Annihilation Read online

  “Speak Italian or English!” Giuseppe remarked as he stuck himself in the middle. He was angry that he didn’t understand what Nico had said.

  Alfonzo stiffened at these words spoken in Spanish. Alberti’s son, the bodyguard who’d stood at his side and in the shadows never apologized to anybody for anything. To hear one from Nico’s mouth told him the man did not plan to come back. He’d die to save his son and for that Alfonzo respected the man. An enforcer such as Nico never asked any man for forgiveness. To Alfonzo it was the equivalent of a deathbed confession of a man making peace with his sins before transcending into the afterlife.

  ‘Yes, Alberti’s my father, and we’re blood cousins, but you were always like a brother in my heart. Forgive me this sin, brother,’ was the translation, Giuseppe failed to understand.

  Selange’s distress echoed in her speech, “Nico, what do you mean Alberti’s your father, how long have you known this?”

  “About two years.”

  Selange clutched her chest, there was more. She could feel it. Something happened and she feared to hear it, but she had to know, “Tell me what’s going on guys. Tell me dammit and don’t lie!”

  “Nico’s son was kidnapped yesterday.” Alfonzo shared.

  “Oh my God. Oh no!” Her reaction was the same as Alfonzo’s had been. She thought of her children and their safety. It was evident by the way she took a look over her shoulder in the direction of the birthday celebration.

  Alfonzo stepped to Nico. “Stop talking like a man with six nails in the coffin. We’re going to get your son back together. No more Serano’s handling everything solo. We do this one as a family, comprende and the forgiveness part, we’ll start with a truce first but you better not cross me again, understand?”

  Nico smirked, “Morte ai nemici della mia famiglia.”

  Giuseppe showed the guys the tattoo on his back, “This is what I have said all along. Italiano, see!”

  Selange had no idea what it meant. Nico saw her confusion and translated, “Death to the enemies of my family.” Then he turned and walked toward the guest house to freshen-up and commandeer one of the guy’s computers. He had some research to do. This was the most important expedition of his life, and he’d have a ruthless hunting party at his side!

  ****

  “Let him go Selange,” Alfonzo said gripping her arm as she was about to go after the perturbed man.

  She looked sadly at Alfonzo, “This is cruel Alfonzo. Seriously, look at what’s happening. His son is kidnapped and he learns the twins aren’t his and now you and Geo double-team him. I mean come on, when does this cruelty end, wasn’t Vincent’s life payment enough for what we did?”

  The corner of Alfonzo’s lip descended in derision. Yes, it was cruel. He knew all about cruelty. He suffered it at the hands of this woman when she slept with Nico. He’d forgiven her, they were going to start fresh, isn’t that what she wanted? Perhaps she needed to have less sympathy for Nico and more empathy towards her man. Didn’t she understand, it was still too raw this betrayal and it would take some time for it to completely dissipate? Yes, he could move on, but she had to aid him by being loyal and uderstanding. An expression of sympathy for Nico wasn’t cutting it at all and he had to take a stand. He let go of Selange, stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest and gestured with his chin toward the figure in the distance. “Go, if that’s what you want to do –but babe the minute you go in that direction, keep going because I won’t take you back!”

  Giuseppe chuckled and grabbed his crotch. Alfonzo could see him over Selange’s shoulder acting the fool and mouthing, “That’s right. Show her the paddle!”

  Alfonzo scowled and ignored his cousin, he had no intent on forcing Selange to stay put, nor would he subject her to physical abuse to gain submission. She was a woman with a choice to make. They’d exchanged vows of commitment; maybe not in front of a priest this time; however the sanctity of it was the same. If they were going to rebuild and start fresh, words would not suffice, actions were warranted. There’s a point in everyone’s life when the hardest thing to do –is nothing. Nico’s a grown-ass man who’d lick his wounds and survive the baby drama. He certainly didn’t require Selange to hold his hand. It boiled down to one decision, that’s how Alfonzo viewed it, go after her wounded ex-lover or stay beside the man she confessed to love. Simple as that!

  “I’m not an ultimatum type of woman and what you’re doing isn’t fair, Alfonzo.” She challenged.

