Ruthless Mafia Daddy (Alpha Mafia Daddies)

Five years ago, Lorenzo Rossi murdered Valentina Magri. My fiancée.

There’s no way in hell I’m about to let him take Lila and my unborn child too.

“Lorenzo is mine.”

We approach the abandoned warehouse where my life was torn apart situated in the center of Chinatown.

It’s derelict, with most of the windows broken or boarded up, the red bricks long since faded to a dirty brown. The perfect scene for the perfect crime.

“He took something from me a long time ago.” I pull out my gun and flick off the safety. “It’s about time he suffers the consequences.”

We climb out of the Hummer and begin our approach.

It’s likely Lorenzo has men stationed at the windows, so we keep to the shadows on the surrounding building, pressing up against the walls to shield ourselves from any unwanted attention.

The main entrance to the warehouse is a set of steel rolling shutters, but they’re rusted and practically hanging off the hinges.

I wave to Sloan and Dez to approach first while Marco and I stay in the shadows, our guns ready in case any of Lorenzo’s men are waiting for us on the other side.

I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until Dez sends his foot slamming into the steel, the sound of the impact making my teeth grind together.

“No turning back now,” Marco mutters as he holds his gun out in front of him as he charges for the entrance.

I roll out my shoulders and let the red mist surround my vision as I ready myself for what I might find inside.

I’m coming for you, sweetheart.

We storm the warehouse and face immediate gunfire.

At least a dozen men are waiting for us with machine guns, but Dez is a quick shot and in less than ten seconds, takes out three.

Sloan darts behind a stack of wooden crates and starts taking out the men hidden on the balcony above.

Marco and I move to the right, crouching low behind old, rusted barrels covered in bullet holes.

We run the length of the main warehouse floor, bullets wheezing past us.

I glance above as stomping footsteps let me know that even more men are running across the metal grates.

I take aim above me, shooting one man in the thigh and another straight between the shoulder blades who goes crashing into the railing and topples over the edge, smashing into the stack of crates which are hiding Dez and Sloan.

Marco groans, “Fuck.”

I whirl.

My brother’s clutching his shoulder.

“Marco?”

He pulls his hand away, and it’s covered in blood.

“No!” I run back to my brother. “Let me see⁠—”

Marco brushes me away. “It’s just a graze. You need to go. Now.”

I hesitate, but Marco shoves at me with his uninjured arm.

“Fucking go!”

If I lose him too…

I shake my head and clear my thoughts.

Right now, I need to find Lila.

With one last look at my brother, I turn and sprint across the warehouse floor, dodging the fallen bodies of Lorenzo’s men as I head toward a set of double doors.

My blood pounds in my ears as adrenaline courses through my veins, narrowing my focus.

Lila, where are you, baby?

I throw the doors open and take a set of stairs down to a basement, two at a time.

The place reeks of damp and mold, with barely any light to show me the way.

I nearly stumble at the agonized scream echoing from down below.

“Lila!”

I jump the last few steps and follow the sound down a dimly lit corridor.

At the very end, there’s an open door with rusted iron bars in place of a window.

I creep forward, my gun aimed and ready as the back of a blond-haired man comes into view.

I freeze.

Did I take a wrong turn?

I look behind him, and my blood runs cold.

Lorenzo has his hands wrapped around Lila’s throat, chocking her, and the blond fucker seems to be filming the whole damn thing.

I want to make him suffer. Bleed, but there’s no time. One bullet to the head has him collapsing to the ground.

Lorenzo doesn’t loosen his hold on Lila.

I’ll kill him!

Tucking my gun into my belt, I break out into a run, storming the cell.

I don’t stop until I’m throwing Lorenzo at the brick wall.

He grunts, slumping down into a heap on the floor, but the impact isn’t enough to knock him out.

I have maybe a few seconds before he’s on his feet. But I need to make sure Lila is okay.

“Sweetheart.” I crouch in front of her.

She’s been stripped to her underwear, and she’s shaking. There’s dark purple bruising already forming around her neck.

I curse as I reach out to touch her cheek. “I’m going to make it all go away, okay, baby?”

She nods, a whimper escaping her lip as she glances over at Lorenzo.

“Andre…” she croaks.

I take a deep breath before climbing to my feet and stalking toward Lorenzo.

“I hoped I wouldn’t ever have to step foot in this place again,” I snarl, kicking Lorenzo hard enough to crack a few ribs.

He grunts but continues to try and climb to his feet.

I’m not going to let him.

“You. Sick. Fuck.” Each word has my foot colliding with his ribs.

“She enjoyed it,” Lorenzo coughs out, offering me a feral smile.

I roar as I reach for my gun and shoot a bullet straight into his thigh.

Lorenzo collapses against the concrete, howling like the fucking dog he his as he clutches his bleeding leg. “You fucker!”

“Trust me, this is only the beginning.” I turn my back on Lorenzo, rushing back to Lila’s side, tucking my gun in my back pocket.

I run my hands over her tangled hair, her cheeks, her shoulders, hating how cold she feels beneath my touch.

“The chain,” she whimpers.

I frown.

Lila pulls her leg, and the rattling of the chain around her ankle has me gritting my teeth.

“That fucker chained you?”

And he was going to force himself on her for his own sick pleasure.

“I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“Andre.”

My name on Lila’s lips snaps me out of my rage.

