21. Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Daniella

Maria and I freeze, the sound of the gunshot echoing around us. My heart races, fear and adrenaline pumping through my veins.

That first gunshot is followed by what sounds like a thousand others in rapid succession. The screams increase as well and I feel like throwing up.

“Massimo,” Maria says with a foreboding that makes my skin crawl.

“Oh my God, are those—"

"We need to stay hidden," Maria whispers urgently, pulling me further into the room.

"I can’t just stay in here while people are dying out there," I protest, my voice shaking. "We need to call for help."

Maria shakes her head, her face pale. "My phone is dead. And yours?"

"It's in my bag, in the main room," I say, realization dawning on me. "We need to get it."

"That's too dangerous," Maria says, her eyes wide with fear.

“We can’t just sit here and do nothing. People are dying out there.”

“Daniella, listen to me. If you go out there and something happens to you, Lorenzo is going to make it rain fire and brimstone on everyone.”

I open my mouth to protest that he won’t, he doesn’t even care about me like that. But she shushes me.

“Please.”

"We don't have a choice," I reply, my voice firm despite the fear coursing through me. "We need to get help."

We move cautiously, opening the door a crack to peer out. The hallway is eerily quiet, but the tension in the air is palpable. We slip out of the room, moving as quietly as possible toward the main hall.

As we turn a corner, a man steps into our path, a sinister smile on his face. He raises a gun, aiming it directly at us. My heart stops, I gasp instinctively and step in front of Maria.

"Looks like I found a couple of strays," he sneers, his finger tightening on the trigger.

“Please, we don’t want any trouble,” I say, taking a step back.

“You’re Lorenzo’s girl, aren’t you? I’ve seen you around a bunch.”

He licks his lips as he stares down at me.

“Pretty little thing too. Bet you’ll look even better riding my dick.”

Maria gasps behind me and I grab her hand.

“In your dreams, motherfucker.”

This seems to be the wrong thing to say because his leering smile transforms into an ugly frown.

“Bitches like you need a bullet in them to act right.”

He raises the gun to my head and…this is it. This must be the end. I refuse to close my eyes though. If the asshole is going to kill me, then he has to look me in the eye while he does.

The gunshot rings out, but I feel no pain, and then I realize that there’s a gaping hole in his forehead that wasn’t there before. I gasp as blood oozes out, and he crumples to the ground.

Standing behind him, gun in hand, is Renee.

I stare at her, shock and confusion warring in my mind. "Renee?" The gun in her hand is still smoking from the shot fired. She is not smiling.

Her being here right now, her holding this gun with which she just saved my life makes no sense.

“What is happening right now?”

"There's no time to explain," she says, her voice steady and authoritative. She motions for us to follow her. "Come on."

Maria steps out from behind me, and to my surprise, she bows slightly to Renee. This only adds to my confusion, but there’s no time to process it.

"We need to get you both back to the saferoom," Renee says, leading us through the chaos. "Stay low and stay quiet."

We navigate through the club, ducking behind furniture and slipping through shadows. The sound of gunfire and shouting fills the air. Renee moves with a calm precision that’s both reassuring and unsettling.

Finally, we reach the room we had been hiding in. But I grab her hand before she can disappear.

“What are you doing here, who…”

“Dani, honey, I would love to stay and chat, but there’s people out there who want you and I dead. I have to go kill them first. We can get drinks after.”

She says all of this like it’s a joke, but there’s a somber look in her eyes. Renee ushers us inside and locks the door.

"I’ll explain everything later," she says through the door, her voice urgent. "Stay here, and don’t come out until I get you."

With that, she leaves. I turn to Maria, my mind reeling.

"What the hell just happened?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

"I don’t know," Maria replies, equally shaken. "But it seems like Lorenzo’s sister just saved both our lives."

I stumble back with the shock.

“No, that’s not Lorenzo’s sister. She’s Renee, my friend. She…” I trail off and shake my head. Nothing makes any sense anymore.

“She is Signora Renata, but she likes to be called Renee. She’s Lorenzo’s sister and one of the leading forces of the family.”

Except, she can’t be any of that, because she is Renee, she is just Renee.

“What has you so confused?” Maria asks and I scoff.

Confused? More like I’ve just had my world pulled out from beneath my feet, and I’ve been left to sink or swim.

“Everything.”

We sit in silence, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. My mind races with questions.

How on earth is she Lorenzo’s sister? She is supposed to be my friend from work, but I’ve just watched her kill three men without even blinking.

The minutes stretch on, each one filled with tension and fear. I can’t stop thinking about Lorenzo, wondering if he’s safe, if he’s hurt.

The fear for his safety is almost overwhelming, a stark contrast to the confusion and betrayal I feel toward Renee.

I look at Maria, trying to find some semblance of understanding. "Do you think we can trust her?"

Maria hesitates, then nods slowly. "If she’s here then it’s because Lorenzo sent her."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "I hope you're right."

We wait in silence, the sounds of the shootout continuing outside. Each gunshot makes me flinch, the fear for Lorenzo and our own safety weighing heavily on my mind.

As the night drags on, the sounds of the battle gradually die down. The silence that follows is almost more terrifying.

Finally, the door opens, and Renee steps inside, her face grim but still pretty, even with the streaks of blood in her hair and on her jaw.

"It’s over," she says, her voice weary. "We’re safe for now."

I look at her, the questions burning in my mind. "Renee, you’re Lorenzo’s sister?”

She tilts her head and gives me a smile.

“I’m not joking.”

Her smile disappears and she sighs.

“I meant it when I said we have to do this later. The men who aren’t dead have run away with their tails between their legs, but I don’t know if they will be back with reinforcements. I need to get you home.”

She stretches out her hand to touch me, but I flinch and move back.

Renee sighs, running a hand through her hair. "It's a long story, Daniella. And I promise I’ll explain everything. But right now, we need to get you back to the house. It’s the safest place for you."

She helps us to our feet and we prepare to leave. Lorenzo shows up all of a sudden. He comes in and hugs me. I’m overwhelmed and everything becomes a blur. He helps us make our way out of the club. The aftermath of the shootout is evident, with broken furniture and shattered glass scattered everywhere.

My heart aches at the destruction, but I push the feeling aside. There are more pressing matters to deal with.

As we step outside, the cool night air hits me and I take a deep breath, trying to clear my mind.

Renee leads us to a waiting car, and we climb inside. The drive back to the Duretti home is silent, the weight of everything that’s happened hanging heavily in the air.