Lorenzo Beretta

by Abigail Davies

  Her gaze flicked over to me, a question in her eyes. I shook my head, pulling at the binds on my wrists some more and feeling something tugging at them. I thought I’d had my opportunity to escape when he’d changed the way I’d been tied up, but he knew exactly what to do to keep me under control. A gun pressed to Aida’s head had done the trick, but he’d made a mistake coming back into the room this time.

  I was focused on the fact that he’d come back in here in only a shirt and slacks. His jacket was gone, and so was his holster he kept his gun in. He’d been too focused on getting back in here sooner than he should have, and now he’d opened everything up. Now he’d signed his own death warrant. Only one guard stood at the door, a guard who had been standing there for at least fifteen hours. He hadn’t been there the first time Paolo had hurt Aida, and from the way the guard was slowly moving forward, he didn’t like what Paolo was doing.

  I slowly moved my attention to the guard who was halfway to us, and when his gaze met mine, I frowned. He’d been the soldier who’d tried to steal from me on our wedding day, the one who had been brought to me for punishment. He blinked, darting his gaze left and right, but there were only the four of us in here.

  Paolo stood, and the soldier froze to the spot. I tried to keep my attention on him, silently asking what he was doing, but I couldn’t focus on him when I needed to make sure Aida was okay.

  “Disrespectful!” Paolo spat, raising his hand and slapping her across the face. Her head whipped to the side, a bright red handprint marking her skin. “I’ll teach you how to respect a man.” He grabbed her neck, squeezing her delicate skin, just as his other hand tore her dress, exposing her. The ropes binding her stomach kept the rest of the material in place, but it didn’t stop him from accessing her naked chest.

  Aida’s gaze snapped to mine again, tears shining in her eyes, then she glanced next to me, her frown intensifying as she tried to breathe against Paolo’s grip around her neck. I fought at the binds around my wrists. I straightened my back, the bindings stretching taut, then turned my wrist as far as I could, feeling to the end of the rope. It whispered over my fingertip, and I stretched as far as I could, grasping on to it and feeling a breath of relief wash through me. I tugged at it, but nothing happened. Nothing released. I was frantic, trying to get the fuckin’ ropes off and to Aida before Paolo did something to her that I wasn’t sure she’d be able to come back from. She was one of the strongest women I knew, but that didn’t mean she could take his torture over and over again.

  She gasped, her face turning purple. Paolo laughed, pawing at her chest and making her squirm. Each of her movements had her crying out in pain. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t take him touching her. I was going to combust if I didn’t—

  A hand landed on mine, and I jumped, about to ask what the fuck was going on, but a voice said, “Shhh.” The guard. What was he doing? I turned just enough to see his face crouched behind me. His one hand pulled on the ropes, but it was no use. He couldn’t get them undone either.

  I glanced at Aida out of the corner of my eyes and saw Paolo move back a step. We both paused, waiting to see what he would do, and when the sound of his zipper ricocheted in the warehouse, panic set in.

  “I can’t get it,” the guard grumbled, keeping his voice low enough so only I could hear him.

  I whipped my head around, trying not to watch what Paolo was doing. He bent at the waist, his focus entirely on Aida. Her gaze veered to me, a small frown working its way between her brows. I shook my head, trying to silently tell her not to say a word. The longer he was preoccupied with her, the more time it would allow me to do what I needed to.

  “Knife,” I whispered, staring at the tools Paolo had laid out next to me days ago.

  The guard slid over to it, not moving from behind me, and grabbed the knife. He pushed it between my hands, the sharp edge slicing at my skin. I gritted my teeth together, finally focusing on Aida again. I wasn’t overthinking the fact that the man who had been with the undercover FBI agent and had begged for me not to hurt him was now trying to set me free. I didn’t think about the way he rushed to saw through my bindings. He was helping me—helping us—and if we made it out of here alive, I’d make sure he was rewarded.

  I shook my head, trying to keep my attention in the moment and not on the hope of being free from here—free to live our lives. Using all of my strength, I pulled my hands apart, giving resistance so the knife would go through quicker.

