Rescued by Darkness

Blood Debt

The warehouse had fallen silent, save for the soft crackling of distant flames and the echoing footsteps of Lorenzo's men as they searched the premises. Bodies littered the floor, and the scent of gunpowder and blood hung heavy in the air. Lorenzo stood in the center of the room, his chest heaving with adrenaline, but his mind was already racing. The threat from the Russians might have been silenced tonight, but the bigger issue remained—the mole.

Someone had betrayed him. Someone had given the Russians enough information to pull off the kidnapping of Alessia and Luciana. That betrayal had almost cost him everything.

His fists clenched, and he glanced at Rocco, who had returned from a quick search of the perimeter. "Have the men sweep the area. I want every inch of this place searched. No one leaves until we know who the rat is."

Rocco nodded, but before he could respond, Nico's voice cut through the thick tension. "We already know."

Lorenzo turned to see his eldest son walking toward him, his face dark, lips pulled into a thin line of fury. Behind him, two of the soldiers dragged a man into the center of the room, his face bloodied, his legs barely able to hold him up.

Lorenzo's heart froze. He recognized the man immediately. Enzo, one of his trusted lieutenants. A man who had been in his service for years, who had shared drinks at his table, and who had watched over his family when he was away.

"Enzo?" Lorenzo's voice was dangerously low, a deadly calm settling over him. The disbelief and betrayal cut deep, but his anger outweighed everything else. "It was you?"

The man whimpered, his body shaking as he was forced to his knees in front of Lorenzo. Blood dripped from a split in his lip, and his eyes were wild, darting around the room as if looking for an escape. "Lorenzo... please... it wasn't supposed to go this far—"

"You sold us out," Nico growled, stepping forward, rage flashing in his blue eyes. "You put Alessia and Luciana in danger. You gave the Russians everything they needed to strike at us!"

Enzo's head dropped, shame and fear written across his face. "I didn't have a choice," he muttered, his voice shaking. "They threatened my family... they said they'd kill them if I didn't cooperate."

"That's what you did to me!" Lorenzo exploded, stepping closer, his voice full of raw anger. "You sold my wife and daughter to save your own skin!"

Enzo sobbed, his shoulders shaking. "I was going to make it right! I swear... I thought I could control it—"

"You thought wrong." Lorenzo's words were ice cold, no mercy in his tone.

Nico stepped up beside his father, his body coiled tight with tension, but his face set in stone. He glanced at Lorenzo, his voice steady despite the intensity in his eyes. "What do you want to do with him, Dad?"

Lorenzo stared down at the man who had betrayed him, the fury and pain of the betrayal twisting in his gut. Enzo had been a part of the family for years. He had shared in their victories, their sorrows. He had been trusted. And now, because of his cowardice, because of his treachery, Alessia and Luciana had been taken, nearly killed.

For a long moment, there was nothing but silence as Lorenzo's gaze hardened, his mind already made up.

"You will never have a chance to make it right," Lorenzo said, his voice deathly calm. "You made your choice, Enzo. You chose them over us. You chose them over my daughter."

Enzo's sobs grew louder as he shook his head, pleading with his eyes. "Please, Lorenzo... spare my life, I beg you! It was a mistake—"

"A mistake?" Lorenzo's voice was a snarl now. He grabbed the man by his collar, yanking him up so their faces were inches apart. "You call this a mistake? My daughter was bruised, bleeding, taken from us! You nearly destroyed my family!"

Enzo whimpered, his eyes widening in terror. But Lorenzo had no more words. He let go of the man and stepped back, his hand resting on the gun at his side.

Nico stood there, silent, waiting for his father's command. Rocco moved closer, his face grim. "I'll handle it, Boss."

Lorenzo glanced at him, then nodded. "Do it."

Without hesitation, Rocco grabbed Enzo, dragging him out of the main room and into the adjacent chamber. Enzo's screams echoed for a few moments before a single gunshot rang out, cutting through the silence.

Lorenzo stood still, his face hard as stone, his mind working through the consequences of this betrayal. One less problem, but it wasn't over. The Russians were still out there. And there would be more. He would make sure of it.

As the sounds of Enzo's execution faded into the night, Lorenzo turned back to Nico, his face softening slightly. "We tighten security. No one gets close to the family without being vetted by me personally. You, Rocco, and I will handle all sensitive matters moving forward."

Nico nodded, his face grim but determined. "Consider it done."

"Good." Lorenzo's gaze shifted to the door, a sudden wave of exhaustion threatening to overtake him. He needed to get back to Alessia and Luciana. He needed to hold his daughter, to remind himself what he was fighting for.

But before he could take a step, Rocco returned, his face unreadable. "Boss," he said, his voice low. "There's something you need to see."

Lorenzo frowned, following Rocco into the small office adjacent to the main warehouse. On the desk, laid out neatly, were documents—papers detailing the Russians' plans, coded messages, and... photos. Lorenzo's heart clenched as he saw them. Pictures of his estate. Of Alessia and Luciana. Detailed surveillance of their routines.

"They were watching us," Lorenzo growled, his fury returning full force. "They knew everything."

Rocco nodded grimly. "It gets worse. We found some encrypted communications—looks like the Russians are planning another move. This attack was just the beginning."

Lorenzo's jaw tightened. His eyes scanned the photos again, focusing on the images of his wife and daughter. His pulse quickened, rage building inside him like a storm.

He turned to Rocco, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "Then we hit them first. Before they can touch my family again."

Rocco nodded in agreement. "What's the plan, Boss?"

Lorenzo's eyes darkened, his face set with steely determination. "We cut off the head of the snake. We find out who's leading this operation and take them out. No mercy. No warnings."

Nico stepped forward, his voice steady. "We'll take them all down, Dad. Every last one of them."

Lorenzo's cold smile returned. "They think they can mess with the D'Angelos? They'll regret the day they crossed us."

As Lorenzo looked back at the photos on the desk, his thoughts shifted to Luciana. She had already been through so much, too much for someone so young. But no more. He would make sure she was safe, protected, loved. And anyone who tried to come between them... would pay with their lives.

His resolve was stronger than ever.