30. Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty
Mateo
F uck, fuck, fuck.
Of course Mariella can’t drive. Fucking Antonio hasn’t prepared her for anything in life.
“Right. Okay,” I say, running a hand over my face as my mind races for a new plan. Bullets keep raining down around us, a sound I’m used to, but Mariella isn’t.
I must keep her safe!
Police sirens wail in the distance, growing louder. We need to be gone before they show up. If they catch us in the middle of this, we’re screwed in more ways than one.
“I’ll open the door and flatten the passenger seat. You slide in, get to the back, and lay low. I’ll get us out of here.”
Mariella’s entire body is trembling, her face as pale as a ghost. She glances between me and the car, her eyes wide with fear. For a second, I’m not sure she’ll move.
I take her face in my hands, forcing her to focus on me. “I will get us out of this. Trust me.”
Her scared eyes lock onto mine, and despite the terror swirling within them, there’s a flicker of resolve that ignites a spark in my chest.
“I do trust you,” she replies, her voice stronger than even a minute ago.
“On the count of three.” I hold her gaze, willing her to stay with me. “One, two, three.”
I fling the door open, adrenaline pumping hard as I flatten the passenger seat.
“Get in!” I shout, urgently.
Mariella doesn’t hesitate. She scrambles into the car, her movements frantic but determined. I slide over the center console and into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut just as another round of gunfire erupts.
The bullets keep coming, but the Ferrari’s bulletproofing holds up, buying us precious seconds. I’ve never been more grateful for that and the fact that all our vehicles are fitted with bullet-resistant tires, because without them, we wouldn’t be going anywhere.
I steal a glance over my shoulder. Mariella is curled up in the backseat, her body tense, eyes wide. Her breath comes in quick, uneven bursts. She’s terrified but holding on.
“Stay down!” I bark over the deafening noise, pushing the start button. The engine roars to life, a sweet, defiant sound in the midst of this chaos. I grip the wheel, eyes locked forward, adrenaline flooding my veins.
I slam my foot on the gas, and the Ferrari lurches forward as we speed away. The car creates distance in seconds, but the threat is far from over. A flash of movement in the rearview mirror catches my eye.
“They’re following us!” I growl, whipping the car into another sharp turn, my pulse racing as I push the limits of the vehicle, trying to shake our pursuers.
I press a button on the control panel, and the sound of a phone ringing fills the cabin.
“We’re almost there. I’ve got you on my screen. How many?” Romeo’s voice comes through the speakers as soon as the call connects.
“Three cars hot on my ass,” I reply, checking the rearview mirror.
“Copy that. Drive toward the freeway,” he instructs, his tone steady despite the urgency.
With a sharp turn of the wheel, I whip the car into a wild swerve, narrowly avoiding a parked vehicle as the Ferrari responds with the precision of a predator.
I do love this car!
The tires screech, and I feel the cornering g-forces as we barrel down the street.
I spot the ramp to the freeway and gun it, merging onto the autostrada. The three pursuing cars are still on our tail, but at least we’ve put some distance between us.
A sliver of relief washes over me, but still my foot presses harder on the gas. The Ferrari surges forward, letting me fully open up the throttle.
At the next freeway entry, I spot our backup vehicles waiting. I slow down just enough for the three cars to slip into position, surrounding the Ferrari for protection. My phone rings, and I press the button on the steering wheel to answer.
“You’re good now. I merged in behind the assholes trailing you. Salvatore and I will take care of them,” Romeo says over the speaker.
“Bring them in alive if you can. I need answers.”
“Understood,” he replies and hangs up.
If Mariella wasn’t with me, I’d be out there hunting them down myself. But right now, she’s my priority. Getting her home safely is all that matters.
I glance over my shoulder and find her still huddled in the back seat, her body curled so tightly she looks like she’s trying to disappear.
The sight of her trembling like that punches me in the gut. She’s terrified, and I hate it.
I hate that she had to go through this. Sure, she grew up in a Mafia family, but she’s never been exposed to the violence.
“We’re safe now,” I tell her, wanting nothing more than to take her into my arms and comfort her.
The anger inside me threatens to boil over. Whoever is responsible will pay. I swear it. The bastards who put that fear in her eyes are going to wish they’d never been born.
Romeo’s name lights up on the dash again. “One of their cars lost control during the chase and crashed into a tree. Both men are dead. Salvatore’s still on the tail of one car, the other got away.”
