Against Time

**Damiano**

My brows pinched together as I looked at his unmoving body on the ground. I stopped in front of him, nudging him with my foot before a groan came out of him. I watched him struggle to stand up, seeing just how badly he was beaten up. His face was covered in cuts, bruises and blood and he had an arm around his ribs. It was most likely broken just seeing the condition he was in.

Michael winced as he slumped against the car, breathing heavily before he met my gaze.

“What are you doing here?” I stared at him blankly, waiting for him to speak.

“I… Shit - Althaia.”

“You’re too late.” I scoffed.

“I tried… to warn…” He kept groaning out in pain, on the verge of passing out.

“You’re wasting my time. Get the fuck off my property.” He slumped to the ground again and I turned around, signaling to my men to get moving.

“I know where they are.” That got my attention and I turned to look back at him. He was struggling to keep his eyes open. Antonio came to stand next to me as he looked at Michael.

“Do you believe he knows something?” Antonio came to stand next to me as he looked at Michael suspiciously.

“He called Althaia in Italy but she hung up before he could tell her what he wanted. He never called back, and now I know why.”

“He’s Gaetano’s right-hand man. It could be one of Gaetano’s games to throw us off.”

“I know.” I replied as we stared at him. Gaetano was power hungry and desperate, and he had already shown us the lengths he would go to get his hands on the things he wanted. Michael could be a set up; to give us information to think we have an advantage only for Gaetano to wipe us out when we arrive.

“Get him some medical attention.” I ordered, and Antonio glanced at me.

“If what he has to say matches with what we have found out already, it will help us prepare logistics. If not, put a bullet in his head.” Time was ticking, and I was going to take advantage of whatever valuable information he had.

Luca and Giovanni went over and grabbed Michael’s arms, lifted him, and not bothering to be gentle with him. A grim expression set on my face, my jaw clenching at the sound of multiple screeching sounds coming in our direction. I grabbed Michael by the collar, slamming him against the car and making him wince.

“Who the fuck did you bring?” I sneered at him. He was in too much pain to answer. I let go of him, making him fall to the ground.

Every single one of my men was ready, aiming and waiting in the direction of the intruders would come from.

“Fire!” Bullets went flying ahead, hitting the cars that were coming in and trying to form a circle around us to cage us. But I wouldn’t let them get the chance, and the firing increased until they had to come to a stop. The cars were bulletproof but we could still hold them back by not giving them a chance to shoot at us.

But something was wrong.

I held my hand up to signal them to stop firing. No movements were attempted from the cars, having me narrow my eyes at them.

“Take cover!” I ordered and drew my own gun out. The cars were acting as a shield, blocking the bullets for the cars that were coming behind them. Men came out from the cars, taking cover and aiming their guns at us. But they were still not firing.

Rage filled my body when I saw who it was, with a dark look on his face and made his way to me.

“Where the fuck is she?!” He shouted furiously and my jaw clenched. I was seeing red and went to stop right before his face. He aimed his gun right at my head and I did the same to him.

“You’re in my fucking territory. That’s a death penalty.” I growled, my finger ready to fire.

“Where the fuck is she, Bellavia!”

“Leave while I can still spare your life, Vasiliev.” I stared at him blankly. In any other circumstances, I would have shot him right before he could even step a foot out of the car. I did not have the fucking time to start a fucking war in the middle of my driveway when I had more pressing matters.

Vasiliev stepped closer, and red dots from the laser sights appeared on him. I knew some of my men had taken over the roof to get control of the situation. But Vasiliev was unfazed by how many were aiming at him.

“Shoot, and you’re all good as dead. And you will never be able to find her.” I promised him. One of his men I recognized as Nestor came to stand behind Vasiliev. His gaze was sharp on me as he aimed.

“I will ask one more time before I create a blood bath. Her body is not in the casket. Where. Is. She?!” He roared out. Of course, he had dug up the fucking casket.

“Leave my territory. I don’t have fucking time to deal with you.” My patience was running thin. I would have to deal with him another time.

“A blood bath it is then.” Racked slides of their guns could be heard the minute he said that.

“Antonio! Order the kill on Jacinta!” I shouted. Vasiliev gritted his teeth in anger at my order.

“Are you really going to kill the mother of your woman?”

“Yes. I have the place packed and guarded with men. One call and she is good as dead.” I threatened with a smirk. Vasiliev let out a laugh, not believing me.

