Page 2 of Reckless Games

"Boss only wants to see his nephew." Giovanni scowled, his annoyance evident, but I offered him a reassuring nod. "Wait here," I instructed him before following the man into the private booth. What surprised me, however, was the existence of another secret door inside the booth, leading to a room underground. As I stepped through, I was met with the sight of my uncle engaged in a game of cards with a few associates. Smoke from cigarettes hung in the air, and the room was surrounded by his armed men. My eyes did a quick glance at exactly how many were stationed where.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Four inside the room, and three were waiting outside as I entered.

"Ah, the guest of honor is finally here,” Antonio said, getting up from his seat and dismissing his game buddies with a wave of his hand. “Please, make yourself comfortable,” he gestured towards the couch across from him.

“I’m not here to feel at home. Cut to the chase,” I demanded.

“Come on, son. We are all grieving our loss. Let us at least take a moment to mourn and remember my brother over some drinks.”

“We all know that’s a lie, Antonio. Just give me what I want.” Let’s see how far he will take this.

“That’s not how I would put it. It is you who has something that belongs to me.” There we go. His conniving, son-of-a-bitch personality was out. “But I do have something to offer you. A deal. Let’s sit down first, shall we?” Sitting down across from me, he signaled his man to pour us wine. I waited for him to take a sip first after taking my place as he twirled the crimson liquid in the glass before I repeated the action.

“I can understand the loss that you are suffering; it must have shaken you. You were, after all, very close to my brother. His precious little boy, he used to call you. So obedient, so striving, would do literally anything at a single command of his.” I had a gut feeling about how the night was going to end. And it was not a good one.

“To lessen your burden, I have a deal. Let me take over the gang. And I promise I'll find for you what was rightfully yours but snatched from right under your nose.” I sighed, mentally scoffing at him for even thinking I would believe any of his bullshit. “I have a lead on the diamonds,” he added, to make his point clear.

“You know, you really don't have the gift of the gab. A side advice: don't try selling anything to anyone,” I remarked. “They won't buy it.”

“Well then, I thought we could do it the easy way. But guess not.” That was all it took for shit to go down.

Chaos broke down as gunshots were heard outside the room we were in. Antonio sprang up from his position, ready to fire at me, before I quickly ducked beneath the center table, feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I found the narrow gap beneath the table and swiftly retrieved my gun from its holster. With a steady hand, I aimed at my uncle's leg and fired, the sound reverberating through the room. The action only taking milliseconds.

His painful scream filled the air as he collapsed to the ground, the gunshot echoing against the walls. Outside the room, the commotion escalated, signaling the eruption of violence throughout the club.

Through the earpiece concealed in my ear, every word exchanged between my uncle and me had been transmitted to my men stationed strategically throughout the club. The door to the room burst open with a bang as Giovanni stormed in, his blazing gun taking down my uncle's men one by one. I watched as they fell, their bodies crumpling to the ground.

Antonio aimed his gun at me and fired, the searing pain ripping through my left shoulder. "Fuck!" I gritted my teeth against the agony but maintained my focus, returning fire with a barrage of bullets aimed at him. He collapsed to the ground, his eyes closed. As the bullets flew, we made a hasty escape from the room, only to be greeted by the chaos of a full-blown war zone within the club. Antonio's and my men were everywhere, engaged in fierce combat with each other, while people scrambled to flee the escalating violence.

“You're bleeding. We need to leave!” Giovanni yelled over the chaos as we continued to shoot down the enemy.

The chaos of bullets intensified; we lost count as Antonio's men continued to pour into the club. That bastard was well prepared for this. Giovanni sprinted towards the left wing, while I darted behind a nearby pillar for cover. Peering out periodically, I took aim and fired at the advancing men.

Amidst the turmoil, something caught my eye—a dark-haired girl with silver streaks cowering under one of the tables, trembling in fear as she tried in vain to block out the deafening gunshots with her hands to her ears. Without hesitation, I charged towards her, dispatching two men who had set their sights on me before crouching down beside her.

Her head snapped up to look at me and her eyes widened in fear as she took in my presence. My heart seized in my chest, and I was left staring in awe. It was a sensation I was not accustomed to and one I don’t quite understand. Orlike. Her beauty left me breathless. Time seemed to stand still as I gazed into her doe-like blue eyes, emotions swirling within me like a tempestuous sea. How could someone exude such innocence and allure at the same time? “Wh...what are you—”

Before she could utter another word, her eyes widened in alarm, and she pointed behind me frantically. I turned just a fraction too late, a searing pain ripping through my shoulder as another bullet found its mark. "Fuck!" I cursed, stumbling momentarily before swiftly shooting the man who dared to harm me.

Despite the pain, my focus remained on protecting the girl and ensuring her safety. Taking her hand in mine, we rushed out of our hiding, and she followed me like a scared child. Then something heavy landed on my feet—cold metal against my shoes. A grenade. Without the safety pin. "Shit!" I hissed as I pulled the girl in the opposite direction. Seconds later, the tablesand chairs exploded behind us, the blast sending heat and debris our way. I lost sight of my men in the chasm, but my priority was her safety.

We sprinted until we reached a dead end, panic rising within me. Thankfully, her voice cut through the chaos. "The backdoor! I know the way." I nodded, grateful for her clarity even amid the turmoil, and we darted towards the exit, dodging danger at every turn. I heard multiple grenades going off behind us, lighting the place on fire. The pain in my shoulder flared, reminding me of the bullet wound I sustained earlier. I was losing blood, and time was running out.

Finally, we reached the back door, bursting out into the night air. But as relief washed over me, I realized the gravity of our situation. My hands reached my pants’ pocket, only to find it empty. I had no way to contact my men, no way to know if they were still alive. My phone and earpiece were lost in the chaos. I dropped them in the frenzy to escape.

Frustration and fear gripped me as I scanned the darkness, searching for any sign of my men. "We need to take you to the hospital, or else you'll bleed to death." The urgency in the girl's voice snapped me back to reality; her eyes were filled with genuine concern.

"No, not the hospital. I can—" I attempted to protest, but a sharp pain ripped through me, stealing my words. Black spots danced before my eyes, signaling impending unconsciousness. This couldn't be happening! Not now!

Struggling to stay upright, I felt myself falter, on the brink of collapse. Two hands shot out, steadying me just in time. The girl's grip was firm, grounding me while my own body was on the verge of betraying me.

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