Emilia

"Hey, fucker!" My voice echo's around the open industrial room. A short, balding, sweaty looking man turns his head, a smile creeping up his face at the sight of me. Stefano. I scope the room; five men are in my eyesight. Two of them on the top floor, their guns pointed at me.

Stefano, on the ground level, stands near my mother's unconscious body, with two of his men behind him. She's tied to a large steel beam that goes from the floor to the ceiling. I place a shaky hand behind my back and hold my hand flush to showcase how many people we're against, I know my men are watching in the shadows.

Stefano claps his hands, "Oh how wonderful!" He smiles, his heavy accent smothering me even over the clanking industrial motors that run throughout the building. I don't know what they're doing running at this hour, but my guess is to drown out any screams or gunshots that escape the building. Good. "We've been waiting for you." He walks over to my mother. She's so still it makes my heart stop, but I see her chest rising. She's alive. I'm trying so hard to be brave but seeing her... so broken.

With a shaky voice, "I'm here. Now let her go."

"Tsk Tsk Tsk." He shakes his head. "I lied on the phone, darling. Your Aiden... he took both of my sons. I will take both of you." He walks closer to me, four guns trained on my body, I don't move an inch.

His hand trails my hair, like he's smoothing it out. I cringe at his touch, my entire body vibrating from fear. I hope Aiden doesn't deviate from the plan when he sees someone's hands on me. I'm our only hope to make it out of this, if I wasn't, he would have never agreed to let me in here. "This revenge will be so sweet." He wields a blade in his left hand. Showcasing it with a smirk.

Aiden's tall frame appears in the shadows from my peripheral on the second floor. He takes down one of the men silently. He guides the man's body to the floor with gentle ease. It's a good thing everyone's eyes are trained on me and the warehouse is so loud.

"Before I kill you." Another one of his men fall, Leo's doing. The top floor is cleared, quickly. "I think I'll have some fun with you." Stefano's hot breath makes me gag, his face too close to my neck as he yells his foul words over the noise.

I feel distant from my body, I have to be someone else, just like in Italy. Emilia would never do something like this. Go courageously into a building to fight grown men, or would she? I stand a little straighter as Stefano stands before me. I saved Aiden in Italy, I saved him from this monster... and I'll do it again for my mother. His disgusting lips touch my cheek, I wince.

"Like hell you will." Aiden's on the ground floor now, behind Stefano's men. In a matter of seconds, he drops the last two of Stefano's guards. We're in control now. I reach for the gun that's tucked inside my leggings.

Stefano realizes it's an ambush, he lunges for my mother. Holding a knife to her throat, she stirs but doesn't wake. The tip of his knife pricks her skin, making me scream.

Howard snarls, stepping out from the shadows. "You lay one hand on her-"

Stefano cuts him off, "What?" He laughs, "You'll kill my whole family?"

Stefano turns his attention to Aiden. "You killed my sons. And I had you." He sighs, "I was coming in that night," He looks to me, his eyes wild. "The night you saved him."

He carelessly holds the blade to my mother's skin. "They say I went crazy, but it was justified. How could one little girl help you escape! And you!" he points to Leo, snarling. "You helped." Aiden's face contorts. "I killed everyone that was there that night. The guards, the workers, the guest that stayed behind. At least I had a few loyal men left." He sneers, "But you've killed all of them too." He throws his head back in a fit of laughter. "Except for one."

Cold, ruthless metal touches the back of my head, I don't turn. I know what it is. Instead, I look to Aiden whose eyes are glistening as he looks back to me, terrified. "Drop your weapons, gentlemen." Stefano says, guiding everyone's attention to me with the tip of his knife. There was one more.

Stefano's greasy smile brightens when the loud clanking of guns hit the ground. "No!" I scream at them, but they don't listen. Too worried about me getting hurt, rather than saving themselves, or my mom. This was my fear.

"Don't." Aiden begs, "Take me." He makes his way towards Stefano, unarmed and with open arms. "Aiden! Please, no!" I protest with my screams, but he doesn't listen.

"Oh, I plan too." Stefano says, "You've ruined my life."

