Chapter Forty-Five
ORAZIO
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Waiting was the hardest part for Raz. His muscles felt tight. He needed to move, to act, to kill. Standing around and doing nothing while chaos raged around them made him restless. He wasn’t built for patience, not when lives were on the line, not when everything hung in the balance.
He was too eager to get his hands dirty. That time would come. Soon . However, standing around and doing nothing had him antsy. As they waited to hear from the teams, Raz pulled Monique aside, needing a moment alone with her before all Hell broke loose.
“How are you doing, love?” he asked, voice low, gaze searching hers.
“I’m fine. How are you holding up?” she replied, her hand coming to rest on his chest, over his heart.
The warmth of her touch soothed him in a way nothing else could. He placed his hand over hers, holding it there as if her touch alone could keep him anchored.
“I’m fine as long as you’re fine,” he told her. “Just... promise me one thing.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“When we get out there, stay behind me. If anything happens to me, stick with Leo. Don’t try to be a hero. Please.”
“That’s two things,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Raz couldn’t help but smile. “Well, promise me two things then.”
Monique nodded. “I promise. But Raz, if your father isn’t willing to stand down, what will you do?”
He knew she was really asking the question everyone wanted to ask. Was he willing to kill his father if he had to?
Raz stared deep into her eyes. “Whether he stands down or not doesn’t matter. He’s done enough damage to my family and the organization. I won’t let him do more. My father must die tonight.”
Her eyes widened, the shock of his words sinking in. “Are you sure? Can you live with that?” Her voice trembled.
“I don’t have a choice. He’s left me with no other option.”
He watched her eyes fill with tears. This was why he loved this woman with everything that was in him. His father had caused her so much pain and had brought chaos into their lives.
He had hurt her friends and had been the architect of so much destruction. She should hate him. She should want him dead more than anyone. But even now, she wasn’t thinking about revenge.
She wasn’t thinking about her own pain. She was thinking about Raz, about the weight of this choice and what it would do to his soul. If he had told her he couldn’t do it, that he wanted to try for peace and work things out with his dad, she would have supported him.
She would have stood by him, no matter what. That was unconditional love. And it was staring him in the face. He was not worthy of this. He was not worthy of this woman. And that was why he had to kill his father.
Because he’d be damned if his father broke free again and actually achieved his goal of taking out the people Raz loved. He’d never be able to forgive himself if that happened. Hell, he would no longer want to live if that happened. For the sake of everyone he cared for, especially the beautiful woman before him, Raz had to kill his father.
“Don’t cry for him,” Raz whispered, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped down her cheek.
“I’m not,” she breathed, her voice breaking. “I’m crying for you.”
Raz’s chest tightened. “Don’t cry for me, Rosa. I need this. I need him out of my life. For what he did to you, to your friends. For what he did to Cas. For what he allowed his brother to do for years. He has to go. And I’m willing to do it.”
If he didn’t, one of his brothers would. He was sure of it. He didn’t want them to live with that guilt. So, he’d carry that weight for all of them. Monique swallowed hard, her fingers trembling slightly where they still rested over his heart.
“I’ll be with you,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “Now and forever. You’re not alone. I’ll help you carry this weight. Forever.”
This woman! She was going to bring tears to his eyes. He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers.
“I know, love. And that’s the only thing that’s going to get me through this.”
As they stood there, holding onto each other in the middle of the chaos, Leo’s phone rang, bringing an end to their moment. Raz pulled back, turning toward Leo as he answered the call. Leo’s eyes widened as he relayed the message he’d just received to Raz.
“The first team has engaged the old don’s men and are overpowering them. They know where the old don is located. He’s been moved to the back stairwell, and Benny is guarding him.”
“Fucking Benny,” Raz fumed. “No wonder he insisted on being here today. He’s probably my father’s new right-hand man.”
“I’ll take care of Benny,” Leo promised. “Since Benny took the old don to the back stairwell, he’s probably heading for the west exit. He’s going to try to get the old don to safety. If they make it out, it’ll be a while before we can locate them again.”
“They’re not getting out. Get some of our guys on that exit now!” Raz ordered. “And I want some guards to follow Benny. Let’s head to the back stairwell. We’ll corner them, leaving them no way to escape.” Raz turned to Frederico’s two guards. “You two, stay near the stairwell’s exit door in case anyone makes it past us. This ends now.”
“Yes, sir,” they told him.
