Chapter 5 - THE BULLET IN THE RAIN
Gunfire erupted, deafening in the enclosed space of the stone patio.
I grabbed Leo, wrapping my body around his fragile frame, and dragged him behind a heavy stone planter. Anthony dragged himself painfully behind us, gasping for air.
Luca fired twice from the ground. Both of Carlo’s remaining men collapsed, their tactical armor useless against Luca’s flawless accuracy.
Silence suddenly crashed back over the patio, leaving only the sound of the torrential rain.
I peeked over the stone planter.
Carlo Bellini was on his knees.
He was clutching his shoulder, blood seeping through his expensive Italian suit. He dropped his suppressed pistol, groaning in agony.
Standing ten feet away, still holding the silver revolver, was Vanessa.
She was breathing heavily, her eyes wide with shock at what she had just done. She had shot her own father.
Luca slowly stood up. He kept his gun aimed at Carlo, walking deliberately across the wet concrete.
“Vanessa,” Luca said sharply. “Put the gun down.”
Vanessa looked at Luca, her lip trembling. “I did this for you. I saved you.”
“You didn’t save me,” Luca replied coldly. “You saved yourself because you realized your father was going to cut you out of the money.”
Vanessa flinched as if he had struck her. She looked down at Carlo, who was glaring at her with pure hatred.
“You were always a disappointment, Vanessa,” Carlo spat, clutching his bleeding shoulder. “You couldn’t even keep a mafia boss entertained long enough for me to finish the transfer.”
Vanessa let out a choked sob. She lowered the revolver, the heavy metal clattering against the stone floor. She collapsed to her knees, hiding her face in her hands, completely broken by the reality of her ruined life.
Luca kicked Carlo’s weapon away and hauled the older man to his feet by his lapels.
“You are going to spend the rest of your miserable life in a federal cell,” Luca promised, his voice vibrating with rage. “And I am going to make sure every cartel you owe money to knows exactly where to find you.”
Carlo just smiled a bloody, defiant smile.
“You think you won, Luca?” Carlo rasped. “You think saving the boy fixes anything?”
“It fixes everything,” Luca said.
“No, it doesn't.” Carlo let out a dark chuckle. “Because while you were playing hero in the suburbs... I sent a cleanup crew to your little housemaid’s apartment.”
My heart stopped completely.
“My mother,” I breathed, standing up from behind the planter.
“Oh yes,” Carlo smiled maliciously at me. “She’s quite fragile, isn't she? I wonder if she survived the break-in.”
“Luca!” I screamed, sheer panic seizing my chest. “You said you sent your men!”
Luca dropped Carlo and grabbed his phone, dialing rapidly.
“Daniel,” Luca barked into the phone. “Status on Emma’s mother. Now.”
There was a torturous pause on the other end of the line.
“Boss,” Daniel’s voice came through the speaker, heavy and tight. “We got to the apartment. But we were too late.”
The phone slipped from Luca’s hand.
I couldn't breathe. The world spun violently around me. The rain felt like ice water in my veins.
“No,” I sobbed, stumbling backward. “No, no, no.”
Carlo threw his head back and laughed. It was a sick, twisted sound of pure evil.
“I told you,” Carlo sneered. “You can never beat me, Luca.”
I didn't think. I moved purely on grief and blind rage.
I grabbed the silver revolver Vanessa had dropped on the ground. It was incredibly heavy, the metal cold and wet. I raised it with both hands, pointing it directly at Carlo Bellini’s chest.
“Emma, stop!” Luca yelled, stepping toward me.
“He killed her!” I screamed, tears blinding me. “He killed my mother!”
“Emma, put it down. If you pull that trigger, you go to prison. I won't let you ruin your life for him!”
“My life is already ruined!” I cried, my finger tightening on the trigger.
“Well?” Carlo taunted, staring down the barrel of the gun with arrogant amusement. “Do it, little maid. Show us what you’re made of.”
I closed my eyes, sobbing, preparing to pull the trigger.
But before I could, the screen of the dropped cell phone on the wet concrete lit up.
A voice echoed from the speakerphone.
“Boss! Sorry, the connection dropped!” Daniel yelled. “Like I said, we were too late to catch the hitmen. But your mother is safe! I repeat, Emma’s mother is safe! We got her out the back window just before they kicked the door in!”
I froze.
The gun shook in my hands.
“She’s alive?” I whispered.
“She’s alive, Emma,” Luca said softly, stepping forward and gently wrapping his large hand over the barrel of the revolver. He slowly lowered it toward the ground. “She’s safe.”
I collapsed against Luca’s chest, dropping the gun, sobbing uncontrollably with relief. Luca wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight, burying his face in my wet hair.
For the first time since I met him, the terrifying mafia boss held me not like an employee, but like someone he desperately cared about.
“It’s over,” Luca whispered.
But as he said the words, Carlo Bellini suddenly lunged forward.
He didn't grab a gun. He grabbed little Leo from behind the stone planter.
Carlo wrapped his bleeding arm around the boy's neck, pressing a small, hidden switchblade against Leo’s throat.
May you like
“Nobody moves!” Carlo roared.
TITLE: THE PEARLS IN THE WATER
