BETROTHED TO A MAFIA HEIR

CHAPTER TEN

It had been two days since anyone had seen or heard from Keira. It had driven Arnold crazy that he couldn't even find her body to give her a proper burial. All his efforts had gone down the drain, and he had stopped looking and accepted the fact that she was gone.

He had thought of many ways to make his father pay for what he did and he also thought of all the many times that Keira had asked him to let her go, he had refused because he had felt it would be safer here. Not knowing that she was more at risk with him than anywhere else in the world. He had brought this upon her, and he would spend the rest of his life regretting yet another incident.

Eugene walked into the study with a file in his hands. Arnold had asked Mark to prepare the necessary documents that Kenna would need to travel abroad. He was going to fly her to Qatar. He had a house there and it was a nice place and she would have everything she needed. He would make sure it and she were leaving tonight on his private jet.

“Is that everything?” Arnold asked.

“Yeah, passport, visa. Everything she would need, Mark, does a fine job.” Eugene replied, dropping the file on his desk.

“And Kenna? How is she holding up?”

“She's asleep for now, but she's holding up pretty badly. I'd like to be the one to travel with her to Qatar, just to make sure she gets settled in well and that she's okay and not suicidal or anything.” Eugene said.

Arnold eyed him suspiciously. “Just a week,” He insisted, and Eugene nodded. He, too, would feel at ease if Eugene went with her. “You're dismissed.”

“Sure.” And Eugene left.

The day was coming to an end. Arnold stood in the courtyard, a glass of whiskey in his hand, watching the display of purple and orange in the evening sky. It reminded him of times he spent out here with his grandfather training and learning and sometimes, just sitting in silence.

Whiskey was late Richard's favorite alcohol and somehow it had become his too. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't know when Mark walked up to him.

“You have a call,” Mark said, extending his phone to him. His face was straight, and his lips were in a straight line.

Arnold had known over the years that anything that made Mark give a straight face was never good. “Who is it?” Arnold asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It's García. And he specifically wants to speak with you.”

Arnold took the phone.

Garcia Fernández was one of the men that Arnold had refused to work with ever again. He was pretty handy in the underworld. He did all sorts of business no matter what you needed, García was your guy. He was a gangster who didn't play by anyone's rules. As long as you paid him enough, he would do whatever you asked of him.

He had harbored the idea of going to him in search of Keira, but he was not that desperate, and García was scum and they had bad blood between each other.

Arnold was one of the top mafia bosses. He was feared in the underworld by many and also hated by many, too. They saw him as a threat, and many of them had plotted his death.

Arnold had gotten into business with García when he wanted to purchase a large amount of firearms that García had smuggled. The information had come late, but Antonio Tucci had hired García to assassinate Arnold.

García and his men ambushed Arnold, and in the process, Arnold was shot. He made García pay for his mistakes so dearly, and for a long while García was canceled in the underworld. He promised to make sure that anyone found doing business with García was going to be crushed by his hands. Arnold tortured García, took all his possessions, and bled him dry of all his money.

García fled for his life and made sure that he never came across Arnold Giovanni ever again.

But now García had resurfaced, asking to speak with him. Again, nothing ever happens coincidentally in his world. There was something García had found out relating to him, and García was going to use that information to siphon a lot of money from him.

“If it isn't the devil's incarnate, Arnold Giovanni.” He started.

Arnold smirked, “Well I don't believe you called because you miss me García so out with it. What have you got?”

García gave a cynical laugh. He liked the way Arnold's brain worked, so quick and efficient. “I'm afraid that's going to cost you a lot, old friend.” He replied.

“Well, are you planning to surprise me again?” Arnold asked. García was not giving any hints, he low-key hadn't expected him to, García was cunning and smart.

“It would be a pleasant one. And it would cost you twenty million, cash. Bring it with you to the address I will send after this call.” García said.

“Fine. But you know that I would have your head if I find out anything suspicious.” Arnold warned.

García laughed again.

“You have until midnight if not. Heads would indeed roll, and it wouldn't be either of ours.” García said, and then he hung up.

Mark had listened to the conversation, and they had to decide the next line of action. He sent for Eugene immediately. It might not be possible to send Kenna away tonight, and it wasn't safe either.

“What happened?” Eugene asked when they all sat in the study.

“We got a call from García and he knows something,” Mark replied.

“Relating to what?” Eugene asked again.

“We don't know that yet. But it's pretty important if he had to come out from hiding and call me. García is smart. He'd never cross paths with me again.” Arnold replied.

