Lissy Romano

68| Playing fair.

Vincenzo Romano

After I heard gunshots and Lissy's screams over the phone, I was paralyzed with fear. For the first time in my life, I was truly terrified.

I was scared to lose my little siblings—my little brother and my little sister. But thankfully, Santino managed to call me, and I was already on my way to the location of his phone.

Matteo sat beside me in the car as we sped toward the coordinates. Our men were en route as well, and the rest of our brothers were already on their way.

When we arrived, I spotted Santino's car. My heart sank as I saw him lying in the middle of the road, blood pooling around him.

"No. No, this can't be," I muttered, pulling the car to a sudden stop and rushing to his side.

Matteo immediately called our private ambulance, his hands shaking. He stayed beside me, frozen in horror as he looked at our older brother lying lifelessly in his own blood.

Two other men were lying dead on the ground, but I barely registered them. All I could focus on was Santino. I crouched down, lifting his head gently and resting it in my lap. I pressed my hands over his bullet wounds, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

"Brother, I'm here. I'm here. Open your eyes for me," I whispered, one hand cradling his cold face.

But Santino didn't move. He didn't blink. He wasn't even breathing. His pale skin was like ice under my touch.

Matteo frantically searched the area, calling out, "Vincenzo, Lissy isn't here! I only found Jax." He approached, cradling the tiny puppy Santino had gifted Lissy. Tears welled in Matteo's eyes as he crouched beside me again.

"Is he dead?" Matteo asked softly, gripping Santino's hand. His voice cracked, and the tears finally fell.

Flashback from Childhood

"Vincenzo, I want to go with you!" Six-year-old Santino tugged on my sleeve, his wide eyes pleading.

"Santino," I chuckled, pinching his rosy cheek, "you know I can't take you to the party."

"But why?" he whined, his lower lip jutting out in a pout. "I'll be good!"

He was a sweet kid, always eager to please. Mom was pregnant with Lissy at the time, and the twins—only three years old—waddled around the house with their toys in tow.

"I'd take you if I could, but you'll have to get Mom and Dad's permission first," I said, ruffling his hair.

Santino's face lit up, and he bolted toward the living room, where Mom and Dad were sitting together. Dad was feeding Mom bites of chocolate cake—the same kind Lissy loves now—and they were laughing softly.

"Mommy, can I go with Vincenzo to the party?" Santino asked, throwing his little arms around her.

"A party?" Dad raised an eyebrow, turning his attention to me standing in the doorway.

"It's just my closest friends," I explained. "I'll watch him the whole time. I promise."

Mom sighed but smiled at her little boy. "Be safe, kids. No drinking," she added, giving me a knowing look.

"I promise," I assured her.

Dad grinned and extended a hand to Santino. "Okay, but be careful. I'll pick you up at ten. Deal?"

"Deal! Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Mommy!" Santino beamed, kissing Mom's growing belly. "And I love you, baby sister."

The twins tried to argue their way into coming too, but Dad scooped them up and settled them on his lap, laughing at their complaints.

Dante and Domenico came bursting into the room, bickering over a game.

"He cheated, Dad!" Domenico complained, crossing his arms.

"But I won," Dante shot back smugly. "That's what matters, right?"

Dad laughed, his voice full of warmth. "Sometimes, in life, you have to cheat to get ahead. But," he added with a stern look, "never cheat your family."

Mom smiled, shaking her head. "And you certainly don't cheat your brothers."

The room was chaotic—kids everywhere, laughter, bickering—but it was home. Dad tucked the twins under a blanket on the couch before driving Santino and me to the party. Santino was over the moon, and for weeks after, he couldn't stop talking about how much fun he had.

End of Flashback

Back in the present, I leaned down to check for a pulse on Santino's neck. For a moment, I felt nothing. And then—a faint, weak thrum.

He was alive.

"He's alive," I whispered, relief flooding through me.

The private ambulance arrived within minutes, and the medics rushed to stabilize him. They worked quickly, and within moments, they were loading him into the ambulance.

All of my brothers had arrived by now, their faces pale with worry. Fear gripped us all—not just for Santino, but for Lissy too.

I sent Domenico and the twins with the ambulance to the clinic. I needed them there, watching over Santino, ready to call me the moment anything changed.

Meanwhile, Dante, Davide, Giovanni, and I focused on finding Lissy. We couldn't afford to lose any time.

At our meeting place, Giovanni poured over his screens, tracking every move the Volkovs had made. Dante suited up in his bulletproof vest, preparing for the worst. Davide, our brilliant family lawyer, worked to uncover Volkov property holdings while preparing airtight alibis for all of us.

Our men were efficient—cleaning the road, removing the bodies, and erasing any trace of what had happened. To the outside world, it was like nothing had occurred.

Finally, the silence in the room was broken by Enzo bursting through the door.

"Santino woke up!" he shouted, breathless.

All of us froze, then relief washed over us like a tidal wave. Santino was alive. He was awake.

But Lissy was still missing. And I wouldn't rest until we brought her home.

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