Chapter 204

Christian No. I’m not that person anymore, Christian thought as he took a deep breath. He was going to prove everyone wrong and he was going to be the person Serena expected him to be. A family man.

“Carmen and Luke are just as much my family as you are, and I won’t sacrifice a bunch of children.

Neither do I want to get rid of my own uncle.” Christian spoke.

“S-so?” Johnny stuttered, surprised. He truly believed Christian would agree with him, which was why he made the plan in the first place. On the other hand, Christian was shocked by his cousin who had always been the kind one. What happened to him?

“So lower the gun. I need everyone to lower their guns!” Christian yelled out. Not even one second later, everyone lowered their guns. Christian tried to eliminate the sounds of his uncle’s laughter and smiled at Carmen and Luke, who were finally able to breathe.

“I’ll give you Luca, and you’ll give me Carmen and Luke.” Christian announced.

“Dad, the money!” Luca reminded him. He was still locked in Johnny’s grip, and it took Christian everything he had not to beat up his cousin.

“I know, son,” Berto replied. He shrugged his shoulders at Christian. “I need the money, all of it. It’s part of the deal.”

Christian’s number one priority was keeping Carmen and Luke safe, so he didn’t have to think twice before he pulled out the key and waved it in the air. “It’s moved to warehouse Bl. Here’s the key.”

“You’re stupid.” Christian heard Johnny mutter under his breath, but he didn’t care. Anyone was allowed to call him stupid as long as he could protect those Serena loved. He wasn’t only doing it for Serena, but he was also doing it for himself. He loved Luke and Carmen as if they were his own siblings and he was not going to let them down.

“Throw it, throw the key!” Berto demanded. He did not have to repeat himself a second time as Christian obeyed his wishes and threw the key in his direction.

He watched as his uncle picked up the key from the floor and carefully inspected it. “You!” He called out one of the men. “You go and check if it’s true. You know the address-we’ve gone through this.”

Of course he did, Christian thought. His uncle was not a threat to be taken lightly. Berto was a Lamberti who knew all the ins and outs of the family business. He was a living nightmare and a more dangerous enemy than Fabio had ever been.

“Uncle, we don’t have to do this.” Christian sighed as some of Berto’s men left the warehouse. He could hurt a dozen more Fabio’s if he had to, but he did not want to harm his uncle. “Oh, but we do,”

Berto told. him.

“We can talk about this, and you can return like nothing has happened—”

“And move on like this?” Berto yelled as he pulled the mask from his face. Christian stared at his uncle’s scarred face for a split second and turned away. A good half of his face was covered with scars, and it was lot for Christian to take in that his grandpa had a hand in this.

Carmen, who had yelled upon seeing the scars, was uncontrollably crying and shaking, which added nothing good to the situation. Berto released a growl and pulled the mask back onto his face.

“Make her shut up!” He yelled. “Someone shut her up, or I will do it!”

“Hey!” Christian shouted. He was shocked by the demonic tone in his uncle’s voice, and at that point, he knew that the old Berto had entirely vanished. “Just stay calm. You’re alright, Carmen”

Christian calmed her down from a distance Luke wrapped his arm around his sister and pulled her face into his chest. “It’s okay, please don’t cry.” He whispered while Christian felt hopeless. One terrifying teen was calming down the other, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The warehouse remained in complete silence for several minutes due to Berto, who wanted to be reassured that the money was in warehouse Bl. Christian felt too terrified to talk to his uncle as he didn’t want him to do anything crazy.

“Uncle, why are you doing this?” He finally gathered the courage to ask. Berto looked up to meet Christian’s eyes. “It’s nothing personal, Chrissie, but it’s time for me to take back what’s mine.” He spoke. and even if it was just for a split second, Christian was finally able to sense a bit of emotion.

“We can just talk about it. There’s no need for all of this.” Christian whispered, but his uncle turned his head and moved his gaze towards Dario.

Christian could tell Dario was too afraid and ashamed to look his dad in his eyes as he hadn’t said a single. word to him. He betrayed him, and there was no turning back.

“Dario, your mother, would’ve been disappointed,” Berto called him out. Christian gave Dario a nudge against his shoulder. “Ignore him. He’s lying.”

“Shouldn’t we inform Beau about all of this? Maybe he can still come up with something to save the warehouse.” Dario whispered, but Christian shook his head. The last thing he needed right now was for Beau to find out what was going on. He knew Beau would shoot up the entire warehouse without an issue. which was exactly what he was trying to prevent.

“No, you don’t know him like I do-it’s the best he doesn’t know for now,” Christian whispered back.

“Let him take the money, let him take Luca-and we’ll deal with it later.”

Berto, who had been inspecting them, hummed in amusement.

“Issues?”

“No”

“Are you sure?” Berto frowned. He was just about to make another comment before he got interrupted by the sound of his phone. Christian tried to concentrate on the conversation but could only get in a few words.

“Yes”

“Understood.”

“You know what to do with it”

“So,” Berto released a loud and exhausted sigh as he hung up the phone. “Thanks for the money, Ir’]] probably take us some hours.”

“I know, and you can transfer the money in peace. You have my word.” Christian promised him.

Everything his grandpa did was for nothing, he had been working the entire day and it was all for nothing “Just please…let them go and reassure me that all the other kids will be fine.”

“I was thinking, how about you just give me warehouse B1?” Berto ignored Christian’s request. He was determined to get as much as he could.

“But all of our product is still in there.” Johnny frowned. Berto gave him a simple nod and looked a Logan, his new prodigy. Logan understood Berto’s signal and tapped the gun onto Carmen’s head.