“Let’s see what Althaia has to say to you threatening to kill her mother.”

“She won’t believe you. She thinks her mother is dead.” He squinted his eyes.

“Tell me why you faked her death, Bellavia.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Oh, but she is my fucking business. I am not leaving before I get what I want.” My jaw clenched. Out of any day, he decided to show up today and be a pain in my ass.

“To protect her. From Gaetano.” I decided to tell him. Fury showed in his eyes as a dark look took over his face at the mention of him. Groaning and shuffling caught his attention. His eyes snapped to Michael who managed to get on his feet.

“Gaetano’s dog. Hand him over.”

“No.” I scoffed. If Michael knew something, I wasn’t going to let him go.

“Althaia.. Cara.. We need to go. He’s going to kill them.” Michael grunted. Vasiliev looked at me with questionable eyes. I let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of my nose at Michael’s unawareness at the moment. Vasiliev's eyes scanned the area, a crease appearing between his brows.

“Gaetano has taken Althaia hostage. Why?” My hand gripped the gun in frustration before lowering it. He shouted something in Russian and his men lowered their guns.

“Get him some medical attention before he passes out.” I gestured my men to lower their guns and the red dots disappeared from Vasiliev. I looked at him blankly while he waited for an answer.

“Follow me.” I turned around to get back inside. I didn’t wait for a reply because I knew he would follow me. He was curious to know what was going on and he wasn’t going to leave me the fuck alone. He had already wasted too much of my time by showing up.

*Now I knew where her curiosity trait came from.*

Vasiliev was smart enough to only bring Nestor and two other men with him inside my office. My father was quiet the entire time, observing. I knew he had already connected the dots on who Althaia’s father was, and it probably left him stunned.

This whole situation was a fucking shit show.

"I’m waiting. Why is Gaetano holding his own daughter hostage?” I crossed my arms and leaned against my desk.

“He’s been using her to blackmail Jacinta into laundering money for him. Once he was done, he ordered a kill on them. Jacinta was stabbed, on the verge of dying if it wasn’t for Antonio who managed to keep her alive. I faked her death and placed her somewhere safe to figure out who was after her. I didn’t know it was Gaetano at the time. Now, he has Althaia and my brother’s wife. And you’re here, wasting my time.”

His expression went cold as he took in the information. There was no doubt he still cared for Jacinta. Or else he wouldn’t have been this reckless and stepped into my territories.

“What does he want from you?”

“Weaponry and shipments.”

“Of course.” He scoffed. “For what reasons other than being a greedy dog?”

“To take you down.” Everyone turned their attention to Michael who had appeared at the doorway. He held onto the wall for support as he managed to step closer.

“He’s been recruiting and training men to create an army to take you down. But he doesn’t have the access to weapons like Damiano has to do so.” Michael continued.

“How cute.” Vasiliev shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Other than existing and being more well-off than he is, what else have I done to piss him off?” Vasiliev looked at Michael.

“You took his woman.” Michael pointed out. Vasiliev threw his head back and let out a loud laugh.

“He’s the one who got married to her. Not me.”

“True. But you still slept with her while she was married to him.” I commented.

“Not my fault he couldn’t please her and she had to come to me.” He said smugly and I gave him a blank look.

“So, now, he’s holding his daughter hostage to blackmail you because of your relationship.” He stated, linking everything together.

“Althaia is not his daughter.” Michael continued, and he raised a brow at the information.

“Vasiliev, when was the last time you saw Jacinta?” I asked him.

“Over twenty-five years ago…” He suddenly trailed off as he got deep in thought. Nestor suddenly started to rapidly speak to him in Russian and his men looked at him with a slight frown. Vasiliev’s eyes snapped to mine as his frown deepened.

“You’re telling me…”

“Althaia is the byproduct of your affair, and Gaetano knows. Congratulations, you have a daughter.” If he was surprised, he didn’t show it but continued to be silent.

“That damned woman!” He raged out, his hands turning into fists.

“Where the fuck is that damned woman?!”

“Safe. Now, be on your fucking way.” I told him

“She’s…. she’s alive?” Michael looked at me with wide eyes.

“I thought I killed her…?” He was confused, looking around us all, not believing what he had just heard.

“You’re the one who tried to kill her?” Vasiliev grabbed Michael in a rage and pulled out his gun.