He steps away from my mother, taking his blade towards Aiden.

The gunman behind me moves to my side to get a better view of the action. I can't peel my eyes from Aiden as he allows Stefano to cut into his skin, right over the rose tattoo. "Kill me, cut me to shreds." He doesn't plead with Stefano; he orders him as blood trickles down his skin. "Let her go." Aiden's eyes lock on mine, he would fight... if a barrel wasn't aimed at my temple. My worst fears are coming to life. Aiden looks so brave, as usual. The beautiful, brilliant, selfless human that he is tears me apart. I have to figure out how to save him.

Stefano admires the shimmer of his knife against the dull fluorescents, bringing it against Aiden's neck. I would look away, but Aiden's eyes are boring into mine. Tears streak my face. He's telling me everything we will never get to say to each other again with a brave crooked grin. Dimples.

With Stefano's knife to Aiden's throat, I dart my eyes around the room, trying to find a way to help him. I look at every face in the room. Howard has tears. Dean is looking around the room, I can see the gears turning as he tries to plan out his next move. Leo is creeping around the side while everyone is distracted.

I slowly reach my hand towards the gunmen, remembering how Aiden taught me how to disarm someone with a gun in our training. But before I can, Leo lunges for the man. Their bodies instantly collide with the cold concrete as they fight for dominance. A shot rings out, my face springs to the location. Howard's gun is aimed straight, Stefano on the ground dead. Aiden rushes towards me, unharmed beside the deep cut on his side and a nick in his neck.

Leo and the gunmen struggle for control of the weapon. I can't take my eyes from the scene as Aiden begins to drag me away. Another shot rings out, so close to me that I can't hear anything but a piercing tone.

But what I see... is so much worse than anything I could ever hear.

Leo lays, bleeding out in front of me. I drop to my knees as Dean advances on the man who shot his son. They tousle on the ground next to us, I fall at Leo's side, trying to stop the bleeding and ignoring the fight that's ensuing so close to our bodies.

All I can focus on is Leo's paling face. His hand reaches to cup my cheek. "Em, it's okay." He tells me.

"It's not okay!" I yell at him. "You can't die, Leo! I'm so sorry." I weep.

Two more shots ring out, the sound completely deafening me. I look to my left and all of my attention is drawn to the other horrific scene as Howard replaces his hands on Leo's wounds.

Aiden joined the fight; I hadn't even noticed. I thought he was behind me. I scream as I crawl to his body, he's terrifyingly still, unmoving. "Aiden!" I wail, a lump stops my breathing at the sight of blood on his head.

I cradle Aiden's head in my hands, blood trickles. "Oh my God!" I scream, tears blurring my vision. "He's been shot." The blood is thin and pouring, I rip part of my shirt and press it to the wound.

I look back to Howard, he's yelling at me but I can't interpret his words through the ringing in my ears. A warm hand cups my cheek, I look down. It's Aiden. He smiles at me, sitting up slowly. The ringing subsides momentarily as I try and force him to stay still.

"Baby." His voice is distant, "I just got knocked out." He peels my hand from his face, wiping the blood away to show me it's just a gash. My heart starts beating again until I remember Leo as Aiden's eyes widen when he looks behind me.

Aiden stands up so quickly I can feel the whip of wind in my hair. "Leo, you idiot." He says, falling to his knees, he helps me close the wounds as Howard retreats to my mom who is still unconscious. "I'm so fucking sorry." Aiden tells him.

Leo stays calm, looking between us with fluttering eyelids. "It's okay." He smiles, there's blood on his teeth, "Where's dad?"

"I'm right here, son." I smile hearing Dean's voice, but something is off. I look back, the gunmen is dead, but next to him is Dean. His white shirt smothered in blood and his breathing labored. With all the strength he has left, he crawls to his son. Aiden helps him, holding him up. Dean cups Leo's cheek.

Leo tries to lift, but Aiden stops him. "Dad, you're shot."

With so much courage it makes my heart ache Dean clutches his sons' hand. "I love you, my boy. You were always my greatest gift." He coughs, spitting blood onto Leo's neck. The sight is heart-wrenching.

