CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Beneath the ceasefire
943 Words
The wind howled over the rooftop of Massimo Castle, carrying the scent of rain and gun oil. Dark clouds hung low, casting a gray haze over the city below. Leo Rossi paced back and forth, his movements sharp and restless. His leather shoes clacked against the stone floor as he occasionally paused to peer through a pair of binoculars toward the winding road leading to the castle gates.
Luca sat tied to a metal chair a few feet away, his head slumped forward. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, mixing with the dirt on his skin. Bruises bloomed across his face, and one eye was nearly swollen shut. Despite the pain, his breathing remained steady — calm in a way that seemed to irritate Leo more than anything.
"Martinez," Leo barked. "Go down and check if they’re here. He should be here by now."
Martinez gave a curt nod and disappeared down the stairwell.
Leo sighed heavily, dragging a hand through his hair. "You know," he muttered, glancing back at Luca, "I thought you’d last longer. But you’ve been disappointing."
Luca coughed, chuckling weakly despite the blood in his mouth. "You… talk too much."
Leo’s jaw clenched. He raised a hand as if to strike him again — but stopped when the radio on his belt crackled. Martinez’s voice came through.
"They’re here."
Leo’s lips curled into a slow, satisfied grin. He tossed the binoculars onto a nearby crate and straightened his jacket. "Good."
From the edge of the rooftop, he watched as Alessandro’s black SUV rumbled through the gates below. His guards flanked him, weapons visible, but there was an unmistakable calm in the way Alessandro stepped out of the car. Controlled. Dangerous.
Then Leo saw him. Marco.
Alessandro pulled Marco out of the car without a word. Marco struggled briefly, wrenching his arm back. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded, voice filled with confusion and anger. "Why did you bring me here?"
Alessandro didn’t respond. He kept his grip firm, his expression as unreadable as stone.
They reached the rooftop moments later. The tension thickened as Alessandro approached, dragging Marco slightly behind him.
Leo greeted them with a smug smile. "Ah, there he is. Alessandro De Luca. Finally gracing me with your presence." He spread his arms dramatically. "And you brought our little star. How thoughtful."
Marco’s eyes flicked to Luca, tied and beaten. His expression hardened. "Luca…"
"You like the view?" Leo sneered. "That’s what happens when you put your trust in the wrong family."
Alessandro met Leo’s gaze coldly. "You talk a lot for someone who has nothing."
Leo’s smile faltered. "Nothing?" He laughed bitterly. "You’re standing on my rooftop. I have your favorite bodyguard bleeding out, and I’ve got your precious Marco Rossi. I’d say I have everything."
Alessandro tilted his head slightly. "All I see is a desperate man clinging to scraps."
Marco's glare darkened as he turned to Leo. "What is this? Why am I here?"
Leo's expression softened, if only slightly. "Father’s coming back today," he said. "You can go home. Don’t you want that?"
Marco’s lips parted as if to speak, but his eyes flicked briefly to Alessandro. "Of course I do."
Alessandro caught the glance. His jaw tightened.
Leo's smile widened at the subtle interaction. "You see? He wants to go home. So why don’t we make this simple?" He pointed lazily at Luca. "Hand over Marco… and you can take him."
Luca’s head snapped up. "No!" His voice cracked, but there was fire in it. "Don’t do it."
Alessandro didn’t move.
"This is my loyalty to you," Luca continued, his breathing ragged. "I’m ready to lay down my life for you. Don’t… don’t give in."
Leo chuckled. "Brave words for a man who can barely breathe."
Alessandro’s lips curled into a slow, mocking smile. "You really think I’d give you what you want?" He let out a quiet laugh. "You’re more pathetic than I thought."
Leo’s smile faltered again. His fingers twitched near the gun holstered at his side.
And then —
A gunshot echoed from below.
The sharp crack reverberated through the air. One of Leo's guards jerked forward before collapsing to the ground. The rooftop erupted into chaos.
More gunfire came from the stairwell. Alessandro moved on instinct, grabbing Marco and pulling him down, shielding him with his body. "Stay down!" he hissed.
The Rossi guards scrambled to return fire, but the sudden ambush had caught them off guard. Blood splattered against the stone as more bodies fell. Alessandro's guards surged onto the rooftop, guns blazing.
Luca struggled against the ropes holding him, desperation in his eyes. "Alessandro!"
But then —
Another shot rang out.
Luca flinched as the bullet whizzed toward him. But it never landed.
Leo threw himself forward at the last second, shielding Luca with his body. The bullet slammed into his back, another ripping through his left hand. He let out a strangled cry, collapsing heavily on top of Luca.
There was a heartbeat of silence amid the chaos.
"Leo!" Martinez's voice cracked as he scrambled toward his fallen boss.
Leo coughed wetly, blood seeping through his clothes. He gritted his teeth, trying to push himself up, but his strength faltered. "D… damn it…"
Luca stared at him, eyes wide with shock.
Alessandro didn’t wait. He yanked Marco to his feet. "Move."
They bolted for the stairs as bullets continued to tear through the air. Alessandro kept Marco close, his grip bruising, his breathing ragged.
Behind them, the rooftop burned in the chaos of smoke, blood, and betrayal.
And for the first time…
Leo Rossi had sacrificed something more than his pride.
- Writer
