Alfonzo (34 page)

When
Luzo
later
slept Alberti retired to his hotel for much needed rest. The day’s trials were exhaustive.
He sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, “Dear
brother…
forgive me.”

To protect the Palazzo heir, he’d enlisted the reluctant assistance of Luzo’s rival
Dominick Fiorello.

CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR

“
Selange
,
hey
wake-up.”

Selange
’s drowsy eyes opened and she squinted trying to focus. She rubbed her eyes, “Alfonzo…you’re back. What happened?”

Alfonzo held
out his cell phone, “There’s someone who wants to speak to you.”

It was practically the start of the
morning
, it must be urgent for him to wake her
at this hour
. She wondered when he arrived home
because his chest was bare and he smelled of
Irish Spring soap.

There was an unreadable expression on his face, “
Come on sleepyhead,
and take
the phone
.”

Sleep dissipated and she bolt
ed
upright
to
seiz
e
the
small device.

“
Hello
?”

Alfonzo sat quietly
listening to her shrieks of joy. He was exhausted but they found the girl. This singular act was nothing compared to the tears he unknowingly brought into her life. He pulled his legs up and lay there listening to the rapid speech of good friends reconnecting after a tragedy. Guilt overtook him and he frowned. He c
ould not stay with her, he could not bring any more harm to the woman he loved.

Suddenly, she began to cry tears of
joy
mingled with
relief after the conversation concluded. She lay across his chest weeping, “Thank you Alfonzo. Thank you for saving my friend.”

He didn’t see it that way. No, he wasn’t a savior or deliverer. He was the son of death, a dark cloud above her door.
His life was decided before he was born. It’s as if
fate
’s
shadowy presence claimed him the instant he drew breath outside the protection of his mother’s womb. The drug distribution business he
abandoned
was replaced by a life far worse. He was no longer his own man, fate decided it. Her cries quieted and she
angled
her head to view his face. His eyes were hooded, conceali
ng his thoughts and his
decision
.

The tenderness of her touch as it caressed his
chin
brought sadness. She asked, “Are you okay.
What’s wrong?”

He tried to freeze his heart again but the ice was slow to form and in response he replied, “Nothing
.
I like seeing you smile.”

Selange snuggled closer
, “You scared me for a minute you
were
so distant.”

His mind was wired from the day’s events. He stared at the ceiling.
Today confirmed he was Luzo
’s son.
The adrenalin pulsing through his veins exhilarated and frightened him.
He looked lovingly at Selange
,
knowing once Luzo died he would
leave.

Her arms slid up his body as she stretched,
“I’m so happy
Shanda‘s safe, you
’
r
e
safe and…” She caressed his chest then placed wet kisses over the
taut muscles.

The action caused his chest to flex and her smile broadened.

She admired his sculpted body, especially his perfect six-pack.

“And?”
He enquired
pensively
.

She leaned over his chest, “
A
nd
I love you so much it hurts.
”

Alfonzo closed his eyes
from the weight of his emotional pain
as she explored his body with her lips and tongue.
He did not intervene, instead he allowed the bold caresses and succulent kisses to his flesh
because
it signified life. I
nternally
,
he died each time he
thought of letting
her
go. The overwhelming sadness gave way to ravenous hunger. If he were to do this
,
then he’d love her, taste her, adore her
and take the essence of her with him
to the grave of hell
.

He seized her beneath the arms and
rolled over her then
hiked t
he sheer negligee
up
and
penetrated
deep. He
swell
ed
and throbb
ed
in
the folds of her
moist
flesh
and
grunt
from pure release. Her
spine
arched
like a graceful dancer and
she
cl
u
ng to his neck sweeping him forward
with
the heel of her feet.
Alfonzo’s body
moved determinately. He
repositioned
her onto his thighs rocking with her, swaying in a primal dance, pushing into the goodness of her. H
is inaudible
cr
y echoed from the
deep
. His sorrow for his intended action so great he
spilled forth like
an angry sea.
He was dying,
yes, duty killed him. His
black soul was cast into the fires and incinerated for eternity.

She screamed his name repeatedly
. Selange
did not
see his mind
nor
would she have understood his
decision
.
She experienced
only
wonderful sensations shooting through her body and masculine hands press
ing
against her
spine.
She did not see the way his eyes traveled from her face to her body in order to remember this moment or the way his lips scorched her breasts like a man starved of nutrition.

