Oath of Fidelity (Deviant Doms 3)

I crouch, my gun gripped tightly in my hand.

If they had cameras on that guard, they’ll know I’m coming.

“Tavi, you alright?”

I shoot Orlando a text. Fine. Trying to locate the voices

Orlando: Wish I was there

Me: Me, too

I’d give anything for one of my brothers right now.

A few feet away from me, I hear a voice. I go absolutely still.

“He’s here. Let’s bring him in.” He speaks in English.

Santo.

A door creaks open beside me, and bright yellow light nearly blinds me.

“Ottavio. How nice to see you.” I don’t recognize this voice. This one isn’t Santo. “Put the gun down and come here.”

I put a hand up to block the light and see three men in suits sitting around a small, circular table. A quick glance around the room shows they’re not the only ones here. Santo’s with an older guy with graying hair, and a guy that looks a lot like the deceased Piero, but isn’t him.

I’m guessing it’s his brother, since it’s not uncommon for brothers to join the mob. If Elise saw him…

“Where’s Elise?”

“Elise?” the older man says with a scowl. “She isn’t here. Don’t tell me you brought her?”

I don’t respond. It won’t help me now.

“I said weapon down, Rossi.” It’s the gray-haired guy calling orders now.

I glare at Santo, but his face is impassive. He shows no guilt at all but doesn’t meet my eyes. He acts as if I’m not even there.

I put my gun down, acutely conscious of the knife at the back of my harness and the second gun I have tucked in my boot. I’m hardly without weapons, and fast on a draw.

“Kneel, Tavi.” The man chuckles. “Never thought I’d reach the day where I could tell a Rossi what to do.”

He knows us, then. I glance quickly around and note the exit in bright orange at the door. Uscita.

“You got any more weapons there, Tavi?” Santo asks. I glare at him. Of course he knows I don’t go fucking anywhere with one goddamn weapon.

“He’s carrying more?” gray hair asks.

“Drop them, Tav.”

I hate that he’s using my nickname. I hate that he’s betrayed us. I will find a way out of this, and I’ll beat the ever-living shit out of him. I’ll happily drag him back to America and restrain him in the dungeon where he’ll await the verdict. Give my brothers a chance to pay him back for this, too.

“I don’t have any other weapons,” I tell Santo. I stare him straight in the eyes.

He shakes his head from side to side, then talks to gray hair. “He does. I know he does. I’ll take them from him if you let me.”

Oh, bring it, motherfucker.

Gray hair nods.

Santo rises and stands in front of the other two, facing me.

Then he does something strange. With his back to them, he slightly lifts his shirt sleeve to reveal the rose tattoo on his forearm. Holding my eyes, he traces the rose.

It’s a signal. A reminder of his oath to the Rossi Family brotherhood.

I take a breath and wait. He holds his gun in his right hand and his left hand up to his belly. Slowly, so slowly the other two don’t see, he holds up one finger.

Two.

On three, he pivots and shoots. He’s so fast, they don’t react. I don’t wait to see him hit his target but grab my second gun and pull the trigger. I hit Piero’s look-alike straight in the chest.

“Fuck!” he shouts, but I pull the trigger a second time as Santo stands over the old man and pulls the trigger again, and again, and again.

“Dead or alive?” I ask him.”

Piero’s look-alike stares at me, wide-eyed.

“Dead,” Santo says. “He tried to kill your wife.”

I pull the trigger again. His body flails beneath the onslaught of bullets.

Santo turns to me. “I’ll explain everything.”

A door flings open. I look up to see Elise, wide-eyed and fearful.

Elise.

I exhale a breath I didn’t know I was holding before I realize she’s brandishing her weapon.

She sees Santo holding a gun beside me and bodies strewn on the floor. I know exactly what she thinks, half a second too late.

“No! Elise! Don’t shoot!” I yell. I need answers. But she’s already pulled the trigger.

She hits Santo’s left shoulder. He screams and grabs at it, then falls to his knees. Elise screams and drops the gun on the floor. It clatters and spins away from her.

“I didn’t kidnap her,” Santo grates through gritted teeth. “I knew they were coming for you, Tavi. I grabbed her so you’d get away. Kept her safe. I swear to fucking God, I hid her in the holding spot. They didn’t even know she was there. I took her to save you.”

Jesus.

I kneel over Santo and see he’s injured but not badly.

“Gun away, Elise. Please.”

She’s kneeling beside the Piero look-alike with a look of confusion on her face. Then she closes her eyes and shakes her head. “I thought—I thought I saw him. I thought it was him.” A tear rolls down her cheek. “His brother was due to be inducted into our family. Looks like they did that after his death.”