Page 92 of The Bonventi Secret
Enzo helps me to my feet, keeping an arm around my waist to steady me. I lean into him, grateful for his support.
"Gabe," I call out, my voice cracking. "Are you okay?"
He gives me a pained smile. "I'll be okay, Liv. What the hell happened to you?"
I smile and wince at the pain from my busted lip and cut cheek. "You should see the other guy."
Gabriel laughs as he gets to his feet. "Good to see you, even if you look like shit."
Suddenly, there's a commotion at the door. Gio, Enzo's brother, enters, dragging a struggling, overweight man behind him. I instantly recognize Joseph Rossi, the man who orchestrated my kidnapping, the don of the Rossi family.
Enzo stiffens beside me, surprise evident in his voice. "Gio? What are you doing here?"
Gio shoves Rossi to his knees, a grim smile on his face. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you? I knew you'd come for her, so I followed. Figured you might want a word with this piece of shit."
Enzo's arm tightens around me protectively. I can feel the tension radiating off him as he stares down at Rossi.
"Joseph," Enzo's voice is cold. "You made a huge mistake taking what's mine."
Rossi sneers, though I can see the fear in his eyes. "Fuck you, Bonventi. You killed Carmine. Did you think there wouldn't be consequences?"
"He was a traitor," Enzo replies calmly. "And now, you'll join him."
I look at Enzo briefly. This is the side of him I've always known existed but never fully witnessed. The ruthless don who rules Chicago's underworld.
“You don't need to see this. Let Gabriel take you to the car."
Part of me wants to protest, to stay by his side. If this is the world I'm joining, then maybe I should be all in. But exhaustion and pain are catching up with me, and I'm not ready to see executions just yet.
I nod weakly.
As I start to walk away with Gabriel, a sudden realization hits me. My hand flies to my throat, panic rising as I feel the absence of my most cherished possession.
"Wait," I say. I turn back to Enzo, who's still glaring at Rossi. "Enzo…"
He looks at me, confusion and concern mingling in his eyes. "What is it?”
"My necklace. The skull pendant."
Enzo looks at my neck, realizing it's gone. "Yes, where is it?"
With trembling fingers, I point weakly towards Sammy's lifeless body. "His pocket."
Without hesitation, Enzo walks over to Sammy's corpse. He kneels down and searches through Sammy's pockets until he finds what he's looking for.
When he stands and turns back to me, I see my skull pendant dangling from his fingers. The chain is broken, snapped when Sammy ripped it from my neck.
Relief washes over me, so intense it makes me dizzy. Or maybe that's the blood loss. Either way, I sway on my feet, and Gabriel tightens his grip on me to keep me upright.
Enzo crosses the room in quick strides, cradling the necklace in his palm as if it's the most precious thing in the world.
"I'll have it fixed for you," he promises as he gently places it in my hand. I squeeze it tightly and turn to leave.
Gabriel leads me out, supported by one of Enzo's men, and I hear Rossi's desperate pleas cut short by a single gunshot. I flinch but don't look back.
Outside, I take a deep, shuddering breath of fresh air. It's over. I'm safe. I'm with Enzo.
And despite everything, I know this is where I belong.
