Love or Revenge
1244 Words
Chapter 11: Love or Revenge
“Alessandro, stop!”
The gunshot had not happened yet.
But Isabella knew it was coming.
She stood frozen in the center of the warehouse, staring at Alessandro's back.
Across the room, the man who had helped kidnap her was on his knees.
His face was swollen.
Blood ran from his mouth.
Two of Alessandro's men held his arms behind him.
Alessandro stood ten feet away.
A gun raised.
His finger resting against the trigger.
“Please,” Isabella whispered.
He didn't move.
The entire warehouse had gone silent.
Even his men seemed afraid to breathe.
Alessandro's voice came quietly.
“Tell me why I shouldn't.”
The man on his knees laughed.
A weak, ugly sound.
“Because she survived?”
Alessandro's finger tightened.
Isabella's stomach dropped.
“Alessandro!”
The man looked at her.
“You should have seen him when he thought you were dead.”
Alessandro took a step forward.
One of his men moved instinctively.
“Boss—”
“Stay back.”
His voice cut through the room.
The man fell silent.
Isabella could hear her own heartbeat.
Fast.
Painful.
She knew this Alessandro.
Not the man who had held her.
Not the man who had asked what she needed.
This was the Shadow Don.
The man his enemies feared.
The man she had been warned about.
“Alessandro.”
He didn't turn.
“Look at me.”
Nothing.
She stepped closer.
One of his guards immediately moved toward her.
Alessandro raised one hand.
The guard stopped.
Isabella's heart tightened.
Even now, he wouldn't let anyone force her away.
She walked closer.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, Alessandro turned his head.
The moment she saw his face, her fear changed.
He wasn't angry.
He was terrified.
His eyes were red.
His jaw was shaking.
His hand holding the gun trembled almost imperceptibly.
“They had you.”
His voice broke.
Isabella swallowed.
“I know.”
“They tied you to a chair.”
“I know.”
“They sent me pictures.”
Her chest tightened.
“I know.”
His eyes finally met hers.
“And every second I didn't know where you were…”
He stopped.
His breathing became uneven.
“I thought I had failed you.”
The words hit her harder than any threat.
“You didn't.”
“I almost did.”
She stepped closer.
“You found me.”
“Too late.”
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“You don't understand.”
“Then tell me.”
For a moment, Alessandro said nothing.
Then he looked back at the man on his knees.
“He knows what it feels like to be helpless.”
Isabella followed his gaze.
“And?”
“And he made you feel it.”
The rage returned to his face.
“He wanted you to be afraid.”
Isabella's breath caught.
“Alessandro…”
“He wanted me to be afraid.”
His voice rose.
And suddenly, Isabella understood.
This wasn't only about her k********g.
It was about Luca.
His brother.
His mother.
Every person Alessandro had failed to save.
Isabella moved closer until she stood beside him.
“Give me the gun.”
His eyes snapped toward her.
“No.”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
She held out her hand.
“Alessandro.”
His fingers tightened around the weapon.
“I can't.”
“Yes, you can.”
“You don't know what you're asking.”
“I do.”
Her voice trembled.
But she didn't lower her hand.
“You're asking me to let him live.”
“I'm asking you not to become a prisoner of what happened to me.”
The words silenced him.
She continued.
“You taught me that protection isn't making choices for another person.”
His eyes held hers.
“So don't take this choice away from me.”
He looked at the man.
Then at Isabella.
“What if I need revenge?”
Her heart broke.
“Then be honest about it.”
His expression changed.
“I am.”
She stepped closer.
“But don't call it love.”
Silence.
The words struck him.
“If you kill him because you love me, then you're using my pain to excuse your anger.”
Alessandro's breathing slowed.
She could see him fighting himself.
The man on his knees smiled faintly.
“You're weak, Moretti.”
Alessandro raised the gun again.
Isabella grabbed his wrist.
Every guard in the warehouse moved.
But Alessandro stopped them with a single look.
His eyes dropped to Isabella's hand around his wrist.
Her fingers were shaking.
She didn't let go.
“You're right,” Alessandro said quietly.
She looked at him.
“About what?”
“I don't know how to lose people.”
His voice cracked.
“And I don't know how to forgive the people who take them from me.”
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
“Then don't forgive him.”
He stared at her.
“Just don't let him decide who you become.”
For several seconds, nothing moved.
Then Alessandro closed his eyes.
The gun lowered.
A breath escaped Isabella.
Alessandro handed the weapon to one of his men.
“Take him downstairs.”
The kidnapper was dragged away.
Isabella stood perfectly still.
Her knees suddenly felt weak.
Alessandro noticed immediately.
He caught her arm.
“Hey.”
She looked at him.
“I'm fine.”
“No, you're not.”
His voice softened.
He didn't tell her to sit.
Didn't order her away.
Instead, he asked,
“What do you need?”
The question nearly broke her.
She took a shaky breath.
“Just stay here.”
His expression softened.
“I can do that.”
He didn't pull her closer.
He waited.
And when she finally reached for him, he wrapped his arms around her.
Carefully.
Like she was hurt somewhere he couldn't see.
She pressed her face against his chest.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Alessandro whispered,
“I was going to kill him.”
“I know.”
“And part of me still wants to.”
“I know.”
He pulled back.
“But I won't make you carry that.”
She looked into his eyes.
“You're choosing me?”
His expression changed.
“No.”
Her heart sank.
Then he touched her cheek.
“I'm choosing myself too.”
For the first time, Isabella understood.
Love wasn't asking Alessandro to give up who he was.
It was asking him to decide who he wanted to become.
But before either of them could speak again, Alessandro's phone rang.
He answered.
“What?”
His expression hardened.
“Where?”
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
Isabella's stomach tightened.
“What happened?”
Alessandro looked at her.
“They found the monastery.”
Her heart began pounding.
“And?”
“They found a body.”
Silence.
“Who?”
His eyes met hers.
“My father.”
Isabella stopped breathing.
Alessandro's face became completely still.
Then he whispered,
“Someone got their revenge before I could.”
And suddenly, revenge was no longer only Alessandro's choice.
Someone had taken that choice from him.
And Isabella had a terrifying feeling that whoever killed his father wanted Alessandro to do exactly what she had just stopped him from doing.
Become the monster they needed him to be.
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