AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It all happened so fast, but maybe a white Audi? I'm not- I’m not sure.”
Enzo is back on the phone with Luca this time he’s speaking rapid Italian.
I start pacing the kitchen, running my hands over my face. “Enzo, what do we do?” I plead as soon as he hangs up.
“Lucas checking local traffic cams. He's already got a picture of both Tom and Marcus. As soon as he gets a hit, he will call me back. In the meantime, I’ve got three addresses registered under his name.”
Before I can reply, Michael comes bursting through the door, Leah following quickly after. Enzo is on him in a second. “Which one of these is Tom most likely to take Ares to?” He shoves his phone into Michael’s hand.
Micheal stares at the phone shaking his head. “Fuck, I don’t know. Maybe the last one? That’s where they keep all their product. I don’t think he would-.” My phone ringing cuts him off mid-sentence. Every set of eyes in the room turns to me as I take my phone out with shaky hands. An unknown number shows across the screen and I answer it as fast as my hands will allow.
“Hello?” I answer, my voice shaking.
“You stupid fucking bitch! You thought you could lie to me and keep my son from me?” The sound of his voice makes me flinch, dark memories crawling back. I haven’t heard from him since the funeral. I steel myself gathering my strength. Ares. I need to be strong for Ares.
“He's not your son.” I lie. My emotions threaten to tip me over the edge. Enzo motions for me to put him on loudspeaker and I do.
“You’re a fucking liar. It doesn’t matter anyway. You’re going to fucking pay.” He starts manically laughing and I hear Ares begin to cry in the background, shattering the stitched-up remnants of my heart. It sends white-hot rage through me. “I should have ripped your womb out, you're not fit to carry any children, let alone mine.” I'm on the verge of cracking in half, even after all this time his words cut deep.
Silent tears slip over my cheeks as I listen to my baby crying. “Ares,” I call loudly, trying to keep my voice even. “It's mummy. You're okay, baby. It's fine, I’ve got you.” My voice holds up, no idea how.
“Don’t fucking speak to him.” Tom spits. Venom potent enough I can feel myself melting underneath it.
My voice lowers to a whisper. I don't want Ares to hear this. “Tom, please don’t hurt him. Just bring him back. I'll give you whatever you want.”
He lets out another unhinged laugh. “You think I want anything from you? I wouldn’t want your used-up pussy now. You make me sick. No wonder Aleksy killed himself. If I had a whore for a sister like you, I wouldn’t want to live with that name either.” I flinch again and my stomach starts turning, threatening to bring my lunch back up.
Enzo takes the phone from my hand. “If you touch so much as a hair on his head, Tom. I will show you a whole new meaning of the word pain.”
Tom pauses before speaking again in a much calmer tone. “This must be the man of the hour. Enzo, is it?”
“You don’t know me yet, Tom. But I swear, you're about to.” His voice sends a shiver down my spine. That isn’t my Enzo speaking. That’s the voice of the most feared boss on the East Coast. It’s the voice of pure, uncut, brutal, power.
“You’re right. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. I look forward to meeting you eventually, however, I won’t be bringing him back to you. Just a forewarning.”.
Enzo’s grip on the phone tightens. “Oh, no. You stay where you are. I’m coming to you and when I do, I’m going to rip you apart piece by piece until your own mother won't be able to recognise you. You got that? I’m coming for my son.” Enzo hangs up, passing me the phone and walking over to the cutlery drawer. He starts taking out the knives, inspecting each one. Steve opens another drawer taking out a large hunting-style knife with serrated edges and passing it to Enzo. “Here take this.”
Enzo takes the knife and a second kitchen knife from the drawer. He walks to me looking at me but not really, his eyes are distant. “Let’s go.” I hurry after him towards the front door.
“I’m coming,” Michael says as he reaches behind the front door grabbing the baseball bat that Steve keeps there just in case.
“Me too,” Leah says, following after us.
Michael stops her. “No, I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Michael it's my fault they’re in this situation. They wouldn’t have even come if I didn’t ask. I have to help.”
Michael goes to object but I’m quicker. “We don’t have time for this!” I snap. “If you’re coming get the fuck in the car, now.”
They both get in the back and Enzo hands me his phone. “I need directions.” His voice is what I hear when he speaks to his men. Concise, sharp, to the point.
Luckily, I’ve been to those flats multiple times. It was Alek and Tom's base of operations where they held all their drugs etc. But also where most of their friends would hang out. The thought of Ares being in that house is making my skin crawl. I don’t think many of Tom's friends would be on board with kidnapping, but you can never be sure. Obviously, it isn’t beneath Marcus’ morals.
It is as grim as I remember. The block of flats is a massive concrete high-rise in the middle of the estate, it looks like it has leached all of the colour from the world.
There’s usually people hanging around in groups on the staircase but tonight it's empty. All four of us rush up the stairs, past litter and a few dirty needles. I rush ahead leading them to the seventh floor and pointing to the door, which by the looks of it has been replaced recently. Enzo takes a step back and kicks his leg out at full force. The door and frame come off its hinges crashing to the floor.
Enzo holds his palm out for me to hang back as Michael follows after him, the baseball bat half-raised. Silence follows after they disappear around the corridor. I can't take the waiting so I follow them. The flat is so much worse than I remember. The smell alone is enough that I have to hold my arm over my nose and mouth to keep from gagging. There is rubbish littered all over the floor. I push the only bedroom door open with the toe of my Jordans and there’s a stained mattress pushed up against the walls which are covered in graffiti. There’s tin foil stuck over the windows to keep the light out. It's clear Ares isn’t here. My heart drops at the thought but also I'm glad he isn’t here because I never want him to step foot in a place like this in his life.
