Page 13 of Reckless Games

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Chapter 6

Lorenzo

"We have some people shadowing Miss Angela's house secretly." Giovanni's revelation grabbed my attention immediately, my brows knitting as I processed his words.

"Since when? And you're just telling me this now?" Anything concerning Angela put me on high alert, and the fact that I'd been kept in the dark irked me.

"Since the last two days, there's been some unusual activity. I'm not entirely sure what's going on."

"Cazzo," I hissed under my breath, my mind racing. "What time?"

"Around 10 pm. But what could anyone want with a burnt-down property?" Giovanni questioned, his expression mirroring my concern.

I checked my platinum wristwatch. It was 9:30, giving us enough time to reach Angela's place in time.

"Let's go find out then," I declared, standing up swiftly and shrugging on my coat. Whoever dared to meddle with Angela had no idea what they were signing up for. By provoking me, they were digging their own graves.

Giovanni followed suit as we made our way to the car, my mind already strategizing how we would handle the situation. There was no room for mistakes when it came to Angela's safety.If someone was foolish enough to set foot near her property with ill intentions, I would make sure they faced the consequences.

We arrived at her house exactly twenty minutes later and parked the car in a concealed spot where we could not be seen. From our vantage point, we watched two men in casual clothes and caps, their faces obscured by black masks, skulking around the property. After ensuring the coast was clear, they kicked the main door open with two swift, forceful strikes and slipped inside.

"What could they possibly be doing here?" Liam, my head of security, asked, as we saw them making their way into the house.

"Let's find out," I replied, climbing out of the car with Gio and Liam following close behind. We moved silently, making sure our steps were measured and quiet. All three of us had our guns ready.

We entered the house, and the smell of ash and emptiness permeated the air. We advanced cautiously, sticking to the shadows, on the lookout for the two intruders. Given the house's compact size, any noise or movement from us would easily alert them to our presence. If we hadn't seen them enter, it was easy to assume we were alone in the house.

I led the way toward Angela's now-charred bedroom, my grip on my gun tight and my breathing steady. The door was slightly ajar, allowing me to carefully slip inside without causing any noise. My senses were heightened, and I was attuned to any potential threats.

As I rounded her bed, I could not find any sign of the two men. But just as I relaxed my guard, the closet door burst open, followed by the loud crack of a gunshot. Instinctively, I ducked, the bullet narrowly missing me and embedding itself in the wall.

The man, now without his mask, emerged and fired another shot. This time, I reacted swiftly, firing a round thatstruck his hand, causing him to drop his weapon with a pained cry. Seizing the opportunity, I lunged forward, landing a punch square on his face. My focus was to incapacitate him rather than kill him outright, as I needed answers.

I followed with a series of blows to his nose and forehead, causing blood to trickle from his face. A well-aimed kick took him down, leaving him sprawled on the floor. As he lost consciousness, I delivered a few more punches for good measure, ensuring he wouldn't get back up anytime soon.

Once he was subdued, I searched him for clues, finding nothing out of the ordinary except for a serpent tattoo on his neck. That told me all I needed to know. I smirked, muttering to myself, "Wasn't expecting you, Chávez." It seemed it was time to pay an acquaintance a visit.

Dragging the unconscious man out of the house, I found that Liam had already dealt with the other man, who was now tied up and unconscious. "Good work. Secure this one as well," I instructed, gesturing to the man I had knocked out. "Put them both in the trunk and call for backup. We need to make a quick visit.”

***

I kicked open the door to Leonardo’s office. The two men I'd tied up were dragged behind me by Gio and Liam. They stumbled as they were shoved in front of their boss’ desk, falling unceremoniously to the floor. Gio and Liam took their places at the entrance of the office, keeping a watchful eye on Leonardo.

The atmosphere was thick with tension, the icy chill between my growing rage and Leo's unsettling calmness creating a crackling intensity. His face betrayed no hint of concern, even as he looked at his men crumpled on the ground, bound and gagged.

"What were they doing there?" I demanded sharply, venom lacing every word. I wouldn't care if we were in an alliance; if he was a threat to Angela, then I would take the required actions.

Leonardo raised an eyebrow at the abrupt interruption, his gaze shifting from his men to me as he took his time standing from his chair. "Good to see you too, Martinez," he greeted with a wry smile.

"Cut the crap and answer me!" I growled, already losing my patience. His games were getting old, and I was not in the mood to play. He called it surprising people; I called it bullshit. I was not a very patient man, and he liked to test me.

"What were they doing where, Martinez? I'm a little clueless, if you'd care to elaborate," he replied smoothly, as though oblivious to the tension simmering in the room.

"I'm not in the mood, Chávez," I warned, stepping closer. "I will ruin the order; damn the consequences if you don't start talking right now!"

Leonardo Chávez was a cunning thirty-five-year-old Spanish Mafia leader known for his involvement in some major criminal activities and for having a successful IT company that could find dirt on anyone from any corner of the world. In the past, he'd been useful in handling some delicate business matters and keeping certain situations under control. Which is why Declan thought he'd be an important addition to theObsidian Order.

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