“What was the point of all of this if you weren’t going to release her to me?” I demanded, trying to keep my temper in check.
“To watch a show, of course!” he gleefully shouted.
My men stayed silent, but I could sense anger and fear radiating off them in waves.
“Let’s play a game,” he said. “For this game, you have to make a choice, Nico.”
My chest tightened, and panic threatened to climb up to my throat.
“What do you say?” he goaded. “One of your men—” He gestured with his gun to the guys and then to Gigi. “Or your girl? Which one will it be?”
If I shot him now, my men would pick up and start shooting off the others, but would it give me enough time to catch Gigi before she was tossed into the water?
“Choose,” he pressed. “If you don’t choose, I’ll do it for you.”
I made the mistake of glancing at Gigi. I could feel her in my heart, on my skin, and in my soul. The devil knew when his angel was calling out for him. She gave me a smile as if saying she understood that she wouldn’t resent me if I gave her up.
I swallowed hard.
“Why the fuck are you doing this?” I seethed.
“It’s simple, really.My game, my rules. I can do whatever the fuck I want,” he replied, a smug grin twisting his lips as he moved to stand closer to Gigi.
I took a step forward, my boots thundering against the wooden bridge.
“Stop right there,” he warned, leveling the gun at her head. “I’ll blow her fucking head off if you take another step.”
The world seemed to pause. I could see the calculation in his eyes, the coldness of a true psychopath. He would follow through on his threat, and I wasn't going to let Gigi become another one of his victims.
Gigi whimpered softly.
My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides as I held back the desire to put a bullet in his brain. But the moment I raised my gun, we’d all be dead.
“Don’t you get it?” he taunted. “I’m the Puppet Master, and you’re all my puppets. Even Stone. That stupid bastard couldn’t manage a simple job, not even to take you all out at the safe house.”
So there was an insider at the safe house. Made perfect sense now how we were ambushed.
“I could’ve killed her, yes,” he continued, running the barrel of his gun along her cheek, making her flinch. “But that would’ve been too easy and I wasn’t done playing. Plus, the play was just beginning. After all, every forbidden love story ends in tragedy, doesn’t it?”
He turned his sinister grin to me. “And now you”—he gestured the gun in my direction— “the hero will get to watch the star of the show take her final bow.”
“What is the point of this game you are playing?” I shot back.
“My own family turned against me, locking me away in that fucking hospital. They claimed I was unfit to be king, thatI would tarnish our family’s legacy. Can you believe it? They handed the crown to my younger brother, Giuseppe!”
He shook his head, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. “He took everything from me. But oh, I got my revenge!” His eyes glinted with a twisted glee. “Just like Cain and Abel, I killed my own brother. And now, it’s time to wipe the slate clean by getting rid of anyone who shares his DNA.” His grin widened like a demented madman.
My gaze shifted to Gigi as she began to tremble, her limbs jerking like a marionette. The man behind her was pulling the strings, controlling her every movement.
I was going to gut him like a fish when I got my hands on him.
Gigi's breath hitched as she fought back a sob, and I felt fucking useless.
“What do we do, boss?” Matteo muttered. “Start shooting?”
“We’re outnumbered,” Lo replied.
“I counted six men, not including the two fuck faces near Gigi,” Lo added. “We can take them. Just say the word,” he said confidently.
