25
The safehouse was nestled in the industrial outskirts of the city, surrounded by abandoned warehouses and overgrown weeds. The scent of damp earth mixed with the faint tang of rust in the air. It was a desolate place, forgotten by time–a perfect hideout for those who wished to remain unseen. Lorenzo’s men had confirmed Marco’s intel: Matteo was inside, guarded by Stefania’s most loyal allies
The night was oppressively quiet as we crouched behind a row of rusted shipping containers. The faint hum of machinery in the distance and the occasional sound of muffled footsteps were the only signs of life. My heart raced, a volatile mix of fear and determination coursing through me. Matteo was close, and no force on earth would stop me from bringing him home.
Lorenzo crouched beside me, his dark eyes scanning the area with practiced precision. His lips were set in a grim line, but frustration simmered just below the surface. “Are you ready?” he asked, his voice low but tense.
I nodded, gripping the pistol he’d handed me earlier. “I’m not hesitating, Lorenzo, if that’s what you’re thinking.” I replied firmly, though my hands trembled. “Matteo needs me.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” he snapped, his voice harsher than I expected. “I promised you I’d save him for you. Both of you will be safe. But I can’t do that if you lose focus. So if you’re coming, you listen to me. No heroics, no breaking away Got it?”
The sharpness of his tone startled me, but I nodded again, swallowing hard. “I got it.”
“Good “Lorenzo’s gaze lingered on me for a moment before he turned toward his men. He issued a series of quick, precise commands, his voice clipped. ‘Stay sharp. We don’t leave anyone behind as long as we can.”
The plan unfolded with ruthless precision. Lorenzo’s men initiated the diversion, their gunfire and shouts shattering the stillness of the night. Chaos erupted as the guards scrambled to respond.
“Let’s move,” Lorenzo murmured, pulling me along.
Under the cover of the commotion, we slipped through the back entrance. The air inside was thick with the
stench of mildew and oil, the dim lighting casting eerie shadows on the walls. Every step felt like an eternity a navigated the labyrinthine corridors.
Finally, we found him.
Matteo was slumped in a chair in a small, dimly lit room. His hands were bound, his face bruised and bloodied, and his clothes were torn. His head hung low, strands of dark hair matted with dried blood obscuring his face.
“Matteo,” I breathed, rushing to his side.
His head lifted slowly, and for a moment, his eyes met mine. Despite his injuries, a faint smile curved his lips. “Aletta “he rasped, his voice weak and hoarse.
I froze, my heart breaking at the sight of him. Lorenzo’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Aletta, now isn’t
The Second Cancer & Mats Runaway Bride
the time to stare. Get him loose. We don’t have long.”
I nodded, fumbling with the knife in my hands to cut through his restraints. My hands shook, the blade slipping
slightly.
“Damn it,” Lorenzo muttered under his breath, stepping closer. “Give me that.” He took the knife from me and sliced through the ropes with swift efficiency.
Matteo groaned softly as I helped him to his feet. His weight pressed heavily against me, his movements sluggish. “Lean on me,” I said, my voice soft but firm.
“Aletta…” Matteo murmured, his voice barely audible. “You shouldn’t have come.
“Don’t say that,” I snapped, tears stinging my eyes. “I’m not leaving you.”
Lorenzo growled low in his throat. “Save the reunions for later. We’ve got to move!”
We made it to the corridor, hope flickering in my chest as the exit loomed ahead. But just as we reached the doorway, a deafening explosion shook the building. The force of the blast knocked us off our feet, the air thick with smoke and debris as flames erupted behind us.
“Go!” Matteo shouted, his voice stronger than I’d expected. He pushed me weakly toward Lorenzo, ‘Get out of
here!”
“No!” I cried, shaking my head fiercely. “I’m not leaving you!”
Lorenzo’s frustration boiled over. “Are you two insane?” he barked, grabbing Matteo by the arm. “We’re all getting out of here, and you’re not making me break that promise. Now MOVE!”
“I can’t-“Matteo started, but Lorenzo cut him off
“You can, and you will!” Lorenzo growled, his voice trembling with anger and desperation. “I didn’t come this far to watch you die like this, Santoro. I swore to Aletta, and I swore to myself.”
Matteo looked at Lorenzo, something unreadable in his gaze. “Save Aletta first,” he said quietly. “You can’t bring both of us outside fast. I will slow you down…
“I don’t want to hear that!” I roared, my gripped tightening on Matteo’s arm.
Another explosion ripped through the building, the flo
beneath us trembling violently.
“Save Aletta, Corvino!” Matteo said in all of his strength he could pull out from himself. “Save her. I can save
myself!”
“Let me go!” I screamed, reaching for Matteo as Lorenzo grabbed me
Matteo gave me a weak smile, his gaze steady despite the chaos. “Lorenzo… Take her. Keep her safe. Fucking promise me that!”
“No! Matteo!” I sobbed, struggling against Lorenzo’s iron grip.
Lorenzo cursed under his breath, his voice breaking. “Stop struggling. Aletta! If you want me to return inside and save your man, STOP STRUGGLING!”
I nodded and did what Lorenzo said. For Matteo.
Lorenzo dragged me outside when another explosion tore through the building. And the force of the blast sent us sprawling to the ground. Flames and smoke billowed into the night sky.
I scrambled to my feet, my eyes fixed on the inferno. “No… No, no, no!”
Lorenzo caught me as I tried to run back toward the flames, his arms wrapping around me tightly.
“Let me go!” I screamed, pounding my fists against his chest. “We have to go back! Matteo’s still in there!”
“It’s too late,” Lorenzo said, his voice raw. “He’s gone, Aletta.”
“No!” I collapsed, my sobs shaking my entire body.
Lorenzo’s voice cracked as he whispered, “I tried. I tried to save him. I promised I’d save both of you, right?”
For a moment, the world felt as if it had stopped, the roaring flames the only sound in the suffocating silence.
The Second Chance for A Mature Purana, Br
