After she gives us details about how many men are in the house, I lead her to my car. “Wait in my car. It’s safe.”
She nods, her eyes wide with fear and relief, and I help her into the passenger seat. I glance back at Lucas and the others, giving them a nod. “No guns,” I say firmly. “We’re not turning this into a bloodbath. Our presence should be enough. But if it comes to it, we use our fists.”
We move silently down the lane, the night air cold and still. My mind is laser-focused. We reach the house, and I kick the door open, storming in. Dave and his men are there, and the sight of us makes them pale. Dave sees Lucas behind me andtakes a step back like he’s seeing a ghost, but his gaze finally drifts to me.
“Marco,” Dave stammers, his bravado crumbling. “We didn’t know…”
I cut him off with a cold glare. “You didn’t know what?” I snap. “That I’d find out you’ve been terrorizing this family? You’re going to pay for this.”
My eyes fall on Sasha’s father, bleeding on the floor. The sight fuels my rage. He’s barely conscious, moaning in pain.
“You think you can shit on my doorstep and get away with it?” I growl, stepping closer to Dave.
He backs away, fear etched across his face. My fists are itching to make contact, to release the anger boiling inside me. But I hold back, barely. I’m not here to kill. Not tonight.
“This is your only warning,” I say, my voice low and menacing. “If you ever even look at this family again, and Sasha, I’ll end you.”
I step back, watching Dave and his men cower. But Lucas isn’t satisfied with just words. His eyes are dark with a need for violence. Before I can stop him, he lunges at one of Dave’s men, and with a swift, brutal motion, he breaks the guy’s leg. The sickening crack echoes through the room, followed by a scream of agony.
“Lucas, that’s enough,” I say sharply, trying to keep control of the situation. But I can see the satisfaction in his eyes, the pent-up aggression finally finding an outlet.
I turn to the other two men I brought. “Destroy the lab. Everything. I want these bastards out of business.”
Dave starts to beg, desperation in his voice. “Please, Marco. We’ll leave, but we need our stuff. You can’t just—”
I cut him off with a swift punch to his face, breaking his nose. Blood spurts, and he falls to the ground, clutching his face.“I said, you’re out of business,” I snarl. “And you don’t get to make demands.”
My phone rings, and I glance at the screen. My father’s number flashes across the screen, a reminder of the urgency of this situation. I need to end this and call him back. Of course, he would call me when I’m in the middle of something, not when I was sitting in my office, waiting for him.
“Get Sasha’s father out of here,” I order two of my men. They lift him carefully, carrying him toward the door. “He needs a hospital.”
I lean down, grabbing Dave by the collar. “If you ever come near Sasha again, it’ll put a bullet in your brain. Understand?”
He nods frantically, fear and pain etched into his features. I release him, wiping my hands as if ridding myself of his filth.
“Let’s go,” I say to Lucas, who reluctantly follows me out, still buzzing with leftover adrenaline. We walk back to the car where Sasha is waiting, eyes wide and scared.
As I turn to the car, Sasha suddenly jumps out, racing toward her father. Panic flashes across her face, but the two men load him carefully into their vehicle.
"He’s going to the hospital," I say gently. "I can take you there."
She nods reluctantly, her eyes fixed on the car as it pulls away. Lucas climbs into his own car, giving me a nod before driving off. I guide Sasha back to my car, settling her in the passenger seat.
"Everything has been taken care of," I tell her, trying to infuse my voice with calm and confidence.
"Thank you, Marco," she says, her voice small. But I can see the unease in her eyes, the way she fidgets in the seat.
As we drive, I notice her glancing back, her brow furrowing when she realizes we’re not following the car that hasher father. "Where are we going?" she asks, her voice tinged with suspicion.
I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. "There’s nothing you can do for him at the hospital right now. I think you should stay at my place until things settle down."
"I’m fine to go to the hospital," she insists, her tone growing firmer. "I need to be with my dad."
"No," I say, more forcefully than I intended. "They might attack again, and I don’t have time to come back and save you."
She flinches at my words, and I immediately feel a pang of regret. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. But the thought of her getting hurt twists something deep inside me.
"Please, Marco," she says quietly, almost pleading. "I just want to be with my dad."