Suddenly a loud bang filled the air, followed by several more.
Jessica grabbed Caesar, and they turned in the direction of the noise.
Benedict had just shot three of the guards and was heading their way.
Fear gripped Tessa.
Jessica and Caesar were both here, and she couldn’t let anything happen to them.
****
“Alonzo, my son, you know this is not the way our world works,” Maria said. “You cannot marry that girl.”
He stared at his mother and shook his head. “Do you know what is funny? You thinking you have any control over me or what I do.”
“Look, she seems like a nice girl. I remember her father well. I do. Keep her. Put her to one side and do what all men do. Have a woman that you will enjoy to visit that you can use. But don’t put the family at risk like this. Do not do that.”
“Do you think I don’t know what you’re all about?” Alonzo asked. “You think I don’t know about how pissed you were at Dad because he didn’t take your last request seriously? You didn’t want Jessica to marry into the Adesso, but he organized it anyway. You want to ruin my happiness because you have some twisted view in thinking that you know what you’re doing. You don’t have a fucking clue, Mother. You left this house. You have no power here. Tessa Brown will be my wife. Our children will be your grandkids, and mark my words, right here, right now, if you treat her with anything but the utmost respect, I will make sure you never come back here again, do you understand me?”
“You’d threaten your mother over this girl?”
“Mom, you need to understand that I would move heaven and fucking hell for this girl. I have loved her for a long time. She wasn’t ready to know how much, but I cannot let her go. There’s no way I can have second best with her. She is my number one.”
“It’s not going to be easy. Your enemies will know the truth. She’ll be easy to find.”
“I’ve got the best men to protect her. She will want for nothing and will live a long life.”
The sound of bullets firing filled the air.
Maria screamed as the office door slammed open.
“Benedict’s on the land. He’s killed five men already. He has Jessica, Caesar, and Tessa,” a guard said.
Alonzo was already at his drawer, pulling out his gun and his knife.
“Stay here.” He gave the order to his mother.
Leaving the office, he walked by the kitchen. Louise was cowering in the corner.
“He just shot them in the head. Didn’t care they were men with families. Just shot them,” Louise said.
He nodded at Cole to get her the hell out of there.
Alonzo should have known Benedict would come back. He’d taken everything from the woman-beating fucker. He’d been cast out. Once his father knew the true extent of Benedict’s dealings with the human traffickers, all hell had broken out. Adesso had disowned his only son and was now trying to find a suitable partner for his daughter who would be able to take his place.
Everything was fucked up, and it was all because of that fucker’s greed. It pissed him off.
Standing toward the door, he stared out the window, being careful not to be seen. Benedict stood with a gun pointed at Tessa. Jessica and Caesar were nowhere to be seen.
He couldn’t have this man standing over his woman.
Stepping out of the door, he started to advance toward Benedict.
“I suggest you stop right there, Alonzo,” Benedict said.
“You’re on my land, pointing a gun at my woman. Who the fuck do you think you are?” He wanted Benedict to turn that gun on him.
“I want Jessica, and I want Caesar. They are mine.”
“They are not yours. You’re not even an Adesso anymore.”
“That was your fucking fault. You should have done what I told you to do. There’s money to be made in flesh, Alonzo. By bringing yourself close to—”
“Enough,” Alonzo said.
“You know what, you’re right. Let’s see how you like having something you care about taken away from you.”
Benedict fired his gun, and Alonzo didn’t hesitate. He fired his own weapon. Benedict’s head exploded, and he fell to the ground.
Rushing to Tessa’s side, he cupped her face.
The expression he saw scared him.
“Baby, baby, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
“Alonzo,” she said.
He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. “Fuck, baby, I love you so damn much. We’re getting married wherever you want to marry. I don’t care. I love you.”
“I love you, Alonzo, so much.”
Suddenly, she became really heavy, and he held her tightly.
Jessica and Caesar came out from behind a statue.
He stared down at Tessa as he lowered her to the ground. She’d not been holding him back. Her hands had been covering her stomach.
He pulled her hands away and saw the blood soaking her shirt.