Chapter Twenty-Five
I’m starting to feel more relaxed about the whole Matteo shitshow.
His body has long been disposed of, and while I’m trying to forge on, I really need to figure out what my next move is.
Is Bellino really on our side or just playing us?
Everything seems to have fallen into place too easily; my senses are telling me this is all a trap.
I need to solidify the destruction of the Syndicate, although there’s not a lot left of it.
I’m going after the Mancinis. I’m leaving the De Lucas to Bellino as that’s his family now.
But the Mancinis took me with Matteo. They chose their side, and they chose wrong.
I step out of the room as Vittorio is just about to open the door.
He’s still sleep rumpled, and fuck, he looks sexy wearing lounge pants and nothing else, his hair all mussed up, carrying two cups of steaming hot coffee.
I step between his hands and into his arms. I wrap myself around him, and he leans down and kisses me.
I tug him harder, and he flinches as the liquid in the mugs sloshes, but I nip at his lip. I grind myself against him.
He groans again, and I scrape my nails down his back. He shudders and tries to push me towards the bedroom; I dip out from under his arm.
“Sorry, gorgeous, I have enemies to kill.”
“Wait, I wanna come.”
I stare him up and down. “You’ll need more clothes than that.”
“Five minutes.” I nod and turn, heading downstairs as he rushes into the bedroom. I head straight to the kitchen. Luca, Sulley, and Jonah are sitting around the table talking, and they all go quiet when I walk in.
“Going somewhere?” Marrianne asks from the kitchen island.
“Just a little murdering.”
“Oh, have fun.” She grimaces.
“Guys, you’re coming with me. Marianne, I want you to lock the house down when we go.”
“What about Vittorio?” Marianne asks and crosses her arms over her chest as she stares at me.
“He’s coming too, Luca. Can you start lockdown? Marianne, you’ll just need to lock the door into the garage when we leave.”
She nods and turns back to the coffee pot.
“Jonah, Sulley, can you load up the car? We’re going after the Mancinis. I want all four of them dead before nightfall. But I need to secure Mateo Mancini. I want all his assets before I end him.”
“Do we know where they are?” Sulley asks. And I nod. “They’re home. They’ll be there most of the day.
“And you trust the intel?” Jonah side eyes me. And I roll mine back at him.
“Yes—the housekeeper, she’s been feeding me intel, they killed her nephew, she wants a fresh start for her and her sister, they want out of this life and country.”
“And you will give them that?” Sulley asks, crossing his arms and leaning back in the chair.
“I’m a woman of my word, Sulley. I have new IDs, cash, and a car.
We will drive to the house. I’ll leave the bag on the passenger seat, she’ll walk out, and we’ll walk in.
She’ll secure the house before we get there so they can’t escape, and then…
” I grin. “Let the games begin. You guys are there to keep me alive. I’m gonna have some fun.
I want you to secure Mateo in his office while I… play with the boys!”
“Play?” Jonah eyes me curiously.
“Things are about to get bloody, gentlemen. Welcome to the fun and games.” Vittorio waltzes in dressed in combats, boots, and a long-sleeved black t-shirt, and my mouth waters. I toss him a wink.
“Ready?”
While the guys fall in, I turn and nod to Marianne.
And we step out into the garage. I wait for her to lock the door.
The guys climb into the truck, and I slip behind the wheel of the modest family sedan, the bag stuffed full of enough cash for them to have a decent life, and the envelope resting on top with the new identities nestled safely inside.
We travel in convoy until we pull into the driveway.
As I reach the house, I turn the car around and leave the engine running, and I make my way to the front door.
The guys step out of their vehicle and step up beside me.
The door clicks open. The housekeeper steps outside, handing me a set of keys.
She nods, and I step back, letting her see the car.
“Everything you need is in that car. Don’t look back.” She nods.
“The boys are in their rooms. Mr Mancini is in his office. All doors are locked.” She hands me a pile of keys.
“Anyone else in the house?”
“No.”
I nod, and she walks straight to the car, climbs in, and drives down the driveway.
“Take your positions, gentlemen. I’ll meet you in Mateo’s office when I’ve had my fun. Keep him secure for me.”
Vittorio winks at me as I pass. I step inside. The boys step in behind me. We all share a look and splinter off in separate directions. They’ll secure the house while I round up the stray Mancinis.
I climb the stairs, my knife sheathed on my thigh. My gun is tucked in the back of my combats. Extra ammo in my pocket and my baseball bat in my hand.
I wait until I hear the yells and grunts from Mateo before I continue to climb the stairs.
I gently click open the first door; Tommaso’s asleep, so I click the door closed and step to the next door.
I’m greeted with another of the brothers, Giuseppe, mid-game of Call of Duty or some other shooting game.
Shouting at the screen with headphones on, so I back out and check the next room.
Edoardo, still sleeping. I step inside and click the door closed behind me.
I creep right up to his bed. His light snores fill the room.
“Wakey, wakey,” I whisper.
Edoardo groans, and I smile, stepping back.
I want him to see me. I want that recognition to fill his face before I end him.
He rolls and scrubs at his eyes. They flicker open, and there it is, that moment he realises he’s fucked.
His mouth opens, but before he can scream, I bring the bat down hard into his face.
It crunches, a satisfying sound that fills the room.
There’s a gurgle before I bring it down again across his nose, then again across his forehead.
He thrashes and bucks, wrapped in the covers, but I keep smashing.
