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."
Cavallo leans down into Ferrera's face, his expression stoic. "Don't tell me you're going where I think you are—that you intend to be boss now. Is that what you think is going to happen?"
"You practically put the opportunity in my lap. It was awfully convenient that you decided to work with Marino and allow me to kill two birds with one stone. Your father would have never made that mistake."
"You're the one who burned this place down. This is in your hands."
"And who will believe that? You may be boss but I have been consigliere far longer. It's my word, stronzo."
Cavallo throws another punch that results in a soft snap. Ferrera readjusts his head as if Cavallo didn't just crack his jaw, as if the pain is non-existent to him. Jesus, he's a sick bastard.
"Maria." I stiffen when he takes my wife's name, looking past my shoulder to where I know she stands behind me. "Come here, principessa."
I throw an arm out and hold her right where she is, growling, "Like hell, you fuck."
"Maria," he repeats calmly, ignoring me.
I'm unprepared for the force Mariana moves me away with, stumbling in surprise when she charges past me and stalks up to him.
"You nearly shot me," her voice quivers. I can't see her face but I can hear the rage and anguish in her voice. "You're not who I thought you were. Go to hell."
Ferrera's eyes narrow. "You will not speak to your father this way."
His head snaps to the side and it takes a second to register what happened. Mariana slapped him.
"Don't," she seethes. "Ever, call me your blood. You are not my anything."
Slowly, carefully, Ferrera turns his head to face Mariana again.
My only solace in the past has been knowing that Ferrera would never hurt his daughters, insane as that is. He would do and has done many vile things but his daughters were never to be touched or involved. That was a definite bet, and the only reason I pushed him past his limitations when it came to them. I knew he'd never hurt them.
I see the exact moment that changes.
His eyes darken, shutter. His jaw locks, ticks. A cold smile forms on his lips and the look in his gaze is so deranged that the back of my neck breaks out into a cold sweat. Instinct takes over and I grab Mariana's hand to pull her back, shielding her body with mine once again. The air shifts and crackles with the danger radiating off Ferrera and in this moment I finally understand what kind of man he is. The monster he is capable of being.
No one is prepared.
Ferrera kicks a leg out and nails Axel in the gut, who doubles over, unprepared. Cavallo charges to him immediately but Ferrera moves faster. He gets to his feet and slams his shoulder into Cavallo's body, taking him down. He lets out a scream as he rips his binds apart to free his wrists and swipes Cavallo's gun off of him in the next breath.
"Get down!" I yell at Mariana and yank my gun out just as she goes down on the ground and crawls over to Axel.
I fire at Ferrera, bullet after bullet, that the bastard somehow manages to evade. He shoots back at me with a precision that startles me. I didn't expect him to be a good shot, nor did I expect him to send a bullet neatly through my shoulder.
"Fuck!" The gun drops from my hand when pain explodes down my arm like a raging fire. My limb burns, my hand spasms, and I know I can no longer shoot with it. "Damn it!"
I clutch the wound that's soaked my suit through with blood, dampening my palm. I'm losing blood, fast. Asshole knew just where to nick me but I shouldn't be surprised. To some extent he's right—he's been right-hand to the mafia for far too long. He is the most deadly asset here. I was unbelievably wrong to underestimate him and assume he wasn't smart enough to get away.
"Knox!" Mariana's shrill scream grabs my attention. Her wide eyes are pinned to my injury and she gets up, running for me.
"No!" I wave my uninjured arm for her to stay back but it's too late.
Ferrera grabs her and wraps an arm around her neck to lock her in, holding the gun skyward beside her head. Mariana thrashes in his hold that Ferrera tightens, caging her.
"Let her go!" I start for them but freeze in place when Ferrera turns the gun to Mariana's head. She stills with the same fear that spreads in the centre of my gut like poison. "You wouldn't."
"Father, stop!" Mariana claws at his forearm. She stops, breathing hard, and changes tactics. "You won't hurt me. I know you won't."
"You know nothing," he seethes into her ear. Mariana flinches. Fuck, I need to get to her. I look around for a goddamn way out. Cavallo and Axel are on their feet again with their guns pointed at Ferrera but no one will shoot. Not as long as he's holding Mariana captive.
