The Angel Who Saved Him Twice

My name is Marcus Costello, heir to a New York crime family, and today I was meant to choose my future wife from a lineup of my elite bodyguards, the "Guardian Angels."

My mother, the Donna, sat across from me with their photos, but my mind was miles away, trapped in a dim, dusty warehouse by the docks.

I remembered the smell of stale water and fear, and the agonizing pain of my own blood.

In my first life, I chose Seraphina "Sera" Rossi, my beautiful childhood crush, Angel One.

When rivals kidnapped me, I called her, my wife, my top guard, but she dismissed me, too "busy" seeing Leo Maxwell, the man she truly loved.

She left me to be tortured for hours before a bullet ended it.

The last thing I remembered was a desperate cry: Winter "Winn" Hayes, Angel Ten, found me, fought like a demon, and died trying to shield my already broken body.

Her loyalty was a stark contrast to Sera's unforgivable treachery.

Now, I was blinking back to reality, realizing I was sent back in time, back before the betrayal, to the moment of choice.

A wave of nausea hit me as I saw Sera's arrogant smile on the top photo.

I pushed her photo aside, then another, and another, until my hand stopped on the last one, Winter Hayes, Winn.

"This one," I said, my voice steady, laying her photo on the table.

My mother was surprised, but this time, I wouldn't be a fool.

I had a second chance, and this time, I would live.

My name is Marcus Costello, heir to the Costello crime family in New York.

My mother, Isabella, is the Donna, a woman of iron will.

She arranged everything for me, including my protection, a group of ten girls she called the "Guardian Angels."

Rescued from terrible places, trained since youth by our best enforcer.

They were to be my guards, and one, my future wife.

Today was the day I had to choose.

My mother sat across from me, a stack of photos on the polished mahogany table between us.

Ten faces, ten futures.

But I wasn't seeing the photos.

I was seeing a dim, dusty warehouse by the docks.

The smell of stale water and fear.

Blood, so much blood. My blood.

"Marcus?" My mother's voice, sharp, concerned.

I blinked, the images receding but the cold dread remained.

This was real. I was back.

Back before the betrayal.

In my first life, I had chosen Seraphina "Sera" Rossi, Angel One.

My childhood crush, beautiful, confident. The expected choice.

When rival bastards grabbed me, I called her. My wife, my top guard.

"Sera, help me. They have me at the old Gantry warehouse."

Her voice, impatient, dismissive. "Marcus, stop being dramatic. I know you're just trying to stop me from seeing Leo. I'm busy."

Leo Maxwell, son of our estate manager, handsome, ambitious, and the man Sera truly loved.

She didn't come.

They tortured me for hours before the bullet ended it.

The last thing I remembered from that life, besides the pain, was a desperate cry.

Winter "Winn" Hayes, Angel Ten.

She had found me somehow, fought like a demon, died trying to shield my already broken body.

Her loyalty, a stark contrast to Sera's treachery.

Now, I had a second chance.

My mother watched me, waiting. "Have you decided, son?"

I looked at the photos. Sera's image was on top, smiling, arrogant.

A wave of nausea hit me.

I pushed her photo aside, then another, and another.

My hand stopped on the last one.

Winter Hayes. Winn.

Quiet, observant, often overlooked.

The girl who died for me.

"This one," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

I slid Winn's photo across the table.

Isabella picked it up, her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rising.

"Winter Hayes? Angel Ten?"

She looked from the photo to me, a flicker of surprise in her usually unreadable eyes.

"Are you certain, Marcus? Everyone expected Seraphina."

"I am certain, Mother," I said, meeting her gaze. "I choose Winter."

A new path. A different future.

This time, I would live.

A few days later, Leo Maxwell showed up at the estate, uninvited.

He looked like he hadn't slept, his usually perfect hair messy.

He found me in the library.

"Marcus," he began, his voice choked with emotion, "please. You have to let Sera go."

I just looked at him, a minor annoyance from my past, now a major red flag.

"Let her go?" I asked, my tone flat.

"She's miserable, Marcus. She told me you chose her, but she doesn't want this. She loves me."

He actually looked like he believed his own bullshit.

Or maybe he remembered the previous timeline too. The thought sent a chill down my spine.

Just then, Sera stormed in.

She saw Leo, looking pathetic, and me, looking indifferent.

Her eyes blazed. "Marcus! What are you doing to him? Leave him alone!"

She rushed to Leo's side, checking him for injuries I hadn't inflicted.

"Sera, I just came to talk to him," Leo said, playing the victim perfectly.

"Talk? He's probably threatening you!" Sera glared at me. "I told you, Marcus, I will never be with you! Never!"

Before I could respond, the sound of shattering glass and gunfire erupted from outside.

An ambush. Black SUVs screeching to a halt on the driveway, men with guns pouring out.

My training kicked in. "Down!"

Sera hesitated for a split second, her eyes darting between me and Leo.

Then, she threw herself in front of Leo as a bullet whizzed past. It caught him in the leg. He screamed.

At the same instant, a body slammed into me, pushing me to the floor.

Winn.

Her body armor took several hits, the thuds sickeningly loud.

She grunted but held her position, firing back with deadly accuracy through a shattered window.

Other Angels converged, the fight was brutal but short. Our defenses held.

Later, after the estate was secured and Leo was being tended to by our doctor, Winn found me.

Her face was smudged with dirt, a bruise blooming on her cheekbone, but her eyes were clear and direct.

She then turned her attention to Sera, who was fussing over Leo.

"Angel One," Winn's voice was cold, "your primary responsibility is Marcus. You shielded Mr. Maxwell. You hesitated."

Sera flushed. "Leo was hurt! Marcus had other guards."

"Your duty was to the heir, not the estate manager's son," Winn stated, her voice unyielding. "Your loyalty is compromised."

Sera scoffed. "And you think you're so perfect, Angel Ten?"

Winn didn't reply to that. Instead, she turned to me, still unaware I had chosen her.

She looked disappointed, her gaze stern.

"Marcus," she said, her voice low and rough. "You need to be more careful with your affections. Your infatuation with Sera is a liability. She clearly doesn't prioritize you."

She thinks I still want Sera. She thinks I'm a fool.

I almost smiled. The irony was rich.

"Thank you for your counsel, Winn," I said, keeping my face neutral.

She nodded curtly, then her eyes softened for a moment. "Just... be safe, Marcus."

She walked away, leaving me with my thoughts.

Winn was right about Sera. But she was wrong about me.

This time, my eyes were wide open.