Page 131 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

“Fuck you,” he spat, his voice strained.

I shot again, the bullet going right through his hand. He screamed this time. The satisfaction I felt at seeing him in pain momentarily allayed my anger.

“Tell me where the fuck she is.”

“Never!”

The noise had to have carried to wherever my father was, likely in his office. I didn’t care. He was fucking next.

“Your fucking funeral, Stefano.”

The gun went off again. The bullet left the chamber and lodged itself between his eyes. The lights went out. He remained upright for a moment before his body collapsed, just like his fucking friend. My hand fell to my side, and I stepped over Stefano, making my way down the hallway to my father’s office.

Fiore and Stefano had got in my way. Their deaths were necessary and done with ease. What came next? Well, it would test me to my limits. I wasn’t calm. I was fucking angry.

I kicked open the office door, striding into the room to find my father leaning against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest. He had a fucking smug smile on his face as if he hadn’t heard me shoot both of his bodyguards.

“Where the fuck is Arianna?”

“Is that any way to greet your father?”

I ground my teeth, raising my gun and aiming it at his chest.

“Tell me where the fuck she is. You took her. I know you fucking took her.”

Gennaro lowered his arms and spread his hands. She could be anywhere right now. Who knew if he’d brought her here or was keeping her in one of his fucking safe houses. He knew I’d come for him. The man wasn’t fucking stupid.

“I did take her, but don’t you worry. She’s safe… for now.”

I took a step towards him.

“You’re going to tell me where she is or so fucking help me, I will kill you.”

He had the audacity to laugh at me. Shoving off his desk, he straightened and dug his hands into his pockets. He bent his head and looked at me through his lashes.

“You won’t kill me, boy. You don’t have the guts.”

I hated myself for hesitating at his words. For having this fucking moral dilemma about killing my own father, even though he was a threat. I needed to pull the trigger. He needed to be put down, but all I could feel was hatred and rage. I didn’t kill with those emotions. It went against my principles. My fucking morals. But I needed to get past those. I had to kill him. Ihadto.

My feet carried me closer even as my hand shook around the weapon. Gennaro moved with me, the two of us circling each other until he faced the door and my back was to it.

“See? Can’t do it, can you? I had such high hopes for you. My eldest boy… so much wasted potential.” He shrugged as he opened his suit jacket and drew out his own gun from its holster. “You could have been a leader, Zayn, but you threw it all away on that club and now, you’re throwing it away over a woman. Pathetic and weak. That’s what you are.”

“I’m not fucking pathetic or weak. You’re just a monster.”

He laughed, making my anger burn hotter. That was the fucking problem. I was already having enough trouble trying to push it away so I could pull the damn trigger. End this nightmare for all of us. For my mother. For my brothers. For Arianna. And for me.

“A monster I may be, boy, but that’s why I rule this family. Why I’m in charge. You can’t even kill your own father because of what? Your morality? Such a weak little fool. If you were strong, you would have shot me the moment you walked in here. I’ve given you ample opportunity to end my life and you haven’t taken it.”

I watched him raise the gun. It made me freeze, my finger twitching on the trigger of my own.

“Such a shame it has to end here. No matter. Gil will take your place. Goodbye, son.”

The sound of a shot going off rang in my ears. And all I saw… was red.

Forty Four

Arianna

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