“Let him go.” I ordered calmly and went up to him. I couldn’t risk him shooting Michael when he was our best chance to tell us where Althaia and Cara were.

“I didn’t know!”

“You want me to believe that?” Vasiliev sneered.

“You know how it works. I don’t fucking ask questions and get the job done. I had no idea I was recruiting men for Gaetano to take make a hit on her! I have been trying to find out who was after them, and I did, which lead me to this condition. Gaetano found me snooping around and tried to get rid of me.” Michael finished and Vasiliev stared at him with cold eyes before finally letting him go.

“I’m an orphan. Jacinta took me in as her own when my parents didn’t care enough about me and left me to fend for myself as a kid. I know the importance of family. Althaia, Cara, and Jacinta, they’re my true family. If I knew, I would have done everything I could to stop him..” He looked pained as he explained.

“What’s the plan, I want in. I want my hands on that filthy dog.” Vasiliev looked at me, and I scoffed.

“I don’t need your help.”

“You owe me a favor.” He retorted and I frowned.

“I don’t owe you shit.” He gave a smirk.

“But you do. I delivered Althaia safely to you at the LuxePalace, didn’t I?” My frown deepened, and I was about to tell him to fuck off when Michael spoke.

“Gaetano wouldn’t see it coming. We will be able to take him by surprise and get them out of there faster.”

“And how would you know?” Michael pulled out a flash drive.

“Everything you need to know is here. I knew I would get caught and managed to download everything. It’s the location, blueprint of the building, and whatever traps he has set up in the area.” I ripped the flash drive out of his hand and tossed it to Rafaelle.

“You better be telling the truth.”

“I am.” I stared him down while I waited for Rafaelle to check everything.

“Everything is clear. It matches what we already have found out. One problem though.”

“What?” I gritted my teeth. My patience had already run up and I was one second away from shooting the entire place up in frustration.

“Cameras are everywhere and Ghost is most likely the one controlling them.” My entire body tensed. It meant it would take too much time for Rafaelle and Ava to figure out how to get control over the cameras. And we didn’t have the fucking time.

“Ah, Ghost. He is *very* good. Even I couldn’t get my hands on him.” Vasiliev commented.

“I can help with that. I know Ghost.” Michael spoke

“You know him?” I raised a brow.

“I know *her*. We go way back and I was the one who managed to get Gaetano a deal. I didn’t know she was still working with him.”

“Wait, Ghost is a fucking woman?!” Rafaelle erupted in shock and Michael nodded.

“Yes. Can you get me a secure line? I will get in touch with her and see what I can do. She owes me a few favors.”

”Listen up, this is what we’re going to do.” After looking through what Michael had managed to get on his flash drive, it gave me the perfect advantage of preparing logistics and we would be getting Althaia and Cara out there faster than planned. Time was running out and I didn’t have time to fight Vasiliev on this. In no time, we managed to prepare everything and inform everyone what was going to happen.

For the first time in history, the Italians and Russians were working together. And it was all because of the women in our lives.

With the trucks ready with Gaetano’s demands, I arrived at the destination. I stepped out of the car, lighting a cigarette as I took in the surroundings. It was a cargo warehouse by the port he had bought and built an underground passage with basements.

“Look what we have here. Good boy, Bellavia.” Gaetano appeared from the warehouse with armed men and I looked at him calmly, ignoring the insults he sent my way.

“You have everything you demanded in the trucks. Hand over the girls.”

“Easy there. I need to check if everything matches.” Shots were fired, shooting the drivers before gesturing for his men to check the trucks. I wasn’t surprised. I knew he was going to do that.

I had in total five trucks and they checked every single one of them. They took a few of the tall wooden crates out to show him I held my end of the bargain.

“Excellent!” Gaetano erupted excitedly.

“The girls.” I told him one more time and feigned an upset sigh.

“I would hand them over, but you see, you were 5 seconds late and I told you not to be late. They’re currently somewhere, hanging around with a robe around their necks.” He let out a booming laugh and I let myself fall into that deep into my zone with red in my sight.

“Gaetano, do you understand why they say never make a deal with The Devil?” I interrupted his laugh. He looked at me with narrowed eyes as I continued to smoke, blowing the smoke into the night sky. I flicked the bud away and met his gaze, giving him a devilish smirk.

“I’m about to show you why.” I drew my guns out at the same time men jumped out from the wooden crates and shots were fired.