GUARDED BY MY POSSESSIVE MAFIA BROTHERS

Chapter 7: The Traitor Inside Our Home

“Alessandra.”

The name left Dante’s lips like a confession.

For a second, the gunfire, shattered glass, and screaming guards disappeared. I could only hear the name they had buried for twenty-one years.

“My name is Alessandra Valenti?”

Dante pulled me behind the stone altar as another bullet struck a nearby pillar.

“This is not the time.”

“You knew!”

“Yes.”

The answer hurt more than another lie.

Luca crouched beside us and reloaded his gun. “We have attackers on the balcony and Marco controlling the security system. Perhaps we can discuss the identity crisis after we survive.”

Marco’s laughter came through the cathedral speakers.

“Still making jokes, Luca? That was always your way of hiding fear.”

Luca raised his weapon toward the balcony. “Come down here and I’ll show you how frightened I am.”

“You won’t shoot me.”

“Try me.”

“You need me alive if you want to know who killed Isabella.”

I looked toward the speakers.

“You killed my mother?”

“No, Alessandra. I tried to save her.”

Dante’s expression hardened. “Don’t listen to him.”

“Why?” I demanded. “Because he might tell me something you didn’t approve first?”

“Because Marco has lied to this family for years.”

“And you haven’t?”

Dante flinched.

Father Gabriel was still behind the opposite pillar with Noah. Blood covered the priest’s shoulder. Noah pressed part of his shirt

against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

“We need to get Father Gabriel out,” Noah called.

Dante signaled toward Luca. “Cover them.”

“What about Elena?”

“Her name is Alessandra,” Marco said through the speakers.

Dante fired at the nearest speaker. It exploded in a shower of sparks.

“Her name is Elena De Santis.”

The speakers near the entrance crackled.

“You can destroy every speaker in the cathedral, Dante. It won’t change her blood.”

Luca leaned around the altar and fired twice toward the upper balcony. A masked man fell against the railing before disappearing into the darkness.

“One down,” Luca said. “At least two remain.”

“I count four,” Noah replied.

“Of course you do. You always were an optimist.”

Noah helped Father Gabriel move between the pews. Before they could reach us, another attacker appeared near the side corridor.

I saw the red laser move across Noah’s back.

“Noah, down!”

He threw himself over Father Gabriel as the bullet struck the wooden pew beside them. Dante fired once. The attacker collapsed near the confessional.

Noah looked at me.

“Thank you.”

Dante grabbed my arm. “Stop showing yourself.”

“I just saved him.”

“And nearly gave the sniper a clear shot.”

“I wasn’t going to let Noah die.”

Something dark passed through Dante’s eyes, but he forced his attention back to the balcony.

“Luca, take Elena and Father Gabriel through the crypt.”

“You’re coming with us,” Luca said.

“I’m finding Marco.”

“That is exactly what he wants.”

“He knows every security procedure we have. Every house, vehicle, and safe location is compromised.”

“So we solve this together.”

Dante looked at me. “Not while she is here.”

“I’m not leaving without the truth,” I said.

“You are leaving because the truth won’t matter if Marco kills you.”

Father Gabriel cried out as Noah helped him reach the altar. The priest’s face had turned pale.

“The bullet passed through,” Noah said, “but he’s losing too much blood.”

Father Gabriel caught my hand.

“Alessandra, listen to me.”

I knelt beside him. “Who is my father?”

His fingers trembled around mine. “Your father is Vincent Valenti.”

Luca became completely still.

Dante closed his eyes briefly.

I looked between them. “You know him.”

“Everyone in our world knows that name,” Luca answered.

“Is he alive?”

Father Gabriel’s grip tightened. “Yes.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know. Vincent disappeared after your mother’s death. Many believed he was killed.”

“But you said he’s been watching me.”

“Someone has protected his network for twenty-one years. Someone inside the De Santis family.”

“Marco,” I whispered.

Father Gabriel nodded.

The remaining lights suddenly turned red.

“Correct,” Marco said through another speaker. “Your brothers are finally teaching you something useful.”

The cathedral doors slammed shut.

A heavy metallic click echoed around us.

Luca ran toward the side entrance and tried the handle. “Locked.”

Dante checked the main doors. “Electronic system.”

Noah looked toward the balcony. “He’s trapping us inside.”

“No,” Father Gabriel whispered. “He’s keeping us here until Vincent arrives.”

A cold sensation spread through my chest.

“My father is coming here?”

“You wanted the truth,” Marco said. “Tonight, you will meet it.”

Dante aimed at the lock and fired. The bullet damaged the panel, but the door remained closed.

“Find another exit,” he ordered.

“There is a tunnel beneath the crypt,” Father Gabriel said. “It leads to the old monastery.”

Luca helped him stand. “How do we reach it?”

“Behind the altar. There is a staircase beneath the carpet.”

Noah moved toward me, but Dante stepped between us.

“You stay away from her.”

“I’m trying to help.”

“You led her to the locker.”

“I led her to evidence you spent her entire life hiding.”

“And someone nearly killed her.”

“Someone has been trying to kill her since before she was born.”

“Stop!” I shouted. “Both of you.”

They fell silent.

“I am tired of being treated like something to protect or possess. We can hate each other after we escape.”

