Page 54 of Claiming His Mafia Princess

“The basement.” She blurts out.

Malone shakes his head. “Fucking bitch.”

“Walk.” I command and Malone pads his way down the stairs towards the basement. I follow with my gun aimed at his head.

We are halfway down the stairs when the front door opens, and men pour inside. At first I am ready to shoot, but then I see the familiar faces.

Mas, Rufino, Celso, Toum0, and Vincent. Their guards all armed to the tea.

“You didn’t even leave any for us,” Mas says, looking around.

Malone grumbles. “Can I put on some clothes? I didn’t know I was going to have guests today.”

“Shut the fuck up and keep walking.” I shove him.

The guards stay behind, and her father and brothers follow me down the steep flight of stone steps into the dark, musty smelling basement.

My eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness.

But is that her? It can’t be?

It looks like a pile of skin and bones laying in the center of the floor.

“Lights.” I shout in anger as my eyes adjust and I see the definite curve of her hip. Her body is so familiar to me now.

I’m running towards her, dropping to my knees, pain clutching at my heart as I pull her into my arms.

She is freezing cold, her body feels lifeless, blood is coating her skin and the ground beneath her. The sticky familiarity of it making me feel ill at this moment.

“Dalila.” I shout, touching her face, shaking her gently. “Dalila.”

The lights flicker to life above me and they light the genuine horror of what she looks like.

Thick dark bruises are coating her skin, deep cuts, swollen eyes, blood - so much blood.

She is practically blue. She is so cold.

“Is she breathing?” Celso is on his knees next to me, tears in his eyes. “Is she fucking breathing?”

Mas has Malone on his knees, begging for his life at the sight of her brother’s rage directed at him. “What the fuck did you do to her?” He screams into Malone’s face.

She jolts awake, and instantly her face is flooded with pain. She winces in my arms and I drag her against my chest, rocking her. “Dalila, it’s me. It’s Nev. I found you. It’s going to be ok.” She is shaking uncontrollably.

I stand up, lifting her with me, gripping her. Celso pulls his jacket off and helps me wrap it over her shoulders. He looks distraught.

Her father is peering at her, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t know.” He keeps repeating, over and over again.

“I didn’t know.”

I stare at him with hatred. “You knew.” I snarl.

I walk over to where Masaccio has Malone groveling.

Cradling Dalila in one arm, I pull my gun from my belt and aim it at his head.

I want to pull the trigger, but it seems too easy. Too quick.

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