Chapter 19

ALESSIO

S hadowed in the dense treeline, binoculars pressed to my eyes. I scanned the perimeter of the sprawling Conti compound.

The early morning air bit at my cheeks, but I remained motionless, absorbing every detail.

I’d staked the property for a few mornings, gathering intel, piecing together their patterns, routines, and vulnerabilities—like a predator stalking its prey, biding its time.

Cleo’s revelations about the Caputo clan’s devout adherence to Sunday dawn mass in Moss Vale was a godsend, giving us a window of opportunity.

I lowered the binoculars as my woman stirred beside me in the SUV. Her short-cropped, sable hair caught the first rays of dawn light filtering through the forest canopy.

‘They’ll be on the move soon,’ I murmured, my breath forming mist in the chilly breeze. ‘The liturgy kicks off at 7:00 a.m. sharp.’

Cleo nodded, her green eyes alert despite the early hour.

I reached over, grasping her delicate hand in my calloused one, our unity a silent reassurance.

She stroked my arm, then handed me a thermos of piping hot coffee.

I drank it and gave it back.

Eyes on her, mulling her shower moment the night before.

When she’d left the outhouse, it’d taken minutes of sucking in air and sluicing cold, fucking water over my groin to calm down.

Still, like every instant I was with her, my cock throbbed, thickening and aching for her.

But I was also a man of extreme patience.

I’d kept away from her for ten years.

A few more hours was nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Loving her, bumping her, and making her scream would happen on my terms, and the forbearance only elevated the chances of heightened and titillating bliss even more.

So, I sat back, waiting.

For the right timing with her.

For the next fuckin’ move from our marks.

The distant rumble of engines shattered the tranquil morning air.

I tensed and knifed forward. Cleo leaned, peering, squinting through the foliage.

She squeezed my hand in affirmation.

Her eyes flickered to the compound’s gates. ‘ Showtime, baby.’

I turned back to the binoculars, pulse-quickening. The game was on.

Two massive black Ram 1500 trucks emerged from the Conti property, moving with predatory intent.

‘Damn, they’re huge,’ Cleo whispered, a mix of awe and apprehension in her voice. ‘Like tanks on wheels.’

I grunted in agreement, my eyes never leaving the approaching convoy. The Caputos had spared no expense regarding their fleet - or their security.

But today, their arrogance would be their downfall.

The rigs rolled past our hidden position; close enough, the pulsations from their tires reverberated over my chest.

The acrid scent of diesel exhaust mingled with the earthy fragrance of the forest. I held my breath, willing our camouflage to hold.

Cleo’s fingers dug into my thigh as the seconds ticked, an eternity compressed into a few heartbeats.

The growl of the engines receded as the vehicles continued down the winding road toward Moss Vale.

A third truck pulled up to the compound entrance, braking with a hiss of hydraulics.

My muscles tensed as a solitary figure emerged from the vehicle, his movements casual and unhurried. He strode, heading for the gates, and reached into his pocket for what I assumed were the keys.

I glanced at Cleo, a silent question in my eyes.

She nodded, her jaw set. ‘Go. I’ll cover you.’

Without hesitation, I eased open the SUV door and leaped out, my feet hitting the ground with a soft thud.

With a Sig in each hand, I darted across the road, my heart pounding in my ears as I closed the distance between myself and the unsuspecting guard.

Halfway there, a flicker of movement caught my eye.

I’d been tagged.

Two other figures burst from the truck, weapons drawn, their faces contorted with rage. They’d spotted me, and they were out for blood.

I fired in rapid succession, my gun bucking in my hands as I squeezed off shot after shot. Gunfire shattered the morning stillness, echoing off the surrounding trees.

The first man went down, a bullet catching him square in the chest. He crumpled to the ground, his weapon clattering uselessly beside him.

The second man took a hit to the shoulder, spinning him around and sending him sprawling.