“So, warehouse B1 Berto smirked.

“You can take it. Just let them go!” Christian surrendered himself. He was willing to give him anything, as long as he would leave Carmen and Luke alone.

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

“You can kill me if I am.” Christian held up his hands. “Just let them go, please.”

“Christian?” Johnny spoke, shocked. Hearing his cousin who was supposed to lead the family, speak out words such as “please sounded just as embarrassing to him.

“That’s a very bold statement. What do you think, Luca?” Berto asked his son, who was still in Johnny” grip. “I think you need to make him beg for it, maybe even go on his knees,” Luca suggested.

“Hmm, you heard him.” Berto cackled. “I am willing to give you the warehouse and Luca, but I won’t get on my knees” Christian tried to remain calm.

“It’s because he doesn’t care for you two donkeys” Luca laughed at Carmen and Luke Christian stared at Luke, who held Carmen closer and felt guilt wash over him.

“He cares enough for that overdramatic, whining bitch in Panama, though. I bet he would go on his knees to beg for her life.”

Breathe in, breathe out Christian was close to losing it, but he knew that it was what Luca wanted. He knew Luca wanted him to lose control so that he could stir up some trouble, but Christian was not going to fall for it He moved aside and grabbed Luca from Johnny’s grip “I warned you not to disrespect Serena,” He whispered in his cars while Luca chuckled “I’ll give you Luca and the warehouse, and you give me Carmen and Luke! Christian shouted loud enough for everyone to hear “We will walk forward at the same time, and don’t screw tie over Berto looked at Logan and permitted him to step forward Logan stepped between the twins and held them by their wrists as Christian did the same and walked close with Luca Christian fel disrespected by the look on Logan’s face and felt the need to put him stra He would accept anything, but not a wannabe gangster teenager who was looking down on hum “Don’t do anything crazy,” He told Logan. “I don’t give a fuck about your age, keep looking at me like that and I will put a bullet through your brains.”

“That’s my Chrissie!” Berto’s laughter filled the warehouse. He looked back at the army of men. “I told you he’s unstable. The whole family knows he’s crazy.”

Logan made his way to the center with trembling legs and let go of Carmen and Luke, while Christian let go of Luca.

Carmen flew into Christian’s arms and held him tightly as tears left her eyes.

“Cute,” Luca chuckled sarcastically. Christian reached out his hand to hold Luke as he pulled the twins into a tighter embrace and kissed their heads. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. He didn’t even know he could feel these emotions for some teenagers, but everything had changed after he had Siena.

He felt the need to take care of them.

He couldn’t even imagine his own daughter in this position. “Dario, I need you to bring them to Beau,” Christian spoke as he pushed the two towards Dario.

Just the sight of Luca, who had been reunited with his father, made Christian’s blood boil. He might’ve lost. Luca, the warehouse, and the money, but the fight was far from over.

“You should all go with him. I can take it from here.” Christian told his men.

“But boss, we can’t leave you alone with all of them-”

“It’s over, go.” Christian demanded. “I have something to take care of, and my uncle…he won’t hurt me, 50.”

“You heard him? Let’s go.” Dario repeated. He wrapped his arm around the twins as he led the men out of the warehouse and followed behind them.

“That word is nice. Boss Berto spoke. Christian didn’t stay behind to argue. He stayed behind for one simple thing. “I remember when the men of the Lamberti used to call me bo-

“I have a request for you” Christian got down to business. No matter what was going on, he did not want his dad to suffer because of it. “Which is?” Berto frowned.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but we’re taking family pictures in two days, and I need Luca to be there,” Christian spoke. “I also don’t know what you have planned for the future, but I know we both care about my dad-so I need Luca to be there.”

Berto laughed at Christian’s sudden request and wrapped his arm around Luca’s shoulder. “Luca will be there, and if you’re asking me to hide my identity for a while longer-then I will also do that.”

“Good.”

“You’re still so young, Chrissie, Berto commented. “I’m not the real issue. The Lamberti’s are, and you “should know that better than anyone.”

“Oh, I know.” Christian smiled. “But unlike you, I’ll never give up on this family-

“Is that what you think I’m doing?” Berto asked. “Giving up on this family?”

“Christian, listen. Berto spoke. “The plan is not to give up on this family, the plan is to take back what’s rightfully mine, and that’s the family business,”

“Over my dead body” Christian laughed in disbelief. The money was one thing, but the business was another, and he would not betray his daughter once again. “If we have to fight over it, we’ll fight over it,” Christian spoke. “I’ll fight you over the business, uncle.”

“Very well, then, Berto stated. “Then we’ll fight over it.”

Christian did not want to go to war, but he also couldn’t let his uncle walk over him. He had to protect what was rightfully his and Siena’s. “I’ll spare Lucio for a few more days, but I won’t let you take away what’s mine,” Berto spoke.

“Even if I have to hurt the ones you love, which includes Serena and your baby, Siena.”

“That’s right,” Christian whispered as he moved his eyes towards a smirking Luca. “It’s time for you to face the consequences for the way you’ve been talking about Serena,” Christian spoke calmly and pulled our his gun He pointed the gun towards Luca’s knee and pulled the trigger as he watched his cousin cry out in pain. Berto let out an amused laugh while Luca fell to the floor.

Several men rushed over to his side while Logan searched for cover behind Berto. “I thought you didn’t have it in you, but look!” Berto called out. “Now it’s getting interesting!”

“It is Christian agreed. “And if one of you ever speak on Serena or my daughter ever again, I will finish off the other half of your face, and I will kill you with my own bare hands.”

“Have a nice day, bye”