  “I haven’t had a pretty girl like you for a while,” Paolo said, his tone turning predatory. His hips bucked forward, his slacks coming down just a little, and I knew then he’d pulled his cock out. His fingers jammed against her mouth, yanking her lips apart, and then finally, the binds snapped free. It was so loud I was sure he’d hear us, but he didn’t. He was too occupied with what he was doing to my wife.

  I leaned forward, holding in my groan at the way my burned skin on my stomach and chest pulled, threatening to knock me off-kilter, but I couldn’t worry about that now. We were close, so close I could taste our freedom. My fingers fumbled at the ropes on my legs, unable to figure out how the hell to undo them until light glinted off the knife the guard had used. I took it from him, sawed at the ropes, and finally, I was free.

  Paolo shuffled forward, lining himself up at Aida’s mouth. I dropped the knife to the ground, the sound of it clanking, causing Paolo to pause.

  I stood, my lips pulling into a sneer. This was it. This was my moment.

  A hand touched my arm, and I flicked my gaze to the guard. He held a gun out to me, his throat bobbing as I stared at it. Everything was happening in slow motion, my brain taking in everything around me. It begged for me to hurt Paolo, to torture him in all the ways I’d imagined over and over again.

  But that wasn’t what my heart told me. I’d always listened to my head, but as I took the gun from the guard, I knew it was time to listen to my heart.

  I extended my arm, stepping over Veev’s decaying body, and growled, “Time’s up, old man.”

  His body tensed, his arms moving as he slipped himself back into his slacks. Aida sat up straighter, the hope in her eyes shining as bright as the morning sun. He turned, slowly and carefully, as if he knew his fate had been sealed.

  The guard shuffled next to me, not moving from my side. I’d taken from him, yet his loyalty had him standing with me.

  Paolo’s gaze met mine, his eyes shuttering all of his emotions down in a millisecond. He opened his mouth, but I was done with him talking.

  “I promised myself I would torture you.” I paused, taking another step toward him. “But knowing you’re no longer breathing is enough.” I squeezed the trigger, the bullet flying through the air and ripping straight through his head. He stood, his body swaying to the side, his life draining from his eyes. His body was trying to fight, but it was too late. He was done.

  His body slumped forward, crashing to the ground, right on top of Veev. I pointed the gun down at him, firing off another two rounds into his head to make sure I’d finished the job. I wasn’t taking chances, not now.

  “Lorenzo,” Aida gasped out.

  I snapped my attention her way and darted forward, diving for her. The guard picked up the knife and ran behind her. “It’s okay, baby.” I pressed my hand to her face, trying to smile at her. “I got you now.” She nodded, wincing as the binds broke free. She inhaled a breath, pushing through the pain as I reached for her dress and held it up, covering her as much as I could. “I love you,” I confessed, unable to keep it in a moment longer. I’d waited to tell her, trying to find the right time, but I knew that there never was a right time. I’d nearly missed my moment with her, but I’d spend the rest of my life making sure I’d never miss a single opportunity to tell her how I felt.

  She choked out a sob, her legs now free, and reached for me. “I love you too, Lorenzo.” Her arms wrapped around my neck. “So damn much.”

  CHAPTER 21

  AIDA

  I held
on to him, too afraid to let go. We were finally free, but that didn’t mean we were out of the woods yet. We were still in the warehouse, trapped inside, not knowing what was on the other side of the door.

  “Don’t let go,” Lorenzo said, wrapping his arm around me and boosting me higher. He turned us so he could face the soldier who had helped us get free. A soldier who had watched Paolo torture us over and over again. “How many soldiers?” Lorenzo barked, his arms moving. Metal clinking told me he was checking how many bullets he had in his gun.

  “Five,” the soldier stammered. “Three in the hall and two outside.”

  I felt Lorenzo nod, and for a brief second, I closed my eyes. Hope built within me as he started to move across the warehouse, but when the door opened, and bullets flew our way, it diminished, a flame being snuffed out.

