Thy Will, Not Mine

Chapter {36} Antonio

Only one person would dare walk into my establishment, shooting without a care in the world, and not only threaten my patrons but the one person who made me wear my heart out on a sleeve.

Izan.

"Amore, I need you to crawl into the concealed underground escape, located within the kitchen. Once you are in the kitchen, proceed towards your furthest left. You will come across a nondescript brown cabinet door lacking an opening knob. Tap on it thrice, and you will be presented with a code screen, just enter three digits '692' and it will slide open. Once inside you will find yourself in an elevator which will automatically lead you outside. From there, you must make a secure journey back home and ensure that all your  doors and windows are firmly locked."

I was desperate to keep her out of harm's way, caught in the dangerous crossfire. If Ivan were to find her, he would exploit her vulnerability, using her as a pawn in his twisted game. She was my only weakness, and any harm that befell her would unleash chaos and spark a full-blown war between our rival Mafia factions. Countless lives would be lost, a grim outcome I desperately wished to avoid. However, I couldn't help but wonder if Izan, who had once been confined to a mental asylum, would even care.

"But what about you? Giovanni, Margaret, Susan, Lucia, and everyone else?" Destiny's selflessness shone through, even in the face of imminent danger. She always put others before herself, even as her own life hung in the balance. But I needed her to escape, to protect the one who held my heart from any harm.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. Margaret, Lucia, and Susan will accompany you, and I'll take care of the rest," I reassured her softly, aiming to ease her worries. Margaret, Susan, and Lucia could escape alongside her, but I couldn't let Giovanni leave. He was not only my brother but also the one person I trusted with my life.

"We are?" Susan, Lucia, and Margaret asked simultaneously, their brows raised and eyes narrowing sceptically. They were a force to be reckoned with, always questioning and challenging the situation.

"Yes, you are," I asserted firmly, leaving no room for debate. I began outlining a detailed plan for everyone's escape, including my own. It was essential to ensure their safety and evade capture.

"Why don't we just call the police?" Destiny's innocent honey-coloured eyes gazed into my deceitful ones, unaware of the dangerous world I inhabited. If she were to discover the truth, would she still choose to be with me, or would I lose her? That was a question for another time.

"Because involving the police would draw too much attention and jeopardize our chances. The people holding us hostage wouldn't take kindly to that and would respond with force," I fabricated my response, lying through my teeth without a hint of hesitation because I knew that the police would not hesitate to search the restaurant thoroughly and they would find the illegal machinery hidden in the store room thus leading to our arrest. A strange pang of guilt churned in my stomach. Was it because I had just deceived Destiny?

She averted her gaze to the ground, her voice barely audible as she replied, "Okay."

"Amore mio, please don't cry. When you return home, just go to sleep, and when you wake up, I will be right there by your side," I promised, my determination unwavering. I would not hesitate to confront the men before us, to protect Destiny at all costs, just so I could be with her once again.

As expected, she wiped away her tears, and I gently held her precious and breathtaking face in my hands before pulling her into a tight embrace. It was a silent pledge that I would return to her, no matter what.

"Can I pray for you and everyone else?" she asked, her beautiful brown eyes looking up at me. I knew I couldn't refuse her request. How could I deny her anything?