Hold Onto Me

Ch 4

New York, USA
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The meeting was finally over. Enzo was on his way to the hotel when he checked the time, it was around 9. Then he called Kate , but no answer. Maybe she was feeding Santo, he thought to himself. How would he survive the night! He was already missing them so damn much.

He put the phone back on his pocket and looked outside of the window. He had changed so much after the marriage. He didn't care for anything this much in his entire fucking life. Kate had changed him somewhat. Especially the caring part. Before meeting her, he didn't knew he could be capable of doing that. For better or worse, he didn't mind the changes. After reaching the hotel, he called her mother. They talked for a while and she also informed her phone call with Kate, to Enzo. Enzo thanked her mother for checking up on them and ended the call.

Enzo was surprised that his wife still hadn't call her back. Suddenly he felt tired and started yawning. He closed his eyes for a moment and his son's face flashed through his mind. When Enzo opened his eyes, he couldn't believe it was almost 6 in the morning. Damn! He was hell tired. He then checked his phone and still no response from his wife. His eyebrows frowned. Kate didn't call his back. Not even once and that was so unusual of her. Strange! He tried to call her for like next half an hour or so and bam! No answer.

Suddenly he felt a tight knot in his stomach. What if something happened to them! No no. If anything had happened, then Jack would have informed him right away. Jack was Kate's bodyguard, which Enzo hired secretly. He couldn't tell this to Kate as he knew she would have never agreed to have one. So Jack always followed her discreetly, without her finding out. Then he dialled Jack's number. And then he felt scared. No answer! It was impossible for Jack to ignore his calls like this, unless something happened. He couldn't hold him anymore. He had to get back home right away. He could sense that something might have happened to them. He wasted no time in NY, cancelling his rest of the schedule he left for Chicago.

**********

Chicago, USA
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Enzo was getting impatient sitting back of his car on his way home. Kate still hadn't contacted him, nor did Jack. By the time he reached home, he was already convinced that something had actually happened. He ran to his house door in record time, panting he entered the passcode of the house and entered inside.

Silence.

Yes, that's what he found! A silent home. His house had never been this calm, nor even when it was Santo's nap time. Taking small steps he went forward. The house was a mess. Colourful papers were scattered on the floor. The arrangements of the furnitures were misplaced. He called for his wife but no answer came out. Full house was empty. There wasn't any soul other than him.

His head then snapped on the table of the sitting area. There was a cake placed in the middle of the table. Vanilla-strawberry cake. His favourite. He could see on the papers that were lying on the floor scattered, had something written on it : 'birthday' 'Happy' 'from'. Then he recognised the handwriting. It was Kate's. Gathering them in the hand, he collapsed down on the floor. Then something held his attention, drops of blood lying on the floor. He mind froze seeing the stained blood drops. When he was about to stand up, his eyes fixed on the table. There were a white paper lying beside the cake. He picked it up, turned the page to the other side and then gasped. In plain writing it said,

[ Don't try to contact the police. If you involve anyone, your wife and your son won't survive to see the next day. We will contact you soon. Again, if some party is to be involved, then you won't get to see them ever again. Mark those words. ]

All on a sudden Enzo broke out into laughing. He thought Kate was pranking with him with these silly acts. The next few hours was really hard on Enzo. He asked around Kate's whereabouts to her colleague, their mutual friends, neighbours. But no one had a clue. Then he called his mother, telling her the incident. Nicola was astonished. She told her son that this might be serious because Kate would never do anything like this extreme, to tease him.  She also suggested that it was best to wait for the attackers move first before they should inform the police.

He was siting in his son's room when his phone rang. It was an private number. His heart skipped a beat. Without hesitating he answered the call,

"Who are you?"

No response.

"Tell me! What the fuck do you want?"

Silence.

"Where's my wife and son?Huh!Goddammit! Name your price. Name it"

More silence.

"Tell me before I hunt you down and kill you"

Maybe a minute or half had passed. Then finally the silence broke,

"Happy Birthday to you, mio  figlio"

Enzo couldn't breathe. It seemed the time stopped for him. Then his gaze found the watch. It showed exactly 12.

Fuck! It was his birthday and it was his father over the phone. Cazzo!

"Why are you calling me? Why!"

"Come on, Son. Can't a father wish his son on his birthday?  You should know better,now that you have your own. Also didn't I send the message that I will contact you soon?"

"Cazzo Madre di Dio! Fuck! Bastardo. You better stop fucking this nonsense this instant. Tell me where are they! Fucking tell me or I swear to Go- "

"Enough with the cursing, Lorenzo. If you want to meet them, then you better come home! You've already lost quite a lot of time"

"Come where ? Naples?"

"Of course. Where else!"

"I don't believe you!"

"I have sent you a photo already. See that and come home quickly, figlio. We all are waiting" saying this Anthony Rossi ended the call.

Burning rage of fire flew through his vein. That Motherfucker!

Enzo hurriedly checked his phone to see the photo and instantly ran out the house to head Naples. It was exactly what his father said.

~ *In the photo, Santo was smiling; flashing his toothy grin while Anthony Rossi held him in his arm* ~

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(Not edited)