Page 141 of King of Obsession

Not that anyone would try jumping me, for I appeared like a devil out of the underworld, my hair, skin, and clothesstreaked with blood and gore.

I held my Sig in one hand and a deadly blade in the other as I strode along a silver-etched track, eyes hard, face harder.

I walked for an eternity, the range melting beneath my relentless pace.

Sweat trickled down my back, plastering my shirt to my flesh, but I barely took note, driven to protect what was mine.

At last, I reached a spot where the trees thinned out, and I spotted the faint glow of civilization in the distance.

Pulling out my phone, I checked it.

I was finally within network range.

Growling in relief, I tapped on a number.

Despite it being late, the call was picked up in three rings.

‘Fratello, scusa,’ I growled, my voice grim. ‘It’s Alessio. I need you to jack some shit up.’

A moment of silence fell on the other end, then the timbre, familiar rasp. ‘Che cosa?’

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. ‘The Contis. They’ve taken her. I must have Mauri and his men, as many as you can spare. It’s going to be war. It’ll necessitate all the help I can get to rain hell down.’

I referred to our Calibrese contingent of enforcers and capos.

The latter had moved to Australia from Italy and now worked at our import fulfillment center.

They’d be the army I needed to face the unknown.

Lorenzo’s voice rumbled. ‘Is she worth it?’

‘Far more than all the fuckin’ rubies in this world, Renzo,’ I snarled with a vicious edge to my snarl. ‘Shit, I can’t breathe without her. Will you help me or not?’

After a long pause, Lorenzo sighed. ‘You know I will, fratello. Famiglia is everything. I’ll send Mauri and his best men.They’ll be your way by early morning. Fuck, I might even come along for the joy ride.’

Relief washed over me. ‘Grazie, Renzo. I’ll owe you.’

‘You owe me nothing,’ my brother added, his growl fierce. ‘We’re blood, Alessio. We stand together, sempre.’

I disconnected, messaged him my coordinates, and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

The die was cast.

I turned to jog through the bush back to the cabin, scowling, wrath energizing me, driving me.

I faltered halfway as a searing pain went through my side, my ailment flaring.

I fell to one knee, shaking.

With a roar, I rose once more.

Cursing the freakin’ world, I fought through the shakes.

I lurched, jaw clenched in agony of body and mind that seared to the core, fuckin’ wanting to burn the universe for her.

Franco had no idea what he was in for.

The Calibreses were not to be trifled with, and I would show them how deadly we could be.

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