“Lo, I need you to come to Izzy’s right away. Something's gone down. I’m breaching now, have Mia on standby.”
I don’t wait for his response. I hang up and rush up to the house. I pull out my gun as I try the door, but find it locked. I pull out my key and open it as silently as I can. I slip in and begin to clear the house. Hearing a commotion from the bedroom, I see red. I start to rush forward but pause, taking a calming breath.
Leading with emotions gets you killed.
I remember my father’s advice as I plan my next move. I start by clearing the living room and kitchen before I head down the hall. His voice stops me in my tracks.
“You’re going to like this, Isabella.”
I clench my fists tighter as I realize it’s Fillipo in the room with her. I stand still as I listen for other voices or movement. Satisfied that he’s alone and unable to wait any longer, I round the corner and find him on top of her. Isabella’s stark naked, and he has his pants around his ankles. She isn’t moving and his hands are in between her legs. I don’t hesitate. I burst into the room with my gun pointed at his head.
“Back away from her.”
I glance over and see the tears falling from her eyes, but she doesn’t move or speak. My heart breaks at the sight of her so broken and unwilling to fight.
“Giovanni, how great of you to join us. You’re just in time for the show. Isabella here was about to give me a taste of her sweet little snatch. Oh, but you know all about that, don’t you?”
I clench the gun tighter, moving my finger to the trigger. Fillipo doesn’t move away but instead moves closer. I don’t have a clear shot. If I shoot him now, the bullet would likely go through him and into her, a risk I can’t take.
“I’m going to give Isabella here a taste of a real man. Do you want to stay and watch?”
He’s gone crazy. He must know he won’t be making it out of here alive.
“Move away from her, you sick son of a bitch.”
I surge forward, but he holds up a knife and places it to her throat. He positions his body over her in a way that even if I could manage a clean shot, the knife would likely slit her throat as his body weight fell on top of her. My mind races as I go over all the possible scenarios.
Fillipo tsks as he says, “Come any closer and I will slit her throat. It would be such a shame for such a beauty to be maimed in such a way.” He leans down and sniffs her hair before his tongue slides out and leaves a trail from her ear to her chin. “She tastes nice. What do you think, Giovanni?”
I watch as the knife presses into her neck with every movement, leaving behind a trail of blood. I pause. My heart is racing as I watch him hold my life in his hands—the woman I love and always have. My blood roars through my body as I feel every muscle tense up with the thought of what might happen next.
“Fine. What do you want, Fillipo?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“I want you to hurt like I hurt.” He pauses. “Really, I want Bastiano to hurt, but he’s damn near impossible to get to. You know I’ve been trying to lure him out for weeks. My men have tried every possible way to get to him. Still nothing.”
A sliver of pride sneaks through me as I realize what he’s saying. Our protection is working. His connections are dwindling.
“So, since he’s unattainable at the moment, I went for the next best thing. The prince of the family. Golden boy. Next in line for the throne.” His voice says the words with reverence, but it lacks sincerity. He continues his rant as I watch him loosen his hold a little bit. He’s so focused on his speech, he doesn’t even realize he’s getting sloppy.
“I know I’m a dead man. I’ve been around for a while now. The best I can do is take one of you down with me. I wasn’t going to rape her. Not at first, but look at her body. Who could say no?”
My skin crawls as I watch him look over Izzy’s naked form.
“I will let you walk out of here alive if you leave her alone.”
We both know I’m lying.
“I have nothing left to live for, Giovanni. Bastiano took my family from me. I was supposed to take over after his father died. It was promised to me. He took away my territory. Then he took away my men, the ones loyal to only me. He systematically found them and murdered them all. I have nothing left, so why would I allow her to live? This is my final act. Bastiano will remember the destruction I left in my wake.”
He moves then, and I watch as he attempts to line his dick up with Izzy. I don’t think. I let the blind rage take over as I charge him. The look of surprise briefly passes over him before his eyes harden. He goes to press the knife into Isabella, but before he can, I tackle him off the bed. The knife falls away from him while my gun slides away from me as well.
Fillipo attempts to roll me off him, but I don’t move. I punch him in the head twice before wrapping my hands around his throat. I watch as he struggles for air. His hands frantically search for anything that might help him.
My vision is only focused on him through the red haze of anger. I don’t know what he finds, but I feel it as it hits me upside my head. I briefly fall to the side, but it’s enough to give him the opening he needs. He pushes at me until I’m off him before scrambling up to his feet.
I slowly get to my feet and turn to face him. “You want to fight? I’m all for some hand-to-hand combat. Do you think you can keep up, old man?”
He grits his teeth before he responds. “I’ve been fighting long before you were alive, boy. You think you can fight me? Bring it on.”
