Chapter 40 - Marco

I was eager to come face-to-face with Mancini and watch him fall, but I wasn't the only one there—the Russians were thirsty for the worm's downfall. Everyone seemed to have something against him.

"When is that bastard going to arrive?" Vladimir questioned, approaching me.

"He should have been here at least ten minutes ago. Something's wrong."

Mancini wasn't one for delays, which confirmed he was up to something.

"I hope that even if he doesn't show up here, our deal still stands," he said in a suggestive tone, and I turned my head toward him.

Vladimir and I were the same height, and even though he was a few years younger than me, he didn't look it—his short hair and perpetually stern expression made him seem even older. His green eyes were cold, showing no joy or anger; it had been that way since we met.

"I'm not a man who breaks his word. You held up your end—you're here by my side, and I'll hold up mine. Our families will be united through marriage."

He gave a slight nod with his head, returning to his usual silence. And I saw Nero running toward us. God help me when I had to tell Nero he'd have to marry Vladimir's sister.

"Frank sent a message—they overheard at the house that Mancini has a trap planned with the assassins he hired," he said quickly, and I looked around, trying to piece it together.

The men had swept the place; there was no sign of him or traps on the grounds. It made no sense—Mancini liked to get ahead of his opponents, not the other way around. He'd arrive early and set up a way to kill us, like he did before.

He wanted revenge on Angela at any cost for switching sides; he was willing to hand over his daughter... But he knew the love Angel felt for her sister, knew how close the children were. Apparently, he was one step ahead of us.

"The trap isn't for us," I realized, already running toward the car. "Let's go now!"

"What's happening, brother?"

"Mancini knew from the start that Angela would try to save her sister—he counted on it. That's why he agreed to the meeting," I explained, already getting into the car and seeing everyone do the same.

We sped in a convoy of cars toward the mansion where Angela grew up, but to my personal hell, the property was on the opposite side of the city.

I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to her—my angel, no. She had to be okay and by my side; I couldn't allow the worst to happen. I wouldn't be able to bear it.

"I'm calling the helicopter—I have a feeling we'll need it," I heard my brother say, bringing me back to the present.

"We have something better and more intimidating than a helicopter," Vladimir said, drawing my attention.

"Then send for it—we'll need everything we have to get Angela out of there safely!" I slammed the driver's seat. "Step on it—I don't care how many traffic laws you break, as long as we get there as fast as possible."

I repeated to myself that Frank would die before letting anything happen to her—I was certain of that. He wouldn't let them lay a hand on her, not over his dead body.

Even before we reached the gates, I could already hear the gunshots, and that sound made my heart tighten like it hadn't in a long time.

I spotted some of our men at the gate, trying to advance into the mansion, but they were being attacked full force.

"Frank has Angela inside the house!" one of Vladimir's soldiers shouted near the gate.

"They're surrounded," another ran up to me with a tablet, giving us an overhead view of the property.

There were several men in front and behind the house, unloading their weapons at the house like madmen. That made me question how she could still be alive.

"Where is she?" I demanded, needing a glimpse of her, needing the certainty that Angel was alive.

"We managed to get her siblings out of the house in time. She stayed inside with her mother and Frank, but six of our men were around the house ensuring security. Two of them were killed as soon as Mancini announced himself..."

I interrupted him, grabbing his collar, because in that moment, I didn't want to know what the hell had happened before we arrived.

"I want to know where my wife is!" I growled, and he quickly moved his fingers on the screen, giving us a thermal view of the property.

"She, her mother, and Frank are on the upper floor of the house," he pointed to the three orange figures inside. That gave me the answer that she was alive.

I breathed a sigh of relief and turned, giving orders on how we'd enter the place.

"I want that gate hacked—the armored car goes first as soon as it's open, serving as our shield." I turned to Vladimir, who already had his own AK-12 in hand. "How long until your monster gets here? We'll need it to get her out of the house."

"Three minutes max—he was already ready, waiting to go into action tonight."

It didn't escape me that he was saying this because his helicopter was prepared for a dramatic entrance in case something went wrong in our meeting. Vladimir was a cautious man, and I had to thank him for that—otherwise, it would be a long confrontation.

