Chapter 94
Angelo was so disappointed in his men. His heart sank as he stared at the chaos his men had allowed to happen in his absence.
He had left to save Dominic, only to return and find Klaus and Eva tearing everything apart.
Before he could make sense of the situation, Klaus ambushed him, holding Elena hostage to force his surrender. She stood there, her face pale, her arms pinned behind her by one of Klaus’s men. Angelo’s blood boiled at the sight, but he knew he couldn’t risk Elena’s life.
“Angelo,” Klaus had said with a wicked grin, “be smart for once. Surrender, or you’ll watch her suffer.”
Angelo had no choice as he raised his hands in defeat, he allowed Klaus’s men to drag him forward. The sharp blow to the back of his neck came faster than he could react.
The world went black.
*****
Angelo’s mind wandered as he stirred back into consciousness. The last thing he remembered was Klaus’s men dragging him away, the sting of a blow to the back of his neck knocking him out cold. And now, his head ached, and his senses were flooded with panic.
He tried to move, but his hands had been bound tightly behind him, his legs too were strapped to the chair in which he was sitting.
His eyes looked around the dimly lit warehouse. He found Dominic and Elena both unconscious, tied up beside him. Elena’s face was pale, her body almost lifeless in the chair. Dominic lay on the other side, looking like a dead man.
Angelo’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at her-she wasn’t waking up and so panic gripped him. He couldn’t let her die like this. He began to struggle against the ropes, gritting his teeth as he fought to free himself but they were too tight.
Next was the sound of shouting from a corner of the room which caught his attention. His eyes shot up to see Eva and Klaue having a heated argument. He tried to focus, his ears straining through the pain he was feeling to catch their words.
“You lied to me!” Eva screamed, her voice laced with anger. “You used me! I was nothing but a pawn in your game.”
Klaus sneered at her, “You think you were anything more? You were always just a tool, Eva. Get used to that! ”
Eva shook her head, her face filled with disbelief. “You said you’d get rid of Elena for me! That’s what you promised! But now I see you’ve been playing me all along!”
Klaus chuckled darkly with cold eyes. “You think I care about what you want? This was never about you, Eva.”
Angelo blinked, confused, trying to process what he was hearing. He barely registered the pain in his head as he focused on their words.
Was this really happening? Was Eva really betraying him like this? He had trusted her, believed in her.
But now, he saw the truth. She had been nothing but a deceiver.
He scoffed in disbelief. “Eva?”
Eva froze, her eyes trying not to meet his. Regret flashed across her face before she quickly looked away, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he was there.
“Eva,” Angelo called again, louder this time, trying to get her attention. “What have you done?”
Eva didn’t answer, instead, she turned her back on him, while Klaus’s mocking laughter echoed around the room.
Klaus motioned to his men. “Take her away. I’ll deal with her later. She’s no longer useful.” he said, referring to Eva.
As his men dragged Eva out of the room, Angelo’s heart ached for her. She had betrayed him, but what hurt most was how easily she had sold him off. He just couldn’t believe it.
Klaus slowly walked toward him, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the large empty space. He stopped in front of Angelo and slowly began to clap his hands, each clap echoing in the silence.
“Who has the power now, Angelo?” Klaus asked, his voice laced with malice.
Angelo didn’t respond. His eyes were focused on Dominic and Elena, his mind calculating a way to escape, to save them both. He refused to let Klaus win.
Klaus’s face twisted with rage as he noticed that Angelo was ignoring him. He stormed over to Elena, who was still barely conscious, and slapped her hard across the face.
Angelo’s stomach churned at the sight, his breath catching in his chest. He could hear Elena’s pained gasp, and his heart sank.
“Don’t you touch her!” He yelled, struggling in his chair, but the ropes held him back.
Klaus then turned to face Angelo with a wicked grin.
“When I ask you a question, you fucking respond!” he barked. His voice was cold and threatening. “Your life is in my hands now. Don’t you get it?”
Angelo’s eyes softened as he glanced at Elena. He could see that she was okay and for a moment, his anger was replaced with his love for her. He couldn’t let Klaus hurt her anymore.
But Klaus wasn’t done yet. He grabbed Angelo by the collar, yanking him forward before landing a heavy punch to his face. Angelo’s vision blurred for a second, blood spilling from his lip, but he didn’t give Klaus the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He gritted his teeth, refusing to show weakness.
Another punch landed, followed by a second. Klaus didn’t stop. His fist hut Angelo’s face again and again, each hit harder than the last. Angelo’s head began to spin, but he didn’t let go of the thought of Elena. He couldn’t afford to lose consciousness. Not now.
Klaus laughed, a wicked sound that angered Angelo. “I’ve wanted to do that all my life,” he said between breaths, stepping back. Angelo tasted blood in his mouth, the pain in his face almost too much to bear.
Angelo growled, spitting blood onto Klaus’s shirt. “You’re nothing but a coward.” He spat and Klaus laughed again.
“I’ll be back, Angelo. Don’t be hasty to die, okay?” he said, as he walked out of the room, leaving Angelo gasping for breath.
Angelo’s mind raced as he processed what had just happened. His face was swollen, bloodied, and his body ached, but his thoughts weren’t on the pain. They were on how to get out. How to get Elena and Dominic out of here alive.
Meanwhile, outside, someone was pacing around in fear and guilt.
The snitch!
The one who had betrayed Angelo. He felt guilt, heavy in his chest. He had betrayed a man who had given him everything. Angelo had trusted him, and he had failed him. But the time for regret had passed.
He knew what he had to do.
He snuck through the building, avoiding Klaus’s men, and made his way to the kitchen.
He had a plan, a very risky one, but it was their only chance. He grabbed the bread from the counter, his hands shaking as he injected sleeping pills into each loaf. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough to put Klaus and his men out for a while.
When he was through, he walked into the room where Klaus’s men were resting and offered the bread, making sure to pass it to everyone, including Eva, who was locked in a nearby room. As the last of them took a bite, he slipped away and waited, his heart racing.
In a few minutes, they were out cold.
It was time to save Angelo.
Back in the warehouse, Angelo sat silently, waiting for the moment to come. His eyes kept going to Dominic and Elena, checking on them every few minutes to make sure they were okay.
When the snitch finally returned, he wasted no time. He cut the ropes binding Angelo’s hands and legs.
“Angelo, I’m sorry. For everything,” the snitch whispered, his voice trembling. “I had to make it right. Klaus and his men will be out in a few hours. You’ve got time.”
Angelo stood slowly, his legs unsteady as the blood returned to his limbs.
“You should’ve thought about that before you betrayed me.”
“I know,” the snitch replied, his face full of regret. “But I can’t live with the guilt anymore. I’ll leave with my family. You won’t see me again.”
Angelo didn’t answer right away. He was still angry, but there was no time for grudges. Not now. “You’ve done enough. I won’t forget this.”
The snitch nodded, looking relieved. “Just… don’t let them win. You’re in charge again.”
Angelo turned, looking at Dominic and Elena. They were still out, but he could see the faintest signs of life, and knew he had to move fast.