𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐓 | 𝟏𝟖+

47 | or she's dead

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L O N Z O M A T T I A

"Are my men in position?" I ask Gabriel as we plan to leave the house and proceed to the warehouse where Zane will be luring Landon.

Gabriel nods in my direction. We haven't been on the best talking terms when business isn't involved but I'll take it for now. This is important to our entire lives, without Landon in the picture, things will be easier.

We both know that.

"We better go," I say as I swipe my jacket and attempt to put it over my sling.

I want to rip it off my body but the doctor says it still needs to be elevated to heal, right now I don't argue because I want to be better now. I shouldn't be trying to rush the process and end up hurting myself in return.

Gabriel and I head out of the house with our guns attached to us, full to the brim with ammunition. Zane said that he's bringing Landon to the location in over forty minutes. I am ready for the bloodshed.

The car journey is fairly silent and I can't stop thinking about Alexia. Over the last two days I've barely spoken to her, I even had missed calls from her last night and I felt guilty for not answering them whilst I was in a meeting with Zane and Gabriel.

Work has to come first right now, especially when her safety is involved.

I sent her a text asking if everything is okay, only for her to respond that she's fine and missing me. If something was wrong, I would know about it. Dante would be the first to contact me, along with word from the guards that surround Alexia's house.

So I know she's safe, she's probably just lonely.

But I promised myself I would make it up to her when I can, when all of this has blown over and we can move on with our lives. That woman deserves a dinner date with a ten course meal, the best wine and a lot of attention from my tongue after.

She's been working so damn hard on her University work and only now have I acknowledged how intelligent she is. How much potential she has in this world. I want her to have everything and more. I want her to be safe. So this is my first step.

Eliminate Landon and pray everything else works out.

I realise keeping her safe isn't going to be the easiest job but I know Gabriel will do absolutely anything to keep her breathing. We're both protective of her and that should be enough to keep her safe.

We would both go to the ends of this earth to make sure she lives the life she's always wanted, with happiness, with her future career. I will not settle until she lives that life without fear of getting hurt.

Gabriel drives us out of town and towards the warehouse. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. "Have you heard from Alexia?" I ask.

He merely shrugs. "I've been busy."

"And she's lonely," I state.

Those dark eyes pin to mine for a second. "Have you?"

He's right, not as much as I should have this week. "She doesn't want you to be mad at her forever."

He scoffs and turns sharply down a road unexpectedly, the wheels screeching against the concrete floor. "I'm going to be mad at you both forever."

I frown at his words. "Really? So what's going to happen after this then? You'll go off and abandon me, try and turn my empire inside out because you hate me?"

"Maybe," he bites. "Maybe I'll leave your lousy side and find someone who actually respects me."

A low grunt forms in the back of my throat but I don't give him the satisfaction of how much he is pissing me off right now. Instead I glare out the window and pray we get there soon so I can go straight over to Alexia's and give her a fucking hug.