Page 35 of Paolo DeLuca
If Paolo let his mind wonder about what might be happening to Lyric, he’d break down. His fucking lifestyle got her into this. No matter what he did to keep her safe, it didn’t work. Dante was right. He should’ve killed Cali when he had the chance. This time, he wouldn’t show any mercy nor weakness. She would die tonight. If she touched one strand of Lyric’s curls, he’d unleash so much carnage they wouldn’t be able to identify the body when it was found. If it was found.
“We’re almost there,” Dante’s announcement brought him out of his head. “What are we doing when we get there?”
“Showing Cali who the fuck I am,” Paolo stated. “They fucked with what’s mine. Now it’s time to show them the cost.”
Dante nodded, then pulled in front of the dilapidated city hall building. There was no light coming from inside. However, he saw the outline of a guard moving outside the building. The place still had streetlights surrounding it. There was no need to sneak in because Cali knew he was coming. She goaded him—stealing his love. Now, she and her men would feel the full brunt of what happened when you fucked with a DeLuca. Paolo stepped out of his car, not worried when the guard patrolling hurried into the building.
Go ahead, fucking let her know I’m here.
He waited for Franco and Gino to join them. “Gino, you and Franco take out every son of a bitch you see on your way to the back of the building. I don’t want a motherfucker left alive.”
“What about Cali?” Gino asked, the fire in his eyes matching Paolo’s. He cared for Lyric too. If Paolo didn’t understand it was amore familiare, familial love, he’d be consumed with jealousy.
“Leave her to me.” He stalked toward the front of the building while Gino and Franco split up, each taking opposite ends of the building. He and Dante went to the front.
A burly man, dressed in a plain black t-shirt and boots, stomped toward him. Paolo drew his gun, a weapon he rarely used, but you couldn’t bring a knife to a gun fight. He’d be leaving the knife work for when he caught up to Cali. As Dante fanned out in the lobby next to him, the other man made his move toward Dante. Dante shot the man in the torso. Paolo made his way further into what used to be the lobby.
Not long after, Gino and Franco joined him and Dante. The four of them were alert, with blood on their hands. These men would go through hell or high water for him—not that he didn’t know it before, but the fierce loyalty they showed to Lyric tonight sealed it for him.
“Cali!” he yelled as they reached the top of the stairs.
There was no answer. Paolo pointed Gino and Franco to the rooms to his left, and he and Dante moved to the rooms on his right. Although he was certain he’d find Cali and Lyric in the room at the end of the hallway. It was the mayor’s old office and the biggest room on the floor. There was no need to be cautious. If they didn’t know he was there, they were about to find out. While Dante checked the other rooms, Paolo headed straight for the double doors at the end of the hall and flung them open.
“So, you did make it,” Cali crooned. At one point in time, he thought her accent was so sexy. Now it felt like fingernails on a chalkboard.
“Paolo,” Lyric gasped.
“Let her go, Cali,” Paolo sneered. She wouldn’t make it out of here alive, even if she did release Lyric.
Laughter rang out around the hollowed-out room. She was stalling. Paolo perused Lyric. She didn’t look hurt, from what he could see in the dim lighting, but was scared. Anger at seeing fear in Lyric’s eyes and stress etched on her face forced Paolo to act. He unsheathed his knife, plowing forward.
“Nope, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, mi amor, my love,” Cali warned. “One move and my friend puts a bullet in your girl’s temple.”
How the fuck did he miss him?
A man appeared from the shadows and aimed a gun at Lyric’s head. If he tried to get to Lyric, she would be killed. Paolo had to calculate his next move. Dante stood at his side, his gun aimed at the man next to Lyric. Gino and Franco moved in behind him, ready to pull the trigger if needed.
“Cali, I’m telling you now, none of you are leaving alive unless you let her go,” he said matter-of-factly. Cali knew him well enough to know he meant what he said. Indecision flittered across her face. Then determination and resolve settled in. She wasn’t going to listen to him, and therefore, she wouldn’t survive this night.
“Paolo, you’re not in a situation to be giving demands amor,” Cali pointed out.
“I’ll be all right,” Lyric told him, her eyes focused on him like she knew his next move. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
He had a decision to make. Cut the head off the snake, and the body will die. This guy holding the gun wouldn’t do anything without Cali okaying it. But then again, Paolo wanted Cali’s ass to suffer.
Lightning quick, Paolo threw his knife. The blade cut through the air, landing straight into the man’s eye, piercing his brain. His gun discharged as he fell, the bullet whizzing by, just missing Lyric.
Lyric’s scream sliced through the dead silence. Paolo moved so fast to get to her that he startled her when he gathered her head to his chest and held it there for a moment. He’d almost lost her. She could’ve been shot.
“It’s okay, baby,” he crooned, stroking Lyric’s cheek. “I got you.” It was more of a comfort to him than her. He touched her everywhere. Held her as he heard her sniffles. She was alive and safe. He untied her arms from the back of the chair, then cut through the ropes that held her feet. Paolo snatched her up into his arms.
“I swear. I’m never going to let you go, Lyric,” he whispered.
Cali bolted for the door in the commotion, but Gino grabbed her around the waist before escaping.
“I’m so glad you came for me,” she whispered into his chest, softly sobbing.
“Shhh, baby. I know. Don’t you get it?” He pulled back so she could look into his eyes. “I’ll always come for you.”
Paolo led her into the hallway. “What do you want to do with this one?” Gino asked as they passed him, holding a struggling Cali.
Paolo glanced over his shoulder. “Tie her to the chair.” He turned to Franco. “Take Lyric to my condo.”
“Il mio cuore batte, if you need to stop for clothes, let Franco know, but you’re not staying in your studio tonight.” He left no room for argument, and despite Lyric being fiercely independent, she didn’t argue.
Franco took Lyric by the shoulders and led her down the corridor and the stairs. He watched them until he could not see them at the front end of the lobby. Paolo took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging storm within him. There would be no talking, no asking Cali why she did this. She was fucking dead, and that was all that was to it. Paolo walked back into the room, closing the door behind him.
