Yesterday’s Betrayal, Today’s Scars

Chapter 6 - PAYBACK

Chapter 6

Tony

I stare at the phone in my hand after hanging up with Lightning. Every instinct I have says I need to meet this elusive creature. My gut is rarely wrong. Lightning both infuriates me and intrigues me.

I look up at my brother, who is sitting on the couch studying me. He can read me like a book always has. Our father used to say we had a twin connection without being twins. At 11 months apart in age, we have always been very close.

He c***s his head to the side as if waiting for me to speak. “We drop them off at 5 pm tomorrow, so there is plenty of time for us to get some payback before then,” I tell Max. “And he agreed to us watching?” he asks. I nod. “There is something you're not saying.” he raises a brow.

I sigh. “My gut is telling me something is off with this Lightning. I don't know what it is until an in-person meeting.” Max leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “It could simply be that no one has ever met him or at least has said they have. Just the mystery of it.” he shrugs one of his big shoulders.

“It's more than that. In our brief conversations, the words and speech patterns Lightning uses and is quick to get offended. At first, I assumed the voice distortion was a means of anonymity. But if you think about all those things together, it's possible Lightning could be a woman,” I say, getting up from my desk to make a drink.

I pour us each a whiskey, handing him his before

sitting down. Max’s brows are drawn as if in deep thought. “You think a woman could pull off everything this Lightning has a reputation for?” he crosses his leg over the other, leaning back.

I look at him intently and decide to state simple facts. “Look, here is what we know for sure. The Camillian worked out of our town for nearly two decades without issues. He did a few jobs for us, as well as the cartel and bratva. There were no problems because he had no allegiance to anyone. Then, all of a sudden, he has a mysterious partner no one has ever seen or spoken to in person. Always hiding behind a phone or computer. They worked together for years. Then, when the Chameleon disappeared around three years ago, this Lightning took over everything. If you look at the facts, I think Lightning is related to the Camillian somehow. If you consider the other factors I mentioned, my gut says a female, not a male,” I explain, taking a large swallow of my drink.

“We will find out if your gut is right tomorrow then.” Max stands and continues, “Come on, we have our father's murders downstairs. Time for some justice.”

When Max and I enter the cell, Johnny is the first to raise his head, looking at Max and then at me. The first emotion that crosses his face is fear. Good, he should be scared. He, of all people, should know not to betray us.

“My father took you off the streets. He fed you, trained you, trusted you, and made you a part of our family. The thanks you gave him in return was to murder him?” I growl out. His face turns red, and he gets a look of disgust on his face. “I deserved more than being some pathetic foot soldier doing his dirty work. He would never let me move up the ranks no matter what I did.” he sneers. Max lunges forward, throwing a punch that topples both him and the chair over. When he stands and starts kicking him, I lean back against the wall and look at the other traitor. A guard who has been with the family since we were children.

“What is your excuse for betraying this family?” I ask with utter disgust. “Money” is his one-word reply. “Tell me, what was your price tag, and who paid you?” I demand. He presses his lips firmly together.

I walk over to the table, making a show of looking at each weapon. I slowly pick up an icepick. Looking at it and then at him, I smile. Walking over, I brace his leg and look into his fearful eyes. Then, with sheer force, I ram it up under his kneecap.

His scream of pain echoes around the room. Leaving it there, I stand, placing my hands in my pockets. Leaning back on my heels, I raise a brow. “Do you want to answer me now?” I question. “A half a million if I left town afterward,” he replies. “Who?” I ask again. “Frankie,” he chokes out, still in pain.

I'm shocked by the revelation. I look at Max, who is just as shocked as me. Frankie is a capo who has overseen our family’s gambling establishments for decades. It has to be a power play to take over the family. I see the recognition on Max’s face.

I turn back towards the pathetic piece of s**t, stepping forward with a single powerful punch knocking him out cold.

I know Max wants to keep beating them. Controlling his temper has never been his strong suit. “5 pm, brother,” I say in Italian. Reassuring him, we will get our vengeance. He nods, and we walk out to get some much-needed rest.

Once I stripped and got in bed, I stretched, put my hands behind my head, and stared into the dark. Growing up being a Marino with power and wealth meant women were always chasing Max and me. Spoiled princesses from other families wanting to be arm candy or to throw around the Marino name. Loose women in clubs wanting to brag they had bedded one of us. It never interested Max or me.

