AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It is more than that. He is not just one of your soldiers, Gio. That man has dedicated his life to this family and he has protected every single one of you, always putting your lives before his own.”
“Just like he is supposed to. That is what he is paid for, mamma,” I frowned, confused by her sudden emotional speech about Marco. Her face turned cold and unforgiving as she glared at me with that icy expression that said she disapproved.
“You would do well to remember that every single one of your men is a human being with a precious life that is just as important as your own, Giovanni. Don’t ever forget that,” she growled. “They serve you loyally and deserve your respect and protection in return.”
“Mamma, where is this coming from? You know I respect and protect all my men. They are like brothers to me. I feel the loss of all of them if they die in service to me. Marco is one of my most loyal men and I care about him more than most. Is that what you want to hear?”
She scoffed, shaking her head as she returned her gaze to the window.
My phone started up again.
“Marco?”
“Boss. Something’s not right. The cars have pulled over and I have just had to speed past them to stop from being detected. I have stopped down a side street to wait for them to carry on, but there is no sign. I’m going to head back that way and see what is going on.”
“Stay on the phone with me,” I ordered as I heard the sound of his car moving once again. My heart was pounding with dread. I could feel it too. Mamma and I both knew something felt wrong. What the fuck was Alessio planning?
“Shit!” Marco shouted into the handsfree and my eyes widened as mamma gripped my arm. “There is a body in the road and no sign of the second SUV. The car Elle was in is still on the side of the road. I’m checking it out.”
The phone became quiet as the car door opened and he left the vehicle. Mamma’s face was turning white as she ran her hands through her blonde hair. After thirty seconds or so, he was back, panting heavily.
“She’s gone. The man in the road was her driver and he’s dead. There are tyre marks on the ground so I am going to start following them. Dal is on standby and he can find the car using cameras as I jotted down the licence plate. I’ll find her, Boss.”
“Where are you? We are coming. As soon as you have the whereabouts of that car, send it to me.”
“Will do, Boss. I’m in Catania.”
“Okay, we’re on our way.”
“Marco!” Mamma shouted, “Be careful!”
“Si, Signora Buccini.”
He hung up and I threw my phone down on the seat next to me in rage. Fucking Babrieri. This was a trap. He was never going to bring Elle to me. I ordered my driver to turn around and take us towards Catania instead.
We had just crossed into Catania when Marco finally rang back with the location. A warehouse in the middle of nowhere.
“This doesn’t look good, Boss. I scouted the premises and saw her through the window. She is tied up and distressed. A woman and three Barbieri soldiers are with her. I have no idea what they are planning, but it doesn’t look friendly. Permission to attack.”
Mamma’s eyes widened in shock and fear as I ran my hand through my black hair, pushing it away from my face. I checked the GPS of the car and saw we were minutes away.
“We are just over ten minutes away, Marco. Hold off if you can, but if she’s in danger, do what you have to.”
“Si, Boss.”
Mamma released a sob as she fell forwards with her head in her hands. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into me. “Don’t worry. We will save her. She will be fine.”
I made the car pull up a little further down the road, and told the driver to stay with mamma, demanding she stay in the car and they leave if it becomes too dangerous. She nodded in understanding with tears in her eyes.
“Save them, Gio,” she pleaded as I pulled my gun out the back of my trousers and slammed the door shut. I nodded at four of my men who had emerged from the car behind and we all weaved through the trees stealthily towards the derelict building. With our back pressed up against the wall around the side, I heard a car pull up on the stones out front. I poked my head around the corner and saw a single man with tattoos covering his arms and chest, looking around shadily. And then I saw his face. Rage rocketed through me. It was the man from the video. The one who tried to rape Elle.
Not able to control my need for his blood, I leaped out from behind the wall and fired. The bullet lodged into his arm as he fell back against his car and looked up at me in surprise. His eyes widened as my men raced out behind me, and he dived back inside the safety of his car. Fuck, I would not let him get away! I started shooting at his tyres, the glass windows, smashing them to shards, but the fucker still managed to escape.
A loud scream came from inside the building when my men started to open fire inside. I immediately turned my attention to getting to Elle. My men had already taken out two of the soldiers and were in a battle with the third, who was ducking behind a cargo box. I stormed through the building, ignoring the bullets whizzing past me until I walked into a smaller room and saw Marco and Elle tied to chairs. Marco had blood pouring down one side of his face and Elle was sobbing hysterically.
My eyes connected with the only other person in the room. Isabelle Barbieri. Or should I say Isabelle Leone. What the fuck was she doing here? Of course, I should have known Lorenzo would be involved in this.
Her brown eyes widened on me as she stepped back, raising her arms in the air in surrender.
