Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
Richardo knew that his life was over at this point. The drugs were gone and soon the Russians would come for him – if they weren’t on their way already. The news should have reached their ears already considering most of their men were the causality loss. The only reason the Bratva was willing to do business with him was that they believed he would sell their drugs and provide them with income.
Unfortunately, Richardo could not deliver anymore. There was no drug. Nor money. Everything was zeroed to the ground and here he was hiding away like a scared little rat. He had to find a way to pay the Bratva else it would be his head on a spike, even before Lukas gets to him.
Hence, he pushed his aggression on the fool, kicking and stomping the helpless man, and yet it wasn’t enough. Richardo pulled him up by the shirt and rammed his fist in his face. He hit the man over and over and over again till his fist was bloody and the man was unconscious. Then he let go of his shirt and the man dropped to the man like a corpse. Not that he cared whether he was alive or dead.
Richardo threw his back and let out an aggrieved wail causing the rest of his men to back away. It was obvious to them that he was in a bad mood and none of them wanted to end up like the unfortunate man on the ground.
With his chest heaving up and down, Richardo looked around with red eyes, his teeth gritted together. Almost immediately, his phone rang and while he could have ignored it, thanks to his sour mood, it turned out to be his associate in the F.B.I.
…..
Finally, some good news!
Richardo couldn’t wait to relish the scene of the Luciano family being destroyed. The thought made him feel a lot better. If he was going down, it was satisfying to know that he wasn’t going down alone. Lukas thought that he won, but no, he didn’t. This would be the beginning of his hell, as he watches the Luciano family being reduced to nothing and he would be unable to do anything.
“Hello,” He picked up, his heart already beating in anticipation.
“DID YOU FUCKING TAKE ME FOR A FOOL!”
Huh? Richardo frowned, wondering why his associate would yell at him like that. He had to pull back and stare back at the contact, ensuring that he was speaking to the right person and indeed, he was the one. In that case, what was happening?
“What are you talking about?” He asked, rubbing the spot where his head ached. He had gone through a lot in one night and the least he wanted was another setback. His entire hope depended on this deal working out.
“When you said you were giving me evidence, you should have crosschecked the file and not given me a virus!” The FBI agent yelled into the phone, nearly ruing his hearing.
“A virus? What are you talking about?” Richardo was still trying to wrap his mind around this piece of information. Neither did it help matters that the headache was getting worse. He has been put through enough for the night already and needed a break.
“Whatever file you got from that girl, she infested it with her own virus. It was not noticeable at first, probably a plan to buy her enough time. But it wiped clean my device and then the FBI database… God, it’s chaos out here! Why do you have to employ that bitch for this?! Do you know the trouble you put me into right now!”
Richardo’s blood ran cold and he wasn’t even listening as the man rambled on. All that mattered was that his plan to ruin the Luciano family failed. Did it fail? Richardo hung up on the associate and let out an inhuman roar. He was so furious that he wanted to combust.
That bitch!
He should not have let off that bitch easily! He should have killed her slowly and watched the light leave her eyes for betraying him like this. How dare she? And to think that she was currently safe with Lukas sent another surge of anger through him.
Lukas! Lukas! Lukas!
Richardo didn’t care anymore if he lost everything, but he was going to take Lukas’s life. He was the cause of his misfortune. Everything he lost was Lukas’s fault and he would pay for it.
If it was the last thing he would do, he would make Lukas feel excruciating pain before he left this world. He would be sure to cost him what he loved the most. And Richardo knew just who.
As if he somehow conjured him, Richardo’s phone rang all of a sudden and glancing down, it was no one else but Lukas.
Chs
ADD
Curse Richardo Until He Feels Better
Lukas finally felt the pain. And by pain, it wasn’t just the physical aspect of it, but emotional as well. All this while, Lukas had been holding himself together, telling himself that everything would turn out well, but after that drama with Mimi in the waiting room, it was as if he had been in denial all this while, and reality was dawning on him.
He once held Victor in his arms. All of his cousin’s blood had been on his body, but Lukas had to wash it off in the hospital’s restroom before Rhea arrived and saw it. The sight of blood didn’t make her skittish but he didn’t want to make her worry. She was carrying his child, he had to make sure that nothing stressed her enough to lose his baby. He had waited a long time for this blessing and would not lose it.
