Luca
a woman who is the most respected or prominent person in a particular field.
2 days later.
"I obtained the camera footage, Sire." Hudson, one of the guys from Aubrei's security detail says.
Nick, Hudson, and Johnathan have all proven to me that the will protect Aubrei till their last breath. Roman and I specifically picked these three based on their expertise.
"Did anyone see you?" I ask receiving the memory card from him. He shakes his head. "What about what's on here? You saw?"
"Yes." He nods.
"And what do you think?" I ask trying to see if he knows anything.
"I think we should keep this between us."
Hm.
I nod. "Okay. Thank you."
He nods and leaves me in the I.T. room.
Aubrei told me she took a lot of fighting classes when she was younger. But this is different, the moves she uses are familiar. I've seen them multiple times before.
They're similar to how the Dal Bons fight. While their fighting style is more with force. Aubrei's is smooth, like she's use to be in these situations. She takes these men down like it's a regular thing for her.
Raven points a gun in Aubrei's direction, even on camera I can see the shakiness of her hand. The first bullet hits Aubrei, the second one is inserted into the man's skull.
Aubrei had no reaction to the bullet hitting her. She only looks back to see where the bullet came from. Running over to Raven she ambushes a guard.
Adrenaline.
The blades that she carries. Where did she get them? They're made of steel only assassins use. On the handle of the knives are engraved initials.
R.N.D
Could these be Riley's initials?
Could she be Riley?
Could the woman I call my amore be the most feared woman in this country?
No, what am I thinking? Aubrei couldn't be a lethal woman. She's not like that. She's not a killer. She just good with a knife and fighting, that it's.
Nothing more.
I remove the memory card and it's back up one, destroying both of them with the butt of my gun.
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
"You need rest, please just stay here." She shakes her head and continues to get dressed. It's only been three days since she's been shot.
"We have a flight to catch." Aubrei murmurs. "I'll rest then."
"I told you, you don't need to come."
"Luca, baby." She stands in front of me. "You need just as much rest as I do, if not more. You haven't been to sleep these past few nights. I'm going because you're going to need me there."
"It could be another bloodbath." I run my thumb across her bandaged hip. "I just want you to be safe."
"I know my life, but the safest place for me will always be beside you." She places her hand on my face and kisses me. "No matter what i'll always be by your side."
My life.
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
"What the hell are all of you doing here?" I ask my brothers, Sienna, Zoe, Braelynn, and Katorah, getting on the private jet.
"What the hell were you thinking? You were just gonna leave by yourself?" Kian asks.
"No, some of the guys are coming." I point at them.
"So all of you were gonna get yourselves killed? Smart." He continues sarcastically.
"And where the hell do you think you're going?" Des asks looking behind me.
"Wherever this plane takes me." Aubrei says sitting down in her seat. Both Ameer and Kian give a worried look.
Every since their parents started dating, they've all took on the overprotective brother role.
"You were shot. You shouldn't be here. Luca, make her stay." I hold my hand up.
"I've already tried." I take my seat beside her.
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
The flight to Los Angeles wasn't as long as I thought it would be.
Getting off the jet, we head straight to the Garridos residence, not wanting to waste any time.
As expected the Garrido residence is on lockdown. It seems as if no one is here, but I know better. The inside is filled with Garrido men.
"So do you think the 20 of us will be able take the whole household?" Ameer asks me.
"Why wouldn't we?" Aubrei asks walking past us towards the gate. Her entourage not too far behind her.
Ameer and I both give each other a look.
I walk up to her and pull her back. "What are you doing?"
"Waiting for Zoe to open the gate." She states like it's obvious.
"Stay behind me." I tell her and she huffs.
Zoe presses a few numbers and unlocks the gate to the mansion. We make it to the front door and Zoe is the first to walk in. The guards there all seem shocked to see her, but soon realize she's not with them anymore.
My men all point their guns to the guards as the reach for theirs, they don't have enough time before they are laid out.
"Search the rest of the place, I don't want any surprises." I tell them.
"Luca. The women." Aubrei says. I look around at the nine half naked women.
"There's a place not too far from here where they can go." Zoe says.
They probably won't be comfortable getting in cars with some of my men. But they're all we got. "If it's okay with you all my men Elijah and Elias, will take you to the destination." I look back at the twins and they both nod there heads.
"Anywhere but here is fine." The woman says softly as she gathers herself and the rest of the girls. They follow the twins to the truck and all get in, heading towards their destination.
Thomas and the others comes back with a line of what looks like kid soldiers. "Move." Thomas tells one boy once he realize he stopped walking. He then raises his pistol to the boy who hasn't moved. The boy's eyes are glued to me, it looks like he's in shock.
In the midst of the event one guard tackles Thomas to the ground. The guard gets up telling the young soldiers to get behind him. Thomas is quick as soon as the guard turns back around Thomas is pummeling his fist into the guards face.
