4. Marco
Chapter Four
MARCO
I don’t hesitate as I sprint toward the warehouse, my gun aimed and ready for whatever we might face inside.
Andre and the rest of our men follow behind me, their movements quiet and controlled. We’ve done this a hundred times before, but never have the stakes felt this fucking high.
As we get closer, someone taps on my shoulder.
I turn, and Vince nods his head toward the far end of the building.
“Looks like there’s a side entrance. There’s a guard posted, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
“Good. Keep it quiet. There are likely others nearby.”
The others fan out, disappearing into the shadows.
My heartbeat pounds in my ears like a warning as I think of Clara locked away inside, frightened and alone.
I promised her that I would come back for her, and I don’t intend on breaking that promise.
I tighten my grip on my gun and nod to Andre. “Let’s end this.”
The guard stationed at the side entrance doesn’t have time to register what’s happening before Vince grabs him in a headlock and slices a knife across his throat.
I wince at the sound of him choking on his own blood as his body falls to the floor. Blood continues to spray from his neck until his eyes are left wide open and unseeing, but I don’t have it in me to feel bad as I step over his body.
I look at my brother and nod. “See you on the other side.”
I don’t hesitate as I kick the door open, the force rattling the frame, before storming inside.
Gunfire erupts immediately, and the room beyond explodes into chaos.
Bullets slice through the air, and bodies drop to the floor, left, right, and center.
I fire without thinking, my movements guided by muscle memory as I move across the warehouse floor.
The smell of blood and gunpowder thickens in the air, but I barely register it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Andre carving his own bloody path as he moves beside me.
“Where are you, Tommaso?” I mutter under my breath as I scan my surroundings.
I knew this was a fucking trap, but now is not the time to gloat.
Clara is here somewhere, and I need to find her.
We push forward, clearing the front section of the building.
Vince covers my back as I move through the warehouse, stepping over bodies from both sides as we go.
Blood sprays across the concrete floor as another one of Tommaso’s men crumples at my feet after I put a bullet in his chest.
Just when I’m starting to wonder if Clara is even here, I hear it.
A strangled scream.
“No,” I breathe as my blood runs cold.
I don’t stop to think. I sprint toward the sound, kicking open every door in my path as I search for her.
My heart pounds as my fingers tighten around my gun, but I force myself to stay focused. I can’t lose control now.
Another scream echoes in the air, this time closer.
I reach the last door at the end of the hallway and slam my foot into it, sending it flying open.
My gun is raised before I even register the scene in front of me.
Tommaso stands in the center of the room, one arm wrapped around Clara while his free hand holds his gun to her temple.
The fucker is using her as a human shield in the hopes that I’ll back down, but he seriously underestimates the lengths I’ll go to in order to protect the woman I love.
She’s been stripped down to her underwear, and she’s shaking. Sweat coats her forehead and body as she chokes down a breath as Tommaso presses the gun harder against her head.
I don’t falter, even when my eyes lock with Clara’s. I can’t let her see my own fear. I need her to know that I will get her out of this alive, no matter the cost.
“Nice of you to make it, Marco,” Tommaso drawls as his lips pull up into a feral smile.
I don’t lower my gun as my finger flexes over the trigger. “Let her go.”
He tilts his head, amused. “And what? You’ll spare me?”
“Maybe.” I keep my face blank and my voice even.
We both know it’s a lie, but I need him to believe that he has an out, that he has some control.
This is nothing but a game to him, so I’ll play along, but the game will be played by my rules.
Tommaso laughs, but there’s something unhinged in his eyes. “You’re a shit liar, De Luca.”
I move an inch forward, just enough to make him shift his weight.
Clara screws her eyes shut as she waits for him to pull the trigger.
I swallow the bile that burns my throat at how scared she looks.
She’s here because of me. Maybe I deserve to have Tommaso shoot me for what I’ve done to her.
“This doesn’t end well for you if you don’t let her go. Besides, you and I both know it’s me you want, so I suggest you let her go, and we can talk.”
Clara trembles in his grip, her eyes darting to mine, silently pleading with me.
I want to run to her, to wrap her in my arms and tell her it’s all going to be okay, but I can’t. Not when there’s a gun aimed right at her head.
Tommaso’s fingers tighten around her, his smile morphing into a scowl. “You think I’m a fucking idiot?”
Clara flinches.
The fact that he’s close enough to touch her has my blood boiling. I want to rip his throat out with my own hands for daring to take what belongs to me, but I can’t let my rage cloud my judgment.
I know Tommaso is hoping I won’t risk firing in case I hit Clara. If I wasn’t so furious, I’d be insulted that he thinks I’m that bad of a shot.
All it takes is one bullet, and this will all be over.
I just need to make sure that I’m the one to make the final shot.
“No. I think you’re a dead man.” I don’t give him a chance to react before I aim low and pull the trigger.
The bullet slams into Tommaso’s leg.
His leg buckles, his gun faltering, and his grip instantly loosens just enough for Clara to break free.
“You fucker!”
I lunge, grabbing Clara around the waist and pulling her behind me as Tommaso stumbles.
Blood pools around his foot as he raises his gun, his face twisted as he aims right at my chest.
I don’t hesitate before I pull the trigger and shoot him between the eyes.
As his body drops to the floor with a dull thud, I’m finally able to take a full breath.
