Enrico
Olivia slowly climbs out of bed.
“Where are you going?” I ask, my eyes flickering to the clock. It’s 2:44 a. m.
“I’m just getting a drink. Be back soon.”
“Do you want me to get it?”
“No, I’m already up. Go back to sleep.” She walks away, and I lie for a moment before I get up and go to the bathroom.
The moon is shining through the side of the curtain. I go over to readjust it, and I look out over the ocean. It’s a full moon tonight, and the blazing white light dances off the water.
It’s breathtaking.
I stare at it for a while, and then I see something moving in the back corner of the yard.
I look down and see Maverick the property dog. He’s lying in a funny position on the grass. I stare at him and as my eyes adjust to the moonlight. I can see that he’s covered in blood. I think he’s been shot.
Fuck.
They’ve found us.
***
Enrico
Adrenaline surges through my body. I rush to my bedside drawers to put a pair of jeans on. I take out two guns, and I tuck one in the back of my waistband.
I walk over to the bedroom door and listen. I can’t hear Olivia. She should be coming back up the stairs by now. I hold the gun in front of me and make my way up the hall before I tiptoe down the stairs.
The lights are off. It’s completely dark.
I know for a fact that Olivia would have turned them on. She hates the dark.
He’s got her already.
My heart hammers hard inside my chest as I creep down the stairs.
I hold the gun up to my chest, and I slink around the corner. The room is dark. I can’t see anything.
What the fuck is going on?
I walk out into the kitchen where the light is on and a glass of water sits on the bench.
She’s been interrupted.
I carefully go to the kitchen drawer and take out the sharpest carving knife I can find. I eye it, watching as the blade glistens in the moonlight.
Adrenaline surges through me, and I look around. “Olivia?” I call. “Where are you, baby?”
Silence…
I continue to creep into the living room.
“Olivia!” I call.
Where the fuck are they?
I clutch my gun with white-knuckle force. I move around another corner, and that’s when I see them in the dark.
My eyes can’t focus properly, so I flick the light on.
Olivia’s scared eyes hold mine. A gun is wedged against her neck. Lombardi is holding it tightly in his grip.
I raise my gun and point it at his head. “Leave her out of this,” I growl. “Your gripe is with me.”
Lombardi gives me a slow, sarcastic smile. “It is.” He jams the gun hard into Olivia’s neck, and she cries out.
“Let her go!” I demand, clutching the gun.
“I don’t think so.” He sneers. It makes me take a step forward. “You’re in my way.” He pulls Olivia’s hair and she screams out in pain. It only makes him smile darkly. “I need you gone, Enrico.”
I readjust the grip on my gun. “Let her go.” I snarl. “Mark my words. You will die tonight, fucker.”
“You’re the one who’s going to die.”
Olivia’s eyes widen as she looks at something to the side of us.
I glance over and see Jennifer and Diego standing behind the wall in the kitchen.
They have their guns drawn. Jennifer points to outside and holds up three fingers.
There are three more of them outside.
Fuck.
I take a step forward, and I take off the safety as I take aim. “What kind of coward kills a woman?”
Lombardi lets out a low, evil laugh. “One that’s bringing a Ferrara out of hiding. It’s called bait, pretty boy.”
“Sophia?” I sneer. “Why did you have to kill her? She had nothing to do with me.”
“Oh, your whore? How sad.” He tsks. “Maybe if you’d done what I said she’d still be alive. You only have yourself to blame.” He presses the gun harder into Olivia’s neck, and she cries out again. “Put the gun down, Ferrara.”
“And Sergio?”
“Ah, my boy Sergio. I didn’t mean to kill him.” He shrugs. “Pity, that.”
Contempt drips from me as I connect the dots. The puzzles finally fall into place. “Why are your drugs on my fucking yacht, Lombardi?” I snarl.
He laughs out loud like a madman. “You don’t think I’m stupid enough to get them delivered to mine, do you?”
I grip the gun impossibly tighter.
“Perfect plan.” He smiles darkly. “Set you up, wait for you to fake your death, and then kill you both for real. The world already thinks you’re dead, Ferrara.” He presses the gun harder and Olivia whimpers. “How can I kill a dead man?”
“Let her go,” I demand.
“Put the gun down and I’ll think about it.”
I know that if I don’t do as he asks, he’s going to shoot her. I also know that he’s got back up outside.
Fuck.
I can’t win this fight while standing here like this. I need to move it along.
I bend and slowly put the gun down in front of me on the floor.
“Get your hands up and kick it over to me,” he orders.
I lift my hands and kick it toward him.
A click sounds from the side as someone else takes aim.
A gunshot rings out.
One of Lombardi’s men falls.
I take this momentary distraction as a cue, and I rush them. I grab Lombardi’s gun and we struggle over it. It fires in the air. I hit him in the head hard, and his grip loosens. I push Olivia out of the way, and she falls to the floor.
“Move!” I yell at her.
The gun is held above his head as we fight over it.
I punch him hard in the face again and again.
I have never hated anyone as much as I hate this man.
I hear another five rounds of gunfire from Jennifer and Diego as Lombardi and I struggle on the floor.
I’m hit across the head with a vase from behind as another man attacks me. Olivia screams, and I momentarily lose focus at the sound of her pained voice.
Lombardi gets up and runs.
I roll onto my stomach and take aim at Lombardi. I fire off a single shot that hits him in the leg just as he disappears out of the door. Then I turn and shoot his other man who is moving over me. Once clear, I jump to my feet, pick Olivia up, and I look in the direction after Lombardi.
Did I hit him? Did I get him?
“Watch her,” I order Jennifer.
Without another thought, I take chase and run out after Lombardi. I can see the trail of blood guiding me closer.
Yes! I got him.
The trail of blood disappears into the nearby forest. I reach around to the back of my pants to find the other gun is gone.
Fuck.