I creep forward to peer over the stairs. But they’re enclosed in with a door at the bottom. I tread so lightly, avoiding all the darker, older wood, hoping to prevent creaking. When I get to the bottom, there’s a small square glass panel in the door, and as I peer through, I can see Leonardo with his back to me tied to the chair, his head hanging forward. I take a breath as I vow that if he’s injured, even the slightest bruise, I will rip them apart anyway.
I take a step back and breathe before I kick in the door. They both flinch, and I snarl. “There best not be a single hair on that man’s head harmed.”
Luciano points his gun at me, and Ricardo points his at Leonardo’s face. My nostrils flare as I hang the gun and tyre iron limp by my side, my breathing becomes more agitated, the snarl spreads across my face as I stare at the cunts who took my husband.
I can see from the bindings on his wrists that he’s bruised, and the skin is split and bleeding. I tighten my grip on the tyre iron, my gaze focused on the damage to his wrists, his head lolls, but he hasn’t tried to turn to see me, so he’s either drugged or dazed, and I know there will be only two of us leaving this house.
I take a step forward, Luciano steps towards me, and Ricardo steps to the side of Leonardo. I grin internally.That’s it, boys, a little fucking closer!
Ricardo steps more confidently towards me again, snarling. “Turn around while you fucking can, Stronzo.” He spits.
I close my eyes for a second and let the calm wash over me. I’ve perfected the detachment over the years. My father saw to that; he turned me into a machine, an unfeeling robot, bound by loyalty to a family that only ever took. But now, now I have something to live for, something to feel and love, and I will burn the world down for him.
I glare back at Ricardo. I swing the tyre iron, his eyes widen too late as the metal connects with his jaw, the crack echoes as bone splinters, skin spits, and blood gushes as the metal rips through his face. His jaw slackens as I smash through his teeth. His nose explodes with the momentum of the metal separating the flesh. It tears with a squelch and a scream as it’s ripped from him. He drops to his knees as I swing again at a ninety-degree angle, hearing the thud as Ricardo hits the floor. I raise my hand. Bang. The screech fills the room, the bullet splitting through Luciano’s neck. His gun clatters to the floor as he grasps for the wound, spluttering as I stride over to him. I tuck the gun in the back of my trousers.
I drop the tyre iron to the floor and kneel in front of Leonardo. He’s bruised, battered, cut, bleeding, and drifting in and out of consciousness. I tug the phone out of my pocket. Not sure who I can actually trust, but I guess now is the time.
The phone rings twice as her voice comes through the speaker. “Bellino?” The confusion is evident as it echoes in her voice.
“Arianna.” My voice breaks like never before. “I need…” I can’t get the words out. I’ve never asked for anything, I’ve never needed anything, ever. I don’t have time to finish my sentence.
“Where are you?” she asks, no emotion, just a plain, simple question.
“Enzo’s.” There’s a screech of tyres. She must be in the car and changes direction in a split second. “In the basement, through the kitchen.” I blow out a breath.
“I’m coming,” she clips out as the call drops. The brothers gasp and splutter as they try to hang on to each breath. I reach into my pocket and take out the knife, cutting Leonardo free and gathering him up into my arms. He gasps as I wrap my arms around him and hoist him against my chest. I carry him upstairs, stalking through the house. He stutters a breath.
“Bell,” he gasps out, and my heart pounds in my chest.
“I got you, lil’ lamb.”
He stutters a breath as he relaxes against me, and I carry him outside. I steadily descend the stairs. Arianna wheelspins into the driveway, screaming up to the house. She screeches to a halt, flinging her door open. She steps out with guns raised, searching around, covering me as I carry him towards the car. She meets me on the passenger side and opens the door. I slide Leonardo in, and he winces as I clip the belt. I step back, closing the door.
“Take him home,” I grit out, I’m so close to losing my shit.
“Bellino, he needs you,” she pleads.
“I can’t be the man he needs right now, Arianna. Take care of him.”
“I’m not a babysitter, Bellino. He needsyou,” she emphasises.
I stare at her, swallowing hard. “I can’t be what he needs right now.” I can’t be soft and caring. The rage burning through me right now is torching me alive, and I need to release it. I need vengeance. I need blood.
I turn and leave her standing at the side of the car as I step back inside. I head down to the basement. Ricardo is gasping at the bottom of the stairs, the trail of blood as he tried to crawl away, making it only a few feet. Luciano is where I left him, hisgrip clawed around his throat, his eyes wide as I step over to him.
I reach down and grab Ricardo by the front of his shirt. Lifting him slightly off the floor. He gasps as I rain my fist down into his face. The crunch as his cheekbone breaks. I slam my fist down again. The eye socket bursts. I pull back again and again, raining punch after punch into his face until he’s unrecognisable, teeth pool in the surrounding blood, his face not a face anymore, just a bloody mess of skin and cells. Melting down onto the floor. I don’t know when he took his last breath. I don’t care he’s dead, and I turn to Luciano. He’s tried to pull himself to the chair. I lean down and take the phone from Ricardo’s pocket. I dial Enzo.
“Do you have him?” he spits.
I whisper, keeping my voice higher. Unrecognisable as my own.
“Yes.”
“Get what you can, by whatever means necessary. I’ll meet you at the rendezvous. I’m waiting.”
“Where?”
He sighs. “We’ve been through this, idiota,” he spits. “The Regent.” The call drops, and I drop the phone to the floor, smashing my heel down against it. It shatters as I turn my focus to Luciano; he’s holding on, but I don’t know what to or for how long.
