For The Empire - Sempre

Chapter 29

STELLA

"Please, just let me see him! Please!" I desperately plead as I pound onto Cristian's chest. Rocco and Topo stand on either side of him as reinforcements; I've already tried to go around them.

Cristian grips onto my hands firmly. "He needs to be alone, piccola. Trust me."

"No, he needs me." I sob. "Please..."

Cristian holds on to me as he quietly whispers that everything will be okay, that Enzo will be fine--he just needs time to process everything, but it's been three days since he killed Giovanni.

I watched remotely from the Comm room as John Paul pulled the rug from under Giovanni, and I felt proud at how it all came together perfectly.

And then I watched as Enzo stepped out of the car. The look of fear on Gio's face was not something I will soon forget. Nor the way Enzo stalked towards him, as the terrifying and infamous assassin he's known as.

I watched him fight before and have seen how he moves, but this was different.

Enzo went through Gio's men like they weren't even there.

And then he picked Giovanni apart, piece by piece. Purposely, choosing the hits and movements that would inflict the most pain but still keep him alive.

I couldn't believe after everything, Gio still found it necessary to taunt Enzo with how he tortured and killed his mom or the insults he would say about his dad. I knew Enzo was going somewhere dark the more Gio spoke.

The cries and yells that came from Enzo at the end when he was relentlessly punching Gio tore at my heart. I cried out for him and asked Mateo and David to tell JP to make him stop.

But they didn't.

I watched as my best friend came apart in a fury of despair and rage; I was relieved when JP finally pulled him away.

Gio's face was a bloody pulp. He was dying, slowly and in agony. The gasping and wheezing sounds of his labored breathing echoed in the room. JP's firm voice telling Enzo to "Finish it" resounded loudly, as well as Enzo's heavy breathing.

After Enzo unloaded his gun on Gio, the room was silent. My mom squeezed my hand before she walked out without saying anything, and David cut the feed; I felt numb and conflicted.

I was glad that Gio was gone, but I was scared and wondered if I lost Enzo the same night.

I waited the long hour and a half for them to come home; thoughts and memories were running through my mind of my childhood with Enzo. I cried silently as all of the crazy and fun things we would do together flickered through my mind, but mostly remembering how he's so kind, sweet, and caring.

Always protective of me. His smile and laughter have always been contagious.

But I was kept from seeing him.

When Adonis stepped out of the car, I started to go around him, but he held onto me fiercely. "No, Stella," He said quietly.

"I need to see Enzo."

Adonis shook his head, "Not tonight."

I began shouting Enzo's name and struggled against Adonis' firm grip on my arms, but I kept fighting to get to him, and I didn't stop yelling and screaming his name. I wanted him to know I was there, that I wanted to see him.

Eventually, Adonis picked me up, but Topo took over, taking me to a room for the night.

The days that followed have been long and anxiety-filled, with little sleep. I've busied myself with the kids, visiting Melanie, and helping out at the club with it opening in less than two weeks.