When I look into her ocean blue eyes and find nothing but fear, I almost crack in two.

“I’m going to get you out of here.”

I get to my feet and stalk over to Lorenzo, who’s leaning against the brick wall, his teeth bared as blood pools beneath him.

“I suggest you give me the fucking key before I put a bullet in your other thigh,” I growl.

Lorenzo lifts his chin and looks at me with nothing but contempt in his green eyes.

“It’s buried in my pocket, De Luca. I dare you to come and get it.”

I wrinkle my nose as I crouch down in front of Lorenzo.

He reaches for my neck, but I pull my gun free and press it to the spot right between his eyes.

“I can’t wait until I can watch the life drain out of your eyes,” I whisper. “Now give me the fucking key.”

Sweat beads on Lorenzo’s brow, his breathing coming in shallow pants as he stares into my eyes, as if trying to call my bluff.

I click the safety off, which seems to be enough of a confirmation as Lorenzo reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small iron key.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I slam the barrel of my gun into the side of his head. Lorenzo groans as he slumps to the floor.

I climb to my feet and hurry back over to Lila.

“I need you to go and wait outside for me, sweetheart. Can you do that?” I make quick work of removing the heavy cuff.

“D-don’t leave me,” Lila sobs.

“Never.” I slide the cuff off her ankle and slowly run my fingers over the bruised skin. “I just need to finish what I started.”

“Make him suffer.” Lila’s eyes burn as she looks over to Lorenzo.

I wrap my arm around Lila’s waist and haul her to her feet.

She wobbles, clinging to me as she finds her balance. She looks so fragile and breakable, her bare skin covered in bruises, but she’s alive.

Lila’s alive.

I got to her in time.

I take her face in my hands and press my lips to hers, needing her warmth against me just for a moment, to make sure that it’s not all in my head.

“You’re alive,” I whisper against her lips.

“I’m alive.” She rests her small hand on my cheek.

I lean into her touch for a second before pulling away. “Stay outside the door.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Lila does as I ask and I watch her every move as she leaves the cell and hides around the corner. I don’t want her seeing this, but I can’t risk her straying too far from me again.

I round on Lorenzo, who’s desperately trying to drag himself into a seated position.

I almost laugh at the pathetic sight before I point my gun directly at his head.

“I was planning on dragging this out, wanting you to suffer like I suffered when you took Valentina from me.”

Lorenzo huffs a painful laugh.

“Oh, I very much enjoyed taking her life. Especially when she begged so hard for me not to kill her⁠—”

“Don’t you dare talk about her.”

“What about Lila?” Lorenzo smirks.

“You weren’t clever enough this time, Lorenzo. Your son made sure of that.”

Lorenzo bares his teeth as he attempts to pull himself up His wounded leg gives out before he makes it, and he collapses back onto the floor.

“He is no son of mine,” he spits.

“Your blood runs in his veins, and I made sure to spill every last drop. Like I’m about to do with you.”

“You don’t have the fucking balls⁠—”

My eyes close for a moment, and Valentina’s beautiful face enters my mind. Her rich mahogany hair, her dark hazel eyes, her big beautiful smile.

“Do it for me, Andre,” she seems to whisper, and I let the memory of her fuel my movements.

I let the memory of her drive my finger to squeeze the trigger and drown out the sound of the bullet releasing from the barrel.

My body jerks, and my eyes fly open.

Lorenzo’s lifeless eyes stare back at me, the bullet wound in his forehead tricking blood down his face.

I’m frozen as I stare at Lorenzo.

He’s actually dead.

After everything this man took from me, to have his blood finally on my hands helps to heal over the wounds. It’s not enough to erase the pain, but I hope in time, I can come to live with it. I can let Valentina go.

I’m free to love Lila.

“Andre,” Lila groans from outside the cell.

“Lila?” I pocket my gun, rushing from the cell without a backwards glance at the lifeless body of Lorenzo Rossi.

“Andre,” Lila gasps, clutching at her stomach, her face contorted in pain.

She cries out, her legs giving out.

I barely catch her before she crumbles to the floor.

“Lila.” I cradle her against me.

“Something’s wrong…with the baby,” she moans.

The air is sucked from my lungs as Lila arches her back, her body going rigid.

“Andre!” Color leaches from her face.

I blink, snapping out of whatever had me paralyzed.

I lift Lila into my arms and carry her up the stairs to where Marco and the rest of the guys are cleaning up.

When Marco spots Lila, his shoulders sag. He looks behind me. “And Lorenzo?”

“Dead.”

Lila groans, and Marco’s attention instantly shifts.

“What’s wrong?” He rushes to my side, glancing anxiously at Lila.

“I need to get her to a hospital. Now.”

He glances down at my blood-soaked clothes and Lila’s half-naked body. “Take the Hummer. There’s some spare clothes in the back for both of you.” His eyes roam the room. “We still have some cleaning up to do around here. ”

“Your shoulder⁠—”

“It can wait. I’ve bandaged it well enough,” Marco assures me. “Lila is the priority here, Andre.”

I nod at my brother, silently conveying my thanks before I turn and start to hurry across the warehouse floor toward the entrance.

Lila’s whimpers make my chest ache as I look down at her pale face.

Her skin is clammy, and her eyes are screwed shut.

“Hold on, sweetheart. Just hang in there.”