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Chapter 21
Lorenzo
The old warehouse on the outskirts, known locally as Raven's Nest, was where we used to have business here some years ago, when dad was alive. But this location was an easy target, which is why I moved things up. Giovanni and my men were following right behind me. I signaled for silence as we moved forward.
"Are you sure this is not a false alarm?" Giovanni whispered.
I stayed quiet, my eyes scanning the perimeter. The silence of the place made my instincts flare. We moved ahead, breaking into a room within the warehouse. My smirk widened as I saw my stolen shipment of weapons stacked neatly in boxes.
"Not at all a false alarm," I said.
A distant voice cut through the silence. "So you've finally made it to me?" Nikolai stepped out from the shadows. "Took you long enough. I'm surprised. That's very unlike you." My men immediately aimed their guns at him. "Uh, uh, uh. Wrong move, buddy!" He chided. The door behind him opened, and two figures emerged, making us all freeze. Angela was pushed in with her hands tied behind her back and a wound on her forehead. She desperately whispered, "Lorenzo!" Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears and fear.
But what really shocked me was the man holding her captive with a gun pressed to her temple. "Good evening, my dear nephew. You're just in time for the party."
"Antonio," I gritted out dangerously. "It was you all along." Of course, it all made sense now. He was the only other person who knew everything around my mansion in Italy and every corner of Sicily. I have to give credit to Nikolai for actually using his brain for the first time in forever and teaming up with someone who actually knew his way around. “Just how many times do I have to kill you?" I spat.
"What? Not excited to see me? Also in my defense, you missed my heart by three inches," Antonio replied smugly.
"So you come back and join hands with your enemy because you can't take me out by yourself? How pathetic!" I shot back, my eyes flickering between Angela and him.
Angela did not deserve any of this—to be caught in the crossfire of our vendetta. “Haven’t you heard?” Antonio beamed. “The enemy of your enemy is a friend. By the way, I thought I’d get a warm welcome. Although it’s not new that I’m left disappointed yet another time.”
"Let her go, Antonio," my voice was cold.
Antonio's smirk only grew wider. "Or what, Lorenzo? You'll miss again?"
Nikolai chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. "This is what you wanted, isn't it, Lorenzo? To save your precious Angela? Well, here she is. Come and get her." Angela's eyes locked onto mine, her fear mingling with a flicker of hope. I could not afford to make a wrong move. I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "You're both dead men. You just don't know it yet."
“Wrong, Lorenzo. It’s you who doesn’t know what shit you’ve gotten yourself into!” Nikolai growled. Antonio tightenedhis grip, pressing the gun harder against Angela’s temple. Her wince sent a fresh wave of rage through me.
"Drop your weapons, or she dies," Antonio commanded, his voice devoid of any warmth. My men hesitated, looking to me for my signal. I gave a slight nod, and they reluctantly lowered their guns. Nikolai’s men filled in surrounding us, taking my men’s weapons away before holding them captive.
"Good. Now, let's talk, nephew," Antonio said, stepping forward and pulling Angela with him. I kept my eyes locked on Angela, reassuring her with a silent promise. Antonio sneered. "You were always the reckless one. Charging in without thinking. And look where it’s gotten you."
"Let her go, Antonio. She has nothing to do with this," I said.
"Oh, but she does now," Nikolai interjected, stepping closer.
Angela's eyes flickered with fear, and I could see the tears welling up. "Lorenzo, please..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Enough of this," I snapped, my patience fraying. "What do you want?"
Antonio laughed with a harsh, grating sound. "What I want is to see you suffer, Lorenzo. To see you brought to your knees. Tell me, will you beg on your knees for her?"
"Life is full of surprises, isn’t it, Antonia?” I smirked at the bastard. “It’s not every day I’ll see you clinging to Nikolai and a woman like a desperate coward to get to your goal.”
"Coward? You dare call me a coward?" Antonio seethed, his face contorting with rage. He moved to point the gun in my direction, his finger tightening on the trigger. In mere milliseconds, the scene unfolded before me as a bullet pierced through the air, striking its mark between Antonio's eyes, and hecrumpled to the ground.Good job, Emir.I smirked, knowing his sniper skills were unmatched.
Angela, quick on her feet, saw this as her chance to escape the red zone. She bolted, running as fast as she could to safety. Her sudden movement was the catalyst we needed. In the chaos that followed, my men and I tackled Nikolai's forces head-on.
Hell broke loose. Declan, Leonardo, and Emir stormed in with their men, their guns blazing. Bullets rained down as they shot at Nikolai's men relentlessly. The warehouse erupted into a warzone, filled with the deafening sounds of gunfire and the acrid smell of gunpowder. Giovanni and my men followed my lead, firing at anything that moved.
Nikolai fought back fiercely, shooting several of my men as he tried to hold his ground. The zone became a maelstrom of violence, with bullets tearing through the air, ricocheting off walls, and finding their targets lethally. I moved with purpose, each shot from my gun bringing me closer to Nikolai. His men were falling, one by one. The tide was turning in our favor.
Angela had reached safety, but I could not let my guard down. The fight was not over until Nikolai was dead. I advanced through the chaos, my focus locked on the man who had orchestrated this nightmare. Nikolai saw me coming, his eyes narrowing. "You think you can win this, Lorenzo?" he shouted over the din. "You’re a fool!"
