Our Game

20

Marco's P.O.V:

I don't need to be babied, I haven't been treated this way since well, never. I passed out not long after Dario took Athena to which I'm still trying to process, given that he died 7 years ago. When I woke up I was back home and hooked up to a bunch of crap that Tess said I needed. She hasn't left my side since and even tried to spoon feed me which was humiliating to say the least. Mateo talked to Stefano, he's on a "business trip" in Russia, meaning that the whole Russian thing definitely hasn't blown over. 

I can't stop thinking about Athena though and I can't believe I was so stupid to fall for her stupid tricks. I understand that she was just trying to stay alive but emotional bait is a really fucked up method of doing it. I close my eyes and wince realising how much of a dick I sound like. From what Ray found, it must be in her nature to have to act that way to escape situations and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

If it was really Dario who took her then I don't know what to expect. From what I knew about him, he was basically a weapon and I can't speak for his personality but based off of some of the 'stunts' he's pulled off then I'm guessing the guy is basically a psycho. Either way, as long as she's out of that warehouse then she'll be safe, I hope. 

Apparently I have internal bleeding or some sort of blood related problem which is why Tess is keeping me on bed arrest. Cass has been on some sort of rampage looking for Athena and when I told her that I saw Dario take her, she laughed at me and said I was probably just hallucinating. Diego hasn't been the best either, according to Tess, he's been surveilling the mansion like crazy, making sure that no body foreign or out of our inner circle enters. 

And I can say much for Alexander, Tess said he was the one who called her to come and get me but since then she nor anyone else has seen him. I haven't thought much of it, mostly because it's only been 5 hours since my release and also because I'm too exhausted to care. Mateo on the other hand hasn't been very pleased with Alex's disappearance and has been calling him like non-stop but even his tracker has been turned off which is why Mateo is suspicious. 

"Are you even listening to me?" Tess asks as she waves her hand in my face.

Blinking fast I reply, "Yeah, sorry what?"

Tess bites the inside of her cheek, "Cass was able to find footage of Athena", I narrow my eyes because I can tell she's letting not giving me the full story.

"Go on" I grant.

"It's just the location of where she was found", she pauses as if waiting for my approval, "Don't ask me how, but Cass got security footage of Athena outside the Spanish mafia mansion" She bites the inside of her cheek again. 

My mouth hangs open, I'm lost for words. Tess looks at me weirdly, like she doesn't know what to expect. A million scenarios flash across my mind as I wonder what on earth she could be doing there. "Well then, what else did she find?" I ask.

She winces, "That's the thing, she wasn't the only one there. Dario Rodriguez and" She pauses.

"And who?" I clench my fist.

Sighing she replies, "Alex, the footage shows him walking down the stairs whilst Athena and Dario exit the car. That's all that there is before it cuts out" She wraps her arms around her chest.

Shaking my head and ripping my blankets off of me, I begin to feel agitated, "I need to get out of this fucking room" I try to rip out my UV.

Tess jumps out of her seat and rushes to my side, "I knew I shouldn't of told you. You're not in the right mental state"

I snap my head towards her, "Right mental state? Do you fucking know" I stop myself, Tess of all people doesn't deserve to be yelled at, "No, I'm glad you told me now. I would have been more pissed had you guys waited and kept it from me" I offer a half smile.

"How about we compromise, I'll go get you a pack and a lighter and in return you'll stay in this bed until you're healthy enough to leap back into action."

I purse my lips to stop myself from smiling, she always caves, "Deal" 

Mateo barges through the door and Tess and I snap our attention towards him, "Did you fucking hear the news?" his shirt is unbuttoned halfway, tie hanging loosely around his neck whilst his hair remains a disheveled mess, "That fucking traitor, he was right under our noses as well! I can't believe I was so stupid to not realise he was playing agent for the Spanish. And how stupid was I to even call him my bestfriend! If it was all just a job to him then fuck I don't know what to believe anymore" He rants.

Tess walks over to him to try and calm him down, but he only just takes a step back, "Where's Diego, how do we know that bastard isn't a spy for the fucking Russians or Spanish or even the Americans?"

I get out of the bed and cling onto the walker, "Mateo breathe, Alex is long gone now and no longer worth caring about. I know you're hurt but we've got bigger things to focus on now"

He runs a hand through his hands and turns around to the door and back to me, "Bigger things? How is this not already a big thing? How many meetings and fucking missions did he go on? We had a fucking rat in the mafia and I even called him my best friend!" His voice cracks.

Tess' eyes soften, "We'll work together to get your justice, but your brother is beyond injured right now and we need to focus on getting him safe right now" 

Mateo sighs, "Fuck, I know, I'm sorry it's just that too much is happening all at once"

"I know, but it'll work out" Diego says, obviously having heard what the conversation is about.

Mateo turns towards him, "If you pull an Alex" He threatens, "I'll cut off your crown jewels myself, feed them to my dog and let you bleed out" He glares.

Diego tries his best not to laugh, amused by his confidence he replies, "I promise not to pull an Alex. This mafia is all I have and all that I've ever had" He looks at me and gives a sympathetic smile that I return.

"I might just fucking kill him" Cass barges into the room to which Mateo restrains her.

"That job has been reserved, fyi" Mateo smirks in a cocky manner.

"To discuss the other elephant in the room, what are we going to do about these fucking Russians?" Diego asks and everyone turns to me.

I just got freed from almost death and yet I'm being thrown back into the field, classic, "We're on the winning side, are we not?" I smirk, "If I was apart of any other mafia then I'd be shitting myself but we're basically protected, that is if my Dad doesn't fuck up this alliance with the Russians"

"And what happens when Stefano no longer wants us to be protected?" Cass asks.

"Then we fucking show him a good time" I send her a wink to which she smiles to, psychotically enjoying the fact that there's a possibility that she can torture Stefano.

If I'm being completely honest, I have no idea what I'm going to do after this. I have no idea what terms I stand on with Stefano and I don't even want anything to do with him right now but inevitably I'll have to come to terms with the fact that I'm dealing with a psychopath and there's no time for feeling sorry for myself and what I've been through. From here on out, I'm going to do everything I can to protect my friends even if it means possibly cutting all ties I had with my Father. The again, the "ties" were beginning to wear thin and it's time for a new era.