‘You’re a dead man!’ the third man at the gate snarled, his eyes blazing with hatred as he fumbled with his firearm, his hands shaking as he attempted to draw a bead on me.

I didn’t bother with a witty retort.

Instead, I let my Sig do the talking. I fired once, twice, and he stumbled back, a look of shock and pain etched on his face.

Blood blossomed on his chest, spreading rapidly as he fell to his knees. He tried to speak, his lips moving, but no words came out. Instead, a crimson spray erupted from his mouth, splattering his feet.

Two more quick shots, and he joined his buddies on the ground, either unconscious or lifeless. I didn’t have time to check which.

I turned to tag Cleo behind me with her rifle, ensuring no one was at my rear. She jerked, her face dark and solemn.

‘We must get rid of them,’ I rasped, advancing toward the fallen men. ‘Roll them into that ditch over there. It won’t hide them for long but’ll buy us some time.’

Together, we worked fast, dragging the bodies to the deep trench on the side of the road and pushing them over the edge.

We found branches to cover the corpses.

It was grim work, but there was no time for sentiment or squeamishness.

‘We have to keep moving, bella,’ I cautioned.

With a nod, I loped to the idling Ram 1500, its robust engine growling like a caged beast. The sleek black exterior gleamed in the morning sun, starkly contrasting the chaos and violence outside.

I swung open the driver’s door and climbed into the massive cabin, the leather seat creaking beneath my weight.

‘Get in,’ I murmured to Cleo, eyes scanning the surrounding area for movement.

She slid into the passenger side, slamming the door behind her. I reached over to make sure she was securely strapped in. The last thing I needed was for her to get hurt if things went sideways.

My gaze snapped to the metal barrier between us and the Conti compound. ‘That Caputo bastard managed to shut it before I took him out.’

I gripped the steering wheel as I pressed down on the accelerator. The truck surged forward, eating up the distance between us and the gate in seconds.

‘Ready?’ I asked Cleo, my rasp tense with an edge.

Her eyes locked on the imposing barrier ahead. I slammed my foot down on the lead, the Ram 1500 roaring to life as we hurtled towards our target.

The impact was jarring, metal crashing against metal, echoing through the air. But the entryway held firm, refusing to yield to our assault.

‘Again,’ Cleo urged, her voice tight with tension.

I threw the car into reverse, the tires shredding the dirt road, peppering the wheel arches with gravel as I backed up for another run.

‘Come on, you bastard,’ I gritted my teeth as I again floored the accelerator.

The truck slammed into the gate with even greater force this time.

The sound of splintering wood and twisting alloy was deafening as the logs gave way and crashed to the ground in a shower of debris.

We ran over the shattered remains and onto the Conti property.

The driveway wound around a curve, the barn emerging into view in the distance.

‘Is that it?’

Cleo leaned forward, squinting at the rapidly approaching structure. ‘It’s the blue one,’ she confirmed. ‘With a big ass B emblazoned on the side. Can’t miss it.’

I nodded, my jaw clenched tight as I pressed down on the accelerator.

‘Mia sola, hold on,’ I warned Cleo, my fingers tightening on the steering wheel. ‘We’re coming in hot.’

With the engine’s final, defiant roar, I slammed my foot down on the throttle, sending the Ram 1500 hurtling towards the barn door like a battering ram.

The impact was bone-jarring, splintering wood and screeching metal filling the air as we smashed through the barrier and into the darkness beyond .

For a moment, the world was chaos, a whirlwind of debris and dust that threatened to engulf us. But then, as fast as it had begun, it was over, the truck skidding to a stop amid a pile of shattered wooden slats and twisted iron.

I blinked, my vision slowly adjusting to the gloom. Beside me, Cleo was already moving, her gun drawn and ready as she scanned the interior of the storehouse for any signs of movement.

I climbed out of the smoking vehicle, my boots crunching on the wreckage-strewn floor as I moved to join Cleo.

