CHAPTER 19 - THE JOB

Romeo POV:

It's eight pm and it's almost time for the guys to get here. I have to get ready, I'm never nervous before a job but I think this time it's because I have someone I love waiting for me to come home, it's a bitter sweet moment of realisation. "Romeo are ready?" I hear Alina's sweet melodic voice as I slide my black jacket on. All black, down to the combat boots.

"Bella, si I'm ready," I answer as brightly as I can, but the thought of never seeing my beautiful Alina again is a fate worse than death, all the unspoken moments, future memories waiting to happen, I need to make it back to her so we can have it all.

She sits on the bed crossing her beautiful long toned legs with my jumper on her, she looks so beautiful. "Romeo, please be careful tonight, it's the first time since we have been together that you will be going off. I'm scared that something bad will happen and I won't see you again", Alina sniffles, my heart tightens.

"Lina, you know how this life works, I can't promise you that. But what I can promise is that with all that I am I will try my very best to come home to you, I would hate to miss out on a future of firsts with you," I reply with a sad smile, it's killing me inside but it's the truth, in the Mafia life, nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, so we live for today. I can only hope to be so lucky to have a life of love and happiness and fulfilment like my parents, a full life and to grow old with this beautiful woman.

Alina gives me a sad smile and I wrap my arms around her and pull her into a kiss. I would do much more if it weren't for the time constraint and all the layers I have on for protection and gun holsters. Alina holds onto me for dear life, "I don't think anyone ever gets used to saying goodbye, especially the first time. I love you Romeo, come back to me," Alina says holding my face in her tiny hands.

"I will do my best baby, you're not getting rid me that easily," I joke and she smiles, "I love you too Alina, so fucking much," I give her a long lingering kiss. "I have to go now baby, the guys will be here any minute and we have to go over things in my study. Mari and Luc will be here with you, if you need anything just ask Luc. He will be in touch with us the whole time," I say hoping it's some form comfort.

"Ok baby, go save some lives and I will be here waiting for you to get back," Alina says holding back tears. I kiss her forehead and turn to walk out the room to my study.

I see all the men are here, Dario, Leo, Luciano, Vince and his partner and my oldest friend Alberto, I know him from when we were kids, I haven't seen him in eight months, since he was doing a job in Sicily for my father. "Al, you all caught up?" I ask seriously.

"Yes, Vince told me everything. Good to see you brother," he gives me a hug.

"Good to see you too. Now men we know what we have to do. Luc you keep my girl safe," I say looking him in the eyes.

"Of course Rome, not even a question," he says and I nod in satisfaction.

We head to the SUV's and once we are all loaded up we start on our way to one of my warehouses to meet up with Toscano. "Dario, have you heard from our men regarding Toscano?" I ask almost expecting the insufferable ass to do something stupid.

"Yes they will be there in ten minutes," Dario answers. I nod, guess the old bastard knows not to cross me, if he does I will know. We drive the back roads and arrive fifteen minutes later and walk into the warehouse, everyone is there and ready, time for me to address them, I see Toscano salute me, bastard.

"Listen everyone, tonight we are saving underage girls, we have selected all of our best men for this job. You all know what to do, you have been briefed extensively. This could have been your little sisters or daughters, so treat this mission with the utmost importance, we value women, we do not abuse them. All of us were brought up to respect, let's show these girls that all hope is not lost to a life of slavery and abuse. We might not all make it out alive, so I thank you for doing this under the De Luca name and your families will be taken care of, no question, that goes for Toscano's men too, I take care of all. A moment of silence and prayer and let's get ready grab your guns and other weapons of choice and let's make our way to the cars." We stand and have a moment and we get going.

Toscano drives with Dario and Al, and Leo and Vince are with me, Benito is commanding the other men. Its now or never, its eleven thirty almost ShowTime, we arrive and spread out, I draw my gun and make sure my other weapons are ready, all the men remain hidden in the areas designated. I hear Dario over the earpiece, "all the snipers are ready, the vans for the women are waiting and Toscano's men are ready, our men are ready."

"Ok Dario, Benito?" I ask.

"Everyone is ready. We await your go ahead." Benito answers.

"Ok, Leo, Vince, Al, Dario make sure you cover Toscano and myself, we will head inside first stay close," I rattle off.

Alina POV:

Luc has been instructing the men, keeping them informed watching the cameras, it's been a few hours, Luc let us listen in and watch as they arrived the first hour but instructed the men to keep us out of the room after that. Mari and myself have been worried sick, her and Leo have gotten close as well and she's just as worried about him. I'm trying to stay calm and pacify her but I'm just as worried about Romeo.

The next few hours pass and no word on what has happened, Luc hasn't sent word in a while and it's got me pacing up and down. It's been three hours. I decide to put the news on and see if anything has happened.

"A warehouse in the Bronx, South Side has been set alight. Sources say a gang war has broken out and a considerable number of men have lost their lives, no word on which gangs in New York are responsible, some say its the Mafia, but we cannot be certain at this time, all we know is the number of dead are climbing at an alarming rate."

