For the Empire - Inganno

Chapter 67

JOHN PAUL

This damn trip is finally winding down, and I'm both grateful and anxious, torn between wanting to leave and stay.

The last meeting I had with Timo before I left to come to Miami kept replaying in my head nearly every fucking day. 

He had received a package via carrier, and inside were gruesome and horrific pictures of Enzo's mom's tortured and mutilated body.

Enzo had told us he was the one who had found and opened the package that was sent to his father when he was just a kid and saw the pictures himself. While I still have some reservations about him, I couldn't deny the empathy I felt for him, having to be exposed to something so traumatic at such a young age.

I can't even imagine what went through his head or what he felt being so young and seeing those pictures of his mom beaten and tortured.

Giovanni also included a video message in a flash drive that confirmed he was working with Bobby Cardinale as they had both been in the video.

Giovanni explained he wanted to remind Timo of what he's capable of, and Bobby added that they knew Isabella was alive and now back in the States. Bobby threatened Timo that if he didn't return what was rightfully his, he would come for the one thing Timo thought no one knew about; Charmaine.

I grit my teeth as I remember telling Timo, I'd rather stay to protect her, but Timo said we would not cower behind their threats and that as long as she was in the house, she would be safe, and he assured me that we had a weapon they didn't count on us having.

Enzo.

His unwavering loyalty to her, as Timo put it, would keep us a step ahead of Gio and Bobby. But that did little to ease my worry, knowing he may have ulterior motives of his own when it came to Charmaine.

And then there was the advice my father gave me after the meeting was over, and he stopped Joey and myself to talk to me; I stop to reflect on that moment.

*Flashback*

"Dude, I'm telling you. Your bachelor party is going to go down in history, bro, and you may even not want to get married when all is said and done." Joey jokes.

"Highly unlikely," I tell him laughing, but then stop when I feel a firm grip on my shoulder.

I turned to see my father looking back at me. Joey stood next to me until I nod at him, telling him silently to go on without me.

My father walks further away from Timo's office before he finally turns to look at me.

"John Paul, listen, I know you asked her to marry you, but think about it before you go through with it, please figlio.

If nothing else, look at what Timo is going through. Why do you think he sacrificed being away from Isabella all these years? To keep her safe, but even now, after all this time, she's not safe."

"You have already given up your dreams but don't make her do the same; let her go, John Paul."

"I didn't give up on anything; you think you fucking know what my dreams are? You don't fucking know me at all. And I'm not making her do anything. I already told Timo I'm leaving. After this trip, I'm flying out to Paris with her, and Timo gave me his blessing."

My father's eyes flash with anger and even hurt before he clears his throat. "You're willing to walk away from everything for her? She doesn't love you, John Paul. Not really, and I think you know that deep down. You are giving up so much, and what has she done in return for you?