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That’s where I left the women.
The bodies of all my guards and the enemy’s men lay strewn over the yard.
Carlo sets the helicopter down, and I shove the door open. Jumping out of the aircraft, I break out into a run as I draw my gun from behind my back.
I have to jump over debris and bodies to get to the veranda.
When I run into the mansion, more bodies lie scattered over the floor. I recognize some of my men.
Carlo catches up to me. “Gerardo would’ve taken the women to the armory.”
We rush toward the front door, but as I glance at the kitchen, I see Gerardo’s body.
“Fuck!”
No! Christ. Please.
I change direction, and as we storm into the kitchen, Carlo lets out a wounded cry, “Ma!”
My eyes land on Aunt Greta, who’s lying in a pool of blood.
Christ, no.
“Ma,” Carlo cries again as he drops to his knees beside her. He checks her vitals, and when he begins to shake his head, my heart aches.
This is our worst nightmare.
“Ma,” he whispers before he pulls her into his arms.
“Carlo?” I hear Mamma’s frightened voice.
I hear boxes fall from the direction of the pantry and hurry to open the door.
Seeing my mother trying to stand up between boxes of coffee and sugar, the relief hits me so hard I can barely breathe.
“Mamma!” I grab hold of her, and lifting her out of the panty, I hug her fucking tight to my body. “Thank God.”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t do anything,” she starts to cry, her body trembling hard from the shock she suffered.
I glance at Carlo and see how he lays Aunt Greta back down before brushing his hand over her cheek.
“We’ll find who’s responsible for this and get our revenge,” he whispers to her, then he gasps through his pain, “Jesus, Ma.”
I take Mamma to where Carlo is and hate as the words fall over my lips, “Aunt Greta is gone. Stay with Carlo while I check the rest of the mansion.”
Mamma lets out a sob as she carefully lowers herself to the floor. Her hand bumps against Carlo’s arm, then she pulls him into a hug.
“I’m so sorry,” she cries. “Caro Dio. We had no warning.”
Sorrow hangs thick in the air as I walk to the doorway, but before I can leave, I hear Mamma say, “Gabriella! I think they took her. I couldn’t hear everything, but when they asked where I was, she told them she’s Mrs. Falco. It got quiet after that.”
Dread shudders through me as Mamma confirms what I already knew deep down.
As I stand between the kitchen and the foyer, my eyes drift over all the destruction and bodies.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial Dario’s number.
“I’m thirty minutes out,” he answers.
