17: My Angel

Lucca

"Okay, we got the audio working." Ciro informs us, as Francesco and I enter the surveillance van.

The van was parked literally three minutes away from Corbiniano's house. It looked like a normal delivery van from outside, but the inside was completely transformed. The seats were removed and replaced with more comfortable and convenient chairs. One side of the van was covered with LED screens, and a small foldable table was in front of it for the extra laptop, keyboard and mouse. And as per Ciro's request there was a small mini fridge and snack bar installed exclusively for him. He and his food love.. no comments there.

"Good, let's ear what that rotten piece of trash has to say." I say as I take the AirPod from Ciro hand and put one of them in my right ear as I sit next to Ciro in the chair.

"Welcome, welcome Bella dear. We all have been waiting for you." Corbiniano cheerful tone fills my ear and it annoys me that my angel is so close to him. The mere thought makes my blood boil with anger. But I had to respect her decision. She was doing this for her family, and I was this for mine, for my angel.

"Thank you." The voice of my sweet angel calm's me down. She sounded nervous but except her tone nothing was giving it away.

"Let's go in, your sister and mother are dying to meet you. They are there in the living room."

"What about the camera??Did you get the live feed on??" I ask Ciro and look at him. He just replies with a single nod and gets busy with typing on his laptop like a mad hacker.

Last night when Ciro suggested that we should bug Corbiniano's house, I thought he was kidding. How can he suggest that?? How can he put my angel in such danger? What if Corbiniano finds it and hurts my angel. I won't let that happen, never. So straight up I refused his lame idea. But later when Francesco explained me how we can use the recording for both my angel and our advantage, I had to agree. If anything that can help my angel bring back her family, I will do it.

But that didn't mean I will neglect her safety, she is my number one priority. So that's why I had my men scattered all around Corbiniano's two story house. I was pretty sure it was a rented house, cause a man like him who deals with so many illegal stuff would never stay in this neighborhood. This was a family resident area, were the neighbors are always in your busy and there is no privacy.

"I missed you so much Bella." A soft voice spoke over the ear piece, at the same time Ciro points at the screen above his laptop. The screen displayed the inside of Corbiniano's house. The camera's angle was slightly shifted to the side but we could still see their faces clearly.

"That's definitely Frankies Eleanore." Ciro says in a low tone, but it was clearly audible in the silent van.

We all had accepted the fact that my angel's sister Ella is actually Francesco's girl Eleanore. But seeing her for the first time might be a bit too much. She was everything to my brother, and I remember how broken he was when she disappeared from his life. He looked for her everywhere and I just hope that when he sees her for the first time he doesn't get distracted.

So I quickly glance at Francesco in order to read his expression, but his face was blank. His eyes gave away nothing, and he was just staring at the screen, at the Eleanore.

"Francesco." I say in an unsure tone.

But he doesn't reply, so I call his name a bit louder this time.

"Francesco you okay?"

He swallows and nods his head as he replies. "I am okay Lucca. I am okay." He says the last part is a low tone like he was reassuring himself that he is okay, that everything will be okay.

Francesco is a very private person and he doesn't like people interfering with his life, not even his brothers. So I don't push the issue anymore and look back at the screen to see what's happening there.

"Why don't you sit her Bella, next to your father," That snake suggests as he pulls the chair closer to his for my angel to sit.

"I think I would like to sit with my mother." I couldn't be prouder of my women. She was just perfect for me.

"See Lucca buttercup can handle herself pretty well. It's Corbiniano that should worry." Ciro says in a playful tone.

I just smile at my angel's comment like a proud boyfriend.

"So are you still dating Lucca?"

Corbiniano's random question get all three of our attention and we all look at the screen to hear what my angel will say next.

"We broke up." those three words literally felt like three bullet's hitting my chest. I know it's just a cover, a lie but the moment those words left her mouth. I felt like someone sliced my heart into tiny million pieces.

"Broke up??" Corbiniano ask with a growl, and it annoys me. How dare he raise his voice at my angel?

"Yep, I confronted him and he didn't deny anything. So I broke up with him."

"Oh she is poking him" Ciro says what we all were thinking.

I can't help myself and smile at my angel's word. She definitely has a tigress hidden inside her. Oh my sweet angel, I knew you were perfect for me, just so perfect.

"I just hope she doesn't get carried away." Ciro add from the side but that doesn't deflate my smile because I was here for her, for my angel.

"That's why we are here for Ciro, to take care of my angel. And to make sure we dispose that piece of  trash properly."

"Corbiniano is one piece of trash that I would personally recycle myself, even if it take me years." Francesco growls from side and we both look at him.

Francesco eyes turned dark with so much anger and vengeances. Corbiniano was deficiently his to handle and I won't fight with him over that. He has been looking for his girl for over so many years and now we found her here. He was definitely not going to get even with the man who took his girl in the first place.

"What do you mean you broke up with him? Corbiniano growl's at my angel with anger and both Ella and her mother gasp in surprise.

I clench my jaw in anger and before I could say anything Francesco is in action. He moves out of his seat and pulls the van door open as he starts gearing up.

'Everyone on stand-by we will enter in 2'  Francesco orders over his ear piece and then look at me "We are heading in, you coming."

I remove my shoulder sling in one quick movement and grunt "What do you think?". I know why he was checking on me because my wounds were almost healed but shoulder was still recovering. But under no circumstance I was entering the battle field looking like this, like a injured lion.

"You girls always have to go and ruin my plan, everyone one of you." Corbiniano screams at my angel.

"Lucca I don't think you should go inside, you are already injury and you shoulder is still giving you some trouble." Francesco tires to explain but I fire back.

