Page 63 of Mafia Don's Twisted Union

The creak of the front door snaps my attention forward, and there she is—standing in the doorway with an envelope clutched tightly in her hands. Relief wars with frustration as I close the distance between us.

“Carlito,” she says, her voice steady but her wide eyes betray her urgency. “I found it.”

“What did you find?” I demand, my tone harsher than I mean it to be.

Her grip on the envelope tightens. “Matteo’s ledger,” she breathes. “It’s real. It’s everything Dominic said it would be.”

Her words are a spark on dry timber. My thoughts whirl with the implications, but before I can process, the sharp crack of a gunshot cuts through the air.

“Down!” I roar, grabbing Mia and pulling her behind the cover of the SUV as dust explodes around us. More shots follow in rapid succession, the unmistakable sound of a coordinated assault.

“Mia, stay behind me!” I command, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Matteo’s men emerge from the horizon, their movements methodical and precise. My instincts take over as I draw my weapon, returning fire with deadly accuracy.

Chapter 29

Mia

The crack of gunfire echoes through the dense air, each shot slicing through the fragile calm like a blade. Carlito shields me, his body a fortress against the chaos erupting around us. My heart pounds as I clutch the envelope to my chest, the weight of its secrets pressing into my skin.

“Stay low!” Carlito barks, his voice sharp and commanding. He pulls me tighter against the SUV, shielding me as the relentless assault continues.

“Carlito,” I whisper, my voice trembling but firm, “this ledger—it’s the key. We can’t lose it.”

“I know,” he growls, his focus fixed on the enemy advancing toward us. “And we won’t.”

Leo appears at Carlito’s side, his expression grim. “We’ve got a solid perimeter, but they’re pushing hard. We need to secure the property.”

Carlito nods, his jaw tight. “Get the men in position. No one breaches this line.”

Leo hesitates, his eyes flicking toward me before he moves. “Keep her safe, boss.”

Carlito’s hand brushes mine briefly, a fleeting moment of connection amid the chaos. “Stay with me,” he says, his voice softer now.

I nod, the ledger pressed tightly against me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

A deafening explosion rocks the ground, and I instinctively duck, my ears ringing from the blast. Carlito pulls me down beside him, his arm steadying me as debris rains around us.

Through the haze of smoke, figures emerge—Matteo’s men, armed and relentless. My stomach churns as I see their cold, calculated movements. This isn’t just an attack. It’s a message.

“Carlito,” I whisper, my voice barely audible above the gunfire, “Dominic said Matteo wouldn’t stop until he has this. He’s coming for all of us.”

Carlito’s eyes flash with fury. “Let him try,” he snarls. “He doesn’t get to take anything more from us.”

Another round of gunfire tears through the air, forcing us lower. Carlito shifts, positioning himself between me and the danger. “When I give the signal,” he says, his tone urgent, “you run for the house. Do you understand?”

“No,” I protest, gripping his arm. “I’m not leaving you.”

His gaze softens briefly, but his resolve is unshakable. “Mia, you have to. The ledger—Matteo can’t get his hands on it. We’re not just fighting for ourselves anymore. We’re fighting for what comes next.”

Tears sting my eyes, but I nod. “I’ll run when you say,” I whisper, my throat tight.

The battle surges, chaos swallowing us whole. But Carlito’s presence anchors me, his determination a lifeline in the storm.

For a brief moment, I allow myself to believe that we’ll survive this—that the ledger, our child, and everything we’ve fought for will endure.

But as a shadowy figure steps into view, a rifle aimed directly at us, my breath catches. It’s Matteo himself, his presence colder than the gun in his hands.

---