Leo led the way, with Rosa in the middle and Raz bringing up the rear while Frederico’s men guarded the stairwell exit. As Leo ordered guards to the west exit and to the stairwell, Raz couldn’t help but notice how easily Rosa fell into place. One day, he’d cease to marvel at how well she was handling this. That day wasn’t today.
Leo led them to the stairs and then up to the next floor. Raz could feel the tension in the air. But it was nothing compared to the adrenaline coursing through him. His father was supposedly just a floor away. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready for the moment when father and son would finally meet face to face.
He took a deep breath and released it slowly, mentally preparing himself for what would be the last time he and his father saw each other. It would be the last time he and his father spoke.
They’d never shake hands again. They’d never hug again. His father would never smile at him again. Raz swallowed, trying to get a grip on his emotions. When the time came, he couldn’t hesitate. He wouldn’t hesitate.
Letting his father live would lead to more innocent people being killed. He refused to have that on his conscience. As they walked, he kept looking behind him, ensuring the coast was clear in that direction.
When they reached the next landing, shouting and the unmistakable sound of crying echoed down the stairwell. Raz froze, his ears straining to make sense of the voices. Who the hell was crying? Leo immediately moved to the far wall, motioning for Raz and Monique to do the same.
Raz followed Leo’s lead, pressing his back against the cold wall and pulling Monique with him. The sounds from above were getting louder and more frantic. The shouting grew more insistent, but the crying was what gnawed at him.
It didn’t make sense. He couldn’t place it. Did his father have a hostage? Monique stood between Raz and Leo, her back against the wall, her breaths even, her body tense. Raz’s eyes never left her, and his need to protect her outweighed everything else at the moment.
Instinct kicked in. Without thinking, he moved in front of her, his body shielding hers from whatever was about to come through that door. She didn’t protest. Instead, she pressed a kiss to his back and waited for what was to come.
Leo turned slightly, his back now angled toward them both, his hand ready on his weapon. He was protecting them, too, shielding them. Together, he and Leo boxed Monique in as they awaited the inevitable.
The cries grew closer. Raz’s hands tightened around his guns, every nerve in his body on alert. He hated this, hated waiting, hated the uncertainty of who would come through that door first.
The doorknob rattled, shaking as someone on the other side prepared to open it. The crying became clearer, sharper. It was a child’s voice. Raz shot a glance at Leo, who looked back at him.
“They have a kid with them,” Leo whispered.
Raz whispered back, “Aim high when you shoot.”
Leo nodded. Why the hell did his father have a child with him? Raz sure as hell hoped his father hadn’t stooped to using a child as a human shield. Monique’s hand grazed Raz’s back lightly, a small touch to let him know she was there.
It grounded him, even as his thoughts churned and his heart raced. He breathed out slowly, releasing the tension in his muscles and relaxing his shoulders. He was ready. Then, suddenly, the door opened with a sharp creak.
Benny stepped out, gun raised. He turned in Raz’s direction. Benny’s eyes widened when he saw them in the stairwell. The betrayer was about to pull the trigger. Leo shot first, the sound echoing through the stairwell, sounding like an explosion.
Benny’s head jerked back, hitting the door as his weapon slipped from his hands. Raz had let a round off, too, ripping Benny’s throat open. The bastard hadn’t stood a chance. Raz heard his father curse.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the stairwell as his dad retreated. His father barked orders, the desperation in his voice betraying his usual calm and controlled demeanor.
“You, go out there and kill whoever the fuck that is,” his dad yelled from the other side of the door. “You two, cover me. Hurry the fuck up!”
It sounded like there were three guards with his father. Raz could handle that.
“He’s making a run for it,” Raz whispered to Leo and Monique. He turned to his Rose, his eyes locking with hers. “Stay with Leo while I finish this,” he instructed.
“Be careful,” Monique whispered just as the stairwell door flew open again.
Raz wasted no time turning and firing, striking the guard in the shoulder. The man’s body jerked. He began to fall backward with his gun still aimed at Raz. The bitch was going to try to shoot again.
Before Raz could get off another shot, a second gunshot rang out, the sound ringing in his ears. The man collapsed to the ground, crimson spreading across his chest, painting his white shirt red.
Raz turned, expecting to see Leo with his gun raised. Instead, he found Monique standing there, her gun still raised, while Leo was moving toward Benny, pulling the communication devices from his ears.
“Go,” Monique ordered Raz. “Hurry before they get away. Leo and I will make sure no one gets past us.”
Lady Boss had given him an order. Raz had to obey. Her words and actions erased any doubt he had about her ability to handle this. She was built for this. She was built for a don. And he couldn’t wait to show her how fucking much he appreciated her.