Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 77: Chapter 77

DANI
“This is not a good idea. Boss specifically ordered me not to let you get close to Giordani.”
I stared at Marco for a moment to see if he was telling the truth or messing with me. “Fine. Call him. I wanna hear what he’s gonna say.”
“You, woman. You’re bad news. You’re the reason I got this.” He pointed at his abdomen. “I don’t wanna lose my head, too.”
“Really?” I cocked my eyebrows. “The last time I checked, it was your boss who started this trouble. And he’s not gonna hurt you. You’re a Siciliano, Marco.”
“Then you don’t know anything about us.” He shook his head with a face that told me he was going to be in big trouble and regret this.
“You don’t have to tell him if he’s not going to ask you. You can watch me on the monitor. If I get in trouble, come downstairs to get me out.” I went to the sitting area while he was still following me.
“Dani, why can’t you wait until Terzo comes back?”
I turned to him. “When is he gonna come back?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly. Nobody knows. It might take days or weeks. He hasn’t called me, and I don’t know where he’s going. Besides, we’re working on something. Francesco might tell me now that he’s been here for days.”
“Maybe we should just starve him in exchange for information.”
I blinked. Good idea, but that could take time, and it was inhumane. “No. Are you insane? I know you got shot and want to punish him, but you are better than that. You are better than him.”
“Still, I don’t like the idea of you going downstairs talking to that asshole,” he said but dropped the key into my palm.
“Watch me, okay? If he made the slightest unpredictable move, bring an elephant tranquilizer and shoot him. Then kneel his balls.”
He laughed, holding his wound. “No, signora. If he lays a hand on you, I will shoot him with a real gun and a real bullet, point blank.”
“Geez.” I opened the secret door. “You can go now.”
“I don’t know why Terzo is still keeping him downstairs. I’d love to volunteer to drown him in the ocean. Don’t stay long.”
I rolled my eyes. “Give me ten minutes.”
“No. You have five, or I will call Terzo.”
“Fine.” I entered the passage. Once I stepped downstairs, the thick metal door looked intimidating and indestructible.
The lock was cold against my hand. It took me seconds to unlock it as my hand trembled and my heart galloped in my chest, knowing I was going to meet who had been introduced to me as my father years ago.
The door made a creaky sound as I pulled it open. I smelled something that I felt like I had been there before, and a sick sensation that I couldn’t explain raised goosebumps all over my skin.
I instantly felt something eerie in the air, which seemed unpredictable. A shiver crept down my spine as if I were entering a haunted house, a creepy basement where a serial killer kept and buried his victims.
The light was on. The sitting area was vacant. The coffee table was missing. A live football match was played on TV. Cheers erupted from the crowd when the unfamiliar yellow-blue team scored.
My father was not anywhere to be seen. He must be sleeping or using the bathroom behind that wall.
“Francesco?” I stepped inside, keeping the door open.
“Danielle.”
I froze. My heart fluttered to a stop upon hearing his voice behind me. Where did he come from? Why was he hiding behind the door all this time?
“Danielle,” he called my name again. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to his tone.
I quickly turned around. My stomach dropped at what he was doing. He flipped the coffee table to block the door from opening from the outside.
“What are you doing?” I panicked. Every cell in my body screamed danger.
“I just wanna talk with you.” He stayed there, unmoving.
“It won’t hold.” I stepped back, away from him.
“I know. I just want to say sorry, Dani. I’m not like this. I just wanted my daughter back. Every father would do the same to have his daughter’s back and protect her from someone like the Sicilianos. You don’t know these people than I do. They’re murderers. He killed your brother.” His voice almost convinced me if I didn’t know what he did before he became Francesco Giordani.
“If you just wanna talk to me, then let’s talk, but you have to remove that table before they come down and blow that door down.” I tried to make my voice steady and calm, but fear betrayed me.
“Oh, so he’s not here, is he?” His expression quickly darkened. “Does he even know you come here alone, daughter?”
Anxiety kicked in.
“Francesco, if you wanna live, do as I say.” His name was like a poison in my mouth. I hated that my voice was so weak and small. I started counting every second I was here. I prayed Marco was watching the monitor right now and wouldn’t keep his word of giving me five minutes.
I didn’t even know why I was still talking to this man when he did nothing but harm the people who wanted to keep me alive.
“You’re a tough nut to crack, aren’t you, Danielle?” His features darkened. The evil in him resurfaced. His lips curled. His eyes focused on me, too focused that he didn’t even blink.
Panic settled in my chest. I moved against the wall so I could be close to the door. “Marco!”
“You know they can’t hear you.” He pointed at the TV screen. “You can yell all you want, but no one is coming down here.”
“I came here to talk to you, Francesco. Maybe we can bargain for something, but you just lost your chance. Terzo will—” I hadn’t finished my words, his features transformed into even more cruel, lethal, and evil.
My world shifted its axis. I found myself pressed against the cold concrete floor. My head bounced.
“Help!” I tried to scream, but Francesco pinned me to the ground, his knee on my chest. His large hands were around my neck, squeezing it tightly.
I gripped his hands off my neck as air began to be trapped in my lungs.
“You’re ungrateful, Dani. Maybe now you remember who I am before you die with me today.” He gritted his teeth. His jaw clenched, dark eyes narrowing. His only aim was to squeeze me and break my neck to death. No matter how hard I dug my fingers into his flesh, it never affected him.
Francesco was too strong. My chest felt like I had just been run over by a roller machine as he pressed even harder. I started to struggle to breathe.
Blood and pressure rushed to my head like my brain was about to explode. I kicked and kicked and started to feel hopeless. I fought, scratched his arms, then reached for his chin, pushing it up as hard as I could.
“Help!” My voice was barely there, but I thought of Terzo, my husband, who would come to help me even if it was impossible. I reached for my eyes, prodded them with my thumbs as hard as the last strength I had left.
He grunted but didn’t loosen his grip around my neck. My vision blurred at the edges until darkness closed in around me.
The door creaked open to his office, and I walked in, staring at so many books. I smelled a disgusting smell. Daddy was smoking again.
“Hey, my little darling.” He lifted me up. “Ah, you’re growing up too fast. What are you doing here? Where’s mommy, honey?” He carried me towards his desk and sat on his chair, allowing me to stay on his lap like he had many times.
“What are you doing, daddy?” My voice and the way I spoke sounded funny.
“I’m writing.”
“A story?” I tilted my neck to look at my daddy.
His lips curved into a smile, and he looked down at me. His blue eyes were shining. “Not a story, my beautiful girl. This will keep you safe. And this is also your future. When you grow up—”
“Like big and tall?” I raised my hand to gesture.
“Yes. When you grow up, you don’t have to work hard. You can finish your study and be what you want to be.”
“I want to be a doctor.”
He kissed the top of my head. “You will be a good doctor, Danielle.”