Luca gave Dante a pointed look. “She has your commanding voice.”

“She has Isabella’s,” Father Gabriel corrected.

Dante pulled the carpet away from the altar. Beneath it was a wooden door with an iron handle.

“Luca goes first,” he said. “Elena follows him. Father Gabriel and Carter next. I’ll stay behind.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Luca replied.

“That was an order.”

“You lost the right to give me orders when you punched me.”

“I’ll apologize if we survive.”

“That would be a family first.”

Luca opened the hidden door. A narrow stone staircase descended into darkness.

He looked at me. “Come on, Ellie.”

I hesitated.

“Is Elena even my real name?”

His expression softened. “It is the name our mother chose for you after she brought you home.”

“But Alessandra was the name Isabella gave me.”

“Yes.”

“Which one am I?”

“You’re my irritating little sister. The rest is your choice.”

Despite everything, tears burned my eyes.

A bullet struck the altar.

Luca pushed me toward the stairs. “Emotional moment over. Move.”

We descended into the crypt while Dante and the remaining guards exchanged fire with the attackers. The passage beneath the

cathedral was cold and narrow. Old stone tombs lined the walls.

Father Gabriel leaned heavily against Noah.

“How far is the tunnel?” Noah asked.

“At the end of the crypt.”

A violent explosion shook dust from the ceiling.

“Dante!” I turned toward the staircase.

Luca caught my waist before I could run back. “He’ll follow.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“He always follows you.”

Another explosion sounded above us. Then Dante appeared at the bottom of the stairs with blood on his forehead.

“You’re hurt,” I said.

“It isn’t serious.”

“Where are the guards?”

“Two are holding the entrance. We have minutes at most.”

We reached an old iron gate at the end of the crypt. Father Gabriel removed a cross from around his neck and revealed a small key hidden inside it.

“You’ve been prepared for this,” Dante said.

“I have spent twenty-one years preparing for Alessandra to learn the truth.”

He unlocked the gate.

Beyond it was a dark tunnel barely wide enough for two people.

Before we could enter, Luca stopped.

“Someone is coming from the other side.”

Footsteps echoed through the tunnel.

Dante pushed me behind him and raised his gun. Noah drew a weapon from inside his coat.

Luca looked at him. “You came armed to a cathedral?”

“I know your family.”

“I’m beginning to like him,” Luca said.

“You aren’t,” Dante replied.

The footsteps grew louder.

A tall man emerged from the darkness wearing a black coat. His hair was silver at the temples, and a deep scar crossed his left cheek. He held no visible weapon.

Father Gabriel whispered a prayer.

Dante aimed directly at the stranger’s chest.

“Vincent.”

The man smiled.

My heart stopped.

He had my eyes.

“Hello, Dante,” he said calmly. “You have something that belongs to me.”

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I answered.

His gaze moved past Dante and settled on me.

For the first time, his smile became almost gentle.

“Isabella said the same thing.”

I stepped forward, but Dante blocked me.

“Are you my father?”

The man studied my face as though he had waited years for this moment.

“Yes, Alessandra.”

“Did you kill my mother?”

His expression changed.

“No.”

Father Gabriel suddenly raised his voice.

“Do not believe him!”

Vincent looked at the priest with cold amusement. “Still alive, Gabriel? Marco assured me that mistake would be corrected tonight.”

“You ordered Isabella’s death,” Father Gabriel said.

Vincent’s smile disappeared.

“I ordered her brought home.”

“You ordered your men to take her baby. She died protecting Alessandra from you.”

I struggled to breathe.

Vincent took one step closer.

Dante c****d his gun. “Another step and you die.”

“You won’t shoot me.”

“Many people have made that mistake.”

Vincent reached into his coat slowly and removed a phone. He turned the screen toward us.

The video showed the De Santis mansion.

Armed men stood inside my bedroom, Luca’s office, and the main security room. Several guards lay motionless on the floor.

Vincent looked at Dante.

“Marco has already taken your home.”

Then he looked at me.

“Come with me willingly, Alessandra, and I will let the De Santis family live.”

“No,” Dante said immediately.

Vincent ignored him.

“You have ten seconds to choose. Return to the father whose blood runs through your veins, or watch your brothers lose everything because they stole you from me.”

The tunnel filled with the sound of weapons being loaded behind Vincent.

Dante reached backward and found my hand.

His grip was firm, but for the first time, it did not feel controlling.

It felt afraid.

“Whatever happens,” he said quietly, “do not choose him.”

Vincent began counting.

“Ten.”

I looked at Father Gabriel’s blood-covered clothes.

“Nine.”

At Noah, who had risked his life to bring me here.

“Eight.”

At Luca, who tried to smile despite the fear in his eyes.

“Seven.”

Then I looked at Dante—the brother who had lied to me, protected me, and built my entire life on a stolen name.

“Six.”

I pulled my hand from his.

“Elena,” Dante warned.

I stepped around him and faced my biological father.

“Five.”

“All right,” I said. “I’ll go with you.”

Behind me, Dante stopped breathing.

But Vincent did not know that Luca had already slipped the damaged voice recorder into my hand.

And this time, I intended to uncover the truth from inside the enemy’s home.