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Twenty
Alessandra
“Amore, we need to bring a few bodies in here,” Ren informs me after poking his head in and checking out the scene.
“That’s fine. Do you think we got everyone? Are we ready to look for the secret passage? Did all the dancers get out safely?”
Noah pushes his way through with a limp body over each shoulder and Cohen follows suit, dragging in a guy that’s bigger than Noah. Ren pulls in one guy and then quickly moves out to get another.
“The dancers all scattered like scared mice. The only places we haven’t checked are the office and the storage room. We even did a quick lap upstairs. Anyone who wants a show in those private dance booths is in for a special surprise,” Noah laughs. “Here, let me see your gun. You haven’t wasted ammo but it’s safer to reload now while we can in peace. Give me two seconds.”
While he works I turn to Cohen. “We’ve gone a little off script. How are things looking with the security footage? Are we still on track?”
“Actually, yeah. Lorenzo isn’t in his office but someone else is. I don’t think they’ve been alarmed in the slightest, let alone assume someone’s come in to destroy them all. The more I think about it, the more it seems likely that there could be a connected hidden corridor from the office to the supply closet. It’s worth exploring. Have you even gotten instructions from Lorenzo yet?”
I pull my phone out and see a message notification from exactly one minute ago. “It looks like it.” I open it up and quickly glance over the message. “It says that he wants me to come to his house tonight at ten. He wrote to come alone. No grandfather. No you guys. Nobody else. It says we’re due to have a family dinner. What the hell is wrong with this guy? He’s completely off his damn rocker.” I look to Cohen, annoyed at the audacity of Lorenzo.
“It looks like he’s worded it to be unassuming. I imagine he’s covering his tracks in case we involve the police.”
“Should we take out the guy in the office or go look for trap doors?” Ren asks.
“Let’s go pay him a quick visit. I want to know who Lorenzo trusts enough to be in his private office and there’s a few things I want to check out in there. If I’m right, there could be a hidden door in there as well. I’m curious to know if there’s a series of tunnels or potentially safe rooms, maybe? I’m not sure yet, but I intend to find out. Lorenzo isn’t creative. If I learn his tricks for one place, I’ll know them for all his clubs and we can clean house after we save Matteo,” Cohen says, the look on his face is devious and contemplative. I love it.
“Okay, sounds good to me,” I reply.
Next thing I know, I’ve got my gun back, along with a second one tucked into a holster at my back, and a third strapped to my thigh. I’ll take advantage of the silencer as long as I can before I whip out any others though. I’ve also got my trusty knife and a few well-placed blades on me in case I get the opportunity to take a little extra time with Lorenzo. Noah, Ren, and Cohen all have tactical backpacks on carrying the rest of my supplies for me, even though they’re also all armed to the teeth.
“Time to move, Feisty,” Noah winks at me, coming toward me. I’m not prepared for him to kiss me like the world’s ending, but he does and I live for only that moment. I didn’t realize how badly I needed the touch of one of them, or all of them. His tongue moves with mine in a practiced dance that will never cease to take my breath away. He grabs my hips and for a second I think he’s about to pull me in closer, only he pushes me away instead. “Sorry, you got a little blood splatter on you and it’s hot as fuck. I couldn’t resist,” he says, smearing the blood from my cheek down across my face.
“That’s Peach’s blood. She was a spy for Lorenzo,” I tell him.
“She was inconsequential, baby. Good job taking her out,” he praises.
And then we’re on the move again. Noah pulls me behind him and takes the lead. We make our way to the office and when we open the door, a man around my mother’s age looks up at us in surprise. His eyes widen further when he sees Ren, then he lets out a string of curses in Italian and pulls his gun.
“Piero?”
“I was supposed to deal with you tonight. You said you were waiting for Lorenzo’s directions,” he seethes. “Dio dannazione.”
“I’m going to need you to explain before I shoot you where you stand.”
“Sei così stupido?” he growls. “Are you so ignorant that you can’t see what’s been in front of your face all these years? I should have been the one who took over for Raffaele. He thought you were a shining star but I’m the reason you’re as good as you are.Me. I deserve to be on top.”
“That’s enough of that,” I say moving forward, my gun drawn. He pulls a second gun out of his waistband and now has one aimed at me without removing his aim on Ren with his other. “You’re the one who’s outnumbered here. I suggest you chill on the insults.”
“Stupid, insolent girl. I should’ve killed you in the hospital. I should’ve killed you when you were three.”
I look at him in confusion for a moment and then all the pieces of the puzzle start to come together. “You’ve been working with Lorenzo all these years. You were part of the team that kidnapped me. You’ve been under our noses this whole time.”
“There you go, finally putting it together. Lorenzo is my cousin. My father moved us out to the East coast to expand the family business before it all fell apart. When things went south, he made me get a low-level job for the Gavino’s as a teenager and I worked my way up the ranks, earning Raffaele’s trust enough that I flew under the radar. No one realized the connection, even after the drama of all you kids being born occurred. Who do you think came up with the idea that Raffaele should keep Ren? I looked after him all these years because he’s my blood. But it’s time I take what I’ve earned. Lorenzo and I are going to take over and rule things from coast to coast.”
“How are you going to do that when you’re dead?” Ren asks.
“You won’t kill me. I’m your cousin and more than that, I’ve raised you. I’m the most trusted person in your life,” he scoffs.
“You’re not. Quinn is. And you’re right that you’ve raised me. Which means you should know that I’d do anything to protect her, just as I always have.”
“Cazzo. Always her, this little bitch—” he’s cut off as a bullet pierces him between the eyes. I’m close enough now that more than a small splatter of blood coats my face. I look on as brain matter falls off the wall and drops to the floor. For a second time tonight, I’ve been a part of these gruesome acts. This makes twice in under twenty minutes that I’ve seen people’s brains legitimately spew from their heads. I expect to be sick or disgusted at the sight, but all I feel is relief that this man can no longer hurt us or scheme and plot our demise. I’m sad for the loss Ren must feel of course. I’m also hopeful that we’ll be able to love each other deeply enough that it can heal those wounds.
