32. Chapter Thirty Two
Chapter Thirty Two
Vincenzo
Thirty minutes ago
As I pull away from the back of the gallery, my phone rings and I look down as the caller ID. It’s Martin. He normally doesn’t call this late unless it's urgent.
“Martin, what is it?”
His voice replies immediately. “Boss, I’m sorry to call you so late.”
I drum my fingertips against my steering wheel, slowly losing patience. "Get to the point, Martin. It's been a long day."
"It's about the vandalism at the worksite. I think I might have found something. Can you meet me at the office?"
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Can't it wait until morning?"
"I don’t think it should, Boss. It's... sensitive."
That catches my attention. Martin isn't one to overreact. "I’ll be there in twenty minutes."
I hang up and make a U-turn, heading towards the office. The city lights blur past as I speed through the mostly empty streets. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts—Emilia, the vandalism, my father's bullshit. I feel like everything is crashing down around me.
As I pull into the underground parking garage of Rossi Enterprises, I can feel the tension in my shoulders easing slightly.
Whatever Martin has found, I hope it's the key to putting an end to this chaos.
I take the elevator up to the top floor, the lights in the office are dimmed, casting an eerie glow over the usually bustling space.
Martin is waiting for me in my office with a folder clutched in his hands. He looks nervous, which only adds to my unease.
"What do you have?" I ask, closing the door behind me.
He hands me the folder, his eyes serious. "I did some digging into the security footage from the worksite. It was scrambled, but I managed to recover some of it. There were men on the site, Boss. Men who weren't our workers."
I flip open the folder and scan the grainy images. The men in the photos are wearing nondescript clothing, but there's something familiar about one of them. I squint, trying to place him. "Who are they?"
Martin hesitates before speaking. "I’ve run the images through our facial recognition software. We haven’t gotten a hit yet, but I am positive we will get the information we need soon.”
I shift through the images one by one.
“Whoever they are, they know our business well. They targeted our most expensive equipment.”
Martin nods, taking the file from me as I hand it back to him. “That was our exact thoughts too, Sir. Once we have more information, I will continue to update you.”
I go to stand from my desk, annoyed knowing this could’ve waited until morning but glad that Martin is starting to get me some answers. Before I had a chance to leave, Martin called me back.
“Sir, before you go. We got an update on the Emilia Walters file.” I stop in my tracks, slowly lowering myself back into my seat.
"What about Emilia?" I ask, my voice steady despite the sudden pounding in my chest. Martin looks down at his folder, avoiding my gaze.
“We found out more information about her professional life.” I nod waiting for Martin to continue. “She is an art forger, Sir. She is hired to recreate priceless artwork.”
I smirk. My little minx has a secret. It's at this moment that I decide I will head back and surprise her this evening. The thought of spending an evening together sends a thrill through me.
“Sir, she is forging art for Javier Perez.” My heart sinks at the sound of his name. Javier is a dangerous thug. He is known to lure women into his bedroom, and they are lucky to get out the other end alive. “He’s here, sir.”
I raise to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. “What do you mean he’s here, Martin,” my voice sharp as Martin stares back at me.
“He’s here in Melbourne, Sir. He was last seen driving towards the docks.”
My heart pounds hard as I think about Emilia. I know instantly that he is here for her. “Martin, tell the crew to meet me at the docks. Give them Emilia’s gallery address. Tell them to standby; they will know what to do,” before Martin has a chance to respond, I’m racing out the door.
My car skids to a halt quietly as I arrive at Emilia’s gallery.
The street is eerily quiet, the usual hum of the city seemingly muted.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand as I sense something is off.
I scan the area, my eyes landing on a black SUV parked haphazardly nearby.
It's not one of ours. I make my way silently to the boot of my car, popping it open and I begin strapping my weapons to myself.
I approach the gallery cautiously, sticking to the shadows. The front door is slightly ajar, a sliver of light spills out onto the pavement. I draw my gun, the metal cold and reassuring in my grip. Pushing the door open gently, I slip inside, my senses on high alert.
The gallery is quiet, too quiet. I can feel the tension in the air, the slightest hint of a disturbance.
I move silently through the space, my eyes scanning for any sign of Emilia or Javier.
I go up the metal staircase with two doors at the top.
As I approach the door on the left that leads to Emilia's apartment, I hear muffled voices.
Pressing my ear against the door, I strain to listen to anything happening.
I hear Emilia’s pleading voice travel through the door.
