders, as I nestled into his chest. It was a long morning.
“You still want to be one of the boys?” he teased.
My cell phone was ringing in my bag, before I could answer him. I run over to answer it, before whoever it was hung up. Lorenzo watched me curiously. My face lit up at the name on the caller ID.
“It’s Uncle Bryce,” I announced.
My uncle on my mother’s side had been calling me more, since the incident with my mother. I picked up the call, moving back across to Lorenzo. He stood against the back wall talking to Chris. I leaned my back against his chest as I put the phone to my ear. I could see my father watching me from the corner of my eye as I mentioned my uncle’s name.
“Hey, Uncle Bryce,” I chirped into the phone.
“Victoria!”
It wasn’t Uncle Bryce at all. “Angie? Are you okay? Where are you? Why are you calling from Uncle Bryce’s phone?”
I felt Lorenzo wrap his arms around me as he leaned over to whisper to Chris. Suddenly, the whole room surrounded me, listening to my every word. I placed the phone on speaker so they could hear.
“Victoria your Uncle Bryce saved my life. What’s going on? Why did someone try to kidnap me?”
“Angie what happened? Where’s my Uncle?”
“No, Victoria. I want to know what’s going on. Your uncles are pretty upset and so is your grandfather,” Angie started to cry on the other end. “Vic, they shot at me. Why is someone trying to kill you? They were calling your name.”
I looked at the angry faces standing around me. Lorenzo’s hold got tighter the minute she mentioned being shot at. “Angie, I can’t tell you that right now. I need to speak to my Uncle now, Ang. This is important.”
“Hello, Victoria, are you with your father?” It was Uncle Bryce crooning angrily, through the phone.
“Yes, Uncle Bryce. Please calm down. I was never in any danger. Lorenzo didn’t know Angie would be in danger taking my car,” I explained. “Can you tell us what happened? You’re on speakerphone.”
“Venny, you bum. We didn’t think you had this under control the way you said you did. We’ve been tracking Victoria’s and that Kid you have her marrying cars. They had Angela.
“She was five seconds from being in their car and gone. One of the guys was screaming something about it not being Victoria. By the time we pulled up they tried to kill her.
“We don’t like cleaning up your mess, Venny. Where you found, the car is where we put it. We wanted to see how you would deal with this. You’re not dealing well, Venny.”
“Bryce, I don’t need this right now. I’m dealing with this. I’m flushing this rat out. Victoria is safe. I appreciate you saving my niece, but we’re handling this.”
“How is that, Venny? Victoria may be safe right now, but they were looking for her car. Tell the kid, he and Victoria left the pasta on the stove and we cleaned up the glass for him.
“Don’t want to mess up those nice wood floors. It was easy getting into their place. Venny, all my son had to do was use his computer to find their cars. The rest was easy.
“You’re not protecting my sister, my niece, or my nephew the right way. When was the last time you saw my sister?” my uncle bellowed through the phone.
“Bryce, I don’t think it’s safe to go see her. I have guys watching her around the clock,” my father grunted.
I could hear Lorenzo breathing harder behind me, as his temper flared. I just listened. My uncle had some good points, these were things they should’ve thought of. They were looking at things from one side only.
“Venny, don’t bother. My sister hasn’t been at that house since last night. Victoria, we are coming for you. You’ll be safer with us, until your father handles this mess,” my uncle demanded.
“No!” Lorenzo roared. “Victoria is fine with me. I’ve known you’ve been tracking her. I didn’t know where the leak was coming from, so I couldn’t trust everyone here.
“I knew you watching her would help me keep an eye on her. Angie was a mistake, but I never make those with Victoria. I’ve been watching you as well, but I thought you missed it last night when Angie disappeared. I was checking on that this morning. Angie didn’t need to be where the car was found, it didn’t make sense.”
“Lorenzo, that’s the name, right?” my uncle asked. “Has Venny told you who you’re talking to? The La Marcellos aren’t half as scary as we can be. My sister says my niece is in love with you, so I’ll cut you some slack, but remember there are many ways to come up missing.”
“Uncle Bryce,” I yelled through my teeth. “That’s unnecessary. Lorenzo is just trying to protect me. The same thing you want to do.”
“No, Victoria, we’re not going to try. We will,” Uncle Bryce fired back.
“Bryce, is it,” Lorenzo said calmly. “I don’t care one bit about how scary a La Marcello is. I’m a Botticelli. Lorenzo Botticelli, you make sure to remember that and remember that Victoria is my main concern. I don’t try to protect her, I do.
“I have this under control, not Venny. If I were you, I would go ask your doorman why the box I sent to you has been seating at his desk for two hours. That would be a nasty treat, if I were someone else.
“I thought Angie might want a toothbrush and something to change into. There’s a phone in there for her to call her boyfriend. You see, I’m not Venny and my wife is safe with me.”
There was a brief pause. “Lorenzo… umm… I might learn to like you. Good to know someone is awake over there. But Victoria isn’t your wife yet.