  Lorenzo dipped us behind a corner, shots still coming our way, and grasped the side of my face. “Can you walk?”

  I stared into his dark eyes, wincing as I moved, but knew that if he had to carry me, there was no way we’d both get out of here alive. It was time to be brave, time to put all of my pent-up anger at what we’d been through to use. “I’ll try.”

  He nodded, planted a kiss on my lips, and took a breath. “Hold on to me. Don’t let go.” He paused. “Ever.” He was talking about more than in this moment, and all I wanted was to tell him that I had no intention of letting go, but instead, I dropped my legs from around him, my bare feet touching the cool concrete floor. “Ready?”

  “Ready.” I grasped on to his pants, staying close but giving him enough room to make his shots. He fired off the gun three times, then smacked his back into the wall.

  “Three down,” he huffed out, bringing the gun higher and pulling the clip out. “Two bullets left.”

  My breaths came faster. There were still two soldiers left, and from the way he’d shot the three in here, I knew he had good aim, but that didn’t mean he’d be able to use his last two shots just as well.

  Lorenzo’s chest heaved as he took a breath, and with one last look at me, he grabbed my hand and ran across the warehouse. I wasn’t sure where we were heading, and I didn’t think Lorenzo knew either, but there was only one hallway with one door at the end. A stream of light cascaded from the edge of it; a beacon calling to us.

  He didn’t let go of me as he moved toward it, keeping his back to the wall, and I was right there next to him, not willing to be apart from him. He slammed his palm down on the door, then waited.

  “What—”

  The metal door flung open, and as soon as the first soldier stepped inside, Lorenzo let off one shot, hitting him right between the eyes.

  “Fuck!” a deep voice shouted, but Lorenzo was lightning quick, twisting his body around the half-open door and letting off his final shot. The sound of a body hitting the ground had my shoulders slumping, and I knew then, we were free. We were finally free.

  My head spun as I leaned my shoulder against the scratchy brick wall. All of the fight was leaving my body, my brain trying to shut down, but I couldn’t let it, not yet, not until we were away from here. I blinked several times, trying to clear the blurriness from my eyes as Lorenzo dipped outside, then darted back in.

  “Stay with me, baby.” He bent, his one arm coming beneath my thighs and his other at the base of my back. He was trying not to touch the wounds on my back, but what he didn’t know was that every single time I moved, they burned like a hot poker was thrusting inside of me. “We’re nearly there,” he whispered, running toward the door.

  I gasped as the air slapped off my bare back. “It hurts,” I groaned, finally feeling like I could tell him. I’d tried my hardest to keep up a front, but when it was just him and me, I could let the barriers down.

  “Keys,” Lorenzo barked, and I opened my eyes, seeing the soldier again. His gaze met mine, his pale face telling me that he wasn’t sure whether he was going to live or die.

  “I…”

  “Keys. Now,” Lorenzo gritted out, moving his hand off the base of my back.

  The soldier placed them in his palm and took several steps back. “What…what happens now?” the soldier asked.

  “Now, you run.” Lorenzo straightened up, and I knew without looking at him that he meant business. “You get a one-time pass for helping us out of there.” He paused, his chest heaving. “But if I see you in the city again, I won’t hesitate to kill you for becoming his soldier.”

  “I…I…”

  Lorenzo spun around, and I was glad we didn’t have to stand and listen to him any longer. I was grateful he’d helped us, but he’d also stood in that warehouse and watched as Paolo tried to break us down and break us apart.

  I gripped Lorenzo tighter as he ran across the yard, not knowing where he was going, but when he halted, I saw the edge of a car. “Lie on your front,” he told me, yanking open the back door. I felt the tears building as he maneuvered me into the back of the car and bit down on my bottom lip to stop them from falling. The car smelled like raw meat, but I didn’t care because this was our only way out of here.

  He stroked my hair, his lips connecting with the side of my face as he said, “We’re out now, baby. We’re out.”

