Page 23 of And Twice as Twisted (Agostino Crime Family #4)

APOLLO DELUCA

F ucking Gio.

Everyone said she was taken, but was she really? I scrutinized her behavior, mannerisms, and words on repeat in my head. She was known to make rash decisions but she’d never turn her back on her family.

Would she?

Rocco had eyes on her and the Agostinos were rallying to retrieve her.

A damn fortress lay ahead, situated in an open field.

It would take stealth to advance unnoticed.

But the closer we got, the less I gave a damn about veiling our approach.

The car had barely stopped when I darted out.

The house might as well have been painted red, taunting a bull that charged through the open perimeter.

I ran with untroubled, solid steps towards the men that begged for their demise.

The perilous fight inside my head finally calmed.

The fog settled and I could see clearly.

I’d felt like I was unraveling in the deepest bowels of my being.

Yet, as I stared at the house in the distance, I was removed from it all.

Gun in hand. Calm and steady. They were all dead.

I ignored the hail of bullets as I kept moving.

Gunshots erupted in every direction. None of it resonated as my boot went through the front door.

Long gone were my pristine suits and designer shoes, opting for tactical gear instead as I intended to rain hell down upon them.

I’d end this once and for all. Il mietitore kicked in their door, the blade narrowly missing a knife meant for my heart.

Doctors claimed that the human brain switches to “autopilot,” enabling you to continue with tasks quickly and accurately without a conscious thought. This meant that our neurons were continuously active, even when we were lost in the moment.

I scoured the living room, then moved into the kitchen and turned down a hallway. I reared back, pain erupting in my chest. Lucky grabbed my arm and dragged me around a corner, tugging my shirt open.

“I told you to fucking wait, goddamn it.” He sighed and shook his head. “It’s in the vest. You’re good.”

“Where’s Al?” I hissed.

Lucky glanced down the corridor. “ Oh, merda! ” He pointed to where Al lay on his side, unmoving. “ Fanculo questi codardo!” Lucky signaled, and we both stepped into the hall, pulling the trigger at anything that moved.

“I’m okay,” Al grunted when I got to him. “Bastard kicked me in the balls.” He wheezed and Lucky chuckled. “Get down!” Al shouted, but it was too late.

The teres minor muscle in my back erupted in pain, the bullet lodged somewhere between that and the teres major. It stung like a bitch but if I watched the blood loss, it wouldn’t kill me. I rolled sideways and shot the bastard right between his eyes.

“Fuck!” Sienna’s shout pulled us in her direction.

“We need a plan,” Lucky said, tugging Al to his feet.

“I have one.” I lifted my foot and slammed it through the door. My upper body jolted to the left and I dove behind a bed, scanning the room before I went down.

Sienna was holding a gun to Gio, his realization morphing into pure loathing as he stared into her barrel. Which was pointed at his chest, her face a stone wall. Devoid of emotion.

“Fuck you, Gio. You hate my brother but you’re just like him.” Her aim was sure and her hand never wavered. “This empire you’ve built disgusts me. All those poor women,” she scoffed, snarling in his direction. “I got you now, bitch.” She tapped the pendant around her neck.

Gio chuckled humorlessly. “Daddy raised a submissive little whore.” He shook his head but leaned forward to whisper, “So. Fucking. Disappointing.”

One moment she stood confident; the next she was pinned to his chest, struggling against his hold.

“Look who it is! Her faithful brother and his leashed psychopath,” Gio taunted. “Come in, Lucky. Stand up, Apollo.”

“Let her go.” Lucky stepped into the room, his gun raised and at the ready.

“Why?” Gio looked back and forth between us. “She’s mine .”

The growl that erupted from my chest threatened to shatter the windows. I rushed forward and Gio moved fast to position Sienna between us, the hot end of his barrel at her temple. Halting my attack. He smiled, knowing he had the upper hand.

“Enough games, Gio. What do you want?” Lucky moved to the side as Al stepped in, two more guns raised.

“Her. I want her.” He sounded incredulous, annoyed that we didn’t know. “And everything that is being handed to you.” He waved his gun around the room.

“Gio, please.” Her voice was soft, broken.

His hands were all over her, touching what didn’t belong to him. He attempted to stake a claim, but his ownership was a farce, downright entertaining. I was done with all the games, knowing she deserved better. She deserved better than both of us, but between the two, I was the one taking her home.

“I assure you she’s leaving with us.”

Her eyes went large, filling with a degree of hope and longing, before she quickly masked it with indifference.