Inside, the barn was dark and musty, the air thick with the scent of hay and manure. Shafts of light filtered through the gaps in the wooden slats, casting eerie shadows on the dirt surface.

We moved fast, weapons primed, senses on high alert.

We froze as we came onto an enclosure of plastic sheeting.

Eyes clashed, brows arched.

I stepped forward, pulled aside one of the synthetic screens, and whistled under my breath.

Here was the reason for the Caputos’ secrecy, what they’d gone to such lengths to protect, their dirty little fuckin’ secret.

A freakin lab.

It stretched out in the vast space.

Workbenches lined the walls, each laden with beakers, test tubes, Bunsen burners, and microscopes.

In the center of the room, a series of massive, cylindrical tanks hummed and bubbled, their contents hidden behind a veil of frosted glass.

I reached to touch one of the reservoirs, my fingers hovering just above the transparent surface.

‘Dio,’ Cleo breathed, coming alongside me. ‘They are cooking meth.’

My eyes darted around the room. Bags of innocuous shit were stacked in the corner, waiting to be processed. The scale of the operation was staggering.

Sucking my teeth, I pulled out my phone and began snapping photos, documenting the evidence. We had to move fast before-

A voice cut through the silence like a knife.

‘What the actual fuck?’

CLEO

Alessio’s entire frame locked beside me.

His arm went to me, pulling me behind him as he sauntered out of the makeshift lab.

I followed, heart thudding.

Three men stepped through the mangled fissure we’d punched into the dim-lit barn.

The lead was thin and tall, with a jagged scar twisting down his cheek, distorting his fierce expression.

The second man’s eyes were bloodshot, pupils dilated.

He was twitchy, fingers drumming restlessly against his thigh. Meth, probably.

The last appeared like he’d gone a few rounds with a brick wall and lost. One eye was almost swollen shut, mottled purple and black .

‘If it’s not the three Conti stooges,’ I called out. ‘Why’d y’all miss out on morning mass? Your black souls not good enough for church?’

‘Well, well, look who it is,’ Rocco sneered, his dark eyes glaring at Alessio and me. ‘You the reason we were woken with a fuckin’ bang?’

‘Don’t knock it. It’s our one-off home delivered good morning,’ Alessio drawled.

Rocco glowered, ignoring him, eyes fixed on me. ‘Queen Cleo, scurrying around in our shithole barn like a rat. You could have knocked on the front door, darlin’? We’d have let you in. After all, this will be your forever home with our father.’

As much as I wanted to spit in his ugly, scarred face, we had to play this smart. We were outnumbered and outgunned at the moment.

I glanced at Alessio, who appeared at ease, leaning casually nonchalantly against a stack of hay bales. His calmness reassured me.

‘Your freakish delusions are off the charts, Rocco,’ I said. ‘Downright weird.’

Rocco’s eyes flashed with malice. ‘Funny. I was about to say the same about you, Cleo. Isn’t it weird to be slumming it in barns with some random jackass instead of prepping to be our father’s long-awaited bride? Or did this shithead accompany you to hand yourself into us before our father arrives?’

‘In his and your dreams,’ I stated, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rocco curled his lip at my derision and jerked his chin at Alessio. ‘Who’s this asshole?’

I felt Alessio tense beside me at the insult, but his face remained impassive, that infuriating half-smile still on his lips.

Calm, not reacting one iota to Rocco’s apparent provocation. ‘Didn’t Fabio share?’

Rocco didn’t take well to Alessio’s smirk. He cursed.

The hate in his one good eye was diabolical.

I sliced my eyes to Alessio and jolted at the pure, unadulterated wrath aimed at the Contis. I suppressed a shudder.

Despite his nonchalance, Alessio was after blood, and he didn’t look like he’d have any problem spilling it on the dirt floor of this godforsaken barn.

Alessio shifted, angling his body so he stood in front of me.