"I love you too, Dad." Leo's accent is muffled by his agonizing cries.

Dean looks to Aiden firmly. "Get him out of here."

He looks to me, blood staining his teeth. "I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other more, Emmy. Take care of my boy." He looks between us, "Both of you. Now go before the backup I called gets here!" Dean screams out, the last of his energy exhausted he collapses to the ground.

"No!" Leo struggles against Aiden's grip as he lifts him from the ground. Tears falling down his cheeks. "No dad, I won't leave you!" His hand laces through his fathers, it's a devastating thing to see Aiden ripping Leo from his dying father's grip but those were his final wishes and Leo won't make it much longer.

Aiden's face is fallen, "I have to save you, Leo." He mutters to himself as he walks away.

I sit next to Dean for a moment, on my knees as I rub my fingers along his hair. Leo needs medical attention, now. I'm okay and this is where I need to be.

"Emmy." Blood gurgles, I shake my head. "Shh, don't speak. I'm here, please just don't fight me about this." His eyes flutter, a small smile forms on his lips as he squeezes my hand with a weak grip.

"You're like your father." He whispers. "I did this with him, he would have done it for me."

I run my fingers through his hair. Tears soaking my face, "It's going to be okay." I tell him, trying to calm my voice to a melodic pitch so he hears something besides the harsh industrial sounds around us. "Leo will be okay; I will protect him." He gives a faint smile, as he fades away.

His grip on my hand grows weaker, until finally... he lets go.

Then I break down. Closing his eyes and resting my head on his soaked chest.

Aiden's strong arms envelop me, dragging me away from the bloody scene. I just stare, unable to come up with any reasonable emotions or words.

A black suburban waits for us outside, a familiar guard from the house in the driver seat. Aiden slides me into the back, placing me on his lap. I study his wound, holding a piece of my shirt firmly against it. He holds more fabric to his side, the wounds are deep, but he'll be okay. Beside us is Howard, my mother in the middle seat leaned against him. She's starting to come to, how will we explain what's happened?

"Where's Leo?" I ask, craning my neck looking for him.

Aiden gives me a small smile, "He's already at the hospital. Another guard took him, he's texting me every few minutes."

My mom looks back at me, the dried blood on her face darkening. I'm so happy she's okay but how will I explain any of this to her?

Aiden dips his face into the crook of my neck and whispers in my ear, "I'm going to explain to her what happened." Fear shoots through me.

"She'll hate you." I whisper through my sobs.

"Dean and Leo told me earlier what to tell her." He kisses my cheek, "It's going to be okay."

**

As we pull up to our home, it's hard to breathe a sigh of relief when I know Dean is lying in that warehouse, alone. Aiden gets on the phone for a few minutes as Howard escorts my confused mom inside the house, I can't bear to talk to her right now. I would break down.

Aiden hangs up the phone and makes his way to me. "How much longer will Dean have to be alone?" I hug myself, tears dripping down my face.

Aiden pulls me in, "They're already taking him away, baby. He's with his friends now, they'll take care of his..." he pauses. "His body."

I dig my face into his warm chest. "I feel so bad for Leo."

"I know, I know."

I look up at him, he looks down at me. "Is it over?"

Aiden wraps me tightly against him, "The mafia turned their backs on Stefano after I escaped and he killed all of those innocent people, he's nothing now. No one cares for him and no one will seek vengeance."

I sniffle into my sleeve, "How do you know?"

"I just spoke with a friend of Thom- I mean Dean's." He coughs, his voice is hoarse. "Stefano murdered thirteen high ranking guards and two high profile mafia leaders. There's a bounty out for his head, we killed him. We're being celebrated now, not hunted." I cry into his chest.

There's relief in his voice for us, but sadness for Leo and the man we never got to know, Dean. His voice at a whisper as he leans into my hair "It's over baby."

♥️

here's an excerpt from my new book 'Run'! Don't forget to follow my WattPad for updates, and to keep Emilia in your library so you're notified on Emden news 🤗