Page 60 of The Casella King

I watch as multiple pages of paper burn and disintegrate in the fire. I personally read through each one, ensuring that they wererelated to the Casellas. Some files contained images of Nico and Ezra committing several felonies, others contained their father’s past information.

The stars burn in the night sky as the flames crackle in the darkness, whilst I watch as Leo throws chunks of paper onto the burning pile.

“Wait.” I stop him as his hand reaches for the documents which contain the Casella family’s history. It could be useful information for Ezra to know what they had on him and his family, so I keep the documents under my arm and gesture for Leo to continue. “Keep going.” My eyes quickly skim through the paperwork, searching, and my mouth drops open as I realise what it is I’m reading.

There’s no way this is real.

I watch from the corner of my eye as Darcy stands a few feet behind Leo. Her eyes find mine, and she shoots me a warning glance, her eyes fleeting to the large gates behind me. I’m certain she doesn’t know that I’ve told Leo he has a traitor in his team because if she knew, she’d probably gut me where I stand. My eyes follow hers to the gate, and I consider running, but I’m too deeply invested now to abandon what I came here to do.

There’s a roar in the distance of a vehicle, the headlights shining through the gates as everyone’s heads turn in confusion to watch the lights illuminate the yard.

“Sir?” One of the men looks to Leo as he reaches for his gun.

“Get to your fucking formations!” he yells, and my heart sinks into my stomach as I run. I run towards the trees surrounding the property as firm hands grab at me.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” One of Leo’s men has his arms around me pulling me back to the house. My breathing is erratic as I launch my head back, making contact with his. Pain radiates through my skull at the impact as he rears back, giving me just enough time to sprint for cover.

“Aries!” I hear Darcy’s voice and make the mistake of looking behind me, a huge brick of a man tackles me to the ground as the roar of engines get closer. Both our eyes whip to the large iron gate as two vans ram through them, bursting them open. They come to a stop, and countless men cascade out of the vans wearing all black, holding multiple weapons. My heart is in my throat as I watch guns being fired until I’m lifted up over this man’s shoulders and taken into the vast forest behind the property. No matter how much I struggle, how hard I hit, he doesn’t let go of me.

“Put me down!” I kick and scream, and he pushes me off his shoulder, the ground coming up to meet my back, hard and fast. Insurmountable pain bursts through my shoulder, as I hear a loud pop when I make contact with the ground. Tears sting my eyes as I scream, straining my throat, my hand coming up to cradle my dislocated shoulder.

I’m helpless as I lay on the ground, watching him tower over me.

He grins, causing my stomach to twist at his sickening smile. Swiftly I lift my foot, kicking him right between the legs as he topples forward, groaning, cradling his crotch with both hands. Swivelling backwards, I make myself get up, ignoring the shooting pain in my shoulder and the air now burning my lungs as I run through the trees, unsure of where I’m heading. For all I know, I could just be heading back to the house. I didn’t recognise any of the vehicles or the men who came bursting into the yard, so I don’t know if I can trust them.

What if they’re law enforcement?

There goes my hope, making itself known again, although right now I need to stay sceptical.

My thighs burn as I continue through the trees, looking back to make sure he isn’t following me. I stop, leaning against a trunk, sucking up as much air as I can, my lungs heaving.

I hear the crunch of leaves, and my head whips around, my eyes darting back and forth, searching through the darkness.

Gunfire pierces through the quiet of the night as my men rush into the stronghold that is the Brayford family home.

“Aries!” I yell her name with some fucking hope that she’s outside and not within those walls. The air lingers with revenge and violence as we rush the few men left on the field.

“We need to get Leo!” Nico shouts as he aims his gun and fires three shots into a man’s chest. I survey the grounds, searching for Leo, my heart pumping in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins.

I’m going for blood tonight.

“I’m going in there.” I nod toward the house, and Nico shakes his head as if to say it’s a bad idea. “Cover me, brother. I’m going to get my wife.”

I shoot my way through the field as the smoke from the fire bellows up into the dark night sky. I take the porch steps three at a time and barge straight through the wooden door with my shoulder.

It’s quiet.

Too quiet.

I begin to take slow steps into the large mansion, scanning each room as I pass it, with only one thing on my mind.

Aries.

The floorboards squeak on my left, and I whip myself around, taking aim and shooting the fucker right between the eyes. The commotion continues outside as bullets fly through the windows at the front. I know my brother can handle himself, and I can trust my men to follow instructions, but what I don’t trust is myself.

I’m not scared, no.

I’m fuckingterrifiedthat if I find Aries harmed in any way, there will be no end for my thirst for revenge. I push the thoughts from my mind as I sneak through toward the back of the mansion to the large kitchen overlooking the back garden.

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