I walk over to Thomas and pull him off. "Enough, go get some air." Thomas looks at his bloodied fist before walking out the door. The guard then stands after a few tries. "Why didn't you fight back?" I ask him.
"Because i'm not a fighter." He turns his head to spit. "I'm not a soldier."
"But you're willing to die for them?" I point at the kids behind him.
"I am." He holds his ground. "Most of them were forced to work for the Garridos out of debt. They're not your enemies, they're only trying to live."
"You." Aubrei nods to the guy who just spoke. "What's your name?"
"It's Marco. Marco Vela."
Vela? Isis Vela. Could he be related to her?
"And are you? Are you our enemy?" She asks and he looks down.
"No. Not exactly."
"What do you mean not exactly?" I ask.
"I only came here to find my mother. So i'm not a friend or a foe." He says.
"Well you better pick one, and fast." I tell him grabbing my gun.
Aubrei gently grabs at my wrist pulling me back to her. I didn't notice I was standing almost toe to toe with the guy. "Why do they have your mother?" She asks him.
He sighs. "Long story short. My father was in debt. He had no job so he couldn't pay them back. In return they took her and killed him."
"Why protect them, if you're only here for your mother?" Kian asks.
"Why not? They did nothing wrong. Some of them are barely even teenagers. They're being forced to become killers."
"If we did decide to help you and the young boys. How would we know that you won't betray us?" Aubrei tilts her head. "How do we know you're not trying to escape death at the moment?"
He looks around before he gets on one knee and lowers his head.
The door behind us burst open. "Sire. Four truckloads just pulled up at the gate." Thomas says.
"You got this." I tell Aubrei. She nods and squeezes my hand. Her entourage and the girls stay back.
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
Reign
Luca gives me a nod and walks out the door along with my brothers.
I turn back to Marco, who is kneeled.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"I think he's kneeling." I turn my attention to Sienna and she looks away, scratching the back of her head.
No shit. But why?
"I can't speak for everybody—"
"But you would die for them?" I cut his sentence short. "Why? You can't speak for them but you would die for them? It does not make sense, Marco." I squat down in front of him. "I need you to convince me, so that I can convince, Luca."
"Ma'am." A heavy accent comes from one of the young soldiers. He steps forward and Nick raises his gun. I hold my hand up to Nick and he slightly lowers the gun.
There's shooting coming from outside but I can't worry about that right now.
"Yes?" I stand up and urge the young boy to come forward.
He swallows nervously before stepping forward. "We are not your enemies. We just want to live. We will oblige by whatever you want. We'll fight by your side. Please just let us live." The boy is next to kneel.
The other 11 of the boys follow his lead.
Except one. A different one. One of the Garridos guard.
He pulls out a gun and shoots the boy in front of me. They boy falls, holding his neck. The guard then points his gun at me but he is tackled by the two young boys next to him. Johnathan and Hudson both rush to the guard.
Marco backs away holding his head. I bend down and hold my hand against the side of the boys neck, the bullet only skimmed him but it left a deep gash.
"I don't wanna die." He muffles as tears flow out his eyes.
"You won't. I swear." I say and Katorah comes over with her small med kit.
"I got it. I got it." She tells me and I move out the way.
I turn to Marco, who is staring at the boy clenching his fist. "You wanna prove to me that we can trust you? Now's your chance." I grab my engraved pistol and place it in his hand. He looks at it then back at me.
I follow him until we're directly in front of the guard.
"How dare you kneel to some bitch?" The guard spits. I blink and take a deep breath. "We haven't even kneeled to Izan's whore over there, but you'll kneel to some random slut."
I see Zoe lower her head. "Watch your mouth." I say.
"Or what bit—" And in a instant Marco takes the guards life.
He then faces my way and hands me back my gun. I nod to him and he then walks back over to the young boy.
"Brei, I did the most part but I don't have everything. We're gonna need a hospital and fast." Katorah says wrapping a cloth around the boys neck.
I nod. "Okay. Hudson, you take Katorah and the boy to the hospital. Marco, you go with them."
"What about—"
"We got them. You just go." I say.
"Thank you." He nods before helping Hudson bring the boy to the truck.
Zoe walks over to one of the boys, who is shuddering. "Hey, he'll be okay." She tries to comfort him.
"He's my brother." He says softly. The boy couldn't be older than ten.
"He'll be okay, i'm sure of it." She consoles him. He then wraps his arms around her. She's shocked at first but she smiles and pats his back.
Braelynn and Sienna all help the boys pack what they want to take with them. Majority of them didn't take anything, they were just ready to leave.
Walking outside there are bodies on top of bodies. I see all of our men still standing a few minor injuries but everyones all good.
"You good, baby?" I turn around and Luca grabs my face, examining it.
"Yes. Did you speak with Hudson?" He nods.
"He knows what to do." He looks at me as I sigh. "Wanna tell what happened?"
I nod and tell him.