05 | New Faces

*Alberto’s POV* 

I ran my bloody fingers through my hair as I waited for one of the guys to break into the safe. I’d love to say that I felt somewhat better after releasing all that pent-up stress, but I didn’t.

As excited as I was that the fūcker that Edgardo had questioning wasn’t cooperating, so I could draw more blood, it did little to reign in my temper. Of course, nothing will feel right until my angel is at my side. 

Fūck, I missed her so much. 

“We got lucky he managed to disclose the hidden safe before you cut off his fingers and shoved them down his throat.” Edgardo sighed as he leaned on the wall beside me before handing me a small towel. 

He’d already managed to clean up the blood that he could while I met with the other guys in the club’s office. As I scrubbed my hands with the towel, he put on and buttoned his shirt. 

“He was wasting our time.” I finally grunted as my eyes focused on every attempted assault on said safe once more. There had better be information in there that I can use to find Isa or, so help me God. 

“I did warn him.” Edgardo chuckled, kicking himself off the wall and approaching our men as soon as the safe cracked open.

I walked over, throwing the towel in a nearby bin and watched the moment Callisto cracked the door open further, revealing lots of folders, guns, coke, and a limited-edition whiskey bottle. 

I grabbed the bottle and handed it to Edgardo before he walked off to pour us a drink. We might as well try to enjoy ourselves as we look through these papers. 

I pulled out the stack of folders and strode over to the desk before dropping them on it. “Go secure the perimeter with the rest.” I said over my shoulder to Callisto. He was walking off when I lifted my head. “And make sure any trace of us being here is gone by the time I finish reviewing this.”

“Si, Capo.” He replied as he stepped out of the door.

It’s not that I cared about these asšholes realizing that I was closing in on them, it’s that I don’t need the police snooping around. Even though Francisco has a great deal of cops bought, after our attack, you just never know who would betray you for a couple of millions. Like I didn’t have fūcking trust issues already…

By the time Edgardo had returned with two glass cups of the whiskey, I had already reviewed the first few papers in the first folder. He handed me a whiskey tumbler as he lifted the other to his lips while he grabbed one of the folders I wasn’t reviewing.

“Fūck,” He muttered, making me look up at him. 

I shook my head at the face he made as I tried the whiskey myself. As soon as the dark liquid touched my tongue, I almost spat it right back out. “That’s not the limited-edition whiskey. No wonder numbers were low.” I scowled, throwing my glass cup against the wall. 

“Is that your thing now?” Edgardo chuckled as he scanned through the pages. “Throwing glass against the wall and shīt?”

“Fūck off.” I growled as I continued skimming through their finances. 

After a few silent moments of listening to Edgardo turn pages left and right, I groaned in annoyance. “Anything?”

“All business bullshīt. The guy is a curse. Seems like all his businesses were failing.” He replied as I grunted in agreement, since that’s all I had gotten so far too. What the fūck was Francisco doing dealing with these useless fūckers? I still need answers from him. 

We each grabbed the last two folders before opening them as we sat back on the chairs. As soon as I opened my folder, I was met with the picture of a naked woman around the age of my angel. My eyes skimmed through the information on the girl that was attached to the picture. I turned the page to find another picture attached to another detailed page. 

The more I flipped through the pages, the clearer it became that it had to do with a trafficking business. I’m not even surprised.

Before I could reach the last page, I came to a halt on one picture. Tilting my head, I examined the picture before looking at her information. Something about her seemed different than the rest. 

Ekaterina Petrov. 20 years old. 5’3. Russian.

I couldn’t put my finger on what about her made me stop, but I didn’t have time for it right now. I slammed the folder closed, looking up to find Edgardo still flicking through the pages. 

“What do you have?” I questioned, standing up again as I rolled my shoulders back. 

“Locations.” He replied with a smirk. 

Fūck. This could be it. I know for a fact that my angel was in one of those locations. 

“Let’s move then.” I stated through gritted teeth as I motioned for him to pick up all the folders. We may have looked over everything, but something could have been missed that could be crucial to getting Isa back.

I walked out of the office and back towards the bar where some of my guys were. They straightened up as soon as they spotted me. I heard Edgardo groan in annoyance as soon as his eyes met with Aurelio’s. I get it. That’s what pūssy does to men. Can’t say I don’t know the feeling anymore.

I shook my head as I looked at Aurelio. “Burn this place to the ground and make sure the smoke shop across the street lets Santoro know who paid him a visit.” I ordered as he nodded before walking off.

I immediately turned to leave with Edgardo following behind me just as his phone rang.

*Isadora’s POV*

My head was throbbing so badly that all I wanted to do was bang it against the wall. It was worse than the last time I woke up. Dio knew when the last time was that I had anything to eat or drink. Maybe that was the cause of the throbbing. That or the drug that they used on me. 