I turn it off. I can't stand to listen, my tears start to fall, and I march over to Luc and bang on the door. "Luc you better fucking come out now, and tell me if Romeo is ok!" I shout.

Luc emerges his hair ruffled, eyes red and he looks completely dishevelled. "Alina, we have to wait till we get word from the safe point, the last I heard some of the men were hurt, no word on who yet. They managed to get all the women out."

"Luc, is it Romeo? Is he ok? Please don't lie to me!" I shout again banging my fists on his chest.

"Alina, if I knew I would tell you! He's my fucking brother! I don't know what I would do without him!" He cracks, some tears run and holds me close and let's me break down. "Just be patient, they will send word when it's safe enough, the city is crawling with cops right now, or they will just come straight home," Luc says and I nod, he sits with myself and Mari who is wailing.

We wait another agonising two hours and we hear cars outside. I stand with Mari and we just hold each other. Leo walks in and Mari runs to him wrapping her arms around him as he pacifies her, next I see Al and Vince, but I don't see Dario or Romeo, my stomach drops and my tears run I'm frozen, I can't move, Luc is holding me up and saying something but I hear nothing, I can't think or function. Eventually I find my voice and croak out loud enough "where is Romeo?"

The guys look at each other and Luc tightens his hold on me. They say nothing, and I start hyperventilating, finally I see Leo on front of me, "calm down Alina, calmate," he whispers but its not working. I see his lips moving but I'm not hearing anything.

I hear nothing going on around me, I just stare at the door. Someone comes to give me a shot, to calm down. Luc places me on the couch and he and Mari sit with me till I fall asleep. I must have been out a few hours because its mid morning. I sit up and see Mari and Luc asleep on the other couches but I don't see anyone else. I sit up and my tears start anew, he never came back. Just as my new tears turn into full blown sobs, the front door of Romeo's house opens and I see a completely dirty and dishevelled Dario helping an equally dirty and dishevelled Romeo. I stare and my brain finally registers I jump up, "Romeo!" I scream and run to him.

"Miss me bella?" Romeo says coughing. I hug him tight and he puts an arm around my waist and he winces as I squeeze him. I cry tears of relief now, he's home! "I'm fine bella, just a bit battered and bruised." I notice my top feels wet and I hear Dario shouting for a medic, as I look down I see blood on my top and hands.

"Luc, Leo! Romeo is bleeding!" I shout for help. Dario and Luc both fall down and that's when I notice both of them are shot. There's chaos with all the people running around, Romeo is out cold and Dario isn't far off. The doctor has been here treating minor wounds, but I was told one of the guestrooms have been turned into an emergency ER. Romeo and Dario are taken away to emergency surgery. I stand pacing in the living room, "Luc, please tell me he will be ok?"

"Alina, Romeo is a fighter, he will be fine," he says unconvincingly. It's been an hour or more and Mari took me to Romeo's bedroom to let me have a shower, I'm covered in blood. I stand under the water praying for him to be alright, nobody is saying anything and I'm just about holding on right now. I get out, brush my teeth and slip on a jean, black t-shirt and one of Romeo's grey hoodies and a pair of Chuck Taylor's. I put my hair into a messy top bun and Mari has freshened up, we go back downstairs and the inner circle of men are all here and cleaned up, waiting but not talking at all. I ask the house keeper to order some pizza and Chinese food for everyone and I put some coffee on and take out some beer. I need to keep busy, I ask Tino if he would get the food for me and he agrees looking relieved to have something to do, in a rare move he gives me a tight hug and leaves.

Three hours turn into four and the men all eat and have a drink, Mari and myself try too eat, its not working, instead I have some coffee. Finally the doctor descends the stairs, Luc and Mari are standing by my side, Leo, Vince and Al too. "Mr De Luca suffered three bullet wounds. The first two missed vital organs and caused some damage but not life threatening, but the third ruptured his spleen and he almost bled out. We managed to repair the damage and we had to give him some blood, but he is stable for now. He should be awake in a few hours, and make a full recovery, he needs to take it easy, no moving around, one bullet just managed to miss his heart. He's a lucky man. Mr Vincenzo had taken two bullets one in the shoulder and one in his side, but he will be just fine, some rest and he will be as good as new."

I sigh in relief and I see Leo and Luc visibly relax. "Doctor can Luc and I see Romeo?" I ask wearily.

"Yes I don't see why not, he has been set up in one of the guest rooms so has Dario, and Dario can have some visitors too, bare in mind both men won't wake for a few hours and will be very groggy and sore when they wake." The Doctor says and we nod.

Luc and I make our way to Romeo's make shift hospital room. I see him laying on a huge queen size bed, he is breathing on his own, but he has a IV in his arm and a nurse looking after him. He's so pale, I kiss his soft pale lips and take his hand in mine, it's colder than I would like. Luc stands and let's me sit, "he's very strong Alina, it's not the first time he's been shot, but this is the worst. I need to get a debriefing from the men and hear what happened. Stay here as long as you like, and I will have some food brought up to you." I nod unable to say anything except a thank you. Luc leaves and I'm left alone with my injured Mafia King.