“Tell me, then. What can I give you, Javier? What can I do to show you how sorry I am?” My gut clenches, hearing the fear in her voice.
“You, Emilia. I must have you.” My hand grips my gun tightly, as I fight to maintain my composure. “She is not fucking restrained!” his voice bellows.
I don’t wait any longer. I kick the door open, gun raised, quickly assessing the scene and shoot at the man closest to Emilia, right between the eyes.
The man goes down and I shield myself behind the wall next to the door.
Javier and his remaining man shoot back at me, as I risk a look around the wall.
Emilia screams and drops to the floor; her hands bound behind her back. I can't get a clear shot at Javier or the other man without risking her safety. I duck back behind the wall as more shots ring out, splintering the wood near my head.
"Javier, let her go," I shout, trying to draw his attention away from Emilia.
He laughs, a cold and bitter sound. "Let her go? I think not, Enzo. You are just a pawn in this game; I have no interest in you. She is the prize."
I risk another glance around the wall. Javier has grabbed Emilia by the hair and is dragging her towards the back of the apartment. She kicks and struggles, but he presses the gun to her temple, silencing her protests.
"Let her go, Javier," I repeat, my voice steady despite the rage boiling up inside me. I have a clear shot and fire at his remaining man. He slumps to the floor and Javier grunts in frustration.
"You're making a mistake, Javier," I call out, trying to keep his attention on me. "You think you can just walk in here and take what you want? That's not how this works."
Javier pauses, his grip tightening on Emilia's hair. She winces in pain, but her eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of fear and determination.
"You think you can stop me, Enzo? You're just a pretty boy playing at being a tough guy. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
I step out from behind the wall; my gun trained on Javier. "I know exactly who I'm dealing with. A coward who preys on women because he can't handle real competition. You're pathetic, Javier."
His face contorts with rage, and he presses the gun harder against Emilia's temple.
"Shut up, Enzo. You think you can talk your way out of this?
You think I won't do it?" His hand trembles slightly, and I can see the madness in his eyes.
He's unpredictable, volatile, and that makes him even more dangerous.
Emilia's eyes widen as she looks at me, pleading.
I need to distract Javier, to give her a chance to break free.
"You won't do it, Javier," I say, taking a step closer.
"Because you're too much of a coward. You hide behind your money and your guns, but you're just a little man trying to play a big man’s game. "
He sneers at me, his grip on Emilia tightening. "You think you know me, Enzo? You think you have it all figured out?"
I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. "I know enough. I know you're a man who takes what he wants without considering the consequences. But this time, you've gone too far."
Javier's eyes narrow, and he takes a step back, dragging Emilia with him. "You think you can stop me? You think you can save her?"
I take another step forward; my gun still trained on him. "I know I can. Because unlike you, Javier, I'm not afraid to fight for what I want. And I want Emilia safe."
Emilia's eyes meet mine, and I see a spark of determination in them. She's waiting for an opportunity, a chance to break free. I need to give her that chance. Before I can do anything though, Emilia sinks her teeth into Javier’s arm causing him to scream in pain as he flings her against the wall.
I raise my gun immediately as Javier does the same.
My bullet sails through the air, almost in slow motion as it hits its mark.
Javier slumps to the floor as pain rips through my chest. Crimson blooming through my crisp white shirt as I clutch my chest attempting to slow the bleeding.
The pain is too much as I slump to the floor, my gun falling from my grip.
Emilia screams, rushing towards me as I lie on the floor, my blood seeping through my fingers.
"Vincenzo," she cries, her voice filled with panic. She applies pressure to my wound, her bound hands trembling. I don’t understand how she got them in front of her.
I try to think, but everything is fuzzy.
"Emilia," I gasp, my vision starting to blur. "You need to get out of here. It's not safe."
She shakes her head vehemently, tears streaming down her face. "I can't leave you here. You need help."
I reach up, cupping her cheek with a bloodied hand. "You need to go, Emilia. My men are outside. They'll keep you safe."
She looks torn, her eyes darting between me and the door. "I can't just leave you, Vincenzo," she whispers, her voice choked with tears.
At that moment, my men burst into the room.
Their panicked voices blending together in a whir of sounds.
The pain in my chest causes my vision to blur.
I try to focus on the woman before me, as my life circles the drain.
Relief filling me, as one of my men helps Emilia off the floor. She’s safe, I whisper to myself.
Emilia's face is the last thing I see before darkness claims me. The sound of her sobs echo in my mind as I drift away into nothingness.