Vengeance With My White Knight by Maya Kensington

Chapter 181 Chapter 181 The Lucano and Casalini families were at war now-a beef so nasty it'd make a slaughterhouse look tame.

For Stephanie, Richard was personal, a walking scar.

He'd been Sebastian's brother once, ught as hell. Sebastian had trusted him, counted on him, treated him like blood.

And Valentina-that backstabbing snake-had played the bestic card with her, all fake grins and bullshit.

In Long Harbor these past years, Stephanic had been itching top into Richard, her hate bubbling, never letting up.

Now she'd finally got her chance, and all that built-up rage was spilling out.

Richard's patience was wearing thin as she hung on.

"Stefi, I said let go,” he growled, his voice dipping into something colder, meaner.

90%1 Richard's grip clamped down on her jaw again, no mercy. Stephanie flinched, her teeth popping apart as the pain hit, a thin streak of blood dripping from her lip.

"Takeback," she hissed, teeth gritted, anger roaring through her voice.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "I stuck my neck out grabbing you-you think I'm just gonna drop you off, my little fiancée?" Before the words even settled, Stephanie spat another glob of blood right in his face, quick and dead-on. Richard wiped at the mess on his cheek. "You grew up fine, but what's with this attitude now?" Back in Fiorenza, she'd been a different vibe-quiet, sweet, always stuck to Sebastian's side like a shadow. She'd call him “Seb” in that soft, lilting voice, so gentle it could thaw a glacier.

Now? This spitfire energy of her threw him for a loop.

Over on Sebastian's side, Elliot gave the rundown, voice calm but tight. "Sir, Richard says if you don't back off, he'll take Miss Giovanni down with him-jump the chopper and call it a day." Sebastian's eyes narrowed, a cold spark flickering in them.

A chill rolled off him, sharp and deadly. "Find out what the hell he wants," he growled, keeping his rage on a tight leash.

Elliot nodded. "On it." Back at Shallow Bay Area, the night wind sliced through, smoke and gunpowder still clogging the air.

Ella had been on the phone with Stephanie when it all went nuts-screams, shots, total chaos. Ignoring the pain in her tailbone, she'd jumped off the hospital bed and raced to Shallow Bay.

No cops called-she wasn't that dumb. This mess was too messy She'd figured it out ages ago: Stephanie ran with big dogs, the kind you don't rat out. Calling the law could backfire hard.

10:05 Fri, Mar Chapter 181 Worried out of her mind. Ella had to check it out herself. But the second she got there, she saw Lorenzo going full savage.

Smoke drifted from the gun in his hand, the air stinging with burnt powder.

Macro ditched his rich-boy act, tucking his piece away.

"Talked to Elliot-they've got enough muscle. We're solid here., Macro mumbled under his breath.

Lorenzo slid his gun back and glanced over his shoulder.

A rustle hit his ears, and he turned-locking eyes with Ella as she climbed out of her car.

Ella didn't have tfor weirdness. Fear choked her up, hier legs shaky as hell.

Blood-way too much blood-pooled on the ground, bright and nauseating.

With the snow drifting down, it was like a horror flick, red soaking into white like smessed-up art piece.

Her shaky lips opened, but nothing cout-just big, stunned eyes.

She stared at Lorenzo, her heart pounding so hard it might break a rib.

Macro clocked her and strolled over, long legs eating up the distance. “Back already? Didn't get what you wanted last time, huh?" Ella blanked. Her brain couldn't process his words.

Lorenzo's brow furrowed.

Then he stepped up and whacked the back of Macro's head. "Guess Sebastian went soft on you-no weighted laps, huh?" "You sneaky jerk," Macro muttered, rubbing the back of his head Those dozen laps had damn near wiped him out-he was still huffing, working the kink out of his neck.

Weights? Might as well sign his death warrant.

Lorenzo turned a cold stare at Ella. "What're you doing here?" "I-I cfor Stefi. She..." Ella scraped together every bit of nerve to look him in the eye, her voice shaky.

She needed answers, her heart pounding like crazy.

Lorenzo's response was flat, done. "You won't see her for a bit." "Huh?" Ella's eyes popped wide, confusion all over her face.

"Her fiancé cto grab her," Lorenzo said low, turning his back Ella's brain froze. She was totally lost.

"Fiancé? Who? When?" She stood there, her mind turning into a jumbled mess.

Ella remembered Stephanie was into the guy growing up with her. She'd never heard her mention of this fiancé.

'And Shallow Bay Area looking like a battlefield-is that him too? The more Ella thought, the more her head spun. She was stuck, clueless.

G Chapter 181 Lorenzo pulled out a cigarette, lit it up. "Can you head back?" Ella stuttered, "I-1 can." She nodded, legs still wobbly.

"Then go. This isn't your vibe," Lorenzo said, flicking her a quick look before walking off.

"But-is Stefi in trouble?" Ella blurted out, worry thick in her voice.

The word "fiancé" hit her like a brick.

Then Ella realized that back then, Chris was basically a clown.

