Chapter Thirty-Seven
ORAZIO
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Raz stood at the top of the staircase, his eyes locked onto Frederico and Monique descending below. What was she doing here? How had that bastard convinced her to come here? Had he kidnapped her? Had he threatened her?
Raz gritted his teeth. No matter the reason. Because of her presence, Frederico would die today. Raz needed to have his hands on that motherfucker right now, but he was waiting for Leo to issue the lockdown order.
He didn't want Frederico to escape with the help of his guards. Raz scanned the area, knowing the old man had people present. From this vantage point, Raz couldn't see shit. Clenching his hands into fists, he gritted his teeth, trying not to lose his cool.
At least, not yet. That was hard to do, though, considering how eager he was to get his hands on Frederico Miconi. He didn't want to be staring down at his enemy from this height. He wanted to stare down at Frederico's bloody face smashed against the floor with Raz's foot on it.
He had already issued the order to lock the doors, but his patience was running thin. Every motherfucker who'd witnessed his woman in the arms of another man needed to die. That was the only logical way to handle this shit. He turned to Leo, his voice low and menacing.
"Why haven't you issued the order?"
Leo hesitated before saying, "Not all the guests have arrived."
"Good," Raz growled. "Those who haven't arrived will be happy they get to live."
Leo tried to speak again, but Raz cut him off, his voice a dangerous snarl. "Issue the order now!"
With a nod, Leo obeyed, speaking into his earpiece to relay the command. The tension in the air was thick, the atmosphere charged with impending violence. Suddenly, Isla tugged Raz's arm, her eyes wide with fear.
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded.
Eyes blazing, Raz jerked his arm away from her. "You dare ask me that with the bullshit you and your father are trying to pull? You knew he was bringing her, didn't you?"
"It's not what you think," she protested with a shake of her head.
"You claim he's wanted her for a while. What the fuck was it that you said?"
"Orazio, just listen..."
"You said he couldn't get with her sooner because she was married. Then later, she was dating someone, which prevented him from going after her. But now that she's single, your father believes he's got a chance with her. You said that, right? I'm the man you said she was no longer with. Because of me, your father was able to approach her. Right?"
"Monique is not what's important here right now. We..."
"You even know her name." Raz really wanted to strangle the life out of Isla right now. "Monique is not single. She's never been single and will never be single. She's always been mine. And tonight, your father will learn that the hard way."
"My father and I are here to..."
Before she could finish, Raz barked an order to one of the guards. "Take her away and lock her up while I deal with her father." He was seconds away from ending her. He needed her out of his sight.
Isla struggled as the guard grabbed her. "Let me go! You don't understand! It isn't what you think, Orazio."
"Shut her up," Raz ordered.
Isla's complaints became muffled when the guard placed his hand over her mouth. She was a feisty one, fighting the guard back, refusing to give in. Raz watched as the guard was forced to pick her up, carrying her away as she kicked and screamed.
With her out of the way, he could focus on Frederico. Turning back to the staircase, his heart sank as he realized his Rose and his enemy were no longer in sight. A surge of anger propelled him forward. He needed to find them.
Behind him, he heard Leo calling his name, but Raz ignored him. As he jogged down the stairs, his mind was consumed with thoughts of bloodshed. He didn't even have the weapons on him to cause the type of destruction he wanted to cause.
His hands would have to do. Each step he took echoed his intent to confront and punish. No, punish was too light of a word for what he was about to do. He wanted to demolish Frederico. To torture that fucker in the worst way possible.
He wasn’t even done punishing Trevor yet, and now he had another motherfucker to punish over his Rosa. His woman had some explaining to do. How had she ended up on Frederico’s radar?
The crowd parted as Raz moved through the venue, his presence a storm of barely restrained violence. He scanned the room, searching for any sign of Frederico or Monique. Why was this damn place like a maze?
Ignoring everyone who smiled at him and congratulated him, Raz continued forward. His mind was on one thing and one thing only. Fuck everything else. The owner of a Russian corporation, Kiselyov Corp, stepped into Raz's path.
"There you are, Mr. Cattaneo," Mr. Kiselyov started.
Raz glared down at the shorter man who was blocking his path. "Get the fuck out of my way," Raz snarled.
Mr. Kiselyov's two bodyguards stepped forward just as Leo and Raz's guards caught up with him. Kiselyov raised his hand, signaling for his guards to stand down.
"It seems Mr. Cattaneo is busy," Kiselyov said to his guards. The rest was for Raz's ears. "I'm sure Orazio will make time to discuss my investment into his Corp with me soon. And he'll be more respectful when the time comes," Kiselyov said.
A flash of gold caught Raz's attention.
"Get the fuck out of my way." Raz shoved the Russian aside, leaving Leo and the other guards to deal with the fallout as he rushed ahead.
Where is she? Where is he? Had they gone in there?
Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. Was that Monique's friend, the one Cas liked? The woman disappeared into the crowd. Raz didn't have time to wonder what she was doing there. He had his own woman to find.
He pushed open a door to a side corridor. The noise from the gala faded behind him as he entered a quieter, dimly lit hallway. He could still hear the distant hum of Leo trying to manage the situation with Kiselyov, but it was all background noise to him now.