Shielding me.

‘Fabio, how’s the the shiner?’ Alessio asked, his timbre rumbling through the open space.

‘Fuck off,’ Fabio snarled, taking a threatening step forward, but Alessio lifted a hand, stopping him.

‘You need to slow your roll,’ Alessio rasped. ‘Before I give you a matching set.’

The Conti brothers exchanged glances, scowled, and kept coming.

Alessio raised a chin. ‘I suggest you three clowns walk away now. While you still can.’

Rocco growled. ‘Handover our father’s bride-to-be, and we’ll let you live.’

‘Cleo’s under my protection now. You want her, you go through me.’

Alessio’s voice was timbred, dangerous. It sent a shiver down my spine.

Rocco’s gaze flicked to Alessio, sizing him up with narrowed eyes. ‘Who the fuck are you, pretty boy for real?’ he sneered. ‘ Her guard dog?’

Alessio’s lips curled into a cold smile. ‘No one important, just the man who’s about to jack your shit up and make sure your father, yourself, and your brothers pay for your freakin’ arrogance.’

‘‘Is that right?’ Fabio stepped forward, fists clenched. ‘You threatening us, asshole?’

Alessio didn’t even spare him a glance. His eyes stayed locked on Rocco’s. ‘Not a threat. A promise.’

Rocco’s hand twitched towards the gun at his waist. ‘You’ve got balls, fuck boy, I’ll give you that. But you’re making a huge mistake, siding with this lying bitch.’

Alessio’s smile widened, but there was no humor in it. ‘The only error here was you thinking you could mess with Cleo and get away with it. Now, you’ve got two choices. Walk away now, or get ready for a world of pain.’

The trio exchanged glances, smirked, and rushed in.

Alessio moved so fast for a man his size.

He reached for a hoe idling on the barn wall as he did.

He swung.

So swift that none of the brothers had the chance to reach for their weapons.

Rocco went down with a roar and cry of agony.

Fabio followed, reeling into the dirt and hay strands on the ground.

Bruno tried to lunge at me and scratched at me, trying to slap me.

I launched into a roundhouse kick that threw him into the air and against a post, winding him.

It went down with such rapid fervor that it was all blurry until I realized Alessio and I had the upper hand .

Breathing hard, I moved in a hurry to secure them.

Using some loose ropes on the wall, I tied up Bruno and Fabio, then tracked to Alessio’s side just as he placed the sharp edge of the hoe on the groin of a moaning Rocco.

‘You’re cutting off his balls?’ I murmured.

‘No, yet, cara. If I lean on them, I will.’

Alessio turned to the gasping man beneath him, who was struggling not to writhe in pain lest he lose his crown jewels. ‘When’s your father expected, shithole?

‘He’s not here presently.’

‘That’s not the answer I was looking for, Captain Obvious. When does he arrive?’

Rocco spat at Alessio’s feet. ‘Any time this week. What do you want with him?’

‘What do I want? Well, now that you asked, I want a getaway on the beach with my woman, it’s the shit. Plus, the latest edition of the bestseller, ‘How To Live With A Huge Penis.’ Perhaps a free pass to rip you and all your clan apart if you decide to come after my woman again.’

Rocco groaned. ‘Fuck you. You’ll need to watch your back because we’ll be drilling bullets into it.’

‘Will you now?’ Alessio growled.

With no warning, he crouched and threw a lightning punch at Rocco’s visage.

‘You broke my fucking nose!’ the eldest Conti screamed, clutching his face.

‘Only your nose? How about I get your whole fuckin’ face for you?’

Alessio landed another blow, and Rocco’s head whipped.

He lay keening, howling on the ground for a moment before blacking out .

I stared at my freakish superhero lover as he surged from his crouch. He canted away from me, and returned the hoe to its place on the wall, calm as fuck.

Maybe, just maybe, with him by my side, we had a shot at getting out of this mess after all.