In It For Life
24.
Francesco couldn't just ride out of there in one of the cars parked in their garage, or Morgan would have known it. So, in the end, he opted for getting outside the house not through the front door, but by using the back door. Once out of the property and into the neighborhood, he called himself a cab.
It would be a while until Morgan would notice he was gone, and he hoped his bluff about spending his entire day locked inside the bedroom worked, because he wanted his visit to be a surprise. Whatever Don wanted to use to destroy Karl, Francesco wished to undo it with every cell in his body.
He climbed the stairs to the somber looking entrance as quickly as he could. Last time he had been here, he had met Morgan while wishing to find Mouse. At the time, he had been relieved that he didn't have to meet Karl's dad and ask his questions, but nonetheless, he had met the man anyway. Still, he wouldn't take back the last months. He got to hold Mouse in his arms again, and he got Karl. He very much intended to stay married to him and even to protect him from his dad, although he had no idea how.
What could he do to bring down a powerful man like that? It was insane only to think about it, but Francesco knew very well that he didn't have any choice but to go for it. But first, he needed to take Karl out of there before Don hurt him.
The sour face of Don's secretary didn't help his nerves. "I'm Karl's husband," he started. "I know he's here, and there's something urgent I need to tell him, and I cannot reach him on the phone."
The woman reached for the landline on her desk, her cold calculating eyes never leaving his face. She probably wondered what Karl saw in him. Francesco wondered that more lately. Without him, Karl's life would have been much better, without a doubt.
The secretary told him to wait and he began to pace the room, despite her disapproving looks. Only a couple of minutes later, the door opened, and Karl walked out.
Francesco stared at him, taking in the crumpled shirt, and something that looked like a new bruise on the side of Karl's face. He clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to say a thing in front of the secretary. The only saving grace was that Don didn't bother to get out of his office to greet him. Karl grabbed Francesco by one arm and dragged him out. "Let's go," he said through his teeth.
He didn't comment on it and fell in line with his husband.
***
The silence stretched, and Francesco didn't dare to say a thing, while Karl kept his eyes on the road. By how hard his jaw was set and the wild look in his eyes, he could do without being bothered. Francesco just watched the speedometer with growing unease. He didn't have the slightest idea where they were going, either, because that surely wasn't the way home.
They were out of the city, and climbing up. Francesco linked his hands together to stop them from trembling slightly. What had Don said to Karl? What unfathomable pains and tortures had he thought up just for them? Karl must have gone to beat the crap out of his dad. It didn't look like he had won, by the barely suppressed anger making him grip the wheel until his knuckles turned white.
They stopped by the side of the road, and Francesco climbed out after Karl. Left and right, nothing but tall trees stretched, and he followed his husband into the darkness of the forest, without a second thought.
"What happened?" Francesco asked, starting to run just to keep up.
Karl grunted and walked faster, forcing him to sprint. He only stopped when they were at a decent distance from the road, and they couldn't see the car anymore. Then, Karl grabbed him fast and pinned him with his back against a tree. Francesco had to fight his preservation instinct with all his might as Karl's hand curled around his throat.
"Did he piss in your mouth?"
Karl's question took him by surprise. Their lips were close, so close, that they breathed each other's breaths.
"What?" Francesco stammered and swallowed hard. "No."
"Don't lie," Karl growled.
