Reaching into his pocket, Marco withdrew a knife, brandishing it at Leia menacingly as he took a few threatening steps closer to Leia.
Her heart pounding in her chest, she struggled to keep her breathing calm, to fight the overwhelming urge to scream as Marco's knife flashed dangerously closer to her.
"Help!" Leia finally screamed. "Somebody help! Somebody help us!"
The group broke into laughter again, and Nico's expression darkened as he glared at her, and said with a smug smile, "Why do you think the music is so loud, sweetheart?"
"Right! Now, let's see how strong you are, little missy. How dare you defy us?!" Marco yelled, waving the blade in his hand.
Just then the door bash opened, and Axe stepped inside, his eyes that of a bull that had seen the color red as he glared at Marco, Nico, and their friends.
"You don't want to deal with me. Let the girls go. I am going to say this once." Axe growled, his dark glare fixed firmly on Marco.
Pointing the knife at him, Marco laughed mockingly, and said, "Oh, so you too want to try playing hero? Why don't you join the others?"
"Axe, don't! They have knives!" Leia cried desperately.
As he glanced at her, he scowled slightly and signaled her to get behind him.
Knowing that look in his eyes, Leia timed Marco and the others' attentions, and seeing that they were focused on Axe, she made a run for it, rushing for him and jumping behind him.
Her move made Nico, Marco, and their friends mad, and they rushed to attack Axe with their weapons, Leia's heart pounded in her chest as she clung to Axe, her body trembling with fear and adrenaline.
With a swift motion, Axe pushed her outside the room and slammed the door shut, leaving her alone in the dimly lit hallway.
Just then Marco swung his blade for Axe, but Axe sidestepped it, his muscles bulging as he swung his fist backward, punching Marco square in his jaw.
Blood splattered out of Marco's mouth as his head snapped sideways. He staggered backward, clutching his face while spitting blood and teeth, then he glared at Axe, his eyes flashing maliciously.
"Damn it! What are you guys waiting for? Fuck him up!" He cried out, clutching his face.
Immediately, Nico and his friends rushed for Axe, their weapons raised high in the air, but as the first guy swung his knife, Axe rolled out of the way, kicking him hard in the ribs and sending him flying backward.
As the second dude swung at Axe, he caught his arm, twisting it until the sound of the bones snapping caught his ear. Then he swung the guy by his broken wrist, banging him into the next guy who had been sneaking up on him from behind. The third thug attacked Axe from behind, and Axe spun around to face them, knocking aside the guy's knife and grabbing him by the throat, crashing him into the wall.
'How embarrassing. He had to be the one to save me.' Ember thought, frowning as she watched Axe.
One of the guys suddenly picked up a chair and started charging at Axe, intending to bash him down. However, Axe caught the chair before it could connect with his skull and yanked it towards him before pushing back, and slammed it into the guy's chest causing him to collapse onto the ground.
With the chair tightly in his grip, Axe lifted it high above his head like a baseball bat and smashed it straight onto the back of Nico's neck and knocking the daylight out of him.
The room was filled with the sound of groaning as Axe stood still watching them all lay on the ground, licking their wounds and moaning in agony.
Suddenly, the door opened and he turned to see Leia staring at him, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her entire face was stained with dried tear streaks and her chest heaved with each breath.
"Go untie your sister. I am taking you guys home." Axe commanded, turning away from her to make sure none of them were getting up.
Nodding, Leia hesitantly stepped past him and approached her sister, undoing the ropes that bound Ember's wrists and feet.
As soon as she was free, Ember threw herself in her sister's arms, and Leia held her tight, crying softly in relief.
Sighing, Axe reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, dialing Don Vincenzo's number.
A minute later, he heard Don's voice answered, "You got them?"
"I got them," Axe said, his tone flat and devoid of emotion, his eyes staring blankly at Leia.
"And the Russo brothers?"
"I have them contained with the other idiots who helped them."
Scowling, Marco looked up at Axe and screamed, "Who are you calling 'idiots,' you lowlife, motherfucker!!"
Without hesitation, Axe moved for him, his hands tightening around the collar of his shirt, dragging him toward the wall and smashing his face into it repeatedly, breaking his nose and cheekbone, blood spraying from his lips as Axe mumbled, "Don't talk about my mother in such a disgusting manner, got it?"
Before Marco could nod, Axe grabbed his hair and gave his head one last hit, knocking him unconscious.
"Did you kill him?" Don asked, his cold voice coming through the speaker.
When Axe didn't answer right away, he added, "You know that you are not just Leia's bodyguard. You have to remember that of all my men, your hands should be clean..."
"I understand, Master. He's not dead, just taking a nap." Axe finally said, looking back to see Leia and Ember staring back at him.
"Leave now. The men are already there. They will handle the rest."
"Yes, master."
