JOHN PAUL

"We are changing out the routing system for future shipments. The Albanians have infiltrated the old routes, and the codes we've used, which is how they've been tracking our deliveries, and taking what's ours right from under us. It is the reason why Georgie is fighting for his life as we speak. 

David and Mateo are setting each of you up with new routes, mapping out your territories. However, we will be changing the delivery stops every other week. The changes will be emailed out to each of you after the current shipments arrive for the following week. We will be able to better monitor accessibility, who is logging in at all times and making changes for what is coming and going." 

"With all due respect, Don Toretto, is this implying that you believe we have a traitor among us?" Luca Angelo asks from across the room.

"No, Luca. The only ones who knew of the old routes were myself Georgie and Adonis." I inform the men in the room.

"But who's to say, Georgie isn't the traitor and is going to the extreme to take the pressure off himself by taking a beating?" Another Don questions. 

I signal to Adonis who pulls up pictures of Georgie, showing the men in the room the current condition he is in. 

"Because, it was more than a mere beating. When Georgie was found, a clear message was left for us to find on the concrete floor of the warehouse. Written in his blood, the words, see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing. As you can all see, Georgie's left ear was cut off, his left eye was severely damaged and they stapled his mouth shut. Not to mention the obvious torture he went through with the skin grafted from both legs. Something, if you remember from the gathering, is a torture tactic of the Albanians."

The men in the room audibly react to the gruesome condition Georgie is in.

"Most of you have known Georgie since he was a child; his father was one of the Don's that was murdered when Gio tried to overtake everything. When Georgie came to offer his loyalty to me when I first came back from Italy, he told me he always knew he was not meant to take over as Don and was the one who suggested you, Don Cattano, to take over for the family his father was in care of and yet, and now you are the one suggesting he may be a traitor." 

Don Cattano lowers his head in shame as I continue. "Georgie wanted to contribute in anyway to the rebuilding and expansion of the families and while it is not unheard of for someone to betray within our group, the surveillance footage clearly shows Georgie walking in on the Albanians, catching them off guard and bravely trying to fight them off by himself."

"What's his prognosis?" Another Don asks.

"He's got a long road of recovery ahead of him, but Doctors seem hopeful due to his young age, but there's a high chance of infection due to the large sections of his skin being removed."

"I would like to help out; if they are willing to accept my aid," Don D'Angelo says.

The rest of the men in the room also murmur their willingness to help and contribute to Georgie's recovery and his family.   

"Thank you Luca and the rest of you, gentlemen, I am overwhelmed and proud of your desire and generosity to step up and help one of our own." I address them. "Please meet with Adonis afterwards and he will work with you on what you can do. That is all for tonight, please do not leave until you've each met with David and Mateo as well." 

My phone chimes and I walk away towards the entrance of the room and pull my phone out. I can't help the grin that comes across my face when I see it's Stella.

My principessa: Guess what I'm doing right now?

My heart immediately starts pumping faster in anticipation; it amazes me how she can excite me in the simplest ways.

Me: ...Thinking of me, of course ;)

My principessa: That's obvious but what else?....

Me: Hmmm, thinking of what I will be doing to you when I get home?

My principessa: Close...I'm running my fingers down my body, imagining your lips on me, right here...

She sends a picture of her hand resting on her beautiful neck but the angle gives me a clear view of one of her exposed gorgeous breast. I bite my lower lip as I keep staring at the pic imagining myself kissing her neck trailing down over her full breast until I cover her harden nipple with my mouth, and I can taste her skin in my mouth. 

My prinicpessa: And here...

Another picture pops up of her hip bone, that gives me a peek of the red lace panties she's wearing. I don't have a chance to respond before another picture comes through of her inner thigh with the lace panties pulled down.

My principessa: Then here.... 

I lick my lips in anticipation before the next picture comes through of her glistening, wet pussy and my pants start to tighten and I'm grateful for the dark suit I'm wearing as well as the dim lighting in the room.

My principessa:  I'm so wet, John Paul.

Me: Goddam, I can taste your sweet flavor on my tongue right now, baby. Imagine me licking you slowly up and down, working my way in until I get to your clit then begin sucking on it as I slip my finger into you and then curling it, hitting your sweet spot making you moan out my name. 

My principessa: My back is arching right now just thinking about it, baby. My hands would be running through your hair tugging and pulling you into me more. 

Me: God, I wish I was home with you right now.

My principessa:  *sigh* Me, too. That will have to hold me over until you get home, tomorrow. ;) I hope your meeting went well. 

Me: It did. Everyone wants to help Georgie and his family with the hospital care. 

My principessa: That's great! And so generous of everyone. I hope you don't mind I sent his mom a care package as well. I know from what Adonis told me they've been staying in the hospital, with Georgie, so I sent her and his sister a few things.

Me: That was very thoughtful of you and I'm sure they appreciate it.

From the corner of my eye I can see someone making their way to me. 

Me: I've gotta go, amore, but I will see you tomorrow when I get home. Be ready...

My principessa: I'm always ready ;)

God, I love that woman. 

"Don Toretto, may I have a word with you?" I look up and face Luca D'Angelo.

"Of course, Luca. What is it?" I slip my phone into my pocket.

"It's Katalina."

"Is she okay? Did something happen?" I ask concerned. Luca shakes his head. 

"No, thank heavens, she's fine, good," He tells me. "But, I do worry about how much longer she will be undercover, the more time she's around them, the greater the danger for her." 

