Page 112 of Ruthless Guardian

“I wasn’t there…” Giuseppe pauses and draws in a breath. “And I regret it every day. What it did to him, what it did to Raf, to all of us… I’ll never forget it.”

A twinge of hope flares in my chest. “So what are you saying?”

“I spoke to Raf long before you two arrived in Rome, and even then, I could tell how important you were to him.” The deep lines across his forehead pinch as he regards me, regret written across his face. “I might have failed my brother once, but I refuse to allow that to happen again.”

“So, you’ll help me?”

“I’ll do whatever I can to ensure you do not meet the same fate as Laura and their unborn child.”

My stomach plummets for what feels like the tenth time today. “What? Theirchild?”

“Merda,” he rasps through clenched teeth. “You didn’t know…”

“No.” And now I wonder what else Raf is keeping from me.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure he would have told you when the time was right, if he told you everything else.”

I snort on a laugh, wrapping my arms around my chest like a shield. “Or maybe it was simply all a ploy to get me to trust him.”

Giuseppe shakes his head, that same regret darkening his features. “He would never use the memory of Laura like that.”

I twist my fingers into a knot, that question lingering on the tip of my tongue. “Your father said he planted Raffaele as my bodyguard… is that true?”

He nods slowly. “He’s been waiting to infiltrate the Kings ever since your uncle, Dante, started making moves in our territory.”

“So Raf?—”

He holds his hand up, shaking his head. “To my knowledge, my brother had no idea about any of it. He was as much a pawn in this as you are.”

Patting the shard of glass in my pocket to confirm it’s still there, I eye Giuseppe, torn between desperately wanting to believe him and not trusting my gut because love makes you stupid and blind. “I guess we’ll find out when he comes for me.”

CHAPTER 55

BURN IT TO THE GROUND

Raffaele

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

I force the calm my body doesn’t feel as I approach the gate to my father’s compound on foot with my backpack slung over my shoulder. The elaborate Mediterranean villa sits on a hill with all of Rome stretched out below it.Papàused to say it made him feel like a king to own such a grand estate after his humble beginnings. To me, it’s nothing but an extravagant reminder of the worst day of my life, and I’d be more than happy to burn it to the ground. And finally, today I will…

I never thought I’d be back. And now here I am, forced to return to the place wherePapàstole the first love of my life to save the second, the woman I want beside me for the rest of my life. The thought, even in the privacy of my own mind is startling. I never thought I could feel this way again. I vowed he would never have Isabella, and I intend to keep my word. I can feel it in the depths of my bones; she is here.

And I will get her out, even if it means destroying my entire family in the process.

I scale the wrought iron gate, silently drop down onto the lush grass, then release my gun from the holster and clutch it tight in my fist. Then I creep along the outer wall, careful to avoid the roving guards.Papàis so predictable, his security hasn’t changed in ten years. I circle the compound, searching for any sign of Isabella before I rain all hell down on my father and his men.

Where are you, Isa?

My heart takes turns kicking and punching at my ribs as I move silently around the villa. The wine cellar would be the most secure location to keep a captive. It’s where I would take her. Hurrying to the back of the house where the door to the old cellar hides behind a tangle of bougainvillea, my fingers tighten around the grip, sweat slickening my skin. I take measured breaths, refusing to allow the knot of fear and fury lodged in my chest to control me.

Iwillfind Isabella.

I will bring her home.

As I turn the corner, I find two guardians stationed by the entrance to the old cellar. That’s unusual. The pair stands stiffly on either side of the rusted metal door, each one with a gun already in hand. It must be for Isa. Unless my father has gone rogue, capturing some other new enemy.

“Hai visto la ragazza?”The guard’s words about a girl halt my breathing. “È stupenda. La scoperei senza dubbio. Spero che il capo ci permetta di provarci prima di ucciderla.”

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