"The hell I am not Francesco. The love of my life is inside there because we all thought it was a smart idea to send her to a stupid mission to save her family. And under no circumstances I am going to sit in this van and wait for her, wait for you to bring her back to me. She is mine to protect and I will do it until my last breath. Got it??" I glare at him, challenging him to stop me. But he know me too well and remains quite.

Francesco's jaw clenches and his nostril flares with anger. I know he doesn't want me to go in because I was hurt and his focus would be divided between between me, my angel and his girl. But I wasn't backing down, she is my women to protect.

Francesco exhales loudly and then huns his finger wildly through his hair and look at me "Okay Lucca but only one condition."

I raise my eyebrow "What now??" I try not to roll my eyes on that but sometimes when he acts as a big brother, it annoys me a little. Okay most of the times he acts as the big over protective brother and it annoys me a lot.

"You will go in there get your girl and then you are out of there. I will handle Corbiniano and the rest them." I wanted to say no but he was right our top priority was not Corbiniano or Dante but my angel, Ella and their mom. So I nod in understanding and then move out of the seat and gear up.

"Lucca I mean it. I don't want to make a mess in there. We will handle him later but not in front of girls." Francesco adds and we both share a look of understanding.

It is better if we handle Corbiniano separately and not in front of angel. I don't want to scar my angels memory with Corbiniano and Dante's death. They were already tortured enough. Also shooting him with bullet would be so basic and exploding him would be boring.

"K you will follow Lucca both in and out." Francesco order's his soldiers over the earpiece.

"Mr.Corbiniano let's just put all three of them up for auction. They are of no use to us." Dante's words stop both us in our track.

"I am going to kill him" I growl as I start to race towards the house and Francesco is right beside me.

"Go..go ..go everyone now." Francesco screams in the headset before I could order our soldiers to make a move.

"Make sure all the exit point's are secure Francesco. I want Corbiniano and Dante." I bark at him.

"Got it."

Within two minutes we are at Corbiniano's entrance door. I glance at Francesco, making sure he is ready and then on the count of three he bangs down the front door.

We enter with our men's behind us and our guns pointing out in all directions. But the scene in front of me had me halting in my steps.

Corbiniano, that piece of trash had his hands around my angel's neck and was strangling her.

"Get your filthy hands off my angel." I growl at Corbiniano and I think in both surprise and shock he release her neck. Her lifeless body starts to fall and within seconds I was there, holding my angel close to my chest.

Her face was so pale and her eyes were closed. She looked so weak, fragile and I killed me. Her hands were resting lifeless next to her and I wondered if I was too late?? if I had lost one good thing that has ever happen to me. The light in my dark world seemed fading away from me. I softly cup her face "Angel, open your eye please angel don't leave me." Stay with me angel, please don't leave me alone. I won't be able to live without you angel. I am nothing without you.

I shake her gently but she does respond. So I shake her harder this time but her weak, fragile body was still unconscious. "Angel please don't do this to me, angel I won't be able to live without angel please." I whisper close to her ear and then touch my lips to her forehead. Her warm body was cold under my touch and face has lost the peachy pink glow.

"Angel, I love you and you have to come back angel there is no other way." I growl the last part, getting angry at myself for allowing this to happen, for putting her in so much danger.

"I won't let you leave me. You are mine and only mine. Don't you dare leave me." I start shaking her vigorously trying to make her understand that she was only mine and she can't leave, not without my permission.

A soft but painful moan escapes my angels faded lips.

"Angel" I sigh with relief, "Please open your eyes angel, please." I cup her face and beg her to show me her beautiful golden eyes. The one filled with so much joy and happiness. But she doesn't open them instead a low humm in release from her slightly parted lips.

"K don't let any one of them escape." Francesco bark's order from behind me, but I was not paying any attention to it. My only focus was on my angel, my one and one angel.

"Is anyone else hut?" He asks both Eleanore and her mother.

"No .. no just Bella." Her mom replies.

"Ciro is the paramedic here." I hear Francesco asking Ciro. I keep staring at my angel's face, whispering words of endearment, begging her to open her eye for me and to stay with me. Everything was his fault, his stupid mistake that lead this to happen.

"Lucca the paramedic is here. Let them help her." Francesco softly says from behind me as he grabs my shoulder and squeezes is gently and I instantly tighten my hold around my angel.

I was not leaving her again, not even for a second.

"Lucca you need to let them examine her." Francesco tires to explain me when he notices me tighten my hold on her. Even after that I don't move an inch, I won't let her out of my hold, not again, not ever.

He sits down next to me and softly says "You can hold her hand but you need to let me check her. She needs you to be strong right now, Strong for her, Strong for both of you."

His words help me understand what I was doing. My angel was hurt and she needed a doctor to check her and I was acting like a possessive boyfriend and not letting her go. I shift slightly and carefully put her head on the carpet and quickly grab her hand in mine and bring it close to my lips. I keep placing soft and lingering kisses there while the paramedic examined her over.

The paramedic took forever to check her overall and then they started an oxygen mask for her.

"Sir we should take her to hospital so the doctors can check her properly." One of the paramedic lady informs me as she starts gathering her stuff and wait patiently for my reply.

"Is she okay?" I ask my tone broken and scared.

"Yes, sir she is stable for now. But because she lost consciousness we need to take her to hospital so they can monitor over night."

I just nod in understanding and grab her hand tightly. My angel was still lying on the floor, unconscious. She looked so weak, fragile and pale that I wanted to kill Corbiniano with my bare hand thousand times. But right now he was not my priority, she was. My angel, my love.