Revenge.
I'm familiar with it. You have to be when you're the firstborn son of a notorious mafia leader. Death and vengeance have been the very foundations of my life.
So who in their fucking mind would be stupid enough to cross me?
My brother and...
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Axel tackles Mariana to the ground.
My legs burn with the force of my speed as I take off running for them. Bullets pierce the air when Axel shoots back at Ferrera in rapid succession. Someone is going to get fucking shot and it sure as hell won't be my wife. Not on my watch.
Rage like I've never known it floods my bloodstream, burns me from the inside out. I aim my gun at Ferrera and pull the trigger without hesitation. He screams and goes down on his knees when the bullet hits his leg. Any other time I might have enjoyed finally shooting the bastard but he's the least of my worries right now.
"Mariana!" I cover her body protectively with mine where she lays curled up on the grass. She looks up at me with wide, shaken eyes. I desperately search her for injuries, cupping her face. "Baby. Are you hurt?"
"No." Her breath rushes out of her. "He...he actually shot in my direction. He could have shot me and he took that chance."
She's in shock. I hug her to my chest and away from sight. If Ferrera tries to shoot here again, the bullet will have to go through me first.
"Go," I snap at Axel. "Secure him and strip him of his weapons."
He takes off and I look back down at Mariana, smoothing her hair out of her face.
"It's okay," I assure her when I feel her tremble in my arms. "I have you. Come on."
I help her up. She stumbles on unsteady legs so I keep my grip on her and help her walk. The sick bastard shot at her. His own daughter. My wife. I'm going to rip him open and burn him to ashes and smoke. This has been a long time coming.
"Bastardo!"
Cavallo swings a punch into Ferrera's jaw once Axel secures his hands behind his back. Ferrera's head snaps back but he brings it down, unblinking and unfazed. Now I understand what father meant. Dangerous. This isn't even registering to him. He's completely calm despite being outnumbered and more or less defeated.
"How did you get into the study?" Cavallo demands, grabbing Ferrera by the neck. He squeezes, his eyes blazing with heat and fury. "What is the meaning of this?"
Cavallo's house burns behind him. Tendrils of smoke tether into the air, mostly coming from his study that's nothing more than lumps of ash now. The fire is already dying out now that there's nothing left to burn.
He just lost years of evidence and vital information to the mafia. This doesn't bode well for him as a leader, which will only result in my downfall. With the evidence gone, Cavallo's testimony was my only shot at proving Ferrera's sins. The mafia is going to be enraged that Cavallo lost generations of knowledge and value. His word won't mean anything anymore.
Ferrera's lips twitch when he looks at me and I know he recognizes that I just put two and two together. I severely underestimated him. Severely.
"You're walking a thin line, aren't you?" Ferrera observes. Cavallo tightens his grip on his neck in a warning that Ferrera does not bode. "You've only been boss for two years. Trying to follow your father's legacy after he died. It's an insult to myself that I've had to answer to you all this time. Now you're done."
