Page 19 of Retribution

I placed my hand over his. “You know I can handle my business, but I’m not sure I can do this without losing it.”

“You can do this, and I will be with you. Okay?”

He gave me a soft kiss on my lips before kissing both my cheeks. I wanted to hold on to this man tightly and never let go. I was never dependent on a man before now. But this incident made me question my mental strength. Could I really handle my business?

Chapter 13

Ciara

“Please, don’t hurt me!” Marco cried.

Carlos was asleep on the sofa while Marco was sitting on the floor watching television. We entered from the back, and front with men surrounding the building, and some on watch down the street. We covered all the base … well … Luca did.

The house was a single story one family unit in the suburbs. The living room was small with a homey feel and had a small fireplace with family photos on the mantlepiece. I looked around the clean beige walls and noted that other than the photos, the place seem as though no one lived there.

Having my full of the family environment, I pulled my Glock and jammed it into Carlos’ neck, awakening him while Luca pulled up Marco by his collar. Marco was pleading and Carlos tentatively sat upright at my urging.

I turned to Marco. “Shut the fuck up. Do you know who I am?”

“No ma’am,” he said in a scared tone.

Luca came over and guarded Carlos while I commandeered Marco. “Well la-di-da, tonight’s your lucky night you little piece of shit! You know the boy you bullied, the one you had your brother murder? You know who, right?”

His face went ashen, and his eyes gorged. I raised my gun and brought it around hard, to land on his cheek. He reeled back and fell on his ass crying and whimpering. I advanced, standing over him.

“You killed a future doctor, you trash!”

Hoisting my foot, I was about to bring my spiked heel down on his neck, but someone pulled me back. “Take it easy babe. Not yet,” Luca whispered in my ear before turning back to Carlos. “You’re gonna write a note to your aunt, telling her you’ve gone somewhere secret because the police are looking for you, and you don’t want her involved.”

Someone began searching the room for pen and paper when gunshots were heard outside. Men were shouting and running as one of the living room windows shattered. The look on Carlos’ face told me that we’d walked into a trap. Luca glanced at me knowingly as we tried to fathom what our next move was.

With the flame of anger coiling through my veins, I raised my hand and brought the butt of the gun down on Carlo’s temple. “You shithead set us up!”

He slumped on the sofa, passing out cold. I instructed a couple of men to come and tie them up while Luca and I went to join the fracas. As another window shattered, we ducked behind the sofa.

Luca crawled up to me. “Cover me.”

As he made to move away, I held him back. “I’m not losing you too. I mean, as a friend.”

He chuckled, reached over and pecked me on the lips. “You won’t lose me … as a friend.”

“Where’s Sandy?”

“Out there,” he replied. “Now stay here with them.”

I chortled, amused. “You think Imma stay here when all the action is out there?”

I moved first, crouching and made my way to the back door. I heard him swear and followed me. When he was near, he pulled me behind and took the lead. A gunshot zinged past his ear, and he ducked, while pulling and firing his weapon through a hole in the back door. I heard the slug hit flesh and took the opportunity to get a few rounds out.

After minutes of shootout, the yard became quiet and we heard Sandy shouting, “ALL CLEAR!”

Luca stood and stretched, peering through the hole before opening the door. I moved up behind him to see the remaining Dragon Crew on their knees with Sandy having one at gunpoint. Upon approaching the men, we saw that the man Sandy was guarding was Pretty Boy Mike.

This was what it all came down to.

Me and the Dragon Crew.

It was either fight or die. All in or nothing at all.

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