I opened one eye slowly, letting myself look around the area. I don’t really remember what happened nor where I am. I opened my other eye so I could see better, blinking quickly to clear my still foggy vision. I sighed in relief when I realized I was alone. I may not remember what happened last, but I do remember being with Mattias. At least the fūcker was gone. For now.

I was about to move when I heard the knob of the door rattle. I slammed my eyes shut as I tried to control my fast-beating heart. The door opened, followed by heavy footsteps approaching the bed I was in. I knew it had to be Mattias, but I didn’t have the energy to put up a fight. Maybe he’d leave me alone when he realized I was still sleeping? Or so I hope he would. 

When I felt a cold and rough hand sliding up my leg slowly, I wanted to screām. I clenched my teeth as I held my desire to hurl. I prayed that he’d stop touching me before my suddenly stiff body and hitched breath gave me away. 

The door opened again, making my stomach drop. If a hand was still touching me…

“What the fūck are you doing in here?” I heard Mattias growl at someone who just chuckled. The same someone that was inching closer to my heat. 

“Don’t worry. I’m not claiming her yet. I very much want to hear the whōre screām my name.” The dark voice declared before retracting his hand. Grazie Dio. 

I heard Mattias’ footsteps get closer to the bed as the bed dipped. I begged in my head that they would just go away, but I suddenly felt the cold metal around my wrists again. Damn it.

“Cosa sai?” (Italian for “What do you know?”) The other man voiced his question as Mattias stood from the bed. 

“Non erano loro ma—” (Italian for “It wasn’t them, but—”) Mattias was saying before their voices suddenly halted as the door opened and closed. 

Damn it! I had a feeling that whatever they were discussing was important. That means I need to find out or find a way out. Whatever it is, I need to move.  

I swung my legs to the side of the bed as I thought how stupīd Mattias was for not cuffing me to the bed again. He handcuffed me, but I wasn’t attached to anything. Clearly underestimating me.

The moment I sat up, the sudden dizziness almost knocked me right back down. I closed my eyes briefly before standing up on shaky legs. 

When I opened my eyes, I looked around the room again. I noticed papers on a nearby desk to the left of some glass doors. I rushed to the doors, feeling hopeful that I could use them to escape. I don’t care what awaited me afterwards. The point was to escape until they had no other choice but to kill me.

As soon as I grabbed the handle, I growled in irritation because it was locked. I could try to break the glass, but it was no use either, since I wouldn’t be able to fit in the small squares that held each glass.

Giving up, I moved towards the door. They should be far away by now, right? Maybe I would get lucky and sneak out or actually hear what they were discussing? Dio, I miss my gun.

Deciding how to attack any of Mattias’ men, I took a deep breath and curled my hand around the handle. I released the breath that I was holding when I found it open. Damn, that easy? Whatever. I’ll take it.

I slowly slipped out of the bedroom and looked down the hall in surprise. This is really weird. Even Padrino had people outside my room back home. 

At least I had a big black shirt on, and I wasn’t roaming around this place in my lingerie. I tried to keep my footsteps as quiet as possible while I dragged my bare feet along the wooden floor. 

I heard some voices at the end of the hallway, making me slow my footsteps and lean against the wall that held the open door. 

“I told you that it was a mistake taking her. Now look at the mess we are in.” Mattias’ dad’s voice filled the air. I could feel the tension all the way to where I was at. Were they talking about me? Did they regret taking me?

“We just need to close this deal and then we will take them down too. With our men and Blanco’s, we will be invincible.” The dark voice from earlier stated just as a hand wrapped around my mouth and throat, making me yelp as I squirmed in my captor’s arms. 

“Relax, Barbie.” A husky voice sneered in my ear before pushing me forward through the opened door. “Look who’s awake.” He stated, earning the attention of everyone in the office-like room.

Mattias’ jaw locked as he glared at me. I’d give him a defiant stance in return, but the other asšhole was still gripping me roughly against him. I tugged harder on the muscular arm around my neck, earning a chuckle before he threw me on the ground in the middle of the other three men. 

I groaned as my sore body hit the ground. I looked up and glowered at everyone as I crawled backwards, hoping to get as far away from the two heated gazes and Mattias’ scowl. 

“I told you she was awake.” The guy, who I assumed was leading the circus, told Mattias.

“I’ll take her back to our room while you all finish the meeting.” Mattias’ grumbled as he stepped forward, but the other guy placed his hand on his shoulder, holding him back roughly. 

“It’s time to talk to her, Mattias.” He stated with a certain emphasis that made Mattias’ dad chuckle as he fixed his junk in his pants. 

I gulped, looking around quickly as I decided how I would get the hell out of this one.