After ending the call, he met Leia's concerned gaze and said, "Let's go."
Moments later, Axe led Leia and Ember out of the upstairs area, their hands tightly intertwined as they moved cautiously through the dimly lit corridors.
Finally, they got past the main hall, and as they made their way toward the exit, the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated through the hallway, growing louder with each passing second.
Walking past the men approaching them, Axe glanced sideways, his piercing gaze meeting the eyes of the approaching leader.
The man, dressed in a tailored black suit, without breaking eye contact, offered a slight bow to Axe before continuing past him, his men following closely behind.
Moments later, they arrived outside, and Axe knowing that the situation was under control, turned his attention back to Leia and Ember, guiding them towards the waiting car parked outside the building.
As they settled into the car, Axe took his place behind the wheel, and then the engine roared to life, the vibrations coursing through his fingertips, as he sped off,
Time seemed to stretch as they finally arrived at the grand gates of their father's mansion. The imposing iron structure stood tall as Axe guided the car through the gates and parked it.
Soon, they stepped into the living room, the scent of expensive cigars mingled with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
And there, Don Vincenzo sat in a plush armchair, his eyes fixed on Axe, a silent understanding passing between them. The lines on his face etched deeply as he gazed at his daughter.
"Father, I... Leia's voice trembled with emotion as she began to explain herself to her father. But he simply raised a hand to silence her, and the room fell into an expectant hush as Don Vincenzo spoke.
"No need, my dear. You and your sister should go and attend to yourselves. Rest and clear your mind. We have an important party to attend tomorrow, and I expect both of you to be on your best behavior," he said, his tone firm yet filled with a touch of concern.
Pausing, Leia's eyes widened with surprise, a mix of gratitude and confusion shining within them, and she exchanged a knowing glance with Ember, silently agreeing to follow their father's instructions.
As the two sisters made their way up the grand staircase, their steps growing lighter with each ascending floor, Axe remained in the living room.
Sighing, Don Vincenzo turned his attention towards him, his piercing gaze penetrating Axe's soul.
"You will accompany us tomorrow, Axe, not just as a bodyguard," Don Vincenzo stated. "Dress accordingly."
With a nod, Axe deeply bowed, and then he turned to leave, but Don's voice stopped him, "Ever since I adopted you, you refused to call me anything but 'Master'... And tonight, you lost your cool because of her... Your mother. Do you still have that childish belief that she didn't abandon you... that she's coming back for you?"
Without looking back, Axe sighed and said, "I beg to take my leave now, Master."
"You are still stubbornly shutting me out of your past," Don said, a bit of anger in his tone.
"I was six-"
"You are twenty-two now-"
"There's nothing to remember about my past. It's called 'a past' for a reason."
With that said, Axe left the room, leaving Don to glare at his retreating figure. His brow knitted with frustration as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, cursing inwardly, "Still subborn as the day he arrived in this place."
The setting sun bathed the calm waters of the Mediterranean in a warm, golden hue, as the luxurious yacht glided gracefully through the sea. Onboard, the atmosphere was imbued with an air of sophistication and opulence, the clinking of crystal glasses and soft laughter punctuating the evening as the wealthy elite of the city gathered for a dinner hosted by the newly appointed CEO of Brewery, a prominent company in the alcohol industry.Among the guests of honor was Don Vincenzo since he was a towering figure in the city's business and underworld circles. After all the guests, he arrived on the yacht with Leia, Ember, and Axe along with Madam Vincenzo. As they stepped onto the yacht, Axe maintained a stoic expression, and the guests couldn't help but notice his presence. Slowly, they whispered among themselves, their eyes casting judgmental glances at him."He's Don's bodyguard," one woman murmured to her husband, her disdain evident in her voice. "I can't believe he brought that...