"Let her go," I repeat. I blink my eyes into focus when my vision goes blurry, dim. My head is swimming and I know I'm at risk of passing out. I'm losing too much blood and fast. "This is between us. Leave her out of this."
"I always intended to. It was you who brought her into this. Tempted her to go into my study and take the charm. You think I didn't let her do it? Let Alessa go to keep her out of this? Let Maria bring you to me, thinking you'd have the decency to leave her at home? Look at what you've done. Now what choice do I have?"
"Father," Mariana cries, squeezing her eyes shut. Her entire body trembles. "Please don't do this. Don't hurt me."
"What do you think I have been doing all this time?" He roars. Cavallo and Axel both take a step closer and Ferrera clicks back the safety of the gun. I shout for them to stand back when Mariana lets out another cry. "I would never have done anything to you or Alessa. You two have always been my redemption. The two of you erased my past, evened out all of my sins. I gave you everything!"
Mariana shakes her head furiously. "No. That's not how the world works. You don't get to rape, torture, and kill, and think you can get away with it just because you were a good father. Alessa and I are not your ticket out of hell. Fuck you."
"Enough, Mariana," I warn. What the hell is she doing? He'll kill her if he has to. She knows that.
"I did no such thing," Ferrera hisses. "She was the love of my life. I found her after years. She was in shock after Marino's death and didn't know what she wanted. She wanted everything I did to her."
"Figlio di puttana." I clench my hand into a fist, rage engulfing me like a storm. "She begged for you to stop! She didn't want any of it!"
"I am not the man you think I am." Ferrera ignores me. His words are for Mariana. "You know me. I raised you my entire life. I gave you everything you asked for. I took care of you. We all have bad inside of us, principessa. I made one mistake but I know you can forgive me. Forgive me."
"No!" She thrashes wildly. "You don't deserve anything from me! I'd rather die than accept what you've done."
"Basta!" Ferrera commands when Axel aims his gun, brimming with the same impatience and restlessness I feel. He presses the opening of the gun deeper into Mariana's temple. "Enough! You've been brainwashed and fed lies. It's time for you and your sister to come home so you can remember all that I've ever done for you. Do not make me the bad guy, vita mia. It's a side of me I never wanted you to see."
"Fuck this," Cavallo growls.
Sensing his next move, I use whatever semblance of strength I have left to run to Ferrera, knocking into his body just as Cavallo fires the gun at him. Ferrera's gun flies out of his hand and I see Mariana make a run for it, my only solace before my body tackles his to the ground. His gun clatters next to us and we both reach for it, fighting for possession. Another gunshot goes off and hits Ferrera's palm, earning his pained cry as he instinctively draws his hand back and allows me to grab the gun.
I shoot to my feet, holding the gun in his direction but before I have the chance to nick him, a third bullet hits him clear in the chest. Not damaging enough to kill him but enough to make his lungs burn with pain as he teeters of the edge of death, probably wishing for it. He howls in anguish, curling into his own body and desperately gasping for air.
That was a ruthless shot, extremely calculated and meant to torture. Only a skilled marksman could have pulled that off.
"Good shot," I pant, glancing at Cavallo.
He looks around with his brows drawn together, piercing gaze searching for something.
"That wasn't me," he says slowly.
I look to Axel who shakes his head when our eyes meet. "I shot his hand. The bullet came after me."
He mirrors Cavallo, looking around with sharp eyes and trying to locate the shooter. My eyes snap to Mariana, the only plausible explanation, and find her staring ahead, white as a fucking sheet. Fuck. Did she do that?
But then she gasps like her breath was knocked out of her, and the world that falls past her lips freezes time.
"Mom."
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A/N
I KNOW Y'ALL CAME FOR THE SMUT BUT I TOLD YOU THE PLOT WAS FUCKING SOLID TOO. Really though it's been great catching you guys off guard so many times and I ain't even done yet.
Almost at the end. A few more sharp turns to take. The threads are all about to meet and form a picture that will hopefully blow your minds.
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Happy Reading :)