He smelled the scent of herbs and cream sauce. The kitchen had to be around here somewhere. Ahead, he saw a flash of gold fabric disappearing around a corner. He quickened his pace.
By now, he was damn near running. He turned the corner just in time to see Frederico and Monique entering a room at the end of the hall. Rage flared within him, heating every inch of his skin.
"Raz, wait," Leo called out to him.
Wait? How the fuck could he wait? His Rose had entered a private room with Frederico Miconi! Raz rushed forward, mind racing with what he'd possibly see when he opened that door.
Would he see Frederico touching Monique? Monique touching Frederico? Monique whispering Frederico's name as he kissed her neck?
Fuck that old motherfucker! Raz was going to rip his fucking tongue out. He was close to the room they'd entered now, so close he could almost feel the satisfaction of confronting Miconi. Reaching the door, he found it slightly ajar.
Oh, Miconi was bold as fuck for that! Raz kicked the door open with a force that sent it crashing against the wall with a bang. Frederico and Monique spun around. Raz's gaze locked onto Frederico.
What he saw shocked him. This bastard had been in the process of unzipping her dress. Raz's gaze jerked to his Rose. Guilt was written all over her face. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"Raz," she whispered.
That one whispered word broke his fucking heart and made his fragile grip on control snap.
“Ah, Orazio!” Frederico greeted, extending a hand. “I was wondering when we'd run into you.”
Raz was too far gone to process his words. He stalked forward, his eyes filled with cold fury. Instead of grabbing Frederico's hand, he grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall, holding him there. Monique gasped. Frederico's eyes widened in shock.
“Raz!” Monique screamed.
Without taking his eyes off his enemy, Raz sneered at her, “Stay with Leo.” To Frederico, he said, “You think you can take what’s mine just because you're investing in my company? Is that how you think this shit works?”
Frederico’s eyes bulged. “Orazio, wait...”
Why was everyone telling him to wait? Fuck that! Before Frederico could utter another word, Raz raised his fist and punched the bastard in the face, sending blood splattering from the man's nose.
Monique screamed. Soft hands gripped his arm. For so long, he'd missed that touch, craving it night and day. But now, her touch only made him want to hurt Frederico more.
"Get her, Leo," he yelled to his guard as Frederico struggled against him, attempting to break free of his grasp. Not happening.
"Let him go, Raz," his Rose yelled. "Let him explain..."
"I don't need a fucking explanation!" Raz yelled into Miconi's face, hating that Monique was speaking up for that trash. When had they become so close?
"Raz, please..." she insisted.
The fact that she was begging so sincerely for him to free Frederico only made him want to hurt the bastard more.
"My zipper was sliding down," Monique tried to explain.
"Get her, Leo. Fuck!" Raz yelled, seeing red as he brought his fist down on Frederico's face again, breaking the fucker's nose and relishing the cracking sound he'd heard and felt.
Behind him, he heard Leo telling Monique, "Step this way with me, Monique."
Monique's words were laced with panic. "It's not what you think. You have to stop him, Leo. Frederico told me..."
Each word Monique uttered in Frederico's defense earned the bastard another punch to the face.
"I can't stop him when he's like this," Leo was telling Monique.
"But..." Monique started, prompting Raz to slam his fist into Frederico's face again.
"Step out, please," Leo told her. "You're not helping by being here. Step out, or you'll mess up everything."
"Forget that. He's going to kill him," Monique wailed, voice growing distant as Leo ushered her out of the room.
Frederico’s attempts to fight back were weak and futile against Raz’s sheer rage. Miconi tried to speak, but the words were choked off by Raz’s tight grip on him. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, mixing with the rich aromas of the gala’s cuisine wafting from the kitchen.
Monique’s voice echoed faintly from the hallway, pleading for Raz to stop. But her cries only fueled his anger.
"Miconi's men are trying to get into the corridor," Leo informed him from the hallway. "Our guys are blocking their entry."
Fuck Miconi's men, Raz thought as he slammed Miconi onto the floor.
"Raz, no!" Monique yelled.
What the fuck was she yelling at him for? Did she like this motherfucker? Was this old man her fucking type? Raz raised his foot.
"Do it, and I'll never forgive you," Monique wailed.
Raz planted his foot in Miconi's chest, causing the fucker to cough up blood. Raz finally stepped away from Frederico, leaving the man on the floor, wheezing and bleeding, face swollen. Frederico coughed, blood dribbling from his mouth.
The man's words were slurred when he wheezed, “You’ll... regret this, Orazio.”
Raz kicked him hard in the ribs, prompting him to groan in pain. “I doubt it. Leo, take him away. I'm not done with this bitch.”
Leo nodded, signaling to the guards. As they hauled Frederico away, Raz used his handkerchief to wipe the blood from his knuckles, his mind already shifting to his next issue.
Her.
His gaze jerked to Monique, who was staring at him, her expression one of horror. His gaze swept over her. She looked beautiful. But this look wasn't for him. She was looking beautiful for another man.
She was staring at Raz in disgust because of another man. He took a deep breath, trying to hold back his anger. But he had some questions for his golden Rose.
"Get over here," Raz growled.