Page 12 of Obsidian Devotion (Empire of Sin & Blood #3)

Lorenzo

I feel the cold metal of a gun barrel press into the back of my skull. Time slows.

My first thought is to protect Sofia and our child.

It's still so unreal.

I'm going to be a father. Me.

The thought both terrifies and exhilarates me.

In our world, family is everything—and now I have one starting right in front of me.

A life is growing inside the woman I've fallen for. My blood. My legacy. The fierce surge of protectiveness that rushes through me is primal, overwhelming.

Even knowing what I now know about her lies, I still want to protect her.

"Uncle Carlos," Sofia whispers suddenly, her face draining of color.

I freeze at her words. Uncle? The file said she had no family. But then again, I shouldn't be shocked, not after everything else I just discovered.

The man—Carlos—circles around to face us, gun trained steadily. His face reveals nothing but cold hatred. Two armed men flank the doorway, weapons ready.

"The great Lorenzo Bellanti," Carlos says, voice rough with contempt. "Finally, at my mercy."

Sofia steps forward. "Carlos, this wasn't the plan—"

"Wasn't what?" he cuts her off. "The plan changed when you became compromised." His eyes flick between us, hardening when they land on Sofia. "Or did you think I wouldn't notice?"

He produces a phone, showing Sofia surveillance photos of us together, our intimate moments captured from afar. A grainy photo of Sofia buying pregnancy tests. His face contorts with rage.

"You let the enemy breed you. Just like your mother," he spits. "Weak. Sentimental."

Carlos smiles thinly, then nods to his men. "Tie them both up. Secure them well."

The men move forward efficiently, zip-ties ready. I calculate my odds—two armed guards, plus Carlos. I could take one, maybe two if I'm lucky, but not before one of them puts a bullet in Sofia.

Sofia. My child. The thought of them in danger makes my vision blur with rage.

As if reading my thoughts, Carlos presses his gun barrel against Sofia's temple. "Don't even think about it, Bellanti. One wrong move and I put a bullet in her head. Family or not."

I lock eyes with him, letting him see the promise of death there. "Touch her and there won't be a hole deep enough for you to hide in."

But I allow them to secure my wrists behind me, my ankles to the chair legs. Every muscle in my body screams to fight, to protect what's mine, but I force myself to stay calm. I need to think. Need to find a way out that keeps Sofia and our child safe.

Our child .

The words echo in my head as they secure Sofia to a chair across from me. I never thought I'd want this—fatherhood, a family of my own.

Men like me don't get happy endings.

But now that it's happening, I can't imagine anything else. Can't imagine not protecting them with everything I have.

Even if Sofia came to me with lies. Even if this started as a trap. What's growing between us now is real. And what's growing inside her is innocent.

“You manipulated her from the start!” I shout, my fists clenching.

"Of course I did," Carlos says, circling us. "Though I must thank you, Lorenzo. Your child makes this so much more... poetic. A life for a life."

Sofia's eyes widen. "What are you talking about?"

"Lucia," Carlos says, his voice breaking slightly. "My daughter. She was carrying a child when she died. Michael's child."

The name hits me like a physical blow. Michael. My best friend. The memories flood back—his smile, his loyalty, his absence in my life these past years.

"Michael?" I repeat, genuinely confused. "What does Michael have to do with this?"

Carlos laughs, the sound unhinged. "Don't play dumb. My Lucia was eighteen, in Catholic school, when she met your friend. When she got pregnant, they planned to run away together." His eyes narrow. "Until you killed them both."

"That's impossible," I say firmly. "Michael was my brother in everything but blood. I would never—"

"LIAR!" Carlos roars, striking me across the face with his pistol. Blood fills my mouth as he continues, "I saw their bodies. I know your methods, your signature. The way you arrange them, the precision of your cuts."

He wheels a metal cart beside Sofia's chair, arranging torture implements methodically. My heart hammers against my ribs as he selects a scalpel, pressing it against Sofia's stomach just enough to draw a thin line of blood.

Something in me breaks. That's my child.

My future. A rage I've never known darkens my vision.

I strain against the restraints, feeling them dig into my flesh, drawing blood.

I don't care about the pain. All I care about is getting to Sofia, shielding her body with mine, killing anyone who threatens her or our baby.

"Watch carefully, Lorenzo," Carlos says, eyes wild. "I want you to feel what I felt when I saw my daughter's body."

"STOP!" I yell, straining against my restraints. "I didn't kill Lucia or Michael. I know who did!"

Carlos pauses, scalpel hovering over Sofia's skin. "More lies?"

"Michael and Lucia reached out to me," I say rapidly. "They needed help to disappear. Starting fresh. We met, but when I got there..." I swallow hard at the memory. "They were already dead. Killed using my methods, my signature."

Carlos studies my face, searching for deception. "On the night my pregnant daughter was murdered, I received an anonymous call. When I arrived, I found them arranged like... like dolls." His voice breaks. "With your calling card all over the scene."

