Page 38 of Owned by the Italian Mafia Boss
“Matias, I want you to take him to the panic room. Him and Delilah, do you understand? I want Victor with them. And they better be alive when all this is said and done.”
Matias nods, grabbing the kid by his arm and tugging him to his feet.
“Thank you. Thank you. I swear, I won’t disappoint. I’m good. I’ll be good, I swear,” he chants as he is dragged away, thankful for his life, but the words sound like he has said them too many times.
“Poor kid,” Nicky says, lighting a cigarette before getting his gun out. “He’s had it tough.”
“Tougher than most,” I say, checking how many bullets I have. “Marie, go with them. I don’t want anything happening to you either. Stay there until I say otherwise.”
“Yes, Mr. Carmine,” she says, scurrying away.
I crack my neck and walk through the cloud of smoke Nicky blows out. We have people to kill and bodies to deliver to the enemy.
There’s no time to waste.
Chapter Ten
Delilah
My entire body bounces on the bed, and the force wakes me up.
“Carmine? Are you finally coming to bed?” I wish I could say I know what has gotten into me, but I want his presence. He’s terrifying, but it’s the last thing I feel when I’m with him. And if I’m ever afraid, it isn’t because I’m afraid of him.
I’m afraid of how good the bad in him makes me feel.
It’s addicting.
“Carmine?”
“Not Carmine.” Arms slide under me and bring me against a foreign chest, but I know the voice.
“Matias? What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain later. We need to move. Now.”
There’s a stranger in my room, a guy closer to my age, but he follows us out the door. A loud crack rings, and I scream, ducking my head as the gunshot echoes.
“Carmine!” I scream for him, but he doesn’t answer.
“He’s fine. He has this under control.” Matias enters what looks like a guest bedroom and rushes to the closet. He presses a button on the shelf, and the back wall opens to a huge, steel room. He sets me down, and I walk into the room, the stranger behind me and then Marie. Matias enters last. He closes the door behind him, turning the silver wheel until six bars slide into place.
One wall is made of screens. Matias presses a few buttons and the security footage pops up, showing the house from different angles. I can see the endless backyard, the miles of trees that would be great hiding places. The front gate isn’t open, and the garden seems unbothered, but gunshots crack the air; I can hear them through the steel.
Matias points his gun at the door. “I want you all to stay behind me at all times.”
“What is going on?” my voice quakes. “Where is Carmine? Why isn’t he in here with us?”
“Because he is the boss, and he never hides. The Romanos are coming back for their toy; no offense, kid,” Matias says to the stranger next to me.
“Offense taken,” he mumbles. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they would come for me. I didn’t think they cared. Maybe if I go with them, they’ll leave.”
“Not a chance. You’re worth more here. Sorry, Ryan.”
“I’m Delilah.” I introduce myself, not wanting to come across as rude when he’s obviously been through so much. “When we get out of here, I’d like to look at your eye. It’s swelling fast, and I might need to decompress it.”
“How?” He flinches when he touches it. “How would you know how?”
“I’m studying to be a doctor,” I explain, watching the screen, looking for any sign of Carmine. I see a flash, and my gaze drifts to where the garage is. Sparks flash white across the screen, and I cover my mouth to hold back my gasp when I see someone go down then don’t move or get up again from the cement floor.
