Chapter 198 Book 2 CHPT 30: Go To Hell, Bastardo

Chapter 198 Book 2 CHPT 30: Go To Hell, Bastardo
ALINA

The vehicles stopped right in front of Nana's house.

The sudden glare of headlights washed over the yard, bright and unforgiving, sweeping across the snow, the walls, the porch, and finally landing on us.

The light cycled over my body and then Julius's, trapping us there like criminals caught in the open.

My heart slammed violently against my ribs.

Before I could even breathe, the doors of the SUVs flew open.

The wolves poured out.

Their black coats flying behind them and heavy boots crushing the snow. Guns strapped against their bodies.

They spread out fast like trained dogs, surrounding the house from every angle like wolves.

Fear crawled up my spine.

Then Valentino stepped out from the middle car.

Rocco followed closely behind him.

The moment Valentino's eyes landed on Julius, something dark and wild ignited in his face.

Murder burned there, raw and dangerous, the kind that made my stomach twist. His jaw tightened, his nostrils flared, and I knew in that instant that he was barely holding himself back.

Julius stiffened beside me.

"What's happening?" he asked, his voice shaking. "Who are these people?"

He rose from his seat slowly, panic flooding his face as his eyes darted from one armed man to another.

My body started trembling before my mind could catch up.

I swallowed hard and stood up too, my legs weak beneath me.

Valentino walked toward me fast, his long strides eating up the distance.

When he finally reached us, he stopped, his hefty frame swallowing us whole.

His gaze flicked to Julius, then snapped back to me, sharp and burning.

"Moglie mia (my wife)," he said coldly, his voice low and dangerous, "did you leave me for this man?"

My chest tightened.

"What? No. Of course not," I rushed out, shaking my head.

"Why are you here? How do you even know I'm here?"

"That is the question you should not be asking," Valentino roared.

His voice echoed through the night.

"You left, Alina! You left our home without telling me. You disappeared, and I find you sitting here with another man, and all you care about is how I found you. Seriously?"

His laugh was sharp and bitter, so bitter it shattered my heart all over again.

"Do you think I would let you stay alone in that castle with Nikita there? Do you think I would sit back and let you stay among foes without watching you? Without protecting you silently?!"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

"Yes," he continued, his eyes blazing.

"I had Sky watch you. When he told me you left, I dropped everything and came here, only to find you with this son of a bitch."

The moment the words left his mouth, his fist followed.

He punched Julius hard in the face. The sound was sickening.

Julius cried out as he stumbled back, falling into the snow with a groan. Blood from his cracked lips stained the white beneath him.

"Papa!"

Alfredo's terrified scream cut through the air.

I saw him frozen near the doorway, his little body shaking as fear gripped him. Julius turned his head just enough to see his son and subtly lifted a hand, signaling him to hide.

Alfredo hesitated for half a second, then panic took over and he rushed back inside the house.

Valentino noticed.

To draw attention away from Alfredo, Julius pushed himself up, his voice unsteady but brave.

"What is going on?" he shouted. "Who are you people?"

Valentino laughed darkly.

"Who am I?" he snapped. "Did you just ask who I am? Vaffanculo (go to hell), bastardo (bastard)."

He kicked Julius hard.

Once.

Twice.

Julius cried out, curling into himself as Valentino continued, his rage pouring out through every blow.

I screamed.

"Stop!" I cried, rushing forward.

"Leave him alone. Please. He has nothing to do with this. Leave him out of it."

"I will never leave him alone!" Valentino shouted back, his boot slamming into Julius again.

"How dare you sit beside my wife? How dare you touch her? How fucking dare you lay a hand on my wife?"

"I didn't touch her," Julius gasped through the pain.

I threw myself at Valentino, wrapping my arms around him from behind, clinging to him like my life depended on it.

"Stop, Valentino. Please stop. Don't hurt him. Don't kill him. He knows nothing about this."

Valentino froze for a moment.

Then he turned his head slowly.

"Oh," he said coldly. "So you don't want me to kill the man screwing you behind my back?"

"What?" I cried. "You're getting it all wrong."

"Oh, I'm getting it wrong, uh?"

"Please listen to me," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please listen."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I'm your wife!"

Silence fell.

Valentino stepped back, breathing hard.

"Fine," he said through clenched teeth, pacing like a caged animal.

"I'm listening."

His eyes flicked to Julius, who lay bleeding in the snow.

"He knows nothing," I said quickly.

"I met him today for the first time ever, I swear with my life. I came here to stay with his mother. She's like a grandmother to me. I call her Nana. Do you remember my Nana, the one who died on our wedding day?"

The moment I said that, something shifted in Valentino's eyes, and I felt his anger soften just a little.

He stepped closer and grabbed my shoulders.

"What are you saying?" he asked quietly. "Nana is dead."

"I know," I whispered. "But I needed someone. I'm an orphan. I have no one. She made me feel safe. She was there when you weren't, when you were busy with Nikita."

Valentino swallowed hard.

"This is her son," I continued. "He just arrived from Chicago today. Please, he knows nothing."

"How long have you known this woman?" Valentino asked sharply.

"Almost three months."

"So you've been seeing someone, someone you trust, and you didn't tell me."

"We weren't talking," I whispered.

"We weren't talking because you pushed me away," he snapped.

"You shut me out, Alina. So don't twist this. Don't you dare make me look like the bad one."