Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

J enna

The cold night air bit into my skin as Ricci's men led me and Vincenzo out of the warehouse. They shoved us toward a dark van parked nearby. I wanted to run, but when Vincenzo cleared his throat and shook his head, I stayed by his side.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands were clammy. I met Vincenzo's eyes, and his gaze was warm.

At least he was still with me.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured, the sound of his voice soothing to me despite the danger we were in. "Stay close to me. I'll keep you safe," he whispered.

"Shut up!" Ricci's voice cut through the night, sharp and menacing. He marched over, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Save your sweet nothings for later."

We were pushed into the back of the cargo van, the metal floor cold and unforgiving beneath my knees. The door slammed shut behind us, plunging us into darkness. I could feel Vincenzo's presence beside me, his breath warm against my cheek.

"Jenna," he whispered, his voice low and urgent. "No matter what happens, stay strong. We'll get through this."

I nodded, though he probably couldn't see it.

"I trust you," I whispered back, my voice trembling but resolute. I would be strong, not just for me, but for him.

The engine roared to life, and the van lurched forward. I could feel the vibrations through the floor, each jarring jolt sending a fresh wave of fear through me. Ricci's men were silent, the only sounds the hum of the engine and the occasional murmur in the front from Ricci or someone else. I didn't pay them any mind.

Instead, I leaned against Vincenzo, his chest warm against my back and I sighed a little in relief. He shifted slightly, positioning himself between me and the door as if to shield me from whatever was coming.

"We'll find a way out," he promised, his voice a quiet anchor in the storm.

"Enough!" Ricci snapped from the front of the van. "You're not getting out of this, Vincenzo. Save your breath."

The van accelerated, and I didn't know where we were going. I tried to focus on the rhythm of Vincenzo's breathing, using it to calm the racing beat of my heart. Despite all of Ricci's threats, I had to believe we would find a way to escape.

We had to.

Minutes felt like hours as the van sped through the night. I closed my eyes, clinging to the hope that somehow, we would make it through this.

Suddenly, the van veered sharply to the left, and I could hear the distinct rumble of motorcycles behind us. My heart leaped into my throat.

What the…?

The van swerved again, and I was thrown against Vincenzo.

"Hold on," he whispered, his voice tense. "Something's going down."

As the van accelerated, the roar of the motorcycles grew louder, the sound filling the air with a sense of impending doom. The van jerked violently, and I could hear shouting from the front. The bikers were closing in, their engines roaring around us like a pack of wild animals.

"What's going on?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

"It's an ambush," Vincenzo muttered, but I noticed a slight smile on his face.

Wait. What was going on?

The van careened around a corner, the tires screeching as it struggled to maintain control. I leaned against Vincenzo, my heart pounding in my chest.

The van hit a bump, sending us both sprawling to the floor.

"Stay down," Vincenzo ordered, his voice tight with urgency.

The van swerved again, and I could hear the unmistakable sound of gunfire. The back windows shattered, and I ducked, covering my head as glass rained down around us.

The van lurched to a sudden stop, and I was thrown forward, my head slamming into the cold metal wall. Dazed and disoriented, I struggled to sit up. The door to the van was flung open, and I was momentarily blinded by the harsh glare of headlights.

What the fuck was happening?

"Get out!" someone barked, and we staggered to our feet.

I stumbled out, my eyes adjusting to the bright lights, my legs weak and unsteady. In front of me was an intimidating group of bikers, their leather jackets covered with colorful patches and insignias. They looked like something out of a nightmare, their faces hard and cold, their dark eyes glinting from the soft glow of their headlights. My heart raced in fear.

Who the fuck were these men?

"Move!" one of Ricci's men shouted, dragging me and Vincenzo out of the van.

As my eyes adjusted further, I spotted a familiar face leading the group.

It was Tony.

Relief flooded through me, but my fear remained. What was happening? Who were these guys and why were they with Tony?

"Ricci," Tony called out, his voice steady but filled with underlying menace. "This ends now."

Ricci's smile was cold and harsh. "You think you can take me on? With this ragtag bunch? Fat chance, motherfucker."

Tony's gaze hardened. "These ‘ragtag' men are former Navy SEALs and they're with me. Plus, you're outnumbered. By a long shot."

I looked around, seeing that he was right.

For several moments, the tension radiated between the two groups. Then one of Ricci's men lunged forward and utter chaos erupted in a matter of seconds.

Vincenzo pulled me to the side, shielding me as the fight raged around us.

"Stay close," he ordered, his eyes scanning the chaos for any threat.