I took a deep breath, lifted my arm, and fired.

The bullet missed its intended spot in his chest cavity, but the spray of blood from his shoulder still appeased a part of my shattered soul.

I reached out for Sienna, tugging her behind me as Lucky and Al darted for him, his fleeing form throttling through the window a moment later.

“Sienna!” Mario came running into the room, pulling his daughter from me. Her chin wobbled and I was unsure if the tears were out of remorse or agitation.

“Let’s go.” I grabbed her arm, and when she fought me, I threw her over my shoulder.

“What the hell, Apollo?” Mario questioned as Sienna asked, “What the fuck?”

She smacked and clawed at my back, her nails digging into the skin.

My wounds ached with each step, but I didn’t falter as I followed Al and Lucky out the door.

Then I set her to her feet, holding her in place by raising her arm awkwardly into the air.

“It’s clear she cannot be trusted with the enemy.

She has a bullseye painted across her back and has made it clear she will run to him.

The compound will jeopardize the entire family and the apartment has proven to be a target. ”

“Screw you. You don’t know shit, you fucking asshole.” Her words held little power as she fought against my hold. “Let. Go.”

I dropped her arm and tugged her directly in front of me. “Secret trips to the jail. Secret phone calls. So. Many. Secrets. Was that call from Gio? Arranging to pick you up?”

“Fuck. You.” Her blue eyes turned a deeper shade of navy.

“You already have. Has he ?” I whispered into her ear, enjoying the way she bucked against me. “You’re on a suicide mission and it could’ve been prevented if you’d behaved.”

“He’s right, Sienna.” Her neck snapped to look at her brother. “Did you think we wouldn’t learn about the private visits to see him in jail? The phone calls when he got out? His little gift of roses?”

“I told Daddy! I didn’t hide anything!” Her sharp, panting breaths did little to calm her nerves. “Let me go! Christ! Lucky, this isn’t my fault.”

“He all but gave you a blood oath. Promising he’d come back for you. I won’t have you putting Bella at risk.” Lucky nodded at me.

“I’m taking her away.” I turned on my heel, dragging Sienna along with me while ignoring her cries. “Once we confirm he’s out of the city, we’ll come back.”

When she wouldn’t cooperate, I tossed her over my shoulder again. I wasn’t going to let anyone touch her. The only person who could tarnish that perfect olive skin was me.

She bent her knee and arched her spine, forcing me to tighten my hold. Until a spiked heel was jammed into my shoulder, just above the bullet hole. And I immediately let go, watching as her shoe flew from her hand, and caught her right before she hit the ground.

“Enough!” But, of course, she didn’t listen. “I’ll call you.”

“Fuck you! Let me go!” Sienna demanded, thrashing from side to side. “Someone stop him!” Her cries were ignored as her family all turned their backs on her.

Mario was the only one to step forward, glaring at his daughter for a moment. Then his eyes softened, he kissed her forehead, and he disappeared.

Her fight didn’t extinguish, leaving me with no choice.

I slammed the lid to the trunk closed on her continuous tirade.

Climbing behind the wheel, I waited as the car came to life, but I couldn’t put it into gear.

The desperation in her pleas grated under my skin, forcing me to consider removing her.

And then the despondency was gone.

“You motherfucker! Let me the fuck out of here!” Her struggle turned antagonistic as she hammered her fists into the roof of the trunk. “I swear to God, Apollo, I am going to kick your ass.”

As the car idled, I could hear the undeniable sound of glass breaking. Her kicking continued until the entire taillight was smashed to bits.

“You infuriating little bitch!” I ripped open my door, taking the zip ties out from under the seat, and unlocked the trunk.

I clutched the lid between my hands, attempting to rein in my rage, more than acutely aware of what I needed to do next.

I opened it slowly, expecting an attack, not the tears, her delicate body heaving with the motion.

I sighed, staring at the sky to appease the chagrin ripping through my system.

But as suddenly as the waterworks had appeared, they were gone as she lifted a leg and her knee connected with my face.

My nasal bone and orbital plate took the impact, forcing spasms of pain to erupt behind the eye.

I sniffed back the blood trickling down my face while pinning Sienna in place with the one hand, as she fought like a wild cat.

“ Piccola puttana!” I gripped her neck, squeezing tight and ripping her from the trunk. “ Dannazione.”

“Fuck you!” She shrieked so loudly anyone within a two-mile radius would’ve heard her. “ Non taccarmi, maiale! ”