It turned out that Stephanie had more than just Sebastian backing her-big shots everywhere.

Whoever turned Shallow Bay Area into this mess wasn't a lightweight-thinking of that, panic started creeping up her back.

"Danger?" Lorenzo thought it over, taking a drag. "Not danger, exactly. She might catch sheat, though." Richard was a twisted creep-he knew that for sure.

With the wall between Stephanie and Sebastian finally gone, no one knew what that slimeball might try. Still, Richard showing up in Long Harbor now? Probably sniffed out that Stephanie and Sebastian were tight. Ella's eyes got watery at "catch sheat.” “What do we do? Mr. Giovanni can get her back, right?" "He's tough as hell," she added, staring at Lorenzo, begging for scomfort.

With Stephanie's temper, she'd go head-to-head with anybody. Ella was scared she'd be too hardheaded and get hurt. Lorenzo wasn't here to play babysitter. He walked off, his back a dark shape fading into the snowy night. Macro watched Ella trembling in the wind, tears streaking down and scratched his head.

"She doesn't need you stressing. That girl's got people wrapped around her finger-her fiancé won't touch her," he said, throwing out soffhand reassurance.

Richard, though? Total dirtbag, Macro thought, lip curling.

It was just sold dude's random promise, but he'd latched onto it-parading around Fiorenza, bragging that Stephanie was his fiancée.

For two years, he'd chased her down with that excuse, loud and obnoxious about it.

• Sebastian had sent guys to take him out, but Richard slipped away every time, slick as hell.

4 It was like he lived to get under Sebastian's skin-didn't care about the Casalini family or his sister Valentina. Threats? Didn't faze him. He just shrugged them off.

Ella piped up, her voice quiet. “But Stefi and Mr. Giovanni are already...” "Girl, no need to worry... Or you should feel sorry for yourself. Lorenzo holds grudges-you almost pulling his pants down? He's going to get you back for that someday," Macro said with a smirk, all playful and poking.

Ella shrank back, her heart thumping hard.

Lorenzo had started walking away but spun around, snagging Macro by the collar and hauling him off like a limp toy.

10:06 Fri, Mar 14 Chapter 181 Guess he'd shut Macro's big mouth first-his face was stone-cold *** Back in the chopper, when Richard barked about wanting something from Sebastian, the vibe got heavy, charged up.

Stephanie's fuse lit. She swung a kick at him, "Richard, you bastard, I'll take you out!" But he grabbed her ankle midair, his grip like a vice, stopping her cold.

In one quick move, he pulled her opto his lap before she could even blink.

A smirk crept up his face. “You're throwing yourself atnow?"

"That how you rolled with Chris in Long Harbor? Guess he was biting," Richard teased, his eyes flashing with a taunting glint. She was already pissed. Her hand shot up to slap him-only for him to snag her wrist mid-swing.

"You itching to smack me?" he laughed, cool as anything.

"You're a backstabbing dirtbag. I'd tear you apart if I could," she spat, her eyes burning with hate.

Richard screwing Sebastian over years ago was still fresh in her head, raw and unforgiving. That grudge wasn't going anywhere. She meant it-wanted him in chunks. Her fingers shook with the urge.

Richard snorted. "Guess how much you're worth to Sebastian. Think he'd cough IT up for you?" Right as he said it, he grunted, his face twisting in pain.

Stephanie wasn't just all talk-she'd sunk her teeth into his neck, right on the artery. Bichard's face screwed up, pain tearing through him. This girl didn't play-hands, teeth, whatever got the job done. No mercy.

Long Harbor had made her a scrapper-no style, just pure rage until something stuck.

"Let go, or I'll blow your head off," he growled, the joking vibe gone, swapped for something dark.

She didn't flinch-bit down harder, teeth digging into his skin.

Richard's face went stormy with rage. He grabbed her by the neck, yanking her off with a snarl.

"You little..." he hissed through gritted teeth, blood pouring from his neck.

The doctor and bodyguards stared, white as sheets, as blood soaked down his collar. Stephanie's lips were slick with red, like swild animal ready to pounce, her glare icy and fierce.

The doctor scrambled over, fumbling with bandages to stop the flow.

Richard's eyes narrowed, dangerous. "You wantdead that bad?" She used to call him gently and softly back then, all sweet smiles and sweet words-damn nice to hear. Now? She was showing teeth. His gaze flickered.

Chapter 101 Stephanie sneered. "You're a natural-born asshole. Breathing's too good for you." That venom made Richard's brow twitch, his face clouding over He held it together-barely-chest pumping like a furnace.

Then he snapped, pulling his gun and pointing it at her. "You bellevewhen I say I'll shoot you right now?" "Go for it, right here-think I'm scared of you?" She sat up straight, staring him down, no fear.

Richard looked at her, a jolt of surprise in his eyes.

This girl-she was surprisingly tough now. He squinted, caught off guard.

Back in the day, a threat would've had her shrinking, barely making a sound. Now she was daring him to pull it.

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