Like a battle right out of Game of Thrones , both sides charged at one another. For a moment, I stood there in awe, watching as the fight began. The bikers moved with the practiced efficiency of a well-matched unit, coordinating seamlessly despite all of the mayhem.

The two of us stood there for a second until a biker with a mohawk and tattoos lining his arm ran up to us. At first, I flinched, not knowing what to expect.

"Shh. It's alright. We're with you," he said, his voice gruff as he flipped open a switchblade.

"It's alright, Jenna." Vincenzo nodded in my direction as the man moved behind us, swiftly cutting the bindings on our wrists.

"Thank you," I said a bit breathlessly.

"Get ready to fight," the man grunted, and Vincenzo grabbed my arm and tugged me close. The man that had given us our freedom ran off, diving back into the fight.

A gunshot rang out, the sound so close that my ears rang. One of Ricci's men fell, clutching his shoulder. The bikers pressed the advantage, their sheer force overwhelming Ricci's men.

But Ricci wasn't going down without a fight. He grabbed a gun from one of his fallen men and aimed it at me.

"Jenna, get down!" Vincenzo shouted, shoving me to the ground just as a shot fired.

The bullet missed, but the near miss left my heart racing. I scrambled to my feet, determined not to be a liability. Just as I stood, another of Ricci's men lunged at me. Vincenzo intercepted him, delivering a sharp punch to the man's jaw, followed by a swift kick that sent him sprawling to the ground.

The man recovered quickly, pulling out a knife and slashing at Vincenzo. Vincenzo dodged, grabbing the man's wrist, and twisting it until the knife clattered to the ground. He delivered a series of rapid punches, each one landing with a sickening thud to the sides of his head. The attacker fell back, blood streaming from his nose and mouth as his head bounced against the pavement.

He didn't get back up again.

Vincenzo turned to me, his eyes fierce.

"Let's go!" he said, grabbing my hand and guiding me toward the bikers. We rushed behind them as they came together, taking a stand as a single unit.

It was then that I noticed that they were all armed. Each biker held a semi-automatic machine gun in their clutches, and they were pointing it directly at Ricci and his men. I took a step back behind Vincenzo, watching as the tension between both groups rose to the breaking point.

I swallowed hard, my nerves reaching a fever pitch.

"Give it up, Ricci!" Tony demanded, his voice unwavering. "You're outnumbered and outgunned."

Ricci's sneer faltered, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"You think that this changes anything?" Ricci growled.

Vincenzo stepped forward, his grip on my hand reassuring. "It changes everything," he said, his voice cold and final.

Ricci glanced around, scanning each one of the bikers. For a moment, his eyes met mine, and I saw the desperate calculation flickering there. With a growl of frustration, he raised his weapon, and all hell broke loose.

Tony's men opened fire, the roar of their semi-automatic weapons filling the night. Bullets tore through the air, the sharp staccato of gunfire blending with the shouts and cries of Ricci's men.

Ricci's men returned fire, and the bikers scattered, taking cover behind their motorcycles. I crouched low behind a bike, my heart pounding in my chest as the battle raged on all around me. The barrels of the guns flashed bright in the night, and the acrid scent of gunpowder burned in my nose.

Tony moved like a force of nature, his weapon blazing as he took down one of Ricci's men. A bullet whizzed past his head, but he didn't even flinch, his focus cold and unwavering. He was like a machine.

Vincenzo pulled me behind him, shielding me from the worst of the gunfire.

"Stay down!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the noise of gunfire.

I nodded, my hands shaking as I clung to him. I peeked over his shoulder, my breath catching as I saw the sheer ferocity of the fight. Ricci's men were relentless, but they were no match for the bikers' coordinated assault.

The biker with the mohawk and tattoos lining his arms charged forward, taking out two of Ricci's men like it was the simplest thing in the world. He ducked behind a motorcycle, reloading his weapon with practiced ease. Another biker, a woman with bright red hair and a fierce snarl, took aim from the back, her bullets finding their marks with deadly accuracy.

It was terrifying, really. I was glad they were on our side and not on Ricci's.

Just as I thought the tide was turning in our favor, Ricci sprinted toward me, grabbed a fallen rifle, and aimed it at me, his eyes blazing with hatred. My heart stopped, and I braced myself for the worst.

At this distance, there wasn't a chance in hell that he would miss.

Without skipping a beat, Vincenzo lunged at Ricci, tackling him to the ground. They rolled across the dirt, each trying to gain the upper hand. Ricci swung the rifle like a club, but Vincenzo blocked the blow, delivering a sharp punch to Ricci's jaw before he could hit him.

