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He comes at me with a punch.
I sidestep his attack and counter with a vicious right hook, but Fiero anticipates my move and retaliates with his own flurry of punches. We trade blows, our fists connecting with bruising force, yet neither of us yields an inch.
"Is this all you've got, Fiero?" I taunt, driving my knee into his gut. "No wonder your empire is crumbling."
"Watch your mouth, ragazzo – boy!" he snarls, gripping my collar and wrenching me towards him. Our faces are inches apart, our breaths mingling in the charged air between us. "You have no idea what you're up against."
"Neither do you," I reply, a grim smile tugging at the corner of my lips. With a swift, calculated move, I shove Fiero away and dart toward the nearest wall.
"Rafaele!" Fiero bellows, his voice filled with rage as he realizes my plan. "You're not getting away that easily!"
"Watch me," I retort, grabbing a vase and smashing it on one of Fiero’s men. His head begins to bleed as he falls to the ground. It distracts some of his men, who come to check on him. In the momentary confusion, I break free from their encirclement and aim to sprint towards the mansion's labyrinthine corridors.
"Rafaele!" a man I didn’t see snarls, lunging at me with a knife. I sidestep his attack, grabbing his wrist and twisting it with a swift, precise motion. The crunch of bones is satisfying, but there's no time to savor it; another enemy is already upon me.
"Give up! You're hopelessly outnumbered," the man taunts as he swings a heavy fist at my face. I duck under the blow, catching him off guard and using his momentum to send him crashing into a nearby table.
"Numbers aren't everything," I retort, scanning the room for any sign of Romola or her treacherous father.
I can't afford to lose them, I think, with growing frustration.
Blood and sweat blur my vision, but my fists continue to fly, striking Fiero's men with unyielding force. My men engage in a battle of guns. I, too, pull mine out now.
"Is this all you've got, Fiero?" I taunt, ducking a wild swing from one of his goons. "Your men fight like fledglings! Are you a don or a drake?"
"Insolent bastard!" Fiero roars. "I'll kill you myself!"
Just then, a mafioso from my personal security team, Alvize, pulls up behind Fiero and puts a gun to his head. “Lower your weapon,” he threatens.
Chapter 19
Romola
A gunshot pierces the air, echoing through the grand masquerade hall, and my heart slams against my ribs like a trapped bird desperate to escape its cage. While running, I dropped my earpiece and had no way to contact him.
Please, let him be safe.
Frantically, I search for him amidst the chaos, weaving through the scattering crowd. The ornate masks that once hid their faces now become frames, showcasing the terror in their eyes.
"Papa!" I cry out, barely able to hear my own voice over the cacophony of screams and shattering glass. The blood roars in my ears as I push past a man dressed as a gladiator, the fabric of his cape brushing against my arm. I’m rowing against a sea of bodies, pressing for the exits. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this!
And then I see him. My father is running through the chaos with a desperation I've never seen before. The men pursuing him are relentless, their dark eyes filled with malice as they close in on their prey.
Why is he being chased? Did Fiero’s men catch him? My heart lurches as I realize the danger he's in, and I know I must reach him before it's too late.
"Father!" I call out again, sprinting towards him with all the strength I can muster. His eyes meet mine for just a moment, and I can see him think me a fool to run towards him.
"Romola, run!" he shouts, his voice strained and urgent, but I ignore his warning. Instead, I focus on closing the distance between us, my legs pumping furiously as I race through the crowd.
"Father, wait for me!" I plead, desperation clawing at my throat as I struggle to keep up with his pace. The men pursuing him are closing in, their footsteps echoing ominously behind us, but I won't let them take him. Not now, not ever.
Papa can’t wait for me, not without being caught.
My lungs burn as I chase after my father, the deafening sounds of gunfire and screams echoing through the masquerade hall. My legs feel like they're on fire, but I can't afford to slow down. Not when our lives are at stake. "Father!" I call out, my voice barely audible above the chaos.
"Romola, stay back!" he shouts over his shoulder, but I refuse to listen. I'm determined to ensure that we both make it out of this nightmare alive.
I catch up with him at last.
