“Leo, I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” She sits down beside me before I can say a word.
“Isabella.” I take a sip of my drink so I don’t have to speak to her.
“Where have you been for the past few days? I thought we could spend some time together. Unless you’re spending time with that maid of yours.”
“Isabella, it’s over between us. What we had was a fling. Nothing more.”
She huffs. “You don’t have to be rude about it.”
“I’m just stating the facts.”
Before Isabella can respond, the loud sound of gunshots rings through the air. My body reacts on instinct and I throw myself on top of her, bringing both of us to the ground.
“What’s happening?” she screams as more gunshots echo through the air. The cacophony of hundreds of people screaming mixed with the gunshots is almost deafening.
“Stay down,” I growl before getting to my feet. That’s when I see a group of men in the club… with Alessandro at the back. He’s making a stand. Coming for Gabriel’s nightclub.
Gabriel is at home with Aurora tonight but his guards are here. They come rushing forward, shooting at Alessandro’s men.Some of our men get shot while some of Alessandro’s men get killed.
My eyes lock with Alessandro’s. This is my chance to kill him.
I pull out my gun and fire at him but one of his guards blocks it. When the guard falls to the ground, I see Alessandro walking out of the club, taking his time, like he doesn’t have a worry in the world.
I run out the backdoor away from the fight happening between my men and Alessandro’s men and run around the side of the club. Alessandro gets into a car and calmy drives off.
Fuck.
I immediately call Gabriel. “Alessandro just attacked your club. He’s making a stand. He’s coming for us.”
“Then we need to tell him that you have his daughter. It might make him back down.” Gabriel is quiet for a moment. “Did anyone die?”
“I’m not sure. Some of your guards did, I think. I’m not sure about any of the customers.”
“Are you all right?”
“You care enough about me to ask?”
“Never mind,” Gabriel says gruffly.
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
“It’s a good thing you took Emma. I was against it at first but if Alessandro is getting this bold, then we have to stop him. Spread the news that you have his daughter and see how reacts. He has to have a weakness.”
“What if Emma isn’t his weakness?” I hate that I have to ask it but it’s a thought that’s been swirling around in my head.
“Only time will tell. But if she isn’t then you kidnapped the wrong girl.”
Gabriel’s cold, stark words hit me in the stomach.
“Deal with this,” he tells me. “I’ll come over soon.”
It takes hours to figure everything out. Some people were killed, including our guards and some customers. The police arrive to ask questions but after Gabriel shows up, he helps calm things down.
Alessandro cannot win like this. By coming here and shooting the club, it means Gabriel can’t run it for months. Maybe even years. Which means cutting off one of our revenue supplies. Alessandro is going to bleed us dry to take us down.
After things at the club are dealt with, I head back home and stare at Emma on the cameras in my office. She somehow managed to fall asleep on the cold, hard ground.
Seeing her reminds me that I am doing the right thing. Any way I can save my career and the lives of those I care about, I will.
