Chapter 73: Chapter 73

◇ KEL ◇

It would be accurate to say Miles arrived on the island with an army and a burning urge to slit someone's throat.

The cool sea breeze wasn't giving me any comfort, either. Any minute now I might just collapse from sleep deprivation or from the multiple physical injuries I sustained.  I touched my sore lip and felt dried blood, while the bruises and cuts on my feet and ankles stang as if I'd walked over burning embers.

Trembling in fatigue and nervousness, I staggered behind Miles as I tried to match his brisk steps.

"Kel, stop."  Niccolo caught me by my arm before I tripped over a twig.  "Let's just go back to the yacht," he muttered in his faint accent.

"Don't let him do anything stupid." I glanced up at the guy holding me still. I was trying not to frown at him, knowing he didn't do anything wrong or anything to hurt me.

He even helped Miles rescue me, as far as I could tell.  I could tell Niccolo had been keeping secrets from me but I shouldn't be upset with him.  He was not the reason I was hopelessly stuck in this nightmare.

The horrors of last night were still fresh on my mind, controlling my thoughts and keeping me from prioritizing common sense.  But I knew Nicco was only here to help.

With Miles' current state, not even Niccolo could stop him from confronting Enzo and Leandro.  We stood outside the beach house—well, it was more of a luxury villa—with five of Leandro's armed guards effectively blocking the entrance.

On our side stood the Falcos' bodyguards, a livid Miles, Niccolo, and then me...a weak and trembling mess.

"We called the cops," Niccolo mumbled to my ear while he held me close to him. "I doubt that'll do anything, but, let's hope for the best."

Hope for the best? Great. How promising.  I should have listened and stayed on the boat. A violent shootout before sunrise just horrified me. Excessive and unnecessary.

If something bad happened to Miles, I might just have a heart attack right then and there.  No doubt his entire family would blame me for it, too.  I couldn't let him get hurt because of me.  It was not his job to avenge me for what happened last night.

"They own people here, even in the high ranks. The agencies have been trying to stop their operations in Europe. Not a single Tomassini caught or sentenced."

"Stop him."  I watched Miles rush for the front door, my entire body now growing numb in consternation and burgeoning anxiety. Any moment now, the Tomassinis' guards could start shooting at us if Miles didn't stay put.

The ten guys Miles brought with him wouldn't stand a chance. Leandro probably had more than a dozen security staff in this private property. I wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be accurate.

"Nicco, he's gonna get himself killed!" I held back a sob while Miles shouted at the men visibly cocking their guns and blocking the villa's porch.

"Can't really do anything at this point." Niccolo kept me still behind him as we hid behind tall hedges on the front lawn.

"Don't let him shoot someone or we'll all die here." I tried to keep still while Niccolo covered me up with his coat.

Leandro's men just shouted at Miles to calm down. They were telling him to wait for the boss, their tone insistent.

Tense, unbearably quiet seconds passed before the wide front door finally opened. No one made a move. Next thing I knew, Enzo stepped out onto the porch before his older brother came into view.

That same instant, my throat constricted. I clasped Nicco's arm.

The monster wore a robe now. Leandro flicked a cursory glance to where I stood speechless, then smiled briefly at his unexpected guests.  "Maximiliano, pleasure. Welcome to our beach house,"  he greeted amicably as he walked towards Miles. Then the psycho had the gall to grin at me.

Every bit of my insides recoiled in disgust. I should grab Miles and his gun before he could do anything stupid, but both of my legs wouldn't move.

"What the fuck did she ever do to you?"

"Whoa!" Enzo rushed forward and put his hands  up.  He still wore the same wrinkly shirt from last night.  "Cool down, Maxim." Enzo wedged himself in between his brother and an irate Miles.

"You did this, you prick! I should strangle you right now!" Miles shoved Enzo twice, hard enough to startle him and the guards.

Leandro's men stepped closer with loaded guns ready to shoot, eager to defend their big bosses. But Leandro ordered his men to back off.  "Non. Calmati."

"Don't do anything stupid, Maxim." Enzo stared at Miles with creased brows. Enzo's bed head and puffy eyes told me he had just woken up.  He glanced at me and kept shielding his brother from Miles' seething state.

As far as I could tell, Enzo had no clue.  I could hardly look at his total nutcase of a brother, who was merely smirking at Miles' ire as if amused by it all.

"What's this about, Falco?" The older Tomassini furrowed his brows till faint lines appeared on his forehead, sounding genuinely confused.

If only I wasn't fully aware that he was a bona fide bullshitter and a dangerous, sadistic psychopath...

"Maxim—  We didn't do anything."  Enzo took two careful steps closer to Miles and glanced at me as I stood behind the hedges with Nicco.  Enzo scowled at us; he probably just noticed I was barefoot and wrapped in a thick men's jacket.

"You fucking lie to me again, I'll throw your asses in prison myself." Miles gripped his handgun and steadily pointed the weapon at the older Tomassini heir.

"She's fine—  No need to be upset," Enzo reassured him with calm certainty.

If only I were too traumatized to remember the revolting memories of last night, the insistence in Enzo's voice might have convinced me, too.  "Miles, let's just go," I pleaded while Miles hurled threats and looked like he was ready to kill. Right here. Right now.

It made my breathing halt. He never got violent. Never.  His rage terrified me more than my proximity to my worst nightmare.

The devil incarnate. The manipulator. My torturer.

I held onto Nicco's arm as we stood far enough from the front porch. If I came any closer, the sicko might grab me again and probably strangle me to death with his bare hands—just to show everyone who's boss.

"You should be in the yacht." Niccolo sighed loudly and put his arm around me now.

"If you're not staying for the weekend,  I suggest you get off my island before the guards get the wrong idea." Leandro put on another smile that didn't reach his cold, dark eyes.  "And as for your adventurous little girlfriend, I was only trying to get to know her.  She piqued my interest." Leandro shrugged casually.

Crap. This psycho really wanted to die today.

"Non voglio farti del male, quindi allontanati da me prima che ti strappi la gola."  Miles kept glaring at the older brother while he gripped his gun. Without another word, Miles just lunged at the son of a bitch.

"Ah. Ha mostrato la sua vera natura." Ignoring the gun pressing onto his neck, Leandro laughed to himself, his psychosis quite evident. He was grinning at me from afar but he kept still.  Before I could make sense of what was about to happen, he just pulled out a gun from behind him.

"Leo! Fuck's sake—" Enzo grabbed his brother's gun and immediately put it away the next second. "Maxim, calm down.  Nobody needs to get hurt. Alright?"  Enzo stared at Miles and kept his palms up, desperately trying to control the situation.

Everyone held their breath, including me and Niccolo.  The mounting tension around us could cut glass into  pieces.

"You ever pull this shit again, I'll bury you alive."  Miles, being taller, continued to choke Leandro with his arm, holding him immobile till Leandro's face turned a pale shade of red.

The bodyguards, on Leandro's own command, had not fired their weapons, even with Miles' gun threatening to blast Leandro's brains out.

"Careful with the threats, young Falco. Or my men might think you only came here for blood." Leandro maintained his chill, steady tone despite some slurred words and strained intakes of breath.  "Don't forget we're still doing business together."

"Touch her again, I'll kill you all."

◇