Chapter 10 Blood and Claim

The gunshot cracked through the night, shifting everything. Lorenzo turned fast, too fast for the eye to fully catch as his arm tightened around Matteo, pulling the boy hard against his chest as he twisted his body...shielding him.

Then a sharp impact hit as a bullet tore into Lorenzo's side, he let out a low, controlled grunt but he didn't fall or even slow down.

"Get down, Now!" he barked.

This time, Matteo listened, the boy dropped, crouching behind the SUV door as Lorenzo shoved him there, positioning his own body between the child and the gunfire.

Chaos erupted around them with Lorenzo's men returning fire with brutal precision. One went down, then another, the third dropped behind the second car.

But the attackers weren't retreating rather they were relentlessly pushing forward.

"Lorenzo, you're hit!" Sofia's voice cut sharply through the phone.

"I'm fine." he mustered be he wasn't because bllod was already seeping through his shirt, warm and steady.

But it didn't matter, nothing mattered except his son; Matteo.

Lorenzo crouched lower, grabbing the boy's shoulder.

"Look at me."

Matteo's wide, frightened eyes lifted slowly, tears clung to his lashes, but he didn't cry or scream. He was calm and strong and those blue eyes; quite identical to his, Loreenzo saw all of it immediately.

This is definitely his son.

"Stay behind me," Lorenzo said firmly. "Don't move unless I tell you to".

Matteo nodded.

Another gunshot rang out, too close shattering the side mirror above them, the glass exploded.

Matteo flinched.

Lorenzo's hand tightened slightly on his shoulder and his body still shielding him.

"It's okay," he said, his voice calmer now, steadier than the storm around them. "I've got you."

And he meant it.

"Take the kid!" one of the attackers shouted from across the road,

And that was the line, something in Lorenzo snapped completely as he stood, fully exposed with his gun raised, he fired lethal and precise shots.

Two men dropped instantly.

The rest hesitated, for a second and that second was all Lorenzo needed.

"MOVE!" he ordered his men.

They surged forward, closing distance and breaking formation. Turning defense into offense.

From the phone, Sofia's voice sharpened again.

"Lorenzo, there's another vehicle approaching fast from your left!"

He turned to the black sedan speeding towards them, it's headlights cutting through the darkness.

"Seems like backup, boss" one of his men muttered.

"No,it's extraction" Lorenzo said coldly.

The car swerved sharply as the doors flung open before it even fully stopped. There were more men; armed and organized.

This wasn't a random hit. It was all planned.

"Lorenzo... you need to get out of there. This is bigger than we thought." Sofia's voice dropped.

"I'm not leaving him." he replied simply

"I know...but if you stay, they'll box you in..."

A bullet struck the ground near Matteo. Lorenzo reacted instantly, pulling him tighter behind cover. His jaw clenched.

"Put in some smoke!" he barked.

One of his men tossed a canister, it hit the ground and exploded into thick gray smoke. Visibility dropping instantly as shouts of confusion filled the air.

"Stay with me." Lorenzo grabbed Matteo, then he moved fast through the smoke.

His men covered them, firing blindly but effectively, keeping the attackers disoriented.

"Right side... go!" Sofia guided him through the phone.

"There's a gap between the vehicles, move now!"

Lorenzo followed without hesitation through the smoke and the chaos. Bullets tore through the haze, grazed his arm.

He didn't stop or even react. All that mattered the most to him was the small hand gripping his shirt.

They broke out of the smoke into an open space. One of his cars screeched to a halt beside them as door flung open.

Lorenzo pushed Matteo inside first, then climbed in after him.

"Go!" he ordered.

The driver didn't hesitate, the car shot forward, gaining distance from the assailants and heading towards escape.

Behind them, gunfire still echoed but was fading getting further and softer, until finally, there was silence.

Inside the car, everything felt heavy and different for Matteo as he sat pressed against the seat, breathing fast, his eyes wide, trying to process everything that had just happened.

Lorenzo looked at him, really looked at him for a calmer first time.

His son. Blood and Legacy.

"You're safe now," Lorenzo said quietly.

" Uhhh....you got shot." Matteo blinked painting at Lorenzo's stained shirt.

Lorenzo glanced down briefly at the blood. Then back at him.

"It's nothing." he replied.

Matteo didn't look convinced but didn't say anything as awkward silence settled between them.

"...are you my dad?" hw asked softly.

The question hit harder than the bullet but Lorenzo didn't answer immediately. He leaned back slightly, exhaling slowly.

Then he looked at the boy again.

"Yes, I am"

Matteo stared at him, processing what he just heard.

"Mommy said you were dangerous." Matteo continued.

A faint, almost invisible shift crossed Lorenzo's face.

"I am." he responded, his honesty surprised even him.

Matteo hesitated.

" So...are you going to hurt us?" he asked, his blue eyes glistening with the car's dull lightening.

"No." Lorenzo's gaze hardened.

The car sped through the city streets, taking them to somewhere safe and controlled. But Lorenzo's mind was already moving ahead because this wasn't close to over.

They had planned this, layered it and anticipated him. It only meant one thing. This wasn't just an attack, it was a message.

And Lorenzo De Luca does not ignore messages. Instead, he answers them with interest.

His phone buzzed again, he stared at it for a second.

"Speak." he clipped.

"You know... you should have just walked away, Lorenzo." the voice came through, calm and dangerously familiar.

Lorenzo froze, he knew that voice and knew it too well.

"Marco." His grip on the phone tightened.

"Took you long enough." the voice tinged as a soft chuckle echoed through the line.

Lorenzo's eyes darkened completely. He had just found the final piece and just confirmed the betrayal.

"You used a child, My child" Lorenzo said, his voice dropping to lethality. "."

"Awww... don't make it emotional. It's all business." Marco sighed softly.

"Then it's over." Lorenzo finished. Marco laughed again.

"No, It's just beginning, nothing is over until I say so" he said quietly.

The line went dead.

Lorenzo lowered the phone slowly, his expression unreadable but in his eyes was war.

Pure war.