CRIMSON LOYALTY

CHAPTER FIVE

“Let me go, please! I’m begging you,” I pleaded with Matteo, struggling desperately against the ropes that tied me to the chair.

“Stop struggling,” he sneered, his laughter cold and menacing. “Did you really think I’d let you go scot-free? You had one job, and you failed. This is the price you pay!”

Earlier this morning, in a panicked rush to the hospital, I’d been ambushed and dragged to this dark, desolate alley. All I wanted was to be with my mum. I just wanted to go home.

“Boss,” a huge, burly man entered the room. “We have something for you.”

With that, a man was shoved roughly to the ground.

“Aah,” the man groaned in pain.

My breath caught. I recognized that voice.

Antonio.

HIS POV

Video file received— the notification blinking on my screen.

I didn’t recognize the number, but something in my gut told me this wasn’t just a coincidence. My pulse quickened. Without a second thought, I clicked on the file.

The screen flickered for a moment, and then there she was. Ada-Rosa.

My chest tightened. She was tied to a chair, her head hanging low, her hair a wild mess. My heart raced as I took in the sight of her. She looked exhausted, broken—her body slumped, her breathing shallow. The bruises on her face were all too clear.

I leaned in, my jaw clenched, unable to look away. She was mine, and someone had dared to hurt her.

Then I heard the voice.

"Antonio," Matteo’s voice sliced through the silence. Cold. Calculated. "We have her," he said, his tone dripping with malice. "And if you want her to stay alive, you’ll do exactly what we say."

"You’ve made your choices, Antonio," Matteo continued, his voice oozing arrogance. "Now, you’ll pay the price."

My fingers gripped the edge of the desk, my mind racing. I didn’t need to hear more. Matteo had crossed a line. He thought he could test me—use her against me—but he didn’t understand that nothing would stop me from taking him down.

The camera shifted back to Ada-Rosa’s face. She struggled to open her eyes, her lips moving faintly as she tried to speak.

"Antonio..." Her voice was weak, desperate, but I could still sense the fear in it. "Please... don’t..."

And then, the video abruptly cuts out.

******

That bastard knew what he was doing when he sent a video of a drugged Ada-Rosa tied to a chair. He used her as bait, knowing I'd show up.

And I did.

I knew for sure that Ada-Rosa wasn't the traitor—she didn’t know any of my plans. So, what could she have told Matteo? Someone else betrayed me, and it wasn’t her.

“Let her go, Matteo. You have me already,” I snapped.

“I’m a 62-year-old man. Don’t tell me what to do,” he grunted.

“If you don’t—”

“Babe!!” he called out. “Please come in.”

To my surprise, Bella strutted in and planted a kiss on Matteo's cheek.

“You slut!” I spat.

“Oh please,” she dismissed me with a wave. “Like you haven’t been f*****g Ada-Rosa here. Sei stupido!”

“She’s actually my wife,” Matteo revealed, “we’ve been married for two years now.”

“See?” Bella smirked, holding out her diamond ring.

“And for the grand surprise,” Matteo chuckled, “The ‘traitor’.”

“Ciao, cugino,” Dante entered with a smirk. “I wasn’t hoping to see you here.”

It felt like someone had driven a knife into my chest. “Why did you do this?”

“Because I wanted to be in charge. I’m older than you, yet you get to lead everyone, including me!” He glared at me with bloodshot eyes. “The same happened with our fathers, and I’ll break that cycle.” He paused. “And it wasn’t Matteo who killed your dad, it was me.”

My eyes widened. “I’ll kill you, Dante! I’ll leave your dead body for vultures to feast on, I swear!”

He chuckled. “How can you do that when you’ve been outnumbered? Now watch me take your place and rule over all of New York.”

“Actually, change of plans,” Matteo interjected, wrapping his arms around Bella’s waist.

“What do you mean?” Dante turned to him. “You promised I’d take Antonio’s position if I helped you.”

Matteo smirked. “Like I said, change of plans.”

BANG!

Dante collapsed, his body pooling with blood.

“I hate when people disagree with me,” Matteo muttered, sliding the gun back into his pocket.

Another shot rang out, and the burly man dropped dead. Then another shot rang out, and Bella followed suit.

I smirked. “You didn’t think I’d come here without a plan, did you?”

Matteo’s eyes widened. “Stronzo!”

My men rushed in and restrained Matteo.

“Boss,” Dom greeted, walking in to untie me.

“Take her out of here,” I ordered, glancing at Ada-Rosa, all the unspoken apologies in her eyes. Two of my men untied her and escorted her out.

Turning to Matteo, I added, “You seem to be forgetting that I’m the mafia boss of New York.”

“I’ll kill you!” Matteo roared, veins bulging on either side of his neck. “This isn’t over yet!”

“Oh, it is.” I pulled the trigger. The deafening *bang* shattered the silence, the sharp crack of the gunshot echoing off the walls. A flash of movement, then the thud of Matteo’s lifeless body hitting the ground. “Cretino.”