Deadly Consequences

Lily's POV

“I-It's not what you think…" I stammered, but Kael's laughter cut me off like a knife.

"We'll see about that, see you soon, Timothy." Kael countered, pulling me away from Timothy with a force that left me stumbling, my feet struggling to keep pace.

Kael dragged me toward his car, shoved me inside, and drove off.

"You played your cards well, Lily. You're in deep shit," he sneered. "You're working with Timothy, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not. " I recalled how I met Timothy on the plane to Kael, but he didn't listen. "He's not the same person you're looking for, it might be a mix-up. Like you did with me," I added.

But Kael cocked his gun, aimed it at my face, and sped off.

Kael pulled me out of the limousine and led me toward the mansion. As we stepped inside, I saw Gabi waiting in the foyer, her eyes narrowing into slits as she took in the scene before her.

"What is she doing here?" Gabi asked, looking pissed.

Kael's smile was cold, his eyes glinting with malice. "That's Mrs. Gambino for you."

Gabi's eyes widened in shock. Her gaze snapped to mine. "Wife? Kael, I thought we—"

"Prepare Willy," Kael interrupted. "We have a lot to talk about."

Kael's grip tightened as he dragged me to his room. I struggled, but his fingers dug deeper.

"Let me go, Kael! You have no right to keep me here!" I screamed, tears welling up in my eyes.

Why did Kael want me so badly? But Kael's expression only turned colder.

"You'll do as I say, Lily," he warned. "Don't even think of running away, or Rosa will bear the cost."

My heart sank, a chill coursing through my veins as I realized the depth of his manipulation. "Nana?" I whispered, horror creeping into my voice. How did he know about her?

As if he read my thoughts, Kael replied. “I went through your phone and I was surprised to see Rosa still alive. But she won't be for long.”

"You wouldn't dare," I stammered, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Kael's lips curled into a cruel grin, sending shivers down my spine. "Try me," he dared. "I have every right to do as I please with you because I own you, and your Rosa must have made you come here to pay her debt."

"Debt? That's impossible," I angrily shouted, panting heavily. "Nana can never owe a monster like you, let alone have anything to do with one!"

"Your Nana, or should I say the infamous Donna Rosa, former mafia lord and leader of The—" Kael began.

As Kael's words echoed in my mind, I felt like I was drowning. My Nana, a mafia lord? It couldn't be true. She was always so kind, so gentle. Could those same hands have pulled triggers, and ordered hits?

The thought of her being involved in something so dark and sinister made my stomach churn.

My mind raced as I tried to recall any inconsistencies in her stories about her past, any hints that might have suggested a more complex life. But there was nothing. Just memories of laughter, love, and warmth.

Never once did she mention anything about the mafia.

Nana would never lie to me or deceive me.

How could Kael tell lies about my Nana? For what reason? I felt a wave of anger wash over me.

"Lies! My Nana isn't a mafia lord!" I spat, cutting him off from whatever he was saying. "She can't even hurt a fly. She's sick and she needs me. Let me go!"

Kael's expression darkened, and he grabbed my cheek. "Interrupt me again, Lily, and I swear you'll regret the day you stepped foot on that plane."

I kept quiet, not wanting to anger him more. I need to stay alive. But that didn't stop my blood from boiling. Kael's words cut deeper than any knife.

"My family and The Donnas had a lucrative business arrangement years ago," Kael continued, "but Rosa defaulted on the payment, leaving a significant sum unpaid."

"She ran away, obviously," Kael sneered. "Leaving no trace behind. Who would have known that she'd use her granddaughter to pay the debt."

"But your involvement with Timothy and Elixir Inc. has changed the game."

My phone began to ring, Kael's gaze snapped to the screen, and his brows creased as he read the caller's name.

Timothy.

A person he didn't want me to communicate with.

With a swift, decisive motion, Kael blocked the call, "Nobody interrupts us," he growled, the warning clear in his tone. "You're mine now, Lily, bound by your Nana's debt and your survival."

Kael's gaze lingered on me, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He had won, and I was his prize.

Gabi stormed into the room. "Kael. Willy and Andrew are dead," she announced.

Shit.

The room fell silent. Kael's gaze snapped to Gabi, his eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean? I gave a simple instruction. Keep them alive." Kael growled, his eyes blazing with fury as he let go of me and faced her.

Meanwhile, I glanced at the balcony. The only means of escape. I had to jump. No matter the cost.

"We suspect a mole.” Gabi's eyes flicked to me before returning to Kael. “What's worse is that they have been branded with a message and It's not pretty."

Just as I was about to run to the balcony, Kael swung me over his shoulder and followed Gabi. Each step he took seemed like my death was just a stone's throw.

Panic clawed at my chest as Kael set me down after opening the door. My heart was racing as I turned slowly, the sight before me made my blood run cold.

Willy and Andrew's deformed lifeless bodies lay on the floor. The rusty smell of blood hung heavy in the air, choking me.

I gagged, my whole body trembling as I realized how much danger I was in. Any moment from now I could be in the same state.

Dead.

The message, branded into their chests in twisted letters, seemed to sear itself into my mind:

"Watch everything around you burn. We are closer than you think. Yours revengefully, M."