The tension in the air was raw as the storm brewed in Axe's eyes, and Jonathan Lucci clutched his throbbing hand and stumbled backward, his eyes locked onto Axe's intense gaze. The room had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by hushed whispers and the occasional gasp from the stunned guests. Still reeling from the pain in his hand, Jonathan Lucci attempted to regain his composure and assert his dominance, glaring away from Axe. With a strained smile, he addressed Don, his voice dripping with a thinly veiled threat, "Mr. Vincenzo, I believe it's in your best interest to discipline your man. This sort of behavior is unacceptable." "Jonathan, I understand your concern, but I won't be disciplining Axe for his actions. He hasn't offended me or acted out of line in any way to me or my family. If anyone feels wronged by his actions, they are free to voice their concerns and present their case." Don said calmly, resting back in his seat. Scoffing, Lucci's eyes narrowed as he str
Looking back at her father, Leia's eyes widened in realization as the woman's words hit her like a ton of bricks. She had never thought about it that way. Her father's decision was not just unfair, but it was also cruel. It was like he was setting Axe up to be caught in the middle of a power struggle between the two families. As she was lost in thought, Jonathan's voice interrupted her, and she turned to face him, her mind still reeling from the woman's words. Clearing his throat, Jonathan's eyes were fixed on Axe, and his face was etched with disgust. Then he turned to Don with a small smile, saying, "Well, for your sake, I will let him go. After all, you saw him fit to be in here with us, so why don't we end the matter here? What do you say?" When Mr. Vincenzo didn't answer, he turned away from him, shoving his hand into his pocket to stop his fingers from clutching into fists, and rage slowly burned in his eyes as he thought, 'Now that I know how irrelevant you are to Mr. Vincenz
A tense silence hung heavy in the atmosphere as Axe and Mr. Vincenzo got into the black car, the engine humming softly in the background, the two inhaling the scent of leather mingled with the faint aroma of cigar smoke. In the silence, Axe's knuckles were raw and bloodied, but he did not attempt to tend to his wounds. His eyes were still ablaze with a fit of seething anger, his jaw clenched tight as he stared out the window, lost in his own thoughts. The events that had transpired had unleashed a storm within him, and it raged on, threatening to consume him entirely. Sitting next to Axe, Mr. Vincenzo looked at him with a mix of concern and admiration. But silence stretched between them, the only sound the steady hum of the engine and the occasional distant honking of a car. Finally, unable to bear the weight of the silence any longer, Mr. Vincenzo broke it, his voice gentle yet firm. "I am sorry." "For what?" Axe asked gruffly, his gaze never leaving the road ahead. "The life
The drive back to the Vincenzo mansion was filled with an unsettling silence. Axe's grip on the steering wheel was tight, his bloody knuckles getting pointy as his mind continued to replay the events of the evening. The car seemed to glide through the empty streets, the city lights passing by in a blur, but Axe's focus remained solely on the road ahead. As they reached the grand gates of the mansion, Axe glanced at the three women in the backseat through the rearview mirror. Ember, her usually vibrant green eyes now clouded with worry, stared out the window with a cold expression. Mrs. Vincenzo, her face pale and lips pressed into a thin line, clutched her daughters' hands tightly. And then there was Leia, her stormy hazel eyes filled with unshed tears, her jaw set in a firm line. Minutes later, once they entered the mansion, Axe escorted the women inside, his protective instincts on high alert. for almost an hour, Axe personally made sure every room was checked, every window sec
The atmosphere in the club shifted as Azrael's cruel command hung in the air. The surrounding customers glanced over, their curiosity piqued by the tension that crackled between the two men. Some employees, who were familiar with Azrael's reputation, exchanged worried glances. They knew better than to interfere, but concern etched deep lines on their faces.The waitress, trembling with a sense of fear and defiance, stood her ground. With a quivering voice, she responded, "I-I can't do that, sir. It would be inhumane. It's not right to treat someone like that."Scoffing, Azrael's eyes narrowed, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. In one swift motion, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across the waitress's cheek. The force of the blow caused the delicate glass to slip from her grasp, the bubbling liquid cascading onto the table and floor as she cowered from the impact, tears welling up in her eyes as pain radiated through her cheek."Bitch!" Azrael spat, hi
Time seemed to slow, stretching each passing second into an eternity as Axe's words reverberated through the room, sinking into the marrow of every bone.Darting his gaze, Azrael's eyes flickered with a desperate plea, as the broken wine bottle pressed even tighter against his throat, the sharp glass biting into his skin, threatening to slice open his jugular with even the slightest movement. Blood trickled down his neck, staining his crisp white collar, as his every breath became a precarious dance between life and death.Around them, the club's customers stood frozen, their wide eyes reflected a mixture of fear, awe, and unsettling excitement.The silence shattered as one of the thugs, emboldened by the growing numbers, stepped forward, and his voice trembled. "You don't scare us. You are just one man."As His grip on Azrael's hair tightened, eliciting a choked gasp from him, Axe's lips curled into a chilling smile, and whispered, "Oh, my friend, you greatly underestimate the wrath
Suddenly, Leia turned her back to the door and said, "Sorry... I am leaving."As she took a step to walk away, Axe grabbed her wrist, his grip tight but gentle. When she turned to look at him, her eyes filled with frustration and hurt, he let out a heavy sigh.Without a word, he led her into the house, his grip on her wrist never loosening. They walked past Mia, who watched them with wide eyes, her towel wrapped tightly around her trembling form. Not looking back, Axe guided Leia upstairs, his footsteps echoing, until they reached his bedroom, and he led her inside, then shut the door behind them.The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting shadows on the walls. The air was heavy with tension, suffocating both Axe and Leia as they stood facing each other, their emotions threatening to spill over."Do you know what time it is?!" Axe lashed out, as he ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair, frustration evident on his face."I called you, and you didn'