Page 30 of Devil's Embrace
I rounded the corner to Emory's wing and found Vincent sprawled face-down, a pool of dark blood spreading beneath him.His hand still clutched his pistol, two of Mateo's men lying dead beside him.He'd fought hard.Too hard to survive whatever they'd done to him.I didn't stop to check his pulse.The bloody trail leading toward the main staircase told me everything I needed to know—they had Emory and Mina, and they were taking them to Mateo.
I reached the bathroom door where the struggle must have started.It hung crookedly from one hinge, with splintered wood and broken glass littering the marble floor.Inside, a scene of desperate struggle—towels strewn about, the shower curtain torn down, a small bloody handprint on the edge of the tub.Rage burned hotter in my chest, threatening to consume my reason.
Voices drifted up from below—Mateo's smug baritone, a child's frightened whimper, Emory's voice taut with barely controlled fear.I moved to the balcony overlooking the grand foyer, staying in shadow, assessing the situation with the cold calculation that had kept me alive all these years.
Mateo stood in the center of the foyer, beneath the grand chandelier that had hung there since before I was born.Four of his men formed a loose circle around him, weapons drawn.And there, directly before him, were Emory and Mina.
My breath caught at the sight of them.The child clutched her mother's leg, face buried against Emory's thigh, still wearing her unicorn pajamas—the ones Maria had found for her.Emory's face was pale but composed, one hand protectively on Mina's head, the other clenched into a fist at her side.Even in fear, she showed more courage than most of the men I'd known.
Mateo circled them slowly, like a wolf sizing up wounded prey.He looked older than when I'd last seen him, the gray in his hair more pronounced, but no less dangerous.His expensive suit was immaculate, not a drop of blood marring its perfection.He never did his own dirty work.
"Such a pretty little thing."He reached out to touch Mina's hair.Emory shifted, putting her body between them.Mateo laughed."Protective, isn't she?No wonder you've been hiding them, Luca.I always knew you had a weakness for broken things."
My world narrowed to a single purpose, every other thought and concern falling away.Nothing existed but the need to get them away from him, to eliminate the threat he posed.I scanned the foyer, noting positions, angles, and the distance to each of Mateo's men.Three more of his soldiers stood near the front entrance.Two by the eastern corridor.I calculated how many I could take out before they could react, how to create enough chaos to get Emory and Mina clear.
I stepped out onto the landing of the grand staircase, making no attempt to hide my approach.Mateo's head snapped up, his gaze locking with mine.A smile spread across his face—not of welcome, but of victory.He thought he'd won already.
"Let them go, Mateo—this ends now."
Mateo's smile widened."Ah, there he is.The prodigal son returns."He gestured to my appearance with a mocking flourish."You look like you've been busy."
Awareness struck me like a blow—my shirt caked with drying blood, my hands still warm from the violence I’d inflicted, my eyes cold with lethal intent.The acrid bite of gunpowder clung to my skin, and adrenaline left a sharp taste on my tongue.
"I won't repeat myself."I started down the steps with measured strides.Each footfall was deliberate, my muscles primed for the violence to come."Release them.They have nothing to do with our business."
"Oh, but they do."Mateo's hand settled on Mina's shoulder, ignoring Emory's attempt to shield her."They have everything to do with our business.Family business, Luca.The business of succession."
I continued my descent, each step bringing me closer to them, to him."You're mistaken if you think using them against me will work."
"Am I?"Mateo's eyebrow raised."Then why the rush to their rescue?Why the look in your eyes right now?You care for them.The great Luca Moretti, the Devil himself, brought low by a woman and her brat."
I reached the bottom of the stairs, stopping just outside the circle of his men.Emory's gaze met mine across the space between us—not pleading, not broken, but fierce with a mother's determination.I gave her an imperceptible nod.Hold on.I'm here.
"This compound, this territory, is mine."I let the cold fury show in my voice."You were not invited.Leave now, without them, and perhaps I'll let you walk out rather than be carried."
Mateo laughed, but some of my men had appeared on the upper balconies, weapons trained on the scene below.The odds were shifting.He felt it too.His smile thinned.
"You always were ambitious."He moved his hand to rest at his waist, where I knew he kept his favorite silver pistol."But you've forgotten who made you, Luca.Who taught you everything you know."
"Not everything."I glanced at Emory.I needed her to understand what was about to happen, to be ready."You taught me enough to know when it's time to take what's mine."
Mateo's smile turned predatory as he pulled Mina closer, his fingers digging into her small shoulder.The child whimpered, and something broke loose inside me—a cold, focused rage I hadn't felt since the day I learned the truth about my parents' murder.I kept my face expressionless, my hand steady near my weapon, but my mind raced, assessing risks.One wrong move could put Emory or Mina in the crossfire.I refused to let that happen.They belonged under my protection now, planned or not.
"The great Luca Moretti."Mateo pressed Emory and Mina against him like shields.“Brought low by a woman."His fingers tangled in Emory's damp hair, yanking her head back.She didn't cry out, just stared at me with those fierce eyes."The family deserves better than a leader who's gone soft."
My gaze never left Emory's pale face.Three of Mateo's men had moved to flank me, but I paid them little attention.They weren't the threat—Mateo was.The silver pistol glinted in his hand, still at his side but ready.
"Soft?"I kept my voice level, taking one measured step forward."Is that what you call eliminating six of your men in less than ten minutes?"
Mateo's jaw tightened.So he hadn't known how many he'd already lost.Good.Let him understand what he was facing.
"A wolf who can kill isn't impressive, Luca.It's expected."He shifted his grip, moving Mina partly in front of him."A wolf who hesitates because of sentiment is dangerous to the pack."
I took another step.Twenty feet separated us.Too far to rush him before he could fire.Too close to miss if I took a shot—but Emory and Mina were in my line of fire.
"You taught me to be smart, not sentimental."Emory tracked the movements of Mateo's men, her body tense and ready.She understood what was happening."Smart means recognizing assets."
Mateo's laugh was harsh."Assets?Is that what you call them?"He pressed the barrel of his gun to Mina's temple.The child went rigid with terror, a small sound escaping her throat."Let's test that theory."