Father warned us how most women were. I've always known the only type of woman I would like. One who is fiercely loyal and strong enough to stand by my side to lead. Not a docile primadonna. The thought of Lightning being a woman, a beautiful one at that, has my d**k hardening. s**t, no sense fantasizing about something that is a figment of my imagination. I need rest.

Max

I wake up looking over at my phone. Seeing I managed to get 7 hours of sleep. That's a rarity for me. I shower and dress in my usual polo shirt, dress pants, and Italian loafers. Tony always dresses more formally in button-down shirts, but with my wider frame and bulkier muscles, I'm more comfortable in polos. Holstering my gun before exiting my room.

I go to the kitchen and see Tony drinking an espresso while Maria, our cook and housekeeper, prepares a late lunch. “Buon pomeriggio,” I say. (Good Afternoon)

They greet me back while I sit. Maria brings me an espresso. “Our gifts are being prepared for transport,” Tony says. I look at my watch, seeing it's 3:30 pm. “We should leave soon. Everything else running smoothly?” I ask. “Yes, all is good,” he replies.

We eat in silence, then go out front. I side-eye Tony because he knows I prefer the SUVs to the van. He shrugs a shoulder and says, “Cargo.” I nod my head once in understanding.

I'm driving, Tony in the passenger seat with our cargo bound in the back. I have to admit I'm excited to see this disposal firsthand.

Once, we arrived at the drop site in the middle of nowhere over an hour later. I look around. Nothing except a small steel box with a door can be seen. There isn't a handle or knob, so it can only be opened from the inside. That's smart, I think to myself. Looking up, I see a small camera atop the box structure.

Tony and I go to the back of the van, each grabbing one and dragging them out. Taking them to the front of the door, it buzzes open. The same large man we've seen in the past stands there.

“Follow me and watch your step” is all he says. But his lip tilts up when he looks at Tony. What's that about? I think to myself.

This is our first time going inside. I follow them down concrete steps into a tunnel, dragging the struggling traitor with me. The tunnel widens out, and there is a gulf cart with a trailer attached. Handcuffs at various points on it. He grabs the man Tony is holding since he's closest and throws him on the trailer. Cuffing him to it, then does the same with the man I had.

“Let's go,” he says, waiting for us to get in the golf cart driving. The tunnel seems to go on forever, and it's dark except for the cart's headlights. An occasional small red dot can be seen along the way. Cameras, maybe.

The tunnel ends in a huge garage. Looking around, I see 3 Ducottis, 3 Hummers, and a sleek black limo. I raise an eyebrow and look at Tony. He has a look of surprise on his face, too. Is this where Lightning lives or works? I wonder.

After he unlocks the handcuffs, he throws one man over his shoulder like it's a practiced move and starts walking. We grab the other traitor and follow.

After going down several hallways like a labyrinth, we end up in front of another steel door. He enters a code, and we follow. The room is enormous and very humid. My eyes try to take everything in.

A vast pit or canyon is below, with a large pond or lake. Trees that are not naturally from this area. It is a habitat. Then, I see them sunbathing under the artificial sunlight. 2 gigantic crocodiles. I look at Tony, who has a massive grin on his face.

Looking at the man who handles all our drops, he is staring up. I follow his line of sight. There is a platform with a metal railing with what looks like one-way glass hiding a room. Who is behind the glass, Lightning, maybe?

Tony sees it, too. After a few minutes, a small woman with different colored hair steps onto the platform dressed in leather pants and a revealing top like she's going to a club. But the woman that follows a moment later has my attention—a real goddess.

She has long black hair falling over her shoulders, tanned skin, and dark eyes. She is petite but has an athletic build; she trains. A black fitted tank top with no bra showcasing glorious firm t**s, tight camo pants, and combat boots. A Glock in a thigh holster. My c**k goes instantly hard, wanting an introduction.

She confidently walks over to the center of the railing, placing both hands on it. Her shoulders square, feet firmly planted apart, chest out, chin up. Is she military? She's hot as hell and confident to boot.

Her eyes slowly take in Tony and then me from head to toe. A slight blush adorns her cheeks, and then, as if catching herself, her face goes firm and hard. The wild-looking woman a few feet from her is watching the interaction with excitement on her face.

I look over at Tony, who is adjusting himself—s**t, he is attracted to her too.