Chapter 35 #2
My jaw clenched. "Do whatever you have to do." I stepped closer. "Make sure he is alive and well the next time I see him." The doctor swallowed slightly before nodding. "Yes, sir." He immediately turned back to his team, giving instructions.
I stood there for another moment, watching and waiting, before I forced myself to move. I couldn't fall apart, not here, not when my family needed me.
I walked over to Damien as they prepared to take him for X-rays on his leg. A.J. was still being checked over, and Marcio sat nearby while doctors examined his injuries.
I pulled Matteo and Gio aside while the doctors continued working on the boys. "We have to go." Both of them immediately turned toward me.
The disbelief on their faces was obvious. "They will be safe here."
Matteo's expression hardened. "Aldo just attacked them, Adriano." His voice was sharp. "And you want to leave them here as bait?"
I stared at him. "Matteo-"
"No." He stepped closer, frustration written all over his face. "They are our children too. We can't just walk away."
Gio looked between us before speaking. "Adriano, I know you have men in this building protecting them, but I don't feel comfortable leaving them with people who aren't us." His jaw clenched. "You know as well as I do that nobody protects them like we do."
I opened my mouth to respond, but a familiar voice interrupted us.
"Wow." We all turned. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, brother." A smile pulled at my lips. Finally, my backup had arrived.
The three men standing in the doorway looked entirely too amused for the situation we were in. Matteo immediately smirked and said "The assholes are here."
Niccolo, Luca, and Stefano laughed as they walked into the room, greeting Matteo and Gio with familiar handshakes and embraces.
"Nice to see you too," Luca said. I shook my head slightly. Some things never changed. "Now," I said, looking between Matteo and Gio, "do you think we can leave?"
Matteo rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smile on his face. Then he looked toward the three men. "Thank you guys for joining the fucking circus show happening over here."
Luca shrugged. "Yeah, well, we were getting bored back in the States." He looked around. "Missing out on all the fun."
A smirk crossed Niccolo's face. "I don't even remember the last time I was out in the field. It's too quiet back home." He glanced between us. "Every Mafia family has their ears glued to this feud happening over here."
"Unfortunately for them, they won't be getting the ending they want," Stefano added.
I ignored the comment and focused on what mattered. "We have to move." I looked at the three men. "You three are guarding this hospital and the boys."
Their expressions immediately turned serious. "They were hurt badly, but they are getting the best medical attention available."
I paused. "If anything happens..." I looked each of them in the eyes. "Don't call." A dark silence settled. "Just kill."
They nodded. No hesitation.
Matteo, Gio, and I turned and walked out. "We need to get back to the estate," I said as soon as we reached the car. My instincts were screaming. "Aldo will be there soon."
Matteo didn't question me. He simply got behind the wheel. Then he floored it down the freeway. Because we all knew the real battle was just beginning.
Leo Pov~
"I'mmmm boorreeddd, Leo!" Dantae's voice echoed through the safe room as he rolled dramatically across the floor.
I sighed and looked away from the security monitors, glancing back at him from my chair. "Why don't you go play the game with Cata and Callie?" I pointed toward the two girls sitting on the couch.
"I already played." He pushed himself up and walked toward me. "Can I help you instead?"
I stared at him for a second before sighing. This kid was stubborn. Definitely a Basilio. "Fine."
I reached down and picked him up, settling him onto my lap. "We're making sure no bad guys are here."
His eyes immediately shifted toward the monitors. Every single screen. He studied them carefully, trying to copy exactly what I was doing.
A small smile tugged at my lips. Then I turned back to the cameras.
So far... nothing. No movement, no threats, no sign of Aldo, and no word from Dad or Uncle Adriano either. And that worried me more than I wanted to admit.
Ales walked over with Michel and Dean following behind her.
"Should we be helping you with something?" Michel asked.
I shook my head. "No. I'm just watching." I glanced back at the screens. "Nothing life-threatening to report yet."
Then I looked at all three of them. "But keep those weapons hidden on you. Don't take them off." My tone left no room for arguing. They all nodded.
"But if Ales was the target..." Dean started, his brows furrowed. "Wouldn't they come for her instead of attacking everyone?"
I leaned back slightly. That was a good question. "Ales isn't the intended target." They all looked at me. "Actually..." I paused. "I don't think there is one."
Their expressions changed. "I think Aldo's goal is to erase the Basilio and Alexeev bloodline completely."
The room went quiet. "So..." Michel swallowed. "We're all targets?"
I nodded. "Exactly." Ales looked around the room, piecing everything together. "That's why we're here." She glanced toward the locked door.
"Because we can't trust Aldo not to attack, especially while Dad and everyone else are gone helping the boys."
I nodded. She understood. They all did. I looked back toward the cameras. "We stay here. We stay alert. We protect everyone inside this room."
Ales stepped closer. "We're more than capable of holding our own, Leo." I looked up at her. Her expression was calm and confident. "We're ready for anything."
I nodded once before turning back to the monitors.
The moms were on the other side of the room with the younger kids, doing their best to keep everyone distracted.
Trying to make them laugh, trying to make them forget, but the truth was… what were we keeping everyone busy for? A game? A distraction? A way to pass time? No. We were waiting.
Waiting for the chaos we all knew was coming, and if the figures moving across the grass outside and the vans pulling up near the property were anything to go by, then the waiting was over...the chaos had arrived.