  LORENZO

  I didn’t care how many laws I broke driving from the other side of the city and back to the mansion. Every gasp and groan of pain coming from Aida had my foot pressing harder against the gas pedal. I’d left behind a bloodbath, but it still hadn’t sated the rage inside me. I needed something more, I needed—I needed Aida to be okay.

  “We’re nearly there,” I rushed out as I turned the corner to our street. The mansion gates were closed, with several soldiers standing outside of them. They were focused straight ahead, their guns in plain sight for everyone to see, and yet they hadn’t even noticed me speeding up the street. It was time to get new soldiers, that much was clear.

  I swerved to a stop, beeping my horn at them, but it took several seconds until they realized who I was. When they did, they spoke into their radios, and the gates whooshed open.

  Slamming my foot down again, I sped through the gates and to the main doors. The engine stayed running as I pushed out and ran around to Aida, wincing as the wounds on her back had opened back up again, blood pouring out of them and staining her skin. I may have spent more time being physically tortured by Paolo, but she was the one who had taken the brunt of it. She was the one who had come off so much worse. Most importantly, she was the one who didn’t deserve it.

  “Lorenzo!” Ma screamed, but I didn’t turn to look at her. I stayed focused on Aida, trying to help her out of the back of the car. “Lorenzo!” Ma shouted again.

  “Call the doctor,” I barked out, placing my hands under Aida’s arms. “Get him here now!”

  Footsteps rushed toward us, and several sets of hands reached for Aida, but my growl of warning was enough to get them to back off. I pulled her halfway out, enough so she could place her feet on the ground, and as soon as she was upright, I hauled her to me, needing to feel her against me.

  Everything was a blur as we rushed into the mansion and into the living room—the closest room to the front doors. I didn’t let go of her as I sat us down, keeping her front to my front. Eyes widened around us, gasps and curses flung around, but I didn’t look at a single one of them.

  My anger was building again, but this time for an entirely new reason. We’d been missing for nearly three days, and no one had found us. Had they even been fuckin’ looking? Conversations around me started up, whispers about what they were witnessing, but I didn’t need to hear any of it, not right then, not when Aida’s soft cries were floating into my ears, threatening to destroy me.

  I lifted my head, my narrowed eyes glancing around the room. Christian stood with Dante and Mateo, my two uncles behind them, and Ma and Sofia were on the other side, their faces pale. There were a thousand things I wanted to say, but I didn’t voice a single one of them as we waited for the doctor to come.

  I wasn’t sure
how long we all stared at each other, but as soon as Doctor Dubeke walked in the door, a sigh of relief washed through me. His gaze met mine, then swerved to Aida’s back.

  “Fuck,” he whispered.

  I heaved a breath as he came closer, flinching as he reached out but didn’t quite touch her back. “She’s going to need stitches.” He paused. “Lots of them.”

  “Stich her up, then,” I demanded.

  “I…” Doctor Dubeke glanced around the room, his face paling. “I’m not even going to ask how it happened.”

  “Good, because I wouldn’t fuckin’ tell you.” I stared him down, silently telling him to fix the woman who meant most to me.

  “I need her on a table.”

  I nodded, not hesitating as I stood, placing a soft kiss on the side of Aida’s head as she sobbed from the movement. “It’s okay, baby.” I moved past everyone and into the dining room, slowly lowering her to the table. I set her on the edge, bent my knees so our faces were level, and told her, “You got this.”

  “I don’t think I do,” she whispered, her gaze flicking behind me.

  “You do.” I placed my hands on either side of her face and pressed my forehead to hers. “You do. You’re so strong. So much stronger than anyone knows.”

  Her beautiful eyes welled up with more tears, but a deep breath was all it took for her to hold them in. “Okay.” She paused, her eyes closing for the briefest of seconds until they opened back up. “I got this.” She looked behind me again. “Ma and Sofia can stay with me.”

  “No. I’m stay—”

  She placed her finger over my mouth, her own lips pulling up into the barest of smiles. “You need to handle business.” She nodded. “Go be the Mafia boss I know and love.” I shook my head, every bone in my body wanting me to stay. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m safe now.”

  She was right.