Page 23 of Reckless Games

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Chapter 11

Lorenzo

One moment she was driving me wild with her irresistible mix of innocence and sexiness, and the next she was passed out, her head nestled in the crook of my neck. “You have no idea how crazy you made me today, Angel.”

Gently, I wrapped my arms around her, securing her in my embrace before shifting to pick her up bridal style. She sighed, mumbling incoherently, her head burrowing deeper into my neck as she found a comfortable spot. This simple act filled me with a sense of pride. She felt safe with me and trusted me enough to care for her in her drunken state.

Ignoring everyone's stares and curious glances, I walked out of the club, heading straight for my car. I tossed the keys to Giovanni, who was already waiting. “Drive us home,” I muttered, then took the backseat and placed Angela on my lap. Since my girl had passed out, I had to ensure she was comfortable, so there was no question of driving myself.

As the car crossed the mansion's main gates, I caught the whiff of something feeling oddly off. A sense of unease washed over me. I could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. The air was thick with an unsettling stillness, a quietness that felt out of place. My sixth sense was on high alert. Giovanni seemed to sense it too. His eyes scanned the surroundings with keen intensity, his body rigid and alert. As the car halted, I cradled Angela's unconscious form against mychest, her legs locked around my waist, as I cautiously stepped out of the car. She mumbled something incoherently before locking her legs around my waist.

Every instinct screamed at me to be on guard. As I approached the entrance of the mansion, the usual sight of my two guards on watch was conspicuously absent. I tightened my grip on Angela, feeling the weight of responsibility for her safety. My free hand moved to my waistband, pulling out my gun. Thankfully, even in a drunken state, Angela had a death grip around my neck and waist. This allowed me to keep both hands free to handle the weapon.

“Keep your eyes open. Something’s not right,” I muttered to Giovanni, earning a single nod from him. Something was definitely off. But what surprised me was how anyone managed to break into my house despite the security system. It only meant one thing: the system was compromised. It was an insider’s job.

The usual glow of the security lights seemed dimmer, casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the polished tiles. I stepped inside, each click of my shoes echoing in the unnerving silence. Giovanni followed closely, his posture tense and ready for anything.

I scanned the interior, my eyes darting to every corner, every shadow. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, shattering the silence. My reflexes kicked in, and I dodged the bullet, my eyes locking onto the source: the first floor balcony. Shadows moved quickly, figures trying to stay hidden. Without hesitation, I raised my gun and fired at a masked figure, catching him before he could find cover. He dropped, lifeless, within seconds.

More gunshots erupted, and I dashed across the hallway, ensuring Angela was secure in my arms. I took cover behind a sturdy divider, glancing at Giovanni, who had positioned himselfbehind a pillar. He fired back with precision, taking down several attackers.

“The backup is here,” he shouted over the deafening noise. “Put Miss Angela undercover.” He continued to fire, and I watched as more bodies fell from the railing above. I crouched down, gently placing Angela against the divider. Her head lolled to the side lazily, but then her eyes fluttered open, meeting mine with a look of confused concern.

“Lorenzo?” she mumbled, a cute frown creasing her forehead. There was no time to explain.

“I'll be back, okay? Stay here,” I said firmly. She nodded, giving me a sleepy smile, before I rose to my feet, ready to confront the bastards. The moment I assured Angela and left her behind the divider, the atmosphere turned even heavier. The switch was off, and gone was the man who had love for his woman. Standing before the bastards was the beast, the Don of the Sicilian Mafia, thirsty for blood. The mansion was a war zone. Gunfire echoed through the grand hall, each shot a deafening blast that reverberated off the marble walls. I darted from cover to cover, my mind a flurry of tactics and maneuvers.

“Take the left wing,” I ordered Giovanni over the cacophony. “Clear it out and converge at the main staircase. We’ll pin them from both sides.” Giovanni nodded and signaled to half of the backup team, who split off and followed him. I turned my attention to the right wing, advancing swiftly with the remaining men. We had the advantage of knowing the layout of the mansion, and we used it to our full benefit. As I moved through the hallways, the enemy's resistance intensified. A masked intruder emerged from a doorway, his gun aimed directly at me. I did not hesitate. Two shots were fired—one hit his shoulder, the other his chest. He crumpled to the floor, and I stepped over his body, pressing forward.

The main staircase loomed ahead, a critical choke point. Bullets rained down from above, forcing us to take cover behind the thick wooden banisters and marble columns. “Covering fire!” I shouted, and my men unleashed a barrage of bullets, forcing the intruders to duck and momentarily halt their assault. In that brief window, I signaled Giovanni. He and the men emerged from the left wing, their weapons blazing. The intruders, caught in a crossfire, began to falter. One by one, they fell.

The sounds of the skirmish were overwhelming—gunfire, shouts, the thud of bodies hitting the ground. I reached the top of the staircase and took cover behind a pillar, assessing the remaining threats. Giovanni joined me, breathing heavily but focused. “They’re cornered in the master suite,” he reported.

“We finish this now,” I said, reloading my gun. We advanced together and saw The master suite’s double doors were shut tight, but the muffled sounds of movement and frantic voices inside betrayed their presence. “Flashbangs,” I ordered. Giovanni nodded, pulling two from his vest. He tossed them expertly into the room. A blinding flash and deafening bang followed, disorienting the bastards. We stormed the room, guns at the ready. The disoriented men inside were quickly neutralized; their weapons were knocked aside as they staggered, trying to regain their senses. Giovanni and I moved forward, taking down the last of them.

Silence fell, broken only by the heavy breathing of our men. The room was a mess of overturned furniture and shattered glass, but the threat was eliminated. I lowered my weapon, adrenaline still coursing through my veins. “Secure the perimeter and find out who did this,” I instructed Giovanni. “Get the jet ready. We are leaving for Sicily.” It was time I left for my birthplace. Italywasmy state, but Sicily was engraved in every essence of my body.

I rushed back to Angela. My heart pounded with fear for her safety. She was still slumped against the divider where I had left her, looking vulnerable and frail. “Angela,” I called out softly, my footsteps echoing in the now eerily quiet hallway. Her eyes blinked open at the sound of my voice, a small smile crossing her face as she saw me. Relief washed over me, but it was fleeting. Her smile faltered, and her eyes widened in fear.

“Lorenzo!” she screamed, pointing behind me with trembling fingers.

Instinctively, I spun around, my senses on high alert. An almost unconscious man lay weakly on the ground, his face contorted in pain as blood seeped out from the open bullet wound on his chest. Despite his weakened state, he held a gun, shakily aiming it at me. Time seemed to slow as I watched his finger inch toward the trigger.

Without hesitation, I raised my gun and fired. The shot rang out, loud and final, in the stillness of the hallway. The man’s body jerked once before his gun clattered uselessly from his hand.

I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. Then I turned back to Angela, who was watching with wide, tear-filled eyes.

“It’s okay, Angel,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “It’s over.” I crouched beside her, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

“Are you hurt?” I asked, my hands checking for any signs of injury.

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. My head hurts a little though.” I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. “You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you.” I assured myself more than I assured her. She nodded against my chest, her body relaxing slightly in my embrace, and it fueledmy determination. Whoever was behind this attack would pay dearly for their audacity.

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Chapter 12

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