“So what's the plan?” Eugene asked.

“I'm going in alone.”

Mark and Eugene turned to look at him. They won't let him, but then again, Arnold was capable, but it was too risky.

“Backup would be on standby,” Eugene said after a long pause.

************

Arnold walked into the empty storage room. With his gun in his hands, he silently glided through the shadows, making no sound.

He heard the click of a gun behind him, and suddenly, the lights came on.

“Sleek as ever Arnold,” García said. He was sitting on an iron chair facing him.

“Drop your gun.” A Bulky guy with overgrown beards said and Arnold obeyed and raised his hands to signal surrender.

“Here's the money.” Arnold kicked the briefcase he carried towards García. One of his guys collected it and checked it.

García nodded and signaled for them to bring the package.

Arnold could not believe it, but somehow he was relieved and García was right. Heads would roll and it won't be either of their heads.

“It's always nice doing business with you Giovanni. But before I hand you this package I'd like to make a deal.”

“What is it?”

“It has been hard to comeby any jobs on the streets. I want a partnership with you.” He proposed.

Arnold laughed.

“You want to work for me? That's very ironic given our history. I can never work with someone who wants to have me killed.” Arnold replied. His eyes were dark and full of fury.

“Basta! You know what it's like in the underworld. You need me Giovanni and I need you. Think about it, I'm the only one who would successfully pull off s**t like these.” García said.

Somehow Arnold knew that someone like García working for him would be to his advantage but to trust this man was like striking a match on fuel causing chaos.

“I'll think about it, García. At least you're tenacious and smart.” Arnold replied.

“Okay, boss. I will await your reply.” García said with a smile.

They handed Arnold the package and his gun back and he was led out of the storage room. He put the package neatly in the backseat of his car and he zoomed off.

He was breaking every traffic law on his way back to the estate. The urgency to get this package to safety made him blind to the fact that the police were already tailing him. He raced them and along the way, he could see Mark's car pull up behind him and then he lost them.

Mark would take care of them and he had to take care of the package. Reaching the mansion he sent for Eugene immediately.

The package was retrieved from the backseat of his car and was carried straight to his room. No one was to see or know what it was, it was too much of a delicate information to let out.

“What did García want in return for this? There's no way he was going to just accept twenty million.” Eugene asked Arnold while they stared at the package.

“He wants to work for us,” Arnold said and Eugene laughed.

“I do admire his audacity,” Eugene replied.

“I might consider it. Despite everything, the fucker knows how to get a job done, and who would've thought he had access to this. He knows his way around things.” Arnold said.

“He tried to kill you,” Eugene said as a matter of fact.

“Almost everyone wants me dead, that's not news. And at least he's not pretentious.” Arnold replied.

“What happens now?”

“I would figure that out depending on how the situation unfolds,” Arnold replied.

Mark called, he was at the police station and the chief would like to have him over for dinner sometime to congratulate him on his marriage.

Arnold agreed, no one has to know anything about what has happened with Keira so he would solely keep up with the charade and he needs to be in the chief's good books no matter the cost.

“Tell him, I'd be there anytime he wishes,” Arnold replied.

Eugene walked into Kenna's room, to check up on her. She was sitting on the bed hugging her knees. She had been like that since she woke up this evening.

It was as if she could feel it, that Keira had left her too, that she was all alone in this world.

“Everything would be fine Kenna. I can't promise you when, but it will get better one day at a time.” Eugene said she didn't look up.

“I don't think there's anything worth living for Eugene. It's not worth it, so what if he gives me a fancy house and money? I would have no one to be by my side, I'd die of loneliness and regrets.” Kenna replied.

He reached out to her and gave her a pat on her shoulder. Just like Arnold, he couldn't offer her the peace she needed.

“I can't be helped, Kenna,” Eugene replied and with that, he left the room.

She might just survive this arc in her story, she just might Eugene thought. He sent some guys to guard her door and make sure nothing happened to her. Arnold would not take it if anything else went wrong under his nose.

It was dark and Keira couldn't see a thing, she had shouted for help as long as her strength could carry her. She was struggling to breathe and she could feel herself going under. It was like a scary dream, she screamed frantically searching for anything and anyone to save her.

She shouldn't have left, or maybe Arnold had known she had escaped and wanted her dead for good.

Her whole life flashed before her eyes. It was a sign that she wouldn't make it. And the darkness came like a friend, comforting and consuming.

She succumbed to its embrace.

She had danced in the fire for too long and now, it had burned her to ashes.