I fold my arms as I look at him. "Luca, if you want to pull her out, you are entitled to do so. We have enough with all the detailed information and pictures she's been able to obtain so quickly. I don't want her in any unnecessary danger more than she's already been." 

"Si, grazie, Don Toretto. I agree, however, when I've brought up leaving---walking away. She argued that she can still get more information. She will be in New York for Saimira's birthday; but it isn't necessary for her to be so involved with them, traveling with them now," Luca looks at me and then I realize what he's wants from me. 

"You want me to ask her to pull back?" 

"Si." His eyes plead with me. "She is resistant to me because she thinks I'm just being her overprotective father, but there is real danger in getting exposed the longer she stays in." 

"I will see what I can do, Luca," I hold him by the shoulder and he nods grabbing my other hand and kisses it. 

"Grazie, Don Toretto, grazie." 

"JP, we are finished," Adonis approaches. Several men are starting to leave the room.

I turn back to Don D'Angelo. "I will be in contact after I speak to Katalina." He nods and then shakes Adonis' hand as he walks past him. 

"Let me guess, he wants you to pull Katalina out?" Adonis asks as he hits the button to the elevator leading to the underground garage of the building. 

"Yes, however, as you know from the call this morning, she wants to stay in at least until after the birthday celebration when they are heading to New York. She's adamant that it will be the perfect opportunity to get Jimmy." 

As we step out of the elevator a few of them are rushing towards us from. "Don Toretto, they're here. The Albanians are here." One of them informs us and Adonis draws his guns and moves in front of me, but I hold his shoulder and move next to him. 

"Show me." The men turn back and lead us to where our car is parked.

I pull my own gun looking around and walk over to the car. The windows are broken, the tires slashed and our driver is splayed out across the hood of the car with his throat slashed.

"They were here, they could have ambushed us," Someone states.

"How did they get so close and not be detected?" Another Don questions.

"They could still be here, if not close by," I vaguely hear someone say.

Adonis talks into his ear piece and asks David and Mateo who are still inside to look into the buildings security and surveillance. 

But my focus is on the other side of the car. Pictures of Stella, each of the kids, Isabella, Cristian, Enzo, Topo, Santino, Annalisa and Joey are splayed out on the cement wall with the words in black spray paint, Who's next, Santiago? and No one's safe.

My heart is thundering in my ears as I look over the pictures, I yell out for Adonis to call Cristian. I pull out my phone and hit Stella's contact. 

The phone rings and rings and rings and then it goes to voicemail. I try to not let the awful feeling of fear come over me. I hit her contact again and it goes to voicemail again. 

I try again and then I hear her voice and I inhale sharply feeling the air fill my lungs again. "Hey! Sorry, Toby was having a nightmare and I was in his room trying to calm him down." She chuckles. I'm breathing heavily trying to calm my racing heart down.

"JP? What's wrong?" Her voice laced with worry. 

I lean against the cement wall, closing my eyes in gratitude. "I just needed to make sure you were okay, baby. They were here; they killed Tommy and they have pictures of you, the kids, everyone. You weren't wrong about being watched, Stella. They wrote a message next to the pictures 'Who's next?' and 'No one's safe.' And when you didn't answer, I thought...." I trail off.

"I'm safe, JP. My mom and the kids are safe. Enzo is here and so is Topo and Cristian. We're okay, baby." She tells me soothingly and I want nothing more than to have her in my arms. 

"But now's a good time to bring up the topic of getting a couple of dogs," She says cheerfully, "The alarm system and the security is great, but why not up the ante."  I exhale as I chuckle, shaking my head; I know it's her way of trying to ease the sheer panic I had felt only moments ago.

"You know Toby's been asking non-stop. And I was thinking we could get two dogs, but then also bring Zeus over. He's getting old; he can keep me company when you're gone and you probably want a younger dog to keep up with crazy Topo--the dog--not Topo, Topo." She states in her attempt to clarify. 

I laugh. "I love you, Stella." 

"I love you, John Paul," and I can hear the smile in her voice. "Please don't worry. Cristian and Enzo just came in my room, so I'm assuming Adonis called them." I look over at Adonis and he nods at me. 

"Yes, I asked him to." 

"Well, we are fine. I know you're not going to get any sleep tonight now but please try to anyway. You'll need your strength for tomorrow; so be ready." She chuckles.

"Gross, you could have waited to say that in a text, you know?" I hear Enzo through the phone. 

Stella laughs. "What? I was talking about going over my business plan with him, get your head out of the gutter, Enzo!" But then she whispers. "I wasn't really, love you!" before she hangs up.

I smile as I put my phone in my pocket and then reality sets in again as I look around. Adonis is talking with several of the men while others approach me.

"JP, the guard at the entrance to the building is dead so are several of the men who were standing guard. David and Mateo pulled footage and we've got an image from one of the cameras." He holds his phone out to me and I look at the picture.

It's Luan; he's smiling at the camera knowing we would see him. 

Fucking asshole. 

"He's obviously been watching us," I state and then I look over at the men, "But he didn't target anyone else, so it's clear he's after me and my family."

"We are with you, Don Toretto. Tell us what you need," Don D'Angelo states and the others nod in agreement.

I inhale deeply as I look over the photos again and then turn back to the men. "I want you all to reach out to each of your known associates, handlers, buyers and informants. I want every detail of any known networks the Albanians might have here in Chicago."

They're going to wish they never heard of me when I'm finished with them.

*****