Repaying the Mafia’s Dept

TRISTAN Saying goodbye like that was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in a long time.

When we boarded the plane it felt strange too. Isabella sat with Candace and me with Dominic.

The tension was noticeable. More than when we were trying to keep our relations secret.

I know Candace picked up on it straight away. I think she knew we were involved. She’s the kind of person to pick up on things like that without being told what’s going on. She’s known me my whole life and she’s gotten to know Isabella too.

From the vibe coming off the both of us it’s a little obvious.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

As the plane took off I found myself looking at the island and promising myself that if I made it through this next battle, I’d go back soon. I never got the place to let it go to waste.

I imagined growing old there with Allyssa and having all kinds of memories you cherish. I think it’s time to move on, move past the past and focus on the future. I will be able to lay Allyssa to rest properly once I kill Mortimer. I think then and only then will I be able to truly let her go from my heart.

I steal a glance at Isabella. I can see the perfect image of her on the reflection of one of the little circular mirrors ahead near the tv. She can’t see me. it’s just like before when I was watching her, when she never knew I existed.

She’s looking through the window. Her head is resting back on the seat and she looks a million miles away.

I meant what I said last night. I would have done everything different if things were different. I definitely would have loved to have a chance with her.

We’re all staying at Massimo’s house as a base.

We arrived a little over an hour ago and started unpacking. Just like the other day it feels good to be back in L. A. This time it’s good because it feels like we’re moving forwards with a plan I’m positive about.

Dominic is out getting what he needs ready. He’ll be the man with the magic breaking down walls so we can go in and do what we have to do. Everything is ready for us to head back to Rhode island when the time comes. We just need to plan out what we’re doing.

I make my way to Massimo’s office on the ground floor when I finish and find him going through paperwork. It seems strange to see my brother with paperwork all the time now. He started to get like that before Pa died, and now he’s up to his elbows in it.

I walk into the office and close the door.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, you?”

“Just getting ahead of the game so I don’t have to worry about business. I’ll be done later.”

“Do you need help?” I offer but I have my own business to tend to later when I speak to Alfonse.

He’s the last part of the mission.

“No, I’m okay. It’s all contracts that needed to be signed. Little things that can pile up.” He pushes aside the document he was looking in and schools his features as he looks at me. “This looks like it could be it brother. We have a path to get Mortimer once and for all and a lead to this other guy. Two down and the rest is … well the rest.”

“Yeah, I think we’ll all feel better when Mortimer is gone and out of the picture. We have personal ties to consider every time we think of him.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I’m thinking about the man from Isabella’s dream though. That’s going to be an interesting discovery.”

“You can say that again.” I nod.

When I told him about it he was as shocked as I was. The problem is we don’t know where to start looking for such a person and it’s all still vague as to who it is when ninety percent of the people we have dealings with are Italians.

“Well one thing at a time. There’s no point digging another hole when we haven’t crawled out of the hole we’re already in. But… I have a question for you.”

I incline my head to the side when he takes a cigar from the humidor on his desk and hands it to me. I take it because I’m desperate for a smoke. I also know he’s about to ask me something I’m going to find difficult to answer.

“What do you want to ask me brother?” I say.

“You asked me to speak with Isabella about this guy. You didn’t want to do it?”

“No.” I light up and take a draw.

He stares at me and bites the inside of his lip.

“She doesn’t know me at all, and she’s gotten to know you a lot over the last few weeks. You don’t think you’d be a better candidate for the job?” He raises his brows. I know he’s pussyfooting and trying to drag the truth from me.

“No, I don’t. I think your best placed to do it. You’re neutral and all about business.”

“And she doesn’t have any sort of feelings for me?” he intones.

I wait a moment before I nod. “Yeah.”

“Tristan, you are not yourself. I don’t expect you to be in light of what’s happening and I haven’t expected you to be the brother I know since you lost Alyssa, but I sense you care about this girl. Do I have to remind you what you told me about Emelia?”

“No, you don’t and that was different.”

“How? You’re going to seriously tell me that me falling for Emelia was different from whatever you might feel for Isabella?”

“I am.” And it’s no longer for the reasons I originally thought.

“You told me to think of what she was. The beautiful woman who captured me from the first moment I saw her. Then Pa told me it didn’t matter where she came from. You can’t help who you feel for.”

I must be wearing my heart on my sleeve because he wouldn’t be talking to me like this if he couldn’t see straight through me.

“Her father is Mortimer Viggo. She’s lived her life in darkness. She deserves a life free of that. A life free of danger where she can have dreams. She deserves to be able to fall asleep at night and dream, not to be trapped in the nightmares of dark memories.”

“Maybe you could give that to her,” he states surprising me.

I have to smile, briefly, then shake my head. “You know I can’t.”

On that declaration I stand and leave.

Alfonse walks into my living room with that edgy vibe again. I wanted to see him away from everyone so I got him to meet me at home.

I have special things I need to talk about.

The first is to inform him of what’s been going on.

Massimo has allowed me to but only because I need something from him.

We sit down in the living room and he has that look I’ve grown used to from when I was a boy.

He looks worried.

“Tristan, you could give an old man a heart attack with all this suspense,” he muses.

“I’m sorry, and you aren’t old. You’re barely sixty.”

“I was sixty last year and this one year that’s flown by has carried enough to age me by a hundred more years.”

I feel the same so I can’t argue that.

“I have to talk to you about a few things. Not company related. You’ve been like a second father to me so I think I trust you as such.”

He sighs and his pale brown eyes gaze back at me with more worry. “I deeply appreciate that and I think of you as a son. You do realize though that you’re scaring me.”

“I know and I don’t mean to but I have to be realistic. There are serious things happening. very serious things I might not make it back from. Alfonse we found Mortimer Viggo,” I say and his mouth drops.

“What? Really?”

“Yes.” I quickly fill him in on what’s been happening for the last few weeks and by the time I finish I swear he looks older.

“Oh my God,” he says bringing his hand to his temple. “You have his daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Tristan, that’s like stealing an egg from a dragon’s nest.”

“That’s why I haven’t told you until now. We’re going in to get him once and for all on Friday. If it goes well then great, but if it was that easy to get to a man like that I guess it would have been done already. I don’t expect to make it back out.”

“What are you saying to me?”

“Alfonse, we have to be real. I have to be realistic. I expect to die and it’s the price I pay for what I must do. So I pray I don’t fail. What I want you to do is escort her back to Rhode Island. I trust you that’s why I’m asking. Of late trust is a hard thing to come by. You’re the only person I can think of that I trust to take her home, safely.”

He nods with appreciation. “Then I won’t let you down.”

“Thank you. If something happens to me please make sure my brothers know I love them.” I’m the only brother who doesn’t have anything left to lose. Massimo has Emelia and there’s a chance for Dominic and Candace. I’m planning to sacrifice myself if I must to make their lives easier. Better.

“I will,” Alfonse replies.

“Grazie.”