It’s over.
Clara collapses against me, and I turn to catch her before she falls to the ground.
Her body is wracked with sobs as I hold her close, my heart pounding against my ribs as I realize she’s safe.
“It’s over,” I murmur against her hair. “You’re safe.”
She clings to me, her fingers digging into my shirt.
She’s freezing to the touch, so I wrap my arms tighter around her, hoping to warm her up with my body.
“We need to get you out of here. There’s clothes and blankets in the car.”
Clara shakes her head as she pulls back to look at me. “There was…another man,” she whispers, her voice hoarse. “Ben. Is he…is he dead too?”
Ben? Who the hell is Ben, and why does Clara care if he’s alive?
“That’s not my priority right now.”
Clara shakes her head again. “Please. “I-I need to know.” Panic flashes in her eyes as she looks over at the door.
It seems Clara’s not going to listen to me until I agree to find this guy.
Is he the one who took her, is that it? If he is, I’ll make sure he wishes he was dead.
“What does he look like?” I try to keep my expression relaxed. I don’t want to scare her even more than she already is.
Clara gives me a description, and I frown.
He doesn’t sound familiar, but I call out to Vince and pass on the information.
“Check the bodies. I want to find this guy.”
Vince gives me a curt nod before disappearing back into the main warehouse floor.
The gunfire has ceased, which means all of Tommaso’s men must be dead. But this is far from over, not when Cillian still has to call in his debt.
“Love, at least let me get you to the car while we wait for Vince,”
Clara nods, so I lift her up into my arms and press a kiss to her forehead.
Her body is still shaking, and it’s likely she’ll be in shock for a while, considering what she’s been through.
“I love you,” I murmur.
Clara’s lower lip trembles as she looks up at me.
“I-I love you too.”
“I’m going to need you to keep your eyes closed, love.” I don’t want her to see the bloodbath that waits beyond the door, and fortunately, Clara doesn’t need to be asked twice. She screws her eyes shut and turns into my chest as I make my way through the warehouse.
As I suspected, bodies are littered across the floor. There’s so much blood that it’s hard to tell how many of the men are mine, but I’ll get the numbers eventually.
Cillian will want a report, so Vince and Enzo will be doing the count.
Andre is outside, talking to the wiry guy that must be Cillian’s front man. Blood is spattered across his face, but he looks unarmed, which is a relief.
When he sees Clara, his eyes widen.
“She’s okay,” I mouth as I carry her to the waiting car Jax brought round.
I grab some sweats from the trunk, but Clara is trembling so much that I have to help her get dressed.
Once she’s settled in the front seat, I drape a blanket over her and turn on the heating to try and warm her up.
“Marco.”
I turn to find Vince stalking toward me with a scowl on his face. This can’t be good.
I shut Clara’s door. “Any update?”
“No sign of him, boss. He must have escaped when the shooting started.”
Fuck.
I grit my teeth. “Okay, have Jax see if there’s any security footage. I need to know where this guy went.”
Clara is quiet as I drive back to Westchester.
Every mile or so, I glance over to find her staring out of the window, lost in thought.
I wish I could know what she was thinking, but I also don’t want to push her to talk if she’s not ready. She’s been through hell and back in the last few days, and I have to come to terms with the fact that it might take her some time to trust me again.
But after a while, the silence feels suffocating, and the question slips from my mouth before I can stop myself.
“This other man… Ben. Did he do something to you? Is that what this is about?” The words feel like poison in my mouth, but I need to know, if only to decide how I’m going to kill this fucker.
Clara flinches. It’s subtle, but I catch it.
I tighten my fingers on the wheel until my knuckles turn white as I clench my jaw.
He did hurt her, and somehow he’s still alive.
“No,” she says finally, but she doesn’t meet my eyes when I look over at her, which makes me think she’s lying.
But I don’t push her, not yet at least.
It’s past midnight by the time we arrive at the house so thankfully, everyone is asleep. The last thing Clara needs is to be ambushed by Lila and Rosa when she needs to sleep.
I carry Clara upstairs to her room but when she spots Zoe’s empty crib, she panics and claws her way out of my hold.
“Zoe—”
“Is sleeping in with Lila.”
“I need to see her.” She makes for the door, but I step in her way.
She’s exhausted, and right now my priority is making sure she’s okay.
“Sleep first, love, then I promise I will bring her to you.”
Clara looks like she’s about to protest, but then she yawns, and I know I’ve won.
I lead her over to the bed and tuck her in, her breathing turning heavy before her head even hits the pillow.
I press a kiss to her cheek before quietly exiting the room. I’m desperate to climb into bed beside her, but I know I won’t be able to sleep until I find out about this Ben guy. So, I head down the hall to Andre’s office and pour myself a much-needed drink.
I’m three scotches down by the time Vince calls with an update.
“We got something. Jax checked Tommaso’s security footage before the shootout and found someone matching that Ben guy’s description.”
I rub my temple, my mind and body completely exhausted. “Send it to me.”
Seconds later, my phone pings with an email. I open it, and my stomach twists as I stare at the grainy footage of a man with sharp features and cropped blonde hair talking to Tommaso.
Something about him seems vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him.
I forward the image to Liam, my private investigator, ordering him to find out everything he can about him.
If he’s a risk to my family, I need to know about it.