“This family tradition you guys have has already hurt one woman I love. Let’s not make it two. You get her to the altar kid or I’ll find you myself. Don’t let your pride get in the way, like Victoria’s father does. If they can’t help you handle this, you let me know. Not one single hair on that girl’s head will be harmed. I’ll be watching.”
“Like I said, my wife is safe with me. She will be at the altar and you can watch her marry me,” Lorenzo growled. “My pride has nothing to do with this. That’s why I’m about to ask you to do me a favor. I need you to keep Angie with you until we have this taken care of.
“The one person I trust to help me keep Victoria safe is in love with that girl and I need him focused on Victoria right now, not Angie. If he knows she’s safe with you I can count on him.”
“Ok, Nephew. That’s not a problem. My sister is fond of this young lady, as well. Her mother is like family around here.
“I would have been hurt to lose her last night. Tell your friend. Chris, is it? That she’s safe with us. Now, you focus on fixing this problem. Venny, we’ll talk soon. Victoria, I’ll see you at the wedding.”
“Thank you, Bryce,” Lorenzo said with sincerity.
The other end hung up. I turned to look at Lorenzo in shock. He knew all this time that Angie was safe. I wanted to reach for my pistol and hit him with it, but at the same time, I wanted to kiss him after the way he handled my uncle.
What was Lorenzo up to? He looked at me so much confidence as I looked up at him. I had so many questions, but before I could start, my father bellowed profanities from behind me.
“Motherfucker! You believe this shit? Is everyone here a fucking rat? Sometimes, I think yous all are trying to get me fucking killed. Which losers were supposed to be watching Lakeisha last night?
“Bryce better had killed them to get to her because if not, I am. Lorenzo, Kid, you have a lot of fucking balls to speak that way in my home and in my fucking face.
“You’re lucky you’re the only one doing their damn job or I’d start with cutting your motherfucking tongue out. I think everyone is forgetting who the fuck I am.
“If Lakeisha’s family wants a war behind this, they’ll get one. I’m not going to take too much more of this shit, I’m tired of the fucking threats. I don’t care how much I love Keisha. I’ve had enough.” My father ravened like a mad man.
It was obvious Lorenzo wasn’t comfortable with me there, given the language my father was using. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I turned from Lorenzo to stare at my father. He looked like a mad man. The look he was giving Lorenzo showed me he was serious about every word. He was really considered cutting out Lorenzo’s tongue.
Lorenzo leaned to my ear. “Go upstairs, now,” he whispered.
I looked up at his face. He looked like he was about to kill someone. I went to get my things and do as he said.
“Where do you think you’re going?” my father yelled. “If he’s so confident he can protect you, you stay right here with him,” he barked.
“Victoria, I said go upstairs, now,” Lorenzo bellowed. “Venny, I don’t want her here.”
“That’s too bad because as her father, I say she stays,” my father fired back.
You could see the veins popping out of Lorenzo forehead. I’ve never seen him this mad. He stood up straight, pushing his shoulders back and folded his arms across his chest. His stance showed he meant to challenge my father.
Alfonzo and Uncle Mike quickly crossed the room to restrain Lorenzo. I didn’t know what to do. I thought about leaving, but my father looked like I would have to fight my way out of this room if I wanted to leave.
“Venny, you’re taking this too far. The kid is trying to protect her in more ways than one. He’s not your enemy. Sure, he has a big mouth, but he backs it up and that’s what counts. He’s keeping her safe,” Alfonzo said in a calm voice.
My father let out a long sigh, while staring at Lorenzo. Lorenzo still looked like he was going to lunge at him. No one else in the room made a move.
You could tell that everyone thought my father was overreacting. He took a step toward Lorenzo and Alfonzo and Uncle Mike stepped in front of him.
“I’m not going to touch him,” my father said. “I just wanted to see if he’s really going to stay like that. Stand there like a man. Hmm… I have more respect for that kid then most the men I’ve surrounded myself with. You don’t fear me, do you, Kid?”
“Victoria, go upstairs, now. I won’t say it again,” Lorenzo ordered.
“I guess that answers my question,” my father said.
Lorenzo pulled his eyes away from my father to look at me. His eyes said it all. You better do what I just said.
In that moment, I was more afraid of him than my father. He nodded his head toward the door and I turned to leave. Chris was at my side, grasping my arm, pulling me to leave the room.
I looked back once to see Lorenzo and my father locked on each other once again. Uncle Frankie started to make his way out of the room.
I wanted to know what was going to happen. Should Chris be coming with me? What happened to my Lorenzo? He was so worried about me changing, but he was the one that was changing the most.
He was always so polite to my father. Had what my father said really upset him that much? Uncle Frankie laughed at the top of his lungs when we reached the stairs.
“Wow, Victoria, I don’t know if we’re having a wedding after all,” he laughed out. “Wow, that kid has some temper. No one stands up to Venny like that. I’ve seen him kill guys for much less than that.”
I turned to look at him in horror. What was he saying? My father wouldn’t dare, he wasn’t going to hurt Lorenzo.
Uncle Frankie was just joking, he had to be. Suddenly, all of Lorenzo’s questions had answers. All the ice cream and movie trips played in my head. My father always had the same look he had just now in the range.