Selange,
did not
recognize
through the
wondrous sensations
there was
sadness
in the blue eyes. She
’d
never imagine her lover’s
passionate
lovemaking was
his
final farewell.

CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIVE

The
unmarked car
’s occupants
stuck out like
bright bulbs in the predominately colored c
ommunity.
Freddie
walked casually
by the
car
puffing
on a cigarette. Dressed in a baseball cap, jeans and sweatshirt he looked like an
average
resident. A middle-age
Hispanic or light
complexion black male.

It was
four
-thirty on a Saturday morning and the detectives were probably dream
ing
of their warm beds.
One of the
m
glanced his way then resumed reading a book without further scrutiny
.
Cops were
arrogant and always unde
restimated the criminal psyche.
In one fluid motion he slid the concealed gun from his waist, aimed and fired two
muzzled shots
through the glass
striking each man in the head
then
walked briskly
across the street toward the brownstone. The security system
was
disabled by cutting the electric feed to the house.
With
burglar
stealth he
cut out a
section of glass
then stuck his hand through the hole to unlock the window. He
quietly
slipped through and stood in the foyer. He listened for movement and heard t
he sounds of lovemaking
coming
from upstairs
.
He
smiled;
this was going to be too easy!

***

American television bored
Nico;
his brother on the other hand was fascinated by the
actresses and their anorexic bodies.
He preferred
curvaceous
women who could bare him sons and exchange philosophical banter.

“Where
are
you goin
g
?” His brother asked.

“Out.”

“To see your girlfriend?”
Vi
ncent
teased.

Nico laced his shoes and stood. Holed-up in a hotel room with his brother wasn’t his
idea of fun, especially when he hadn’t been with a woman in
eight days
!

“Call me if there’s news.”

Vi
ncent
tossed a pillow, “You definitely need some ass to loosen up!”

Nico caught the pillow and threw it hard at his brother’s face,
“Shut up!
”

His brother
laughed and
at his uptight twin
brother
.
Nico was
far too
serious.
Besides h
e knew
all
about the black attorney h
is brother visited when they flew into town.
He also
was
aware
of the boys, his nephews,
Aaron and Darren.

Nico retrieved a cardigan sweater from the closet and headed out the door.

“Hey, wish my nephews a happy birthday Italian style.”

Nico stopped, “What?” His hand still clutched the doorknob.

His brother
grinned mischievously, “I’m your brother,
and don’t
you think I
already
know about your
little family
?
”
Vincent said,
“
W
hy are you embarrassed about
it
?”

Nico shut the door and leaned his massive body against it. He loved his brother and
knew he could trust him with his
life;
it was the organization he did
n’t
trust.
“I’m not embarrassed, I only want to keep them safe,” he frowned, “what we do brings
e
nemies and I don’t want anyone going after my family.”

Vincent
understood perfectly,
it’s
the main reason he refused to have a family.
When he needed female companionship, he paid a reputable escort service.
He sat forward to address his brother, “Look, I’ve known about Ariana for years. I think
it’s great.” He gave a lopsided grin, “She got any sisters?”

“I wouldn’t introduce you if she did, your manners suck.” Nico kidded.

“Get the fuck outta here then so I can get back to my
porno
movie.”

Nico chuckled,
“Yeah
I love you too, asshole.”

The early morning air felt crisp and sobering. Nico stopped to inhale its purity while
scanning the block.

The FEDS watched from a black
car across the street.

Nico strode with confidence to
his rental car, climbed in and drove. He checked the rearview mirror as they followed. The car
zipped down
Seventy-Fourth Street
taking a detour away from his intended destination o
nto
Third Avenue in t
he opposite direction of Ariana’s apartment.

“Fucking parasites!”
He fumed aloud.

Did they sleep at all?

He wanted
female affection and feel Ariana’s soft body beneath him. He could
taste the sweet softness
of
Ariana’s lips. Even, hear the boisterous la
ughter of his sons when they greeted him.
He longed for normalcy, although the idea of shedding his habits permanently seemed a bit boring. He was born into this life, groomed for death.
He and his brother were the best in the business. That too, could be a dangerous
thing.