Page 116 of Beautiful Enemy

“Dante got captured by my father. I need your help in saving him. But without bloodshed.”

“How do you expect me to do that?”

“Just be backup. Extra muscle just in case. But ideally, try not to shoot anybody.”

“If anybody shoots at me,” he mutters, “then I’m going to defend myself.”

“That’s fine.”

“Is it?” Anya asks. “We don’t want bloodshed.”

“Just try not to kill anyone,” I tell Matteo. “This is a rescue mission. Not a bloodbath. You wanted to end this war. So help us end it.”

“We shouldn’t involve Aiden and Finn. They’ll just make things worse.”

“Fine by me. They scare me anyway.”

“Do you even know where Dante was taken?” Matteo asks.

I turn to Anya. “Shoot. I didn’t even think of that. I don’t know where our father took him. Back to his house?”

“I doubt he’d make it that obvious.” Slowly, Anya’s eyes widen as she pulls out her phone. “I have an idea. Erik and I each have trackers in our phones to make sure we’re always safe. I can find his location. Erik won’t be expecting us to go after him. He would never think I would put you in this position.” She taps at her phone, then nods. “Got it. Let’s go.”

Matteo takes his own car and follows us.

“Are you sure you can trust him?” Anya asks.

“I’m sure. He was always kind to me. He’s not evil. Not like a lot of Mafia men are. He didn’t always agree with Dante kidnapping me in the first place.”

“Huh. A Mafia man with a heart of gold. Who knew?”

We arrive at an old house that has seen better days. It’s eerily silent as we walk up to the door. Matteo pulls out his gun.

“Don’t shoot anyone,” I whisper.

“I’ll try not to.”

“Anya and I will go in first. You stay back just in case. If you hear anything, then come.”

“Like what?”

I share a look with Anya. “Like screaming.” I don’t know what my father will try to do to us when we try to stop him – if we’re not already too late that is.

My father will not hesitate to hurt either me or Anya if we get in his way.

The door is locked so Matteo uses the silencer on his gun to shoot it open. Then Anya and I step inside.

The place is disgusting. I’m glad that the houses Dante kept me in were at least clean and didn’t stink.

We keep our footsteps quiet as we look around but we don’t find anyone. The kitchen is empty. The bedrooms are empty.

Anya nods to the last door we haven’t checked. “In there,” she whispers. I go to reach for the door when Anya stops me. “Let me take the lead. I just don’t want you to get accidently shot.”

“I don’t want you to get shot either.”

“Let me do this for you, Nadia. Please. As your big sister.” I know it means a lot to Anya to save me so I step back and let her get in front.

With a trembling hand, she opens the door. Steps lead down into a basement. The sounds of a saw shriek through the air.

---