Page 199 of Sins of the Orchid

Lorenzo waited in the bunker, expecting Amore to be brought in by George’s men. It was to ensure George’s men didn’t try something with Amore. I’d burn this world just to ensure she was safe. I never wanted to see pain shimmering in her eyes, only happiness.

Rage filled me at George’s betrayal. My clothes and hands were soaked in blood, the fight outside got intense. It turned into a warzone. My shoulder was burning, and I had a nasty cut down my shoulder blade. But the pain didn’t register because rage consumed me, ate at me with his betrayal. Fucking Anderson was so stupid, he hadn’t noticed that his men stationed on the top of the stairs were gone. We’d killed every single one of them, and he was trapped. There was no running away this time.

He was cornered. In the house that was gifted to him and Margaret on their wedding day. No wonder we couldn’t find George’s hiding place. It was still under the maiden name of Amore’s mother. She never lived in this place because she didn’t want to be in the same city as Savio Bennetti.

“Shoot her, Adriano.” George’s voice traveled up.

Renzo, DeAngelo, and I shared a glance. DeAngelo at our back. There was no way he’d accept being left behind. He considered Amore his little sister. I watched my brother raise his weapon, aiming at Amore, and DeAngelo’s faint hiss sounded behind me. I gave him a warning look.

“Adriano, please,” Amore begged, tearing my heart open with her soft pleas. “Please don’t do this.”

I glanced at Renzo and DeAngelo. There were five guards surrounding George and Adriano. Two right behind them, one on each side and one in front of George. The fucking guy was paranoid. He used them as human shields for protection.

I pointed to the two guys in front of us, who stood behind George and Adriano. In a silent hand movement, I mimicked slicing their throats before pointing to the one man standing on each side of George and gesturing to the gun at my side.

With a quick nod, Renzo and I took a silent step down, and I let the ruthless killer inside me loose. Nothing mattered right now but my woman. Savio and Luigi with their men were right outside, ensuring nobody crept up on us.

Without hesitation, Renzo and I snuck up on the men watching George’s back. My hand came around, covering his mouth, and in one swift move, I sliced his throat. His blood gurgled out of his mouth and his neck, but I kept my hand firm on it. Not a sound.

Glancing at Renzo, I noted he’d done the same. Silently, we lowered the bodies onto the step. It was amazing how a soundless gurgling of blood was too loud to my ears when it was about life and death for my wife. It would have been easier to shoot them all, but the steps were too narrow, and we’d risk one of them shooting Amore. Or Lorenzo. She wouldn’t forgive herself if her brother was hurt because of her.

Another nod and shared glance with Renzo. Two more steps. Raising my gun, I aimed at his head and pulled the trigger, edging the bullet in the back of his skull. Not sparing a glance to his slumping body, I went after the next nearest man. One last man, and then George.

Saving Amore was the priority now.

Commotion happened all around us. They knew we were here; there was no avoiding that. But they were outnumbered.

DeAngelo shot through the man next to George’s left side. George ran to the corner, pulling Adriano along. I slipped up behind the last guard and slashed his throat. He clutched onto it, his blood spraying all over me as he gasped for air.

“Santi, your right!” Amore’s scream had me glancing to the right. I grabbed his shoulder and did the same to him. Fuck, where did these two guys come from?

Another man charged at me, and I grinned savagely.

“You won’t save him,” I told him. “So you might want to consider running.”

He refused. My ammo was gone, but I had my knife. I moved quickly and charged against him, plunging the blade into the man's heart, then pushing him to the floor. I felt nothing but satisfaction as I watched him gurgle and choke on his own blood.

Wiping the blade against my pants, I scanned around.

All the guards were dead.

“It is your turn to die,” George’s voice came from my left. “I’ll unload the whole magazine into your body. I’ll turn you into lead.”

“Fucking coward,” I spat, my voice rough. Adrenaline pumped through my body but slowly exhaustion crept in. The last three hours were hell, the worry for Amore piercing me through my chest.

I promised myself George was the deadest fucking man to ever exist. He’d pay for their betrayal. His greed for the Perèz Cartel was his downfall.

“Say goodbye to your wife,” George drawled. “She’ll be right behind you.”

I kept my expression unmoving. “I wouldn't be so sure.”

He followed my eyes to find Adriano’s gun pointed at his skull. My little brother who wasn’t so little anymore.

Adriano’s savage grin matched my own. “You didn’t really think I’d pick you over family,” he mocked. “Over my best friend.”

A soft gasp traveled through the small room, and I turned to my wife. Her lower lip trembled, so many emotions in her emerald gaze. It fucking hurt that she had to believe Adriano betrayed her. But we couldn’t risk one slip. I had to keep her in the dark. There was only one thing that didn’t go according to plan. George moved up the kidnapping by two days.

Before any of us knew what was happening, Amore elbowed George into his stomach, his grip around her loosening enough that she freed herself from him and ran into my arms.