  Giuseppe snickered, “Stop trying to friend the friendless, Selange!”

  Alfonzo cut his cousin a dirty look, “Shut the hell up Geo!” He spat then his eyes narrowed, and a vein appeared on Alfonzo’s forehead under increased hematic pressure. He addressed the love of his life. She’d always be that, no matter the outcome. “That’s right amor, life’s cold. What you need to understand about our reconciliation is, I gave you one pass and no hay una dos veces. I’m not a fool or much of a merciful man!” He snatched his shirt and wristwatch off the ground and left her where she stood.

  Giuseppe cackled, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. He taunted the insufferably bleeding heart of a woman when she picked up the hem of her dress and sprint after Alfonzo. “Run Selange run!”

  She called over her shoulder, “Oh, piss off Geo you evil bastard!”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Nico, are you serious?” Ariana exclaimed as they climbed out of the bulletproof car and headed toward the exterior of the large brick estate. Nico hadn’t told her until they arrived at the gate where they were expected to stay for the next three days. When he divulged the homeowner’s name, man-oh-man, Ariana became livid. She tried to keep her tone low to prevent Aaron from eavesdropping, however she failed miserably. “You want us to stay in the same house with your lover, are you crazy?”

  “She’s not my lover and right now it’s the only immediate option.”

  “Have you lost your goddamn mind; you want me to tip-toe around your ex-mistress’ house and watch her cooing at your love babies and not have an opposition to it? Oh, Nico, Nico, Nico –you are one clueless sonovabitch!”

  He stopped in his tracks, gripped Ariana’s arm and shout at Lou, “Lou take my kid in, I need a minute!”

  Lou nodded, and picked up one of the suitcases and ushered the lanky kid with the headphones up to the door. Thank goodness the boy was engrossed in his music and didn’t hear his parent’s heated conversation, ‘cause hot-damn, it was a doozy!

  “Ariana, sweetheart, I’m sorry –alright. I’m taking the hits for every rotten thing I did to you, believe me I am. Selange and I are over, it’s been over. Sweetheart the babies aren’t mine.”

  “So, that’s why it’s over, because you found out she lied and tried to pass off another man’s kids as yours?”

  He jumped to Selange’s defense, “Ariana she’s not a liar. She recently learned the kids are Alfonzo’s from a paternity test.”

  “If she’s not a liar than she’s completely naive. Didn’t she think to get a confirmation of paternity before announcing you’re the father?”

  Nico groaned in frustration. Having an emotionally charged debate with a lawyer is a long drawn out trial that might go on for years. No side wins. “Ariana…take as many jabs at me as you want. We have to work together to get Darren home. This is the safest, most secure place I can come up with at the moment. Alfonzo’s here, too. It’s not like you’re the only one caught in an uncomfortable situation, we all are, but come on Ari, for the sake of our sons don’t fight me on this. Stand down honey, please. You can kill me later love, but for our son’s sake, stand down and put away the guns. We have to march together on this one and settle our differences after.”

  She pointed to the smaller residential structure in the distance, “Why can’t we stay in her precious guest house?”

  “Bodyguards are there.”

  The stubborn woman’s stern lips pursed in an angry sneer, “This is really a shitty position you’re putting me in Nico, I hope you kno
w that?”

  Nico frowned at the pretty woman. Her brown eyes flashed spikes. He did understand the predicament he put her in, but this was the only alternative. An exasperated breath escaped before he replied, “I’m sorry Ariana, but this is it. I can’t risk anything public. I need to know when I’m gone you’re safe and there aren’t any variables. This is our son’s life we’re discussing; this isn’t about your resentment of me. Look, I need to know, do you want the public hotel to be the layover before the morgue or be safe here, what’s the verdict counselor?”

  Ariana massaged the tension from her temple. Nico had given his summation and Darren’s life being at stake was part of the closing argument. Oh, her ex-husband was good! Coming face-to-face with the woman Nico had an affair with wasn’t at the top of her, ‘Shit to do for the Day List.’ Well, neither was going home and finding a note in her apartment followed by frantic calls from her parents that Darren hadn’t come home nor answered any of their calls. The ransom note warned that if she went to the police, the abductor would send Darren’s body home in small chunks. The ransom request was for one hundred million dollars which Nico had and more. Heck, she cleaned all his dirty money!

