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Everything muted around me and the only words that kept ringing through my ears were, Alfredo killed Alessio’s mother. My father had killed Alessio’s pregnant mother.
It felt as if I had sunk deep underwater, and I suffocated as I tried desperately to take air into my lungs, but they burned with the pressure.
Placing my trembling hands over my thighs, I squeezed them hard, forcing myself to stay still and listen to the rest.
“She was five months pregnant. Lyov and Maria were so happy. They were having a girl. But everything ended that night. And poor Alessio,” Lena continued with a hoarse voice, her words breaking my heart. “Alessio saw everything. He was hiding under the bed. Poor boy, he was only seven and saw his mother being murdered before his eyes. Nothing was the same afterwards. Darkness filled the house. Maria, our light, she was gone. She was our queen. It broke everyone’s hearts. Eventually we all learned how to move on again. But Lyov and Alessio were never the same again.”
My cheeks were wet with my silent tears. My heart constricted in pain and my chest swelled with the grief that consumed me.
How could my father be so heartless?
My mind fogged up and I felt my lips quivering as I tried not to cry out loud. It was too much. Too much pain filled my chest.
I was truly the enemy.
I will never survive if they find out the truth.
“Alessio didn’t talk for three years,” Lena said. “Didn’t show any emotions, and Lyov, he totally shut down. When Alessio finally spoke again, his first words were, ‘I will avenge my mother.’ Since then, that has been his goal. He vowed to kill every Abandonato. To make them all pay.” She choked through the tears and buried her face in her hands, her chest heaving almost painfully with the force of her cries. “Maddie, your father died then, too. He died while trying to protect Maria. I didn’t just lose my best friend, I also lost my husband that day.”
The kitchen was silent for a few minutes, only our sniffles and cries filling the room. I closed my eyes and brought a hand to my mouth as I wept, my body trembling. Goosebumps rose on my skin and my breath hitched.
“I hope Alessio makes them all pay,” Lena said, bringing her head up as she wiped at her tears. “They all deserve to die, every last one of them.”
Her words were a slap to my face, and I froze for a moment, holding my breath. I let it out in a whoosh and stood from the stool. I brought my hand to my stomach, rubbing it gently, trying to get rid of the sick feeling. Lena and Maddie watched me, probably thinking I was crazy.
I felt crazy, and I’d begun to lose my mind.
Breathe, Ayla, breathe.
My chest felt tight, painfully tight. Clenching my fists tight, I gasped for air as I entered a full-blown panic attack.
My eyes were wide in terror as I stumbled back a few steps.
“Ayla?” Lena asked, her voice filled with concern as she stood up. My body felt cold.
Outside. Air. Breathe. Now.
I pressed my hand hard against my burning chest and quickly swiveled around, running out of the kitchen. But before I could make my escape, I hit a rock hard chest.
Bouncing back, I stumbled as a strong hand grasped my arm, pulling me straight up again. My vision blurred with dizziness and I felt my head rolling back slightly.
My head snapped up, and I met cold bluish-steel eyes. Only one person had these beautiful captivating eyes. Alessio.
As I stared into his eyes, Lena’s words rang in my ears, causing me to whimper in fear and pain.
He vowed to kill every Abandonato.
And I was an Abandonato.
Chapter 15
Alessio
Viktor walked beside me as we headed for my office.
“Are we still on for the clubs’ check-up tonight?” he asked.
I half-grunted in reply, nodding my head.
When we arrived, Artur, Phoenix, and Nikolay were already waiting. They stood up at the sight of me and nodded in greeting. They waited for me to sit down first and then took their respective seats.
“Alberto sent us another warning,” I announced. “He’s going after another club, and he doesn’t care who he kills along the way. He wants the whorehouse as his. I want at least a dozen men there, protecting the place.”
They said nothing, focused on me as I spoke, my voice ringing with authority.
Nikolay nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”
“The fucking Italians are not backing down. I think we have stayed silent for too long,” Phoenix added through gritted teeth, his eyes crackling with anger.
I sat back in my chair and crossed my right ankle over my left knee. Leveling Phoenix with a glare, I spoke smoothly. My voice was slow and quiet, edged with threat. “The Italians can try as much as they want, but they aren’t going to bring my empire down.” I let out a harsh laugh. “They have been trying for years with no success.”