The impact sent Ricci reeling, and Vincenzo seized the opportunity. He grabbed the rifle, wrenching it from Ricci's grasp and tossing it aside somewhere into the woods. Ricci scrambled to his feet, drawing a knife from his boot. He slashed at Vincenzo, but Vincenzo dodged, the blade only grazing his arm instead of slicing open his torso.

Vincenzo retaliated with a series of rapid punches, each one landing with a sickening thud. Ricci staggered back, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. With a final, powerful blow, Vincenzo sent Ricci crashing to the ground.

The fight around us raged on, but I barely noticed, my eyes locked on Vincenzo as he stood over Ricci. He grabbed Ricci by the collar, hauling him to his feet.

"It's over, Ricci," Vincenzo growled, his voice low and deadly.

Ricci spat blood, his sneer faltering. "You think you've won?"

"I think you need to know when to stay down," Vincenzo growled, and he threw him to the ground. He didn't get back up.

"What do you want me to do, boss?" Tony asked, stepping forward, his eyes hard and unyielding.

"Bind him up," Vincenzo ordered.

One of the bikers, with a shaved head and scarred face, stepped forward, a length of rope in his hands. He moved quickly, tying Ricci's hands behind his back before he could make a break for it. Ricci struggled briefly, but a swift punch to the face from the biker left him groaning and compliant.

Vincenzo and Tony stepped aside, their heads close together as they spoke in low tones. I watched, my heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight. Despite the victory, I could see the tension in Vincenzo's shoulders, the worry in his eyes.

This was far from over.

"We can't go to the FBI, at least not right now," Vincenzo said, his voice firm. "If we do, we'll have every lowlife and rival coming after us for being a snitch. I need to re-establish my power, show the world that I'm not some has-been that they can mess with."

Tony nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. We need to send a message. But how?"

Vincenzo glanced at Tony's men, the tough, battle-hardened bikers who had fought so fiercely by our side.

"Your guys," Vincenzo said. "They're Navy SEALs, right? No mafia connections, just soldiers turned bikers."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, they're tough as nails and as loyal as they come."

Vincenzo's lips curled into a cold smile. "I'll pay them a boatload of money to kill Ricci. Make it big, make it loud. I want everyone to know that I'm still the badass they fear. I want to take him out in the most over-the-top way possible."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You sure about this?"

"Positive," Vincenzo replied. "We're going to make a statement."

Tony called over his men, explaining the plan in terse, efficient sentences. The bikers' eyes lit up with anticipation, their grins savage. They were more than ready for the job.

Vincenzo turned to me, his expression softening slightly as he took my hand in his.

"This is going to get messy," he said softly.

I nodded, my heart pounding.

The bikers quickly got to work, securing Ricci, and loading him into one of the nearby cars. Vincenzo and Tony exchanged a final look before Vincenzo took a step forward.

Vincenzo stood tall, his gaze cold and unyielding as he addressed Ricci. "You thought you could take me down. You thought wrong," he called out.

Ricci's eyes were wide with fear, his bravado crumbling in the face of Vincenzo's fury.

"You're making a mistake," he stammered. "This won't end well for you," he warned, but his voice was shaking.

Vincenzo's smile was deadly. "It ends here, Ricci. And it ends with you."

Tony signaled his men, and the bikers moved into position.

"Finish it," Vincenzo commanded, and Tony raised his hand into the air.

The gang of bikers opened fire, their semi-automatic weapons blazing in the night. The sound was deafening, bullets tearing through the air, shredding the car and everything in it.

Ricci's screams were lost in the roar of gunfire, but I was glad I didn't hear them.

The bikers didn't stop until their clips were empty, the air thick with the bitter scent of gunpowder. One of them, the biker with the mohawk, pulled out a rocket launcher from God knows where, and aimed it at the car. With a whoosh, the rocket flew, hitting its target and exploding in a ball of fire and shrapnel.

The aftermath was devastating. The car was a twisted wreck, flames licking at the debris. There would be almost nothing left of Ricci by the time it burned down.

Vincenzo stood tall, his expression resolute. He turned to his men, his voice carrying over the crackling flames. "Let this be a message to anyone who thinks they can cross us. We are untouchable. We are unstoppable."

The bikers cheered, their faces alight with savage triumph as any of Ricci's men left alive ran off into the darkness of the woods. Tony clapped Vincenzo on the back, his grin fierce.

"You did it, boss. You showed them," Tony cheered.

Vincenzo nodded, his gaze turning to me. He took my hand, his grip firm and reassuring.

"Let's go home, Jenna."