Chapter 60 ~ There is a procedure

Chapter 60 ~ There is a procedure
ADRIAN

The bullet flew through the room, but I curved just enough so it missed intentionally..

"Are you okay, honey!?" the old lady rushed to her husband’s side, and I chuckled at the scene before me.

"What happened to being the most powerful family in the mafioso?" I asked, blowing out a stream of smoke to mask the truth.

This was the third time I hadn’t shot my target. Because of her.

I killed everyone else just fine. But when it came to someone special to her… I hesitated.

"That is love right there." The old lady’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I scowled.

"I knew you loved her from the time she cried over you on the phone. It wasn’t tears of physical pain but tears of a broken heart. She knows it’s wrong to love you back but you both can’t help it."

I laughed. A low, humorless sound.

"It seems you’ve not only become weak, but delusional too. Give me the fucking ledger or I will pull the fucking trigger this time. And you won’t be lucky a second time," I warned, the blood in my veins beginning to boil.

I knew there were men positioned around us, waiting for the signal. But I was Capo for a fucking reason.

I ducked behind the couch and aimed. The bullet hit the target, and the fucker clamped to the ground with a thud.

Toren entered, dragging in three more tied and helpless. Without hesitation, I raised my gun and blew their brains out.

Blood splattered across the walls, the floor and my white shirt. The old couple remained silent as they watched me dismantle their hidden security one by one.

"Do you know why I’m invincible?" I asked, shooting the last guard without even turning.

They didn’t respond, but I kept going.

"Because I can see what everyone else in the room misses. That’s why you’ll never see me coming. And if you think you can use Ella against me… then you are hopeless."

I stepped closer. "I will not ask you a third time."

"You may not be blood, but you are indeed as dark as Carlos!" the old woman spat with venom in her voice.

"But I thought he fathered your precious granddaughter. Isn’t that why you killed him?" I challenged.

The color drained from their faces. Her gasp gave it away before her tears even fell.

She hadn’t known.

They must have hated my father. But now… maybe the tears weren’t just for him. Maybe they were for Ella. Because she had his blood in her veins.

When I saw her heart was as dark as mine, I wasn’t wrong.

Scratching my head with my pistol, I folded one arm over my chest my signal that I was running out of patience.

"Toren. We’re almost done here. And these are Marco’s men, no doubt. I’m sure there was a deal made. Call the cleaning crew."

"Yes, Boss."

The old woman looked up at me, defiant but tired.

"We can’t just give it to you. There’s a procedure. You need to marry Ella in front of a priest. He must confirm that the marriage is real, and there must be witnesses. That’s when the coordinates will be released to you."

"The what?" I blinked. "What fucking coordinates?"

Were we after a bomb or a fucking book?

I wasn’t even certain this thing was as powerful as they claimed, but if everyone wanted which meant I had to have it.

"The location where it is," she answered.

I nodded slowly.

“Luca will be taking you to my safe house until I have that ledger. You are my fucking prisoners. To me, you are not Ella’s grandparents you’re enemies who have what I want. You’d do well to remember that,” I warned them coldly as I turned to leave.

My phone vibrated, and the caller ID flashed Jay. I picked up as I slid into the car.

“Speak,” I urged him as I started the engine and paused to listen.

“Your mother is here, Sir,” he said.

“Did you let her anywhere near Ella?” I snapped, already pressing down on the gas as I flew into traffic like my fucking life depended on it.

“No, but she insisted on talking to her herself,” he replied, his voice laced with discomfort.

“Don’t let her out of your fucking sight. If anything happens-” I trailed off, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

“I understand, Boss. I won’t let that happen.”

I swerved through traffic as angry horns and curses flew in my direction but they could all go to fucking hell.

The iron gates swung open the second the guards spotted my car and my speed.

“Where is she?” I barked the moment I leapt out, charging toward the house.

This house was too fucking big.

As I stormed in, I spotted Lila and gave Jay a nod. He moved to escort her away just in case. My bloodied shirt would raise questions, and I had no time to explain shit if I had to pull the trigger.

I turned the corner toward the room where they were supposedly talking.

My mother stepped out, shutting the door quietly behind her. Her face paled when her eyes locked with mine.

“You’re in my house, and yet you didn’t anticipate meeting me?” I asked, stalking closer.

“It’s a family house, Adrian,” she shot back, lifting her chin with defiance.

I gave her a cold and venomous smile,

“Are you family?” I asked with my brow raised.

Pain flashed in her eyes.

“I’m your mother!” she screamed, her hands flailing in frustration.

“You’re blocking the path. Move.”

“Just kill me,” she whispered.

“I will. Once I get the one thing you’re dying to get,” I growled as I brushed past her and threw open the door.

A shaking Ella stood in the center of the room, sobbing uncontrollably. The sight stole the breath from my lungs and lit fire to my fury.

It took every ounce of willpower I had not to turn around and shoot my mother on the spot for daring to make my spitfire look like this.

Ella’s hand trembled as she held her phone, calling my number.

I knew it was me because my phone was vibrating in my back pocket.

Even covered in blood, with war breaking all around me, my heart fucking warmed.

She was calling me… when she was in distress.

She still saw me as her lifeline.

And I’d burn the whole damn world down before I let anyone change that.