Page 105 of The Don's Soulmate

She’s probably led my brother straight to Ettore and Carlotta. It was wise of me to have Leandro tail her car 24/7.

I put two and two together. If Leandro followed Sofia out to such a remote location, it probably means that she is meeting with Carlotta and possibly Ettore. If anything goes down, he will be outnumbered. "Shit," I curse, my concern growing tenfold. What if he’s in trouble?

I already lost one brother. I won’t lose another.

"Leandro, you better be alright," I whisper, pushing the pedal to the floor the minute I enter my car. "I swear, if anything’s happened to you, there will be hell to pay."

I speed along a dark, winding road. My hands grip the steering wheel tightly, eyes shifting from left to right, looking out for anything suspicious.

"Come on, where the hell is this place?" I mutter under my breath, glancing at the GPS coordinates for Sofia and Leandro's location. Every second feels like an eternity as I weave through the trees on rough, muddy terrain, my destination drawing ever closer.

Finally, I spot it - a quaint, wooden hideaway nestled deep within the foliage. As I drive, I spot Leandro’s car, concealed behind some trees. I look through the windows – it’s empty. The sight of it brings no relief, only heightened anxiety.

Shutting off the engine and stepping out of the car, I'm immediately struck by the silence. It's unnatural and suffocating. I swallow hard, pushing down the growing lump in my throat.

As I approach the cottage, I notice another car. Sofia’s. A trail of tires leads away. Fuck. Did Sofia, Carlotta and Ettore getaway in another vehicle? A getaway car, perhaps?

Where the hell is Leandro?

I notice signs of a struggle - a broken window, splintered wood scattered across the ground, and drops of blood staining the earth. My heart hammers against my ribcage, each beat echoing the panicked drum of my thoughts.

Where is my brother?

"Leandro!" I call out, louder this time, desperation clawing at me like a wild animal. There's no response, only the distant caw of an owl breaking the silence.

I continue searching the area around the cottage. What happened here? And where the hell are they?

"Leandro, if you've been hurt because of that damn woman," I hiss through clenched teeth, fury igniting within me. "I swear, Carlotta will pay for this."

She was never my target. Ugo wants Ettore dead. But if my brother is harmed, I will seek my revenge against the bitch who started this war.

A chill runs down my spine as I stumble upon a small piece of land where the soil looks disturbed. Leaves are scattered all over, almost to perfection, like the soil is trying to hide something.

And then, even before I move, I feel the truth shouting at me.

“No!” I clutch my hair, falling to my knees. “Nooooo!” I roar into the night, the tears rolling down my eyes. I feel my heart pounding against my chest, an overflowing dam about to shatter my soul.

"Leandro..." I whisper, my voice choking with fear. "Please, don't let one of these be yours."

I start digging, like a desperate animal hunting for a way out. The soil is cold and damp, staining my calloused fingers, yet I dig deeper and deeper, praying that I won't find what I'm dreading. My hands ache from the relentless digging, but I force myself to push through the pain,needingto uncover the truth.

"Damn you, Carlotta," I growl under my breath, sweat mingling with tears. "If you've done anything…”

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, my fingers connect with something solid. My stomach churns with dread as I carefully brush away the remaining dirt, revealing the lifeless face of my brother Leandro.

"No," I choke out, feeling as though the earth has swallowed me whole. "Not you too Leandro. Not you."

Overwhelmed with grief and anger, I cradle my brother's body in my arms, his once-vibrant eyes now distant and dull. They didn’t even bother closing his eyes. The shockwaves of pain radiate through my entire being, consuming me like wildfire.

“I swear I’m going to find Carlotta, Leandro," I whisper to my brother, clutching him close. And make her pay for what she's done—her and that lover of hers."

I hold Leandro close for a moment longer, saying a silent goodbye before laying him back down on the cold ground. My heart may be shattered, but there's no time to grieve. Not when vengeance is calling out to me.

I need to know all I can before I can exact my revenge. Fury and grief blend together, forging a lethal cocktail. I will avengebothmy brothers, no matter the cost.

I stride towards the cottage and inside, my eyes immediately notice something. Two books, one on how to raise a baby and one on what to expect while expecting, and an empty bottle of prenatal supplements are scattered about the living area as though someone had hastily packed up their belongings. The sight gives me pause.

"Whose are these?" I mutter under my breath, my anger momentarily forgotten as curiosity takes hold.

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