COLLIDE

???

SHREYA ZACCARIA MONTEZ POV….

"They're catching up to us"

I yelled at Lorenzo, looking back at the matte black cars swerving to meet up with the van I was in.

I loaded the rifle with me in haste, Angry that the men chasing us had taken out my security detail.

The bullets whizzed past the car, and Lorenzo was smart enough to swerve in time before they could shoot. I rolled down the window, aiming at the speeding car, heading toward our van. I targeted its tires and took them out before they could reach us. I watched as the car tumbled down the cliff.

I smiled as I saw, I had taken out the last car on our tail.

The car suddenly stopped and the abruptness made my head bang off the seat.

I wiped the blood dripping from my nose with my hand

"what the hell Lorenzo"

"we've got company Shreya"

I peeked outside the window and saw Carmine Romano staring at me with those malicious eyes of his.

The anger in me overtook the fear I had for him

He was the reason for the worst two weeks of my life, ever since his chilling words in my father's office, he had gained allies who wanted to help him throw the Montez family off the mafia food chain.

"What are you doing?"

I yelled at Lorenzo who was reversing the car, I wanted to show Carmine that I was no coward like him.

"I'm saving your life "

Anger overtook me and I took my rifle, trying to aim and shoot at Carmine, I wanted to end the hell I was living in as soon as possible

"Stop the car Lorenzo "

he continued to swerve and drive the car away from him

"Stop the f*****g car" I yelled again hitting him on his chest.

I was surprised when he suddenly slammed the brakes and turned to me.

"Listen here Shreya, we would have been in this situation if you controlled your f*****g emotions, we don't have a chance with Carmine right now. So open your eyes and see we don't have a backup, I can't go on a suicide mission with a ticking time bomb, I have a wife and kid to get back to"

His words shut me up, he was right, we couldn't just march up to Carmine right now, we didn't have any backup. He began driving once more, this time at full speed, I guess he couldn't wait to get me back to the safehouse.

I bit my lip, drawing blood from how hard I bit it as if I pondered on the name he called me "Ticking time bomb"

My father had given me this nickname, seeing how unstable I was emotionally and mentally ill.

"f*****g hell"

I groaned as one of Carmine's men's car hit the back of the van.

I glanced at them through the rear mirror and sighed more when I saw them trying to break the door.

I picked up my rifle and went to the back seat waiting patiently for them to come in, as soon as the door opened, I shot him in his fingers and used the butt of my gun to knock him out before shooting him.

Before I could celebrate my win, the van suddenly made a screeching noise before the tires burst and we began tumbling into the woods. I pried my eyes open, ignoring the heady and lightweight feeling, and I stood up on my feet despite the shards of glass and metal sticking to my body. I knelt beside Lorenzo who was still like, on the floor, tears clouded my eyes when I could not feel his pulse.

"where are they?"

I heard and I panicked, I left Lorenzo's body and scurried around trying to hide before Carmine's men found me.

I hid behind the large tree watching them as they laughed and spat on Lorenzo's body, I watched as the devil himself Carmine poured alcohol on Lorenzo's body before setting him aflame.

As the flames licked at Lorenzo's lifeless body, my heart pounded in my chest. Fear and fury surged through my veins, fueling my determination to escape this nightmare. But as I crouched behind the tree, I knew that time was running out.

"They're catching up to us," a voice whispered in my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned to see a figure standing behind me, a person I had never expected to see again.

It was Antonio, my father's loyal right-hand man who had disappeared months ago. He had always been like a second father to me, guiding me through the shadows of the mafia world. And now, in my moment of desperation, he had returned.

"Antonio, you're alive," I gasped, a mixture of shock and relief flooding over me.

He nodded, his gaze hardening as he observed the scene. "I never truly left, Shreya. I've been watching, waiting for the right moment to re-emerge."

I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope flicker within me. Perhaps, with Antonio by my side, we could turn the tides. We could take down Carmine Romano and restore honour to my family's name. But deep down, I knew that the path ahead would be treacherous and unpredictable.

Antonio crouched down beside me, his voice low and urgent. "We need to move, Shreya. I've arranged for a safe house not far from here. We can regroup and plan our next move."

I nodded, determination burning in my eyes. The time for hiding was over. It was time to fight back and reclaim what was rightfully ours.

As we cautiously made our way through the dense woods, our footsteps a mere whisper against the backdrop of chaos, I couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline. I was no longer the scared, fragile girl caught in the crossfire of my family's vendettas. I was a force to be reckoned with, a woman driven by revenge and justice.

As we disappeared into the shadows of the night, the sound of sirens wailed in the distance, a testament to the chaos and destruction left in our wake. It was only the beginning of a battle that would shake the very foundations of the mafia world.

And as the world closed in around me, I knew that the days ahead would be filled with danger, bloodshed, and sacrifice. But I was ready, for I was no longer a helpless assistant. I was a warrior, ready to face whatever darkness lay ahead in my quest for redemption.