"Great—let's use everything we can to get her out of there!" I affirmed, grabbing my gun and turning toward the gate.

As soon as the gates moved, the armored car went first, clearing the way while we advanced behind it, the open doors giving us even more protected space to walk.

Gunshots flew from all sides as we hurried across the lawn toward the house. The mercenaries Mancini had hired fell.

"Grenade!" one of Vladimir's soldiers shouted, making me turn back in surprise.

The man fired at Mancini's men, giving us just enough time to duck our heads before the explosion. And they continued advancing, taking advantage of the enemies' shock to take them down more quickly.

"We Russians take our battles seriously, Mr. Falcone," Vladimir said beside me, not looking at me as he fired.

He was so focused ahead that he didn't see the man emerging from the bushes. It was my turn to be faster and prevent my new ally from taking a bullet.

Vladimir nodded at me in silent thanks and continued on his way.

"You never give up, do you, Falcone?" I heard Mancini's shout from afar, echoing amid all the chaos.

"Never, you worm—but after today, you won't have to worry about that. It'll be the end for you!" I had no line of sight on him, so I had no idea where he was shouting from, but nothing would take away my conviction to kill him. "Find that bastard—I want a bullet in his forehead to end this!"

The soldier controlling the drone started fiddling with the tablet, searching for the wretch, and I began to hear the sound of the helicopter approaching. But as it got closer, I could tell it was something much more powerful.

"You really think you'll get out of here alive..." His next words were swallowed by the sound of the military helicopter hovering above us.

I could hardly believe it when the mansion lights illuminated it—the night helped it camouflage even more. It had never crossed my mind that this was Vladimir's secret weapon.

The barrel of a gun appeared at the helicopter door, and the shots began hitting the back of the house. From there, they had a privileged view we didn't and could take out the others.

"Advance to the mansion!" I shouted, following with the armored car, taking advantage of the men's dispersion to neutralize any threat at the main entrance.

"They're heading to the roof," I heard someone shout, and I knew my Angela would be safe soon.

A bullet grazed my arm, drawing a grunt of pain from me, but that wasn't enough to stop me—I continued until there were no more men on that side of the mansion.

"She's safe, boss, but she refuses to leave," the man said, pointing to the helicopter where I saw Angela with her mother and Frank—they were secure.

"I'm not leaving here without you!" she shouted, making me shake my head in denial, but a smile crept onto my lips.

"Mrs. Falcone seems to live up to the husband she has. Let's finish off the last sons of bitches and get you to her!" Vladimir affirmed, and I agreed with him.

But before we could round the property, Mancini appeared with three other men, all heavily armed.

"You can't take my daughter from here, Falcone. She's the payment for all the men who worked for me—apparently, only these three are left, and they want their payment."

"None of them will lay a hand on my wife. I'll rip out their guts if they even imagine getting close to her," I growled, looking at the men in front of us, all silent, staring at us through their weapon sights.

Then one of them lowered his gun, huffing and cursing.

"A pussy isn't worth my life or even the money you said he'd pay to get her back," he said, making my blood boil. Mancini was truly broke and desperate to offer my own money.

"And you didn't say she was the fucking wife of the Camorra boss!" Another lowered his weapon and spat at Mancini's feet. "I'm out."

"See why you shouldn't ally with mercenaries—they have no devotion to anyone but themselves," I said, and in that instant, gunshots echoed beside me, and the three bodies fell to the ground. "And now it's your turn to die."

I aimed at Mancini's head; he looked around in shock, realizing he had nowhere left to go.

"You won't win. Mark my words!" he threatened, but I fired without waiting another second.

His body fell backward from the bullet's impact, splattering lifeless on the ground.

"I've already won, you shit." I turned back, searching for Angela, who watched everything from the helicopter.

I just hoped she wouldn't hate me for it. I knew she wanted him dead, but after our argument in the training room, I feared she wanted him as our prisoner. But that I couldn't give her—I'd never make Mancini my prisoner after everything.