Blood splatters my clothes and my arms. Tiny droplets freckle across my face as I beat his head like a watermelon.
Once his head is cracked open enough, his face is mulch, and the bat is just making squelching noises.
I stop. I take a step back, pulling out my knife.
I stare down at the remnants of Edoardo, flesh and bone, and turn my nose up, unable to carve him up as one of my offerings.
Pausing for reflection. I need to show more restraint with the next one.
I slip into Giuseppe's room, who’s still gaming. I hold my bloody bat over my shoulder and tap him on the head. He spins around, and I mouth, “Run.”
His eyes widen. He rips the headphones off the cable, yanking them out of the port, and the sounds of the gunfire from the game rings out around the room. He ducks his head as he runs for the door, screaming for his dad.
I step out into the corridor and wait for Tommaso to rip his door open from all the noise.
He sticks his head through the gap in the door.
I swing, connecting with his temple. He drops to the floor face-first, half in the corridor, half in his room.
I toss my bat back over my shoulder and step over his unconscious body.
I listen for the other one as he screams, running through the house, clearly heading towards his dad’s office.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I sing as I step down the stairs. There’s a scream as he clearly tries to run into his father’s office and is greeted with a less-than-perfect situation.
I round the bottom of the stairs, and he’s already running back at me, and I grin.
He tries to halt slipping and skidding, crashing to the floor.
Trying to gain traction, to scurry back and run in another direction, panting as he looks back towards his father’s office.
Vittorio is standing in the corridor, arms crossed against his chest, filling the whole space.
He pushes up and runs. I smile at Vittorio and head after him.
He darts through the kitchen. He grabs for the knife block as he heads to the door, trying to open it.
He tugs and yanks, panic across his face as he keeps flicking his eyes to me as I slowly make my way towards him.
He turns, brandishing the knife, slicing it through the air.
“Don’t come any closer, I will cut you,” he screams at me, slashing the knife through the air as his hand behind his back is fumbling to get the door open.
He lunges, stabbing out with the knife, and I grin at him. “We appear to be at an impasse.”
I spin the baseball bat in my hands. He launches, throwing the knife and diving forward.
I snatch the gun from my back and shoot him straight in the leg.
He collapses to the floor, screaming out.
As I step closer, I shoot his hand. Then I step closer still, shooting out his kneecap.
He flops back on the floor, panting, his eyes wide in fear as I stand over him, gun pointing at his chest and baseball bat relaxed at my side.
I flick it up onto my shoulder and grin down at him.
“Be thankful I don’t have all day.” I pull the trigger and watch as he gasps before the laboured breathing silences.
The only sound is a small huff from me as I step over him.
I tug the gun away and drop the baseball bat beside the body as I climb over his limp appendages.
I slip the knife out of its sheath and slide it over his skin, gouging crosses into his eyes.
“You picked the wrong side, Giuseppe. No one will remember your family name now.” I carve him up.
Climb to my feet and head back towards the stairs.
“Tommaso, there’s nowhere to run!” I bellow.
I hear the scuffle of feet, the squeak as he runs across floors trying to find an escape.
He’s clumsily crashing into things. I must have hit him harder than I thought.
I hear the rattle of doors and windows. The yelling, screaming.
I corner him near the entrance to the garage.
The door is locked and unmovable. He puts his foot against the frame before tugging and yanking at the door, trying to rip it open. He slowly turns around, his hands raised in defence, his eyes dart past me, and back again.
“P-p-please… Arianna, I… it wasn’t… I’m sorry.”
“Now, now, Tommaso, you know what you did. Time to pay.”
“I can pay. I will pay. I have money.”
“I don’t want your money, Tommaso. I want your soul.” I snatch at the knife and throw it. It stabs straight into Tommaso’s neck. His eyes widen, his hands grasp at the knife; he rips it out as it clatters to the ground, his breath stutters as blood pumps from the now gaping wound.
“Idiota,” I mutter. Shaking my head, I just watch as he slides down the wall, his eyes rolling, his breathing over exaggerated, in and out like he can’t quite remember how to breathe. I crouch down in front of him. I stare at his face.
His eyes track me, staring at me as his skin pales, his eyes glaze, and the pool of blood seeps out around him. I pick the knife from the floor and stab straight into his eyes. I don’t wait for him to take his last breath, I simply carve. Etching an eerie smile across his face, I grin back at him.
“Game over, Tommaso.” I stand, slipping my knife back into the sheath, and head towards the office.
I contemplate what I want from my meeting with Mateo. I want everything from him. I want to take everything; I want the realisation that he lost to really sink in, and when it’s all gone, I’ll burn it all down around him.
I push through into his office, and he’s tied to his chair with a gag around his mouth. Vittorio is lounging on the desk. Sulley and Jonah stand on either side of his chair, and Luca is standing beside the door.
All eyes fly to me as I walk in, and Sulley steps forward, tugging down the gag. Mateo starts spluttering and yelling. You don’t know what you’re doing, blah blah blah, but I’m tired; it’s been a long day.
“Shut the fuck up, Mateo. I’ve had a long day. Sulley, cut him free. Mateo, open up your banking. I want everything transferred.”
“Fuck you. You’ll get nothing. I will die rather than sign anything over to a dirty fucking whore like you. Just kill me already, you psychotic…”
Bang, I shoot him straight between the eyes. “Fuck it, burn it all.” I turn and walk away, heading to the car.
I want to go home, I want a shower, and I want to fuck my husband.