Page 15 of Unworthy Ties

Rocco

I had already been married to Gabriella for three months. Even though it was an arranged marriage, the time had flown by.

Tonight, we were going to have dinner at her parents’ estate. Tomaso Coscia and I had had many meetings before; all related to business. The conversations were always efficient and flowed easily, and I enjoyed doing business with the man.

But this would be my first time going over as Gabriella’s husband; no mafia business involved.

I adjusted my tie in the mirror, making sure everything was perfect. Gabriella walked into the bedroom, stunning in her emerald dress that brought out the warm honey tones in her eyes.

“You look beautiful,” I said, my voice catching slightly.

“And you look very handsome,” she teased. “Now we need to get going.”

As I reached for my jacket, our door was kicked open with a loud bang. I reacted instantly, shoving Gabriella behind me while reaching for the pistol I kept holstered at my side.

“Hide under the bed and text Felix,” I muttered. “But first, lock the bathroom door and shut it.”

The intruders would likely check the bathroom first. If they found a locked door, they would assume Gabriella was in it, and try to break down the door. This would buy her more time. I pushed her toward the bathroom, then positioned myself against the wall near the bedroom door, gun drawn.

I looked into the mirror I had just been using to adjust my tie and saw three masked men storming into our living room. Each carried automatic weapons—professionals, not street thugs.

“Check every room!” a gruff voice commanded.

I steadied my breathing as the first one entered the hallway, his shadow stretching across the hardwood floor.

I held my breath, finger hovering over the trigger.

Years of mafia work had prepared me for this moment, but nothing could quiet the thundering of my heart as I thought of Gabriella just feet away.

The first intruder stepped into the bedroom, sweeping his weapon across the space. I didn’t hesitate. I fired twice—pop, pop—the silencer muffling the shots as he dropped to the floor. Before his body hit the ground, I was already moving.

I darted into the hallway, keeping low. The second man turned at the sound of his partner’s body collapsing, but I was already on him. Two more silenced shots—one to the chest, one to the head. Clean. Efficient. The way I always worked.

The third man ducked behind the kitchen counter, spraying bullets wildly down the hallway. Plaster exploded near my head as I dropped to the floor and rolled behind the door frame.

I needed to end this quickly. The longer the fight dragged on, the greater the danger to Gabriella. I counted to three in my head, then pivoted around the doorframe, making a dash towards the kitchen.

The intruder fired wildly, but I had already anticipated his trajectory.

Sliding across the polished floor, I came up beneath his line of fire.

He adjusted too late. I fired three rounds in rapid succession—chest, throat, head.

He slumped against the refrigerator, leaving a crimson trail as he collapsed.

Silence fell over the apartment. I remained crouched, scanning for movement, listening for the slightest sound that might indicate more attackers. Nothing.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

I had no idea who these men worked for, I needed to dispose of three bodies, and my suit was covered in blood. It was safe to say we weren’t going to dinner.

“Gabriella,” I called out, moving cautiously back toward the bedroom. “It’s clear now.”

Gabriella poked her head out from under the bed, her eyes wide with fear, but quickly hardening into something else. Determination. That look I’d come to admire over these past few months.

“Who were they?” she demanded, her voice steady despite everything.

“I’m not sure. Just…wait inside the bedroom for now. I don’t want you to see this.” I moved to close the bedroom door.

“The dead bodies, you mean,” she said, pulling herself out from under the bed.

“Yes, the dead bodies I just put on our floor.” I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the adrenaline beginning to ebb. “Look, I need to make some calls.”

It was the first time someone had tried to kill her. My stomach twisted into uneasy knots, knowing how close we had just come to death. If we had been in the living room instead of the bedroom, this could have gone much worse.

Gabriella crossed her arms. “I should be allowed to see. It’s my house too.”

I studied her face—the slight tremor in her lower lip was the only sign that she was rattled.

I sighed, knowing that stubborn tone. “Fine. But stay behind me.”

I led her down the hallway, positioning my body to block the carnage as we entered the hallway. Despite my efforts, she gasped when she saw the first man sprawled on the floor, his skull a mess of bone and tissue.

“Actually… maybe I’ll stay in the bedroom after all.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I turned to find her leaning against the wall, face pale. The sight of violent death was something I was used to, but for most people, it was a shock to the system. I’d known this would happen. She might think she was tough—and she was, in many ways—but this was different.

“Come on,” I said gently, taking her arm and guiding her back to the bedroom. “Why don’t you text your dad and tell him we can’t make it? Just don’t mention the reason why.”

“Right. Sure.” She nodded mechanically, pulling out her phone with shaking hands.

While she texted her father, I walked back to the living room and stared at the bodies. Three men, all heavily armed, all dead by my hand. I stared at the one by the living room. His blood was seeping all over a rug Gabriella had picked out last month.

I picked up my phone and dialed Emilio’s number. He was one of my closest friends and one of the few people I could trust with this kind of mess.

“We had the night off, remember?” he said, not bothering with pleasantries. “Someone better be dead.”

“Three someones, actually,” I replied, keeping my voice low. “They busted down the door to my penthouse.”

A pause, then a long exhale. “Shit. Anyone you recognize?”

“Still need to ID them. Can you help me get a cleanup crew over here?”

“On it. Give me fifteen.” Emilio’s voice shifted to business mode. “Anyone else there with you?”

I glanced toward the bedroom. “Gabriella.”

Another pause. “Fuck, that’s not good. She okay?”

“Physically, yes. Mentally...” I ran a hand through my hair. “To be determined.”

Emilio cursed under his breath. “Alright, I’ll get someone to take care of the mess. You just focus on taking care of Gabriella.”

“Thanks, Emilio. I owe you one,” I said gratefully.

“Just stay safe, alright? And keep me updated,” Emilio replied before hanging up.

I walked back to the bedroom, where Gabriella was sitting with a blank look in her eyes. “Hey, it’s going to be fine.” I reassured her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in mine.

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear and confusion. “I don’t understand... Why would they come after us?”

I didn’t have an answer for her, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was because I was looking in places I shouldn’t be. “We’ll find out. I promise.” I pulled her into a hug, hoping that my embrace could provide some comfort amid chaos.

As we sat there holding onto each other, waiting for the cleanup crew to arrive, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.

But I knew one thing for certain—no matter what challenges lay ahead, I was determined to protect Gabriella and unravel the mystery of why our peaceful night had been shattered by violence.