Page 72 of Betraying the Mafia Boss

I step beside my brother. Marcus, Jane, and the others follow behind us. We pass by a narrow tunnel entrance and some machinery on our way to the tents.

The first tent is empty save for a small fire and empty coffee cups littering the ground. The second tent is the same.

The moment we step into the third tent, bullets start flying everywhere. We duck behind anything we can and wait until we have a clear shot at Elio’s men. We fire, not stopping until all of Elio’s men are dead.

By the time we reach the last tent, we discover it’s empty, but there’s a small concrete warehouse behind it. “He’s in there.”

Marcus and Luca take the guns from the dead men.

“That’s where he does his shitty business,” Dominic says, his voice almost a growl. “That fucker sold drugs in there.”

My fist clench. I take the lead this time, walking cautiously to the warehouse. Dominic grabs me by my shoulder before I can go in. “Be careful, that son of a bitch is probably expecting us.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” I say, ripping my shoulder from him and scurrying inside.

“Spara a quei bastardi!” one of Elio’s men shouts and they start shooting at us.

“We’ll cover you. Find Isabella,” Dominic yells, his voice rising above the sound of gunshots. “Go! Now!

More gunfire erupts as I push through the chaos, my pulse beating in time with the visceral sound of death. The stench of gunpowder fills the air, mingling with the adrenaline coursing through my veins. My only thought is Isabella—finding her, saving her, bringing her home.

Ducking behind crates and barrels, I make my way toward the concrete warehouse. I’m worried for my brothers and sister in-law as the gunfire becomes more intense, but I don’t hesitate—can’t. Isabella's life hangs in the balance, and to me, she’s everything. She comes first.

I burst into the warehouse, my eyes scanning the dimly lit interior. And there she is, bound and gagged in the corner, her eyes wide with fear, but alive.

Her eyes meet mine and she shakes her head. She’s trying to say something but the words are muffled in her gagged mouth.

I rush to her side, my fingers fumbling with the ropes that bind her, my heart aching at the sight of her terrified expression. “Isabella,” I breathe, my voice barely a whisper as I work to free her from her constraints.

Pulling of the tape sealing her mouth, I begin to untie her.

“Vincent…” She rasps my name, her voice weak and cracking. “You can’t be here. You need to go.”

“I’m going to get you out of here, Isabella. Just hang on.” I tug at the ropes even more desperately. “Please hang on.”

“It’s a trap Vincent. You need to—"

But before I can make out what she’s trying to say or fully untie her, the sound of footsteps behind me sends a shiver down my spine. I turn just in time to see Elio emerge from the shadows, his twisted smirk sending ice through my veins. I don’t have enough time to react to his presence before he sends me flying across the room.

Pain shoots up my back as I collide with the wall.

"Well, well, well,” he sneers, his voice dripping with disgust. “Look what we have here—a hero come to rescue his damsel in distress.”

I grit my teeth, my fists clenching at my sides as I push up to my feet. I need to face him head-on, but first I need to get Isabella to safety. “Let her go, Elio. It’s me you need, not her.”

Elio only laughs manically, his eyes gleaming with madness. “Oh, Vincent,” he taunts, his voice like poison in the air. “You really think it’s you I wanted? You're nothing but a pawn in this game. A means to an end.”

“What do you want?”

“New York. I want this city and everything in it,” he says. “But for that to happen, you and your brothers need to die.”

I spit at him. “This city will never be yours. Even if we’re not here, Alexei will never let you rule this city.”

“You think?” He huffs a wicked laugh. “That boy is nothing. He can’t stop me. You know, this scene here reminds me of the night I killed your parents. Your father clung to your mother, taking all the bullets I aimed at her with his body.”

“Bastard—”

“It was beautiful to watch, but sadly, it ended too soon.” He shakes his head and sighs as if he’s recounting a performance from an opera. “I had nothing personal against your mother. It’s just, your parents, they loved each other, and it’s only right they died together. Your mother had the most beautiful look on her face before she died.”

---