Page 64 of Undeniable

My heart breaks for my sweet Alessandro. He has to be scared out of his mind and Veronica is one of the nastiest women that I have ever met, her official title being a nanny, her unofficial title being an evil bitch. She was tasked with watching me more than a few times in my life, every time resulted with a new mark on my body. The woman is complete poison and if she has touched a hair on his head, she is fucking dead.

Wordlessly, Alec understands my priorities and carefully opens the door before checking the hallway. After a few seconds he gestures for me to follow him. I stay close to him, walking lightly on my feet as we make our way through the winding hallways of my father’s secret home hidden in upstate New York. Now that I know it is the Chernoff’s that Gio and Luca were looking for, it makes sense that they have had difficulty finding them. If you have never been here before, it is practically impossible to find with all of the dense foliage practically burying the property.

We make it past a few doors before a man walks around the corner. His eyes flick to Alec and me before understanding dawns across his face. Too bad for him, his reactions are way too slow. Alec quickly reaches up and snaps his neck as I go to help catch his body, so it doesn’t make too much noise. We set him down carefully before continuing our search for Alessandro.

You would think that killing one of his own men would affect Alec, but the only reason that he hasn’t already deserted the family is because of his mother. She is terrified of life without the protection of the Chernoff family and refuses to leave, so he stays for her. Starting today there will be no going back though. Starting today, the Chernoff’s reign will cease to exist if I have anything to say about it.

I hear a sharp whimper come from the door in front of us. My eyes widen as I look to Alec who gives me a terse nod. I am half tempted to beat the hell out of him for not helping Alessandro sooner, but I know that he was playing the long game. Feigning hate for me in order to protect me and keep me alive for this long. He couldn’t show his hand too early.

Without wasting another second, I barge into the room to see Veronica slapping Alessandro across the face. I hesitate for a moment as I take in the state of him. His cheek is red and swollen while red half-moon marks bleed from his arms onto the chair that he is tied to.

Veronica quickly looks up to me before a wicked grin spreads across her face.

“Oh good. You are awake. The only thing this little shit has been able to say is your middle name, Katerina.”

“Alessandro, close your eyes,” I say calmly.

He tightens his eyes as he lowers his head. Veronica’s smile falters for a moment as she tries to figure out what I am doing. Apparently, it takes her a few seconds to see the gun at my side. Her face instantly drains of color as I raise it towards her. I quickly pull the trigger and create a perfect circle hole in the middle of her forehead. Her body drops to the ground, and I waste no time rushing over to Alessandro.

Alec shuts the door before following me over, cutting Alessandro free. I help pull the ties off of him as my hands run over him, looking for more injuries.

“Open your eyes, baby. Are you okay? Where does it hurt?” I ask hurriedly.

He slowly peeks them open and it is as if he is seeing me for the first time. His eyes fill with tears as he tosses his arms around my neck and sobs.

“I’m scared,” he whispers.

I rub my hand up and down his back quickly. “I know. You did so good. I am so sorry this happened. We are going to get your out of here and home to your dad, okay?”

“You too?” He asks.

“We are all getting out of here today,” I promise him.

He nods as he slowly stands up with my help. I grab his hand and hold it tightly as Alec once again leads us out the door. I really am making this up as I go along. I will have time to seek my revenge on Dimitri, right now all I care about is getting Alessandro out of here safely.

We are creeping down the hallway when the sound of distant gunfire from outside draws closer by the second. My eyebrows furrow as Alec smirks, looking out a window.

“Looks like lover boy is here.”

“What?”

I push him out of the way to see Giovanni and Luca as well as at least 50 other men firing rapidly as they begin inching their way onto the property, laying out Chernoff soldiers in the process.

“How do we get out of here with all of that?” I ask as I look out another window to see the entire property is being surrounded.

I mean at least it is the Mariano’s surrounding us, but I am not risking Alessandro by racing him through a literal war zone. Alec gives me a shrug.

“The front door looks like a good option.”

“Alec,” I snap as I look over the balcony to see more and more men filing outside. Only a few are left downstairs. A few that Alec and I could easily handle on our own. I see a closet that I was all too familiar with as a child.

Victor would hide me inside of it when our father would be in one of his drunken tirades. I’d spend hours in there. When Victor was hurt bad enough sometimes it would turn into days before he could get me.

I bend down and lift Alessandro into my arms. “I need you to wrap your arms around my neck and close your eyes. Don’t let go for anything. I am going to put you somewhere safe until the bad guys are gone, okay?”

He nods and holds onto me tightly. I gesture for Alec to cover me as I slowly walk down the stairs and towards the closet. Thankfully, everyone seems too busy with the firing squad outside to even notice us. At least for a few moments.

I am only a couple of feet away from the door when I hear Alec shout my name. I turn to see a man with his gun pointed at my head. Alec and I both raise our guns and shoot the guy, dropping him quickly before I run for the door. I toss it open and peel Alessandro off of me before setting him down.

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