  There’s one thing they agreed upon, and that’s paying the ransom demand didn’t guarantee Darren’s release. The dismal odds of Darren coming home alive, was slim to none.

  She inhaled and sucked in as much oxygen as she could before having to face the woman inside that house who’d screwed Nico for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ariana bat her long eyelashes, ran anxious fingers through her pixie cut and sighed, “Okay, Nico. I’ll go along with this, but the minute it’s over I’m kicking that bitches’ ass and yours for putting me through this!”

  Nico snickered, “Sweetheart, I’m counting on you to behave.”

  “A dog behaves, I don’t. By the way stop calling me sweetheart you man-whore!” She wanted to slap the shit out of his handsome cold face, but whatever her personal feelings were toward what he’d done, getting Darren back was far more important. She’d do whatever the heck she had to in order to get Darren home unharmed. She was angry, boiling mad in fact, but she wasn’t a fool. Nico’s an expert at tracking and killing people, too bad he wasn’t adept at marriage or fidelity. In this matter, though, she trusted him without question. There wasn’t any man she trusted more than Nico to bring their son home alive. The abductor fucked-up, he’d snatched the wrong man’s kid!

  “Come on,” he said, taking her arm to ensure she didn’t back-out, but Ariana was a heavy-weight champion. She didn’t run from a good fight, in the courtroom or when it came to her personal life. This is why he loved the spirited woman. She was a fighter, the best kind. For the first time in his adult life, he wished, yep, he actually wished he could redo the past and undo the hurt he caused the woman. Yeah, he’d told Selange, no regrets, but in the light of losing his love, he had many. After he got Darren home, he swore to get rid of the nerd Ariana was dating and win her back. He’d get on his goddamn knees if he had to. His eyes twinkled humorously when she poked out her chin in defiance, and then marched toward the door of the house like she owned it.

  Anita opened the door and welcomed Nico and his family. The woman in front of the tall Italian reminded her of an actress, the one Halle Berry. The boy’s features were a mixture of the Halle Berry look-alike and the stern Italian with the sinister nose and piercing eyes. She ushered them inside and Nico’s hard features softened. In good times, he was a breath of fresh air. Eversince his fall-out with Alfonzo though, he stayed away. The reason was not a secret; Selange and Nico had an affair. Sadly, she foresaw such a thing and tried to warn her hard-headed employer many times. She hinted often how he continued to neglect his wife and the brief appearances were not a substitute for time and love. When some women are lonely they seek comfort, whether vices or the affections of another. She empathized with Selange. Before the passing of her husband many years ago, she committed a similar offense and sought comfort in the arms of another man during a bout of despair. This is a secret she kept, a shame she had not breathed to any other soul other than a priest.

  Alfonzo was a good man, yet he traipsed around the world, partying and getting drunk. He took his wife for granted and hadn’t expected the repercussions. Aye Madre de Dios, adultery is bad!

  Aye, she wished it had not happened; Nico and Alfonzo were once good friends. It broke her heart to witness the fall-out, but she believed in time they would survive it. Alfonzo and Selange weathered multiple storms in their marriage. Anita held onto faith that one day the couple would find happiness and laughter returned to their home.

  Nico planted two kisses on her cheek and the aura of the man made her blush. “Aaron, Ariana, this is Anita. She’s the voice of reason and the best cook in Puerto Rico.”

  Anita blushed again, “Aye, you have not changed, Nico. You know how to make me smile with your flattery.”

  Ariana rolled her eyes at Nico’s corny introduction, “Nice to meet you Anita.” Then she tapped her son and he removed the headphones. “Where’s your manners Aaron?”

  “Yeah, hi miss.” Then the headphones went right back on.

  Anita smiled, “Hola, bienvenidos, come, let me show you where you’ll sleep.”

