Page 78 of Fatal Sloth

I bark out my orders to my men, my voice laced with urgency. They nod in understanding, their eyes reflecting the same determination burning inside me.

I strap up and jump in the car with Dario and Enzo, the weight of this mission heavy on my heart.

I take the wheel, and Enzo rides shotgun with Dario in the back. Fuck going in alone, I'm not taking any chances with my ass being the target. We roll out in one SUV, but I've got five more loaded with soldiers, plus my old man and Alessio with their seconds in another SUV. Seven cars in total.

I white-knuckle the wheel as I drive to the warehouse. The radio's off, silence thick as tar between us. The only sound is the clinking of Dario loading his guns from the back seat.

The old cargo warehouse sits like a souvenir from the past, a reminder of the dark shit that went down here. It used to be a prison, a place where men were tortured and broken. But it's been abandoned for years now, left to rot in the shadows of the docks.

As we approach, the darkness seems to swallow us whole, the only light coming from the glow of the moon overhead.

We are the first to arrive, and I park and then jump out of the car while the others pull up shortly after. The wooden planks beneath us groan and creak with every step, a haunting melody that echoes through the night. Rusty chains hang like nooses from decaying posts, a grim welcome in this godforsaken place.

My men take their position, disappearing into the shadows and surrounding the building like a fucking fortress. Enzo and Dario flank my sides as we walk toward the door, ready for whatever goes down.

With every muscle tense and my senses on high alert, I step into the abandoned warehouse. The stench of decay hits my nose. My eyes lock onto Mia on the second story, a sight that makes my blood boil. Rinna and Roman stand beside her, Rinna holding a gun to Mia's head like it's some sick joke.

"Get the damn gun off my woman," I spit out.

Mia's eyes glisten with tears when she looks at me, silently pleading for me to make this nightmare end.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," Roman sneers, his voice like nails on a chalkboard. "And, of course, the lazy bastard can't follow directions. I said, come alone.'"

"And I said get your damn gun off my woman," I bark back, my patience wearing thin.

"You're in no position to make demands, are you?" Roman retorts, his arrogance oozing from every pore. The fucker thinks he has the upper hand.

"No?" I scoff.

"No, but I am," Rinna interjects, her laughter sounds like a banshee's cry.

"Like hell you are," I snap back. "What the hell is this all about anyway? What the fuck do you want?"

"What I want is to have my old lifestyle back when Gino was in charge," Rinna claims, but her evil grin doesn't sit right with me. "What I want is for you to willingly step down and allow my son to take his rightful place and claim his birthright. And if you do, I'll let you walk out of here alive."

Is this woman kidding me right now? All this bullshit over money and a lifestyle she wants. Dad and I have always made sure she's taken care of. A big mansion, fancy cars, and everything she needed was provided. I bet she's had to make a few cutbacks since she doesn’t have Uncle Gino as her cash cow, but fuck, what else does she need?

"It doesn't work like that," I snarl back.

"Oh yeah, and why not?" Nico interjects, walking from behind me, until he’s standing directly in front of me.

"You think you can just waltz in here and take everything that's mine?" he snarls, his voice dripping with venom. "You think you're so damn entitled, don't you?"

We stand toe to toe, and I clench my fists tightly at my sides, my jaw grinding, barely containing my fury. "This isn't about entitlement, Nico," I growl. "This is about doing what's best for the family."

Nico scoffs at my words, his lips curling into a sinister sneer. "The family?" he scoffs. "You wouldn't know what's best for the family if it slapped you in the face."

His words ignite a wildfire of anger inside me, my temper flaring with each passing second. "And you would? The man who's been fucking around against the mafioso? The man who kidnapped my pregnant wife?" I snap in frustration.

"You're just upset because you can't handle the fact that I'm the one who's going to be the Don," he yells, his voice echoing in the empty space.

But Rinna raises the gun, her voice cold and calculating. "Walk away, Seb, or I'll shoot Mia."

“The fuck you will, I’m not leaving without my wife,” I snarl. I take a step back and raise my weapon, aiming it directly at Rinna. Rinna won't be walking out of here tonight. I'll make sure of that.

“Mia isn’t going anywhere with you,” Nico says. “After you’re gone, she will be my wife and have my baby,” he continues.

I shake my head in disbelief, listening to Nico’s words. “If you want to fight over the title, let's handle this like men. Leave Mia out of this and let her go. She doesn’t deserve this,” I offer. I’m willing to risk my life, my title, and anything in this world, if that means Mia can walk out of here safely.

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