The Devil's Inferno

15| Lila Monroe.

ALMA

Before I could stop myself, I was already running out of Zita’s room, sprinting down the staircase and rushing out front.

“Stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I ran towards them. “Stop, please.”

Heads turned in my direction. The look in Lazzaro’s eyes was dark and cold.

“Alma, get back inside!” my father yelled at me.

“Take a single step backwards and I will pull this trigger!” Lazzaro growled, his gun still pointing at Father.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Fabio spat.

“Stop. Please. All of you. I beg you,” I screamed as I cautiously walked towards them until I was standing between Lazzaro and Papa.

“Alma, get out of the way,” Papa yelled.

I stretched out my arms, my gaze darting between the both of them. “Lower your guns. Please. I beg you. No one else has to die today.”

My gaze lingered on my father as I muttered, “please.”

“I am not letting him take you away,” Papa groaned.

“We have already shook hands on this, Lamberto. You cannot back out. Unless...” Lazzaro groaned.

“We shook hands on the contract, but you are not married yet!” Father retorted strongly. “You cannot just take her away from us like that. She is not a w***e. She will remain here until you have a wedding.”

“A wedding?” Lazzaro raised his brow, rage vibrating through his voice. “We can have that damned wedding today. I am not leaving her here. I am taking her with me.”

“No, you are not. Leave my premises now, or I will blow your brains out.” Papa c****d his gun.

“I dare you!” Lazzaro spat.

None of them were willing to relent, and this could only lead to disaster if they continued.

“Fine!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, darting my eyes between the both of them. “Pull the trigger. Kill each other. Kill me too. So that all this nonsense would end once and for all.”

Without even thinking twice, I was next to Lazzaro, snatching the gun from his hand and pointing it at him. I bet he wasn’t expecting me to take his gun; that was why he lost his guard and I was able to do it.

“Call your men off,” I groaned, malice dripping from my voice. “Give me tonight with my family. I haven’t had the time to grieve my sister with them. I will come to you first thing tomorrow.”

His nose flared, the muscles on his face tightening as he grabbed the gun with one hand and snatched it from me.

He directed the gun back at my dad as he leaned in and whispered into my ear, “No. Now, walk down to that car, and get inside. I am not leaving here without you. Do not let me repeat myself.”

I shuddered at his words. As much as I wanted to be defiant and disobey his instructions, I knew that Lazzaro would never back down. And should they continue like this, a lot of people would die here today. I just had to obey him, else it would be a f*****g m******e.

Swallowing hard against my dry throat, I began to slowly walk towards the black G-Wagon.

“Alma!” Papa growled from behind, and I shuddered in fear. But I didn’t stop, nor dare to look at him. He had been the one I had always obeyed and feared, but now, things had changed. Lazzaro owned me now. And it was all because he sold me to him.

One of Lazzaro’s men held the door open for me to enter, and I jumped in.

Through the glass, my eyes met with my mother’s, who was standing by the entrance. The pain in her eyes broke my heart into so many pieces.

I hated to leave her when she needed me the most. I hated that I had no will of my own and everything I ever did or said had to be controlled.

Fuck the Mafia!

I snapped my eyes away from hers as the pain in my heart grew. I couldn’t bear to stare into those sorrowful eyes anymore.

Moments later, the door opened and Lazzaro slipped beside me. He fixed his gaze on me, and I held my breath, the intensity of his gaze burning my skin. I didn’t dare look at him.

I hated that after everything, he still had such an effect on me when I was supposed to hate him with my heart, body, and soul. The car kick-started and we drove out of my father’s manor. On our way, Lazzaro didn’t say anything to me, except for the occasional glances he threw my way. He didn’t need to say anything; his mere look terrified me as much as it aroused me.

“The people that attacked today. Were they the ones that killed my sister?” I asked him.

Initially, I thought Lazarro was the one who attacked that night, but I soon deduced that he couldn’t be the one. Else, the man my sister had married that night, Enzo Bianchi, would’ve waged war on him already.

“Yes.” He simply replied and I swallowed hard, rage boiling through my veins.

Those motherfuckers.

Before I could ask more questions, a policeman pulled us over, and I wondered why. We weren’t disobeying any traffic rules.

The driver wound down the window, and the policeman peeked inside the car.

“Any problem, sir?” the driver asked him.

“May I see your license, registration, and proof of insurance, please?” he asked.

“Sure.” The driver reached for them and gave them to him.

Suddenly, another woman in mufti knocked on Lazzaro’s side of the window.

Lazzaro shook his head and snorted before proceeding to wind the window down.

A wide smile appeared on her face as she muttered, “Hello, Mr. Visconti.”

He scoffed. “I would’ve provided you a room in my manor if I knew you were this obsessed with me, Detective Lila Monroe.”

“Are you offering?” She raised a brow. “Because that would be perfect.”

He shook his head. “Unfortunately, there’s no empty space.”

She snorted, and the smile on her face suddenly faded. Her eyes became darker as she spoke seriously. “You think you are above the law. But I just want to tell you that I will get you, Don Lazzaro. And, I am this close to doing that. I will throw you in jail for a very very long time.”