  The house was quiet because Alfonzo’s family flew home to New York, except his mother and the woman Shanda. The actress look-alike was given the guest room and her son shown into Sal’s bedroom where he’d bunk for the next few days. Anita watched the teenage boy as he removed his headphones, toss his backpack on the empty twin bed and flop down in his clothes.

  Aaron didn’t want to leave New York or his girl but seeing all the games and stuff in this boy’s room, he figured he’d make the best of it. He hoped they found Darren because he really wanted to get home to his girl. Sharing a room with a kid with every game and gadget would’ve been cool under different circumstances; however the truth is, Darren was the only person on his mind. Yeah, he kinda’ missed his stuck-up brother.

  Nico sat Ariana’s oversize LV bag on the chaise while Ariana checked out the spacious room and the nice solid furnishings. “Hussy has taste.”

  Nico went to shut the door, “Okay, maybe this isn’t a good idea, you two here together.”

  “Where’s the mistress of the house, anyway?”

  “Ariana, cut it out, it’s late. I’m sure she’s sleeping. Today was her daughter’s birthday. Cool it.”

  “Oh, how special that she can have a nice party in paradise and sleep all cozy in bed without a care in the world while my son is out there somewhere scared and-”

  Nico was in her face, “I’m going to bring him home sweetheart.”

  Then she broke down. Ariana, the strong, fierce, lawyer-woman began to cry, “Nico the note said four days. We’ve already used up one…”

  “Oh sweetheart, I’ll bring him home.” He cajoled then pulled her into his arms and she cried on his chest. He closed his eyes trying to fight an emotion banging through solid walls. He built them strong and hard over the years, made them impenetrable, he had to. He had to remain mentally strong to prevent enemies and remorse from penetrating through, until now. The walls were kicked down and both were let in.

  Nico cupped her face, “I shouldn’t have let you go, sweetheart. I’m a damn fool for letting you walk out on me.” Then he kissed her and poured his soul into that kiss, like he’d never see her again. In the recess of his mind, not holding Ariana again was a real possibility.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Darren rolled over on the bed then sat up. He had a serious headache. The men who grabbed him were outside the door talking. They talked a lot about money. They wanted a whole lot of cash from his parents and Darren actually chuckled. His parent’s had money but they weren’t Rockefellers. Dumb jerks, probably stole the wrong kid, he thought as he climbed from the comfortable bed. They were being nice to him, considering he was being held against his will. His mom said a first degree kidnapping’s considered a federal offense and an A-1 felon
y. Well, the idiots were certain to get at minimum of twenty years in prison.

  He looked through the bars on the window into the night and saw only trees. There wasn’t a house in sight. It was like being in one of those horror movies, except this was real. He pictured chainsaws and a crazed family of blood-thirsty killers and actually became scared. Then he thought about how he was going to miss the movie with Tim and an opportunity to hang with Sasha. Crap, it sucked!

  He walked to the door and very slowly turned the knob. Darn, thing was locked!

  He frowned and walked back to the bed and flopped down, snatching up the ergonomic control for the game system the kidnapper’s generously provided. He played the latest game; the same one he and Aaron tried out in FAO Schwartz when they went with their dad. He pretended he was the head of the Navy Seal’s on a search and rescue mission. The objective was to secure the release of a captured United States Marine. His fingers moved in rapid speed, shooting the enemy targets. Darren mowed down the bad guys and fake blood splattered across their chests. The graphics were awesome. He made it inside the stronghold and led the men up stairs and around corridors where enemy forces suddenly appeared. He blew them away, thinking, ‘Dad hurry up, come get me before these people decide to kill me. I’ve seen their faces and that’s what they’re going to do…I know it. You always talk about instinct and mine is saying get your butt here and fast!’

  ****

  A muffled thumping was followed by muted vibrations. A persistent sound filtered through Selange’s sleep. She turned her nose and lips to the air away from Alfonzo’s armpits. He smelled of masculine cologne, a nice odor mingled with sweat. They’d talked late into the night about the children, the significance of the paternity test and Nico’s situation. What a crazy conclusion to what should have been a lovely birthday celebration for Aldonza.