Page 85 of Mafia Heir's Secret Baby

She sends me a long look and then holds her hands out for my son. "Yes."

34

XANDER

When I find Rosa outside, her gun missing, her shoulder still seeping blood, I experience a level of rage that I’ve never felt before.

The car door is open, and Mel is missing. As expected. There are about three cars scattered around the driveway, and none of those cars are mine. What did they do with the cars?

What the fuck do I care about the damned cars anywhere? I know I'm trying to distract myself from what could be happening to Mel right now.

It's a rookie mistake to leave the house unguarded, and they have to know I'll be coming, which leads me to believe they have something planned.

They planned this. They knew where I’d be. They knew Mel would be here, and they knew who would be with her.

This is all too well planned to just be a random attack. This is something that took time. Money.

Information.

"It's not a good idea to step in there unprepared, Xander." Ryder has his gun in his hand, already lifting his hand to halt the men we have arrived with.

"Do I look like I give a fuck, Ryder? They've got my wife! They've got Lucian." I growl at him. We're finally by the front door. I move, pressing it open. The expensive hinges don’t make a sound, something that I’m grateful for now.

I move my head, glancing around the corner, trying to get a peep down the hallway. There's no one. I step forward.

I can’t believe this is happening.

Mel.

Lucian.

Where are they?

My heart is beating too fast, and I can't drag air into my lungs. If they harm her, I'll make sure not one Russian survives in my territory.

I'll burn down the fucking world if need be to make sure not one of them survives. I've only just found her again, only just fallen for her again, only convinced her she could trust me again.

I'm not losing her for anything. Not even to save myself. Ryder jerks his arms around mine to hold me back. I glower down at the fingers curved around me.

"Let one of the men go first. You are capo. You cannot take a bullet today. Or ever."

I want to spit at him. "Are you stupid, Ryder? You've two seconds to get your hands off me."

He hesitates and throws a look at the hallway ahead of us. "I'm your right-hand man. Let me do it."

I pull away and hurtle forward. From the picture, they're in the living room, and that's exactly where I head for. The heavy wooden door is locked when I go to open it, and I knock the butt of my gun against it.

The sound thuds and echoes, and in reply, the report of a gun hits the door. I pull back, but the bullet doesn't pierce through the door.

I hit the door again and growl, hoping Sandro can hear me through the door. "You've got something of mine, Sandro. Actually, you've got two things. I need them back."

I hear footsteps heading towards the door and then the sound of a click as the door is unlocked. I don't let the door open completely before pushing it; I'm already shooting.

There's no one behind the door, but the sight I find is enough to freeze the blood in my veins.

My men are bunched together in the middle of the room, their arms splayed out. Romero looks dead, unmoving and stiff beside them.

Even worse, she's gone. As is Lucian. Both of them are missing from the room.

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