"Why would I kill my best friend?" I demand. "Why would I murder an eighteen-year-old girl? Think, Carlos! Someone wanted you to believe it was me."

Carlos presses the scalpel harder against Sofia's skin. "Don't trick me like you've tricked her, making her fall for you."

I look at Sofia, at the fear and confusion in her eyes, and something breaks inside me.

I've spent my life building walls, keeping people at a distance.

Sofia slipped past those defenses. And now there's a child—my child—depending on me.

I've never begged for anything in my life, but I'll beg now. For them.

"Please," I plead, my voice raw. "She's innocent in all this. Your own niece. Your blood."

Carlos laughs bitterly. "Innocent? Like her brother was innocent? Did you know, Sofia?" He turns to her. "I was the one who ordered Luciano's death and framed Lorenzo. I needed you motivated, focused on revenge."

Sofia's face crumples in shock and betrayal. "You... you killed my brother? Your own nephew?"

"I needed a weapon against the Bellanti," Carlos says dismissively. "You were perfect. Beautiful. Deadly. And now... compromised."

While Sofia's reaction distracts Carlos, I continue working at my restraints. "The Russians killed Michael and Lucia," I say firmly. "After their deaths, I tracked down the killer. The order came from Viktor Petrov."

Carlos’ head snaps toward me. "The Bratva? Impossible."

"Michael was skimming from shipments meant for the Bratva. Small amounts, but enough to notice. He needed money for the baby, for a new life with Lucia." I can see doubt creeping into Carlos's expression. "Petrov found out and used my methods to throw suspicion on me. To create chaos."

"Why would they kill Lucia?" Carlos demands, but his grip on the scalpel has loosened.

"She wasn't supposed to die. She was collateral damage." I lean forward. "I confronted Petrov myself. He admitted everything. Said he wanted to mess with the Bellanti, create friction between our families. And it worked perfectly."

Carlos stands frozen, processing this information.

In that moment of distraction, I break free from my loosened restraints and lunge for the nearest guard. His gun fires, but I'm already moving, driving my shoulder into his stomach.

Air explodes from his lungs as we crash to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

The second guard swings his weapon toward us, eyes wide. With no hesitation—I roll, hauling the first guard's body up as a shield. The second guard's weapon chatters, each impact jolting through the human barrier between us.

Hot blood sprays across my face as the bullets find their mark.

Three seconds. That's all it takes to slip my hand to his waistband, fingers closing around the cool metal. I extend my arm past the dying man, sight down the barrel, and squeeze.

Clean. Precise. The standing guard drops without a sound.

Across the room, Sofia makes her move. She slams her head backward into Carlos's face with a sickening crunch and frees herself from the restraints.

He staggers, the scalpel slipping from suddenly nerveless fingers. Sofia stands, her hand closing around a surgical hammer from the nearby cart.

The hammer comes down on Carlos’ forearm with a crack that echoes off the walls. His scream cuts through the room as bones shatter. Before he can recover, Sofia pivots, swinging again. The hammer connects with his temple, the impact dropping him to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.

Carlos struggles to rise, blood streaming down his face, but his legs won't cooperate. Sofia moves toward him, stooping to retrieve his fallen weapon. Her hands are rock-steady as she levels it at his chest.

"This is for my brother," she says, voice barely above a whisper. At the last moment, she adjusts her aim and fires. The bullet carves a furrow along Carlos's side, spinning him back to the floor.

He clutches at the wound, blood seeping between his fingers. His eyes find mine—hatred burning in them even as the light fades.

I pull my phone out, surprised to find my hands trembling with adrenaline. Matteo answers on the first ring.

"I need a cleanup crew," I say flatly. "Now. ”

He responds immediately. “On it.”

I tuck the phone away and make my way to Sofia, where she stands motionless, staring at Carlos's body. When I reach for her, she collapses against my chest, sobs wracking her body.

"I'm sorry," she whispers against my shirt. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know... I thought..."

I stroke her hair, holding her close. "It's over now."

She pulls back, eyes searching mine. "How can you even look at me after what I've done? I betrayed you. I was sent to destroy you."

"And instead?" I cup her face gently.

"Instead, I fell in love with you," she admits . "God help me, I love you, Lorenzo."

I press my forehead to hers, relief flooding through me. "I love you too," I whisper. "Both of you."

My hand moves to her stomach, resting over the place where our child grows. I've killed men for business, for revenge, for the family name. But this time was different. This time I killed to protect something more precious than power or territory. Something I never thought I'd have.

Her hand covers mine, a small smile breaking through her tears. "We’re having a baby," she giggles.

I kiss her then, gently at first, then with growing intensity. Whatever lies ahead—the truth about her brother, the fallout from tonight—we'll face it together. Sofia and our child are mine to protect now, and I will burn the world to keep them safe.