“Fuck!” I slam my fist against the steering wheel. “Bring the bodies in. Maybe we can ID them. And tell Uberto to pull up every available CCTV footage. I want to know exactly who these fuckers are.”
“Already spoke to him and he’s on it. I’ll see you at Carloso.”
After I hang up, the car is eerily quiet.
Who was it this time trying to get rid of me?
I glance over my shoulder to check in on Mariella. She hasn’t moved. Her breathing’s uneven, sharp, and shallow. She’s trying to keep it together, but what happened is overwhelming her.
“Mari,” I say, forcing myself to stay calm, keeping my voice gentle despite the adrenaline still surging through my veins. “I know you’re scared, but I need you to listen to me. We’re safe now, okay?”
She doesn’t answer, but her eyes flick to the mirror for a brief second. The fear in them punches me in the gut.
My chest tightens, anger at whoever’s behind this attack flaring anew. I grip the steering wheel harder, the leather creaking under the pressure.
I want to stop, pull her into my arms, do something, anything, to make her feel better. But I can’t. Not until we’re behind the secured walls of Carloso.
So I drive. And I keep talking, hoping my voice will break through the haze of shock trapping her.
“Mari,” I try again, swallowing down the frustration and helplessness gnawing at me. “Mari, are you with me?”
I watch her in the rearview mirror as she slowly pushes herself up into a sitting position.
“Yes, I’m here,” she finally replies, her voice shaky.
“I’ve been where you are, you know,” I say, keeping my tone low and soothing as I navigate the mostly empty roads. “First time I got caught in an attack like that, I froze. It’s normal. You think you’re ready for anything, but when it actually happens, it’s different.”
Her breath catches, and I can hear her trying to hold back tears.
“How old were you?” she asks, her voice tentative, like she’s forcing herself to engage through the panic.
“Fifteen,” I say, letting the memory surface. “My father brought me to a meeting that was supposed to be routine, but it turned sour. Bullets flew, and I couldn’t move. I hid behind some barrels, too scared to even breathe.”
Her eyes lock onto mine again through the mirror, and I see a flicker of recognition. She’s listening.
“It was terrifying,” I admit. “I couldn’t think, couldn’t react. Tiero had to drag me out of there. I felt weak, but that moment taught me something.”
I wait for her eyes to meet mine in the mirror. When they finally do, I see that talking about my first experience has helped, at least a little.
“It taught me that you get through it,” I continue. “And you learn from it. The next time we were attacked, I was more alert, more agile.
“I never want you to go through this again, Mari. As much as I wish I could promise there won’t be a repeat, I can’t guarantee that.” The truth tastes bitter, but I owe her honesty. “But if it ever does, you will be more prepared. And you will remember you survived this.”
Silence settles in for a moment. Her breathing steadies, though I can still see her fingers trembling.
“A bullet flew right past my face,” she whispers, her voice so quiet I have to strain to hear. “I can still feel it on my skin.”
My heart stops and then races. “You’re injured? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“No, I wasn’t hit,” she quickly reassures me. “It was just so close. A millisecond slower, and I’d be…” She shudders, her gaze dropping to her hands as they shake. “I’ve never been that close to death before.”
Her words send a chill down my spine, twisting my gut in a whole new way.
“Thank you,” she says softly before my thoughts can spiral further. “Thank you for looking after me back there and… and for caring now.” I watch the first tear slip down her cheek and that knot in my stomach tightens.
Christ, did she think I’d leave her behind? What sort of expectations does she have of men?
“I’m sorry I was so weak. Sorry I couldn’t help when you—”
“Mari, stop,” I cut in, more commanding this time. “You were brave, and you held it together. I am proud of you.”
And I truly am. Most people would’ve fallen apart or dissolved into hysterics in a situation like that.
“That was nothing,” she whispers, her voice barely audible, more tears falling down her cheeks.
“You were brave,” I tell her firmly. “You trusted me. You followed me even when you were scared out of your mind. That’s not nothing, Mari.”
She swallows hard, her gaze distant. “I felt so helpless when my life depended on it. So… powerless,” she whispers.
A tidal wave of anger surges inside me, aimed directly at Antonio. How could he raise his daughters so unprepared for the harsh realities of our world?
“We’re almost home,” I murmur, trying to push down my anger. It’s not what Mari needs right now.
I turn onto the road leading to Carloso. The gates appear ahead, already swinging open.
I keep glancing at her in the rearview mirror, resolved to look after her. She won’t have to deal with this alone.
And tomorrow, I’ll teach her the most important things she’ll ever learn in her life.
She’ll never feel powerless again.