Just like Lorenzo had just done, he would order Toni and me out of the room. Uncle Sal would take us to the movies like Chris was ushering me upstairs now. I never saw the men my father was angry at ever again. All the pieces fit.
I knew what it was Lorenzo didn’t want me to know. What the wives shouldn’t be involved in. My father really meant what he said about killing whoever was supposed to be watching my mom.
Those realizations made the scene downstairs come into focus. Uncle Sal had just stayed downstairs to protect my father from Lorenzo and Alfonzo and Uncle Mike were protecting Lorenzo from my father.
No! This wasn’t happening. What happened to becoming a family, to protecting each other? So what Lorenzo told Uncle Bryce off and let him know he isn’t my father. He isn’t. I needed to get back downstairs.
“We have to go back. They’re going to try to kill each other,” I screamed.
“Victoria, Uncle Sal and Alfonzo aren’t going to let that happen,” Uncle Frankie assured me. “Your boyfriend is just going to be given some boundaries at most. If you ask me, I like the kid. We need more men like him around here. He just needs to learn how to talk to Venn.”
“Ugh, this is ridiculous,” I grumbled.
Maria found us heading for the family room. She was distracted at first, but when she saw my face, she stopped to stare. You could see her reading what was going on.
“Okay, I’ve had enough. What’s going on?” she demanded.
“Your husband is downstairs trying to kill your son. That’s what’s going on. And Daddy better hope, grief doesn’t get the best of me or I might shoot him myself,” I yelled.
Uncle Frankie roared with laughter. Chris just shook his head. I was pissed that they weren’t trying to go back and stop them. Maria looked at me with her lips pressed and her eyes narrowed, as she headed for the stairs. Uncle Frankie grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.
“That room is hot enough without you. Lorenzo will be fine,” he said to her. “Why don’t the two of yous go work on the wedding?”
I could hear the Uncle Frankie that I tend to stay away from in his voice. So, I knew we were going to go work on the wedding without question. Chris followed us to the study and stood in the room by the door, while Maria and I tried our best to go over the seating chart.
Maria looked like she was planning ways to torture my father. After about thirty minutes, I heard Lorenzo and my father talking outside the door. Maria and I dropped everything, rushing for the door.
I was the first one out. I saw my father grinning at Lorenzo and Lorenzo’s expression was way more relaxed. I ran to Lorenzo’s side and wrapped my arms around him. He rubbed my back, as he listened to my father speak.
Maria stood by my father giving him a dirty look, with her arms folded across her chest. I knew she was going to let him have it as soon as she got a chance. I just hoped I was around to see it.
“Lorenzo, sometimes I forget you have two women in my house that might try to kill me if I hurt you,” my father said and gave Maria a smile.
Lorenzo smiled at Maria, then looked down at me. I couldn’t take it, reaching up I locked my hands in his hair, pulling his face to mine. I was so happy he was okay.
I kissed him the way I hadn’t in a long time. If my father wanted to be pissed about something, I was giving him something. Lorenzo kissed me back, but I could feel a part of him was somewhere else. I wanted his full attention.
“Che cosa?” I asked, totally frustrated.
“Nothing, Baby, I just have to take care of something. We found what we’re looking for, your uncle called your dad. I need to meet my guest I flew in,” he explained. “I promise you, tonight, I’ll be more than happy to give you what you’re looking for.
“I need Chris and Uncle Mike with me. Uncle Fredo will be around, but you can start working on that promise you made me.”
“Okay,” I said and stroked his face. “You promise to do the same?”
“Oh, Victoria, you never have to worry about that. I’ll always come home to you,” he said in that confidence that seemed to have found a permanent place in his voice.
“See you later,” I said softly and pecked his cheek.
I watched as Uncle Mike, Uncle Sal, and Chris followed, Alfonzo, my father and Lorenzo out of the door. I wanted so badly to go too, but I would do what he asked and stay here for now. Maria stood next to me and from the look on her face I knew she wanted to know what was going on.
I quickly tried to figure out how to get away from her. It didn’t help that I had a fitting for my gown today. I wasn’t going to be able to hide from her. I suddenly wished that Uncle Bryce did come for me.
“Maria, can you trust me when I say that you don’t really want to know? Lo is going to be fine. He promised me and I know he means it,” I offered.
“No, you will understand someday, when you have children, Victoria. I have lost Lorenzo once. I won’t do that again,” Maria said sadly, breaking my heart with her words. “Just tell me if he’s in danger, Victoria. I see a change in him. It’s the same change I watched both Venny and Alfonzo make once. I was hoping that wouldn’t happen to Lo, he’s different. I don’t know if their world is for him.”
“Oh, Maria, Lo is going to be fine. I think he’s better suited for their world then you think,” I reassured her. “Maria, will you teach me how to help him. I mean I want to help him stay Lo, as much as possible.”
“Victoria, I think you’re already doing a great job at that. Lorenzo is lucky to have you.”
“I hope so, Maria.”
“I know so. Well, if you won’t tell me what’s really going on I guess we should get back to the seating chart before Carlos shows up.”