Page 68 of Bianchi

“You have to hold on to the hope, Aurora.” She dusts kisses into my hair and her familiar scent fills my nostrils.

She’s not real.

My eyes flutter closed and I wince from the pain I feel down to my bones. It’s so hard to keep fighting when I’m not even sure what I’m fighting for. To get out of here? And then what? Go back to living the life I was before all of this because I know nothing else?

Cutting through my ruminations, her words are hushed and filled with certainty. “He’s coming for you.”

Blinking rapidly, I pull out of her hold, turning to look into her eyes as I try to process what she’s said. “Who is?”

“Romeo’s coming, baby,” she soothes.

Oh. There’s no point in asking her how she knows about him; she’s just my subconscious telling me things I want to hear. I want it to be true so badly because, despite the hurt that he’s caused me, I have utter faith that he would be able to get me out of here. But I know he’s not coming and I can’t feed those dying embers of hope. If I fan the fire, I’ll only be disappointed when reality douses its flames.

Looking up at her, my vision blurs around the edges as I try to memorize the small details I thought I’d forgotten. The more I look at her, the more I question whether I want to leave this room. “I don’t want him to.”

She squeezes my hand, sadness coating the features of her face. Why does it all feel so real? “He’s your happy ever after, Aurora. You were always fated to be together.”

“He left me to die.” My voice cracks.

Her hand slips from mine and I feel the loss of her all over again. My eyes dart around the room, but I come up empty. “Mom. Please, Mom, come back.” The words are raw, coming out in a tortured whisper as darkness surrounds me like a blanket and my eyes flutter closed. Don’t leave me here alone.

Shouting and gunfire penetrates the quiet somewhere in the distance. The noise is only getting louder and more persistent. This isn’t a dream. My brow furrows and I force my heavy eyes open, dragging my body across the room. The instinct to protect myself, urging me on. Each breath as I move feels labored and sends shooting pain through every inch of me.

When I reach the cot, I use the last reserves of energy I didn’t know I had and push the bed further down the wall. Crawling into the space I’ve made, I make myself as small as possible, my eyes trained on the door. My heart beats at an erratic rhythm as I wait to be found.

Please, God, let it be help.

Chapter 44

Romeo

With my back pressed against the brick wall of a warehouse just outside of Brooklyn and my M4 Carbine secure in my arms, I watch our men get into position on the far side of the lot. They bunker down behind cars and containers, ready to catch anyone coming out of the building that we might miss. There won’t be a single person spared. Anyone who thought they could take what’s mine and get away with it will die.

Unbeknownst to me, Daniele had hooked Callum up with a link to the live stream and for a hefty—but well worth it—fee, he traced the IP address. I’ve never been so grateful for another person's incompetence. I’d have considered sparing the guy's life if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m typically not that way inclined.

Somewhere behind me, Aurora is waiting, and based on the last time I saw her, she’s seriously injured. I just hope we aren’t too late.

The place is surrounded. Massimo is on the south side of the building with Leonardo on the east and Daniele on the west. IEDs have been attached to blast open the walls and our plan is to attack as one. Once we’re in, we shoot, taking out every man who crosses our path. The element of surprise is on our side, given there doesn’t appear to be any security.

My earpiece crackles and Massimo’s adrenaline-laced tone checks in. “Marino in position.”

Leo is next. “Rossi in position.”

Then Daniele. “Ferro in position.”

“Bianchi in position.” The line crackles before I hold down the button again. “Stay safe, have each other’s backs and kill every last one of these fuckers.” My tone is sure and authoritative when I command, “Breach.”

Explosions go off at all four points and we move quickly through the smoking hole. Almost immediately, the sound of gunfire and shouting permeates the air. I tap the shoulder of the guy in front of me and signal for him to go left as I go right. We each lead the way for five men.

My gun is primed and ready to use. Adrenaline rushes through me when I breach a room a few feet into the building. A brute of a man stands frozen in the middle of it, his eyes wide and a burrito hanging from his mouth. He reaches for his weapon, but he’s not quick enough and I fire off a shot, hitting him between the eyes.

There will be no questions asked today.

Not a single soul in this building—aside from Aurora’s—deserves to be saved.

We move down the corridor, coming up empty in the next two rooms we hit. This morning, there was a determination fluttering in my chest, but with every room we clear, it gets heavier, a weight settling onto it as it morphs into disappointment. If we don’t find her alive, I’m not sure what I’ll do.

My fingers tighten around my gun as we move to a set of double doors at the end of the corridor. We line up, three men on each side with our backs to the wall. When everyone’s in position, I look through the small glass window. It’s an open space, bodies lie on the floor and some of Massimo’s men move around pulling out boxes and furniture.

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