So he never for once showed his pain nor discomfort to her – even though he found out anyway. Lukas had to be strong for both of them. But now, the four hours were over and the effect of the morphine was easing off, Lukas felt it. That raw pain. But it was nothing compared to the anguish burning inside of him over Victor’s condition.
If his cousin died, he would not know what to do. He received the news from the captain, the fool had tried to go after Richardo all by himself, but he was outnumbered and eventually shot. In the end, the Kevlar which was supposed to protect him, ended up doing much damage. At least, it protected his heart.
Victor suffered two bullet wounds aside from the others he encountered in the middle of the operation. Another fetal shot caught him in the thigh and he almost bled out from that one. Thankfully, the reinforcements that arrived on time took him to Ruth’s place where she was able to stop the bleeding.
He had been there at Ruth’s hospital, transfusing the lost blood to Victor while she fought hard to keep his life. Lukas didn’t know what he had done to deserve this favor, but any resentment he held towards Natalie for abandoning his mother in the past was gone. She has made up for it. Now, all he had to do was pray that Victor survived the night. No, his cousin would not die just like that, he was a fighter.
For Rhea’s sake, Lukas willingly underwent all the tests without complaint and in the end, the result was out.
“You are suffering from chest contusion, a bruise to the skin, muscle, or ribs. It ranges in severity, but when force is applied directly to the sternum, it can cause bruising or even fractures to the sternum. Thankfully, your case is rarely deadly, but it can cause extreme pain and discomfort, and often leads to pneumonia.
“Fractured ribs usually take about four to six weeks to heal, while bruising should take two to weeks to heal. Although it is still usual to feel some discomfort even after such time. Since taking deep breaths and coughing are important normal actions that our bodies do every day, you would need to rest and allow the break to heal your wound. “
…..
And that alone was an instruction Lukas knew that he couldn’t keep. This was not the time to have a bed rest, Richardo was out there and he couldn’t relax until the fool was gone from the surface of this earth.
The doctor continued, oblivious to the frown on Lukas’s face, “During your break, ice the chest area to treat both swelling and pain. You should also take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.”
Lukas let the doctor talk on and on until he was free to go. Even when he left, Lukas didn’t go to Rhea right away, but rather he located the hospital’s balcony where no one was around and leaned against the railing, letting the night breeze toss his hair about.
He hardly smoked because of his health and desire to live long, but at that moment, Lukas wished he could have just one stick. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a smoker and when he dipped his hand in his pocket instead, he only came up with his phone.
Lukas stared at his phone, so many thoughts running through his head, and finally, he came to a decision. So he ended up dialing a number he never thought he would call a second time.
Richardo.
It rang on and on and a sarcastic smirk tilted Lukas’s lips to the side when the bastard wouldn’t pick up his call. He threw back his head and laughed dryly. Was that bastard so scared he would not pick up his call now? No, this was just the beginning. He would not let him go like this.
Although it wasn’t Richardo who shot Victor according to the eyewitness, it was one of his people and that meant it was his responsibility to share the consequences. So Lukas called him a second time and just like the first, it rang on and on with no answer. And just when Lukas thought he would ignore the call like the first time, Richardo picked up.
“Lukas…” He called his name in between a hiss and a dark smile lit up Lukas’s face. Someone was furious and Lukas took satisfaction in that. He can’t be the only one in pain.
“What a surprise, you’re still alive. I must say that I’m quite taken by your resilience. It’s not every day that I get to see such a rare talent like you,” Although Lukas praised him at first, it didn’t seem to be the case as he continued,
“Even those without talents know not to run away from a battle but then, it must be my fault for having much expectation for a coward like you. You might have talent, but you’re trash and need to be scraped away,” He spat at him with undiluted mockery.
Lukas had always been petty and shameless in the first place, coupled with the fury coursing through his veins, he needed to curse Richardo out until he felt better.
Victor Is Dead
Humans were no different than animals. Animals knew when to recognize hierarchy and so did Richardo when he saw Lukas’s call. Although it was involuntary, fear took over him and he wasn’t able to answer the phone.
He stared down at the phone which trembled in his hands, Lukas’s number boldly flashing across his screen. To further feed his pride, Richardo didn’t save Lukas’s number because he felt he wasn’t worth his time.