Rick's POV

Flashback

"You will stay out of it. Dad and I will handle it."

"Of course, you and Dad. But you forgot that I am a Castelli too," I commented angrily.

He sighed and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Ricky, we just want to protect you."

I gave him a mocking smirk. "As always the same tune. But I am bored with it. Just admit that you and Dad don't trust me," I stated angrily and stormed out, slamming the door behind me.

When I approached my car, my father's two henchmen wanted to accompany me, but I told them I was going alone.

"But, Don Antonio..."

"I told you I will go alone!" I exclaimed in annoyance, emphasizing each word, cutting him off. They looked at each other, hesitating, and nodded, walking away.

As soon as I got in my Ferrari, I started the car and left, leaving dust behind me. Then I called Mario.

"I told the guys the mission is canceled," he told me as soon as he picked up the phone.

"There is no such thing. It is the opportunity to get them. I want to see Nico and my father's faces when I throw that bastard in front of them. Then they will stop treating me like a child," I stated, determined.

"But if Domenico..."

"Mario! Choose your side!" I cut him off angrily.

"Of course, I am with you, Riccardo," he said firmly.

"Great then! I will be there in a few minutes," I informed him and hang up my phone.

As soon as I parked my car in front of three black cars, I got out of my car. Mario immediately approached me and told me that everything was ready.

After giving the guys my instructions, we got in the cars and went to the destination.

Once we reached at our destination and checked the place from afar, we didn't see anyone. Probably, they hadn't arrived yet.

We got out of the cars and approached the warehouse carefully.

"Pull your guns down and raise your arms up."

In a second, a group of armed men surrounded us.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed angrily. Domenico was right. It was a trap.

"Well! Well! Well! Who is here?!" The son of our enemy gave me a sarcastic smirk, pointing his gun at me.

"Dimitri!" I exclaimed between gritted teeth.

"Put your gun down, Castelli," he warned me, giving me a victorious smirk.

Suddenly, we heard gunshots in the air.

"You put down your gun, Dimitri," my brother demanded as my father's henchmen pointed their guns at Dimitri's men.

"Only in your dreams." Dimitri gave my brother a devilish smirk and suddenly, shot at me.

"Riccardo!" my brother exclaimed worriedly and rushed towards me. Meanwhile, I cursed under my breath, dropping my gun down, and pursed my lips together in pain, holding my arm. "You fucking bastard!" Domenico said furiously.

I tried to grab my gun and shoot at that Russian bastard, but my brother shot him in the shoulder before me. Dimitri groaned and collapsed onto the floor, grabbing his shoulder in pain. Meanwhile, their and our men were shooting at each other.

"Are you okay, Ricky?" my brother asked, concerned as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Yes... Nico, I am sorry." I gave him an apologetic look.

He sighed and tapped on my back slightly, giving me a warm smile. "You are a Castelli. Of course, you will be stubborn." I smiled, amused. "Come on, we are leaving." I nodded and we started going to the car while Mario was trying to protect Domenico and me.

Suddenly, I heard a gunshot from behind. When I turned around, I saw Dimitri smirking at me while holding a gun in his hand.

I turned towards my brother when I heard groans.

"Domenico!" I shouted in panic as I saw my brother collapsing onto the floor, holding his heart. He was bleeding. That fucking bastard shot at my brother. My brother!

I collapsed on my knees in front of my brother and rested his head in my laps quickly.

"Nico! Nico!" I exclaimed worriedly and pressed my hand on his wound.

"Ricky.... Go..." Domenico mumbled.

"No! Are you out of your mind?! I won't leave you alone," I stated firmly. "Please, don't leave me. I will take you to the hospital," I added as my eyes welled up.

"Angela... tell her I love her," Domenico said and grimaced in pain.

"No, you will tell her yourself," I said while my heart was pounding in fear and I looked at Mario. "Help me to take him to the car."

"Ricky..."

"Nico? Domenico, open your eyes!" I shouted in panic as my brother's eyes closed. "Nico!" I exclaimed in panic and gave him a heart massage, shouting his name.

***

My father sighed sadly and rested his hand on my shoulder. "It isn't your fault, son. You know very well that it was planned; nothing would have changed it. Even if you didn't go there, it would happen eventually," he commented sorrowfully and squeezed my shoulder.

"It was my fault!" I exclaimed in frustration and kicked the chair as a drop of tear rolled down my cheek. "Because of me, my brother got killed. Domenico warned me that it could be a trap, but I didn't listen to him," I added in guilt.

"They planned to kidnap Domenico's fiancée. So even if you didn't go there, nothing would change," he gave me a sympathetic look.

My eyes widened. "Angela?"

My father nodded. "Domenico got mad when he found out about it. He didn't go there to just help you, but to make them pay for what they tried to do. So stop torturing yourself. It isn't your fault. However, you got his revenge. You killed that bastard who took your brother's life," he informed me and tapped on my shoulder.

I looked away, lost in my thoughts. Was my father telling the truth? Domenico was always cool-headed, but when it was related to his girlfriend, Angela, everything was different. He would do everything to protect her. He was crazy for her. They loved each other so much.

"Stop blaming yourself, son. It isn't your fault, and Domenico wouldn't want to see you like this. So pull yourself together. For him, for yourself, for your mother and for me. I and your mother don't want to lose another son. It would destroy us. You have to come back with me. You can't stay here anymore. It is dangerous," he commented emotionally.

I breathed deeply and walked away slightly, rubbing my forehead.

"I don't want that life anymore. I want to have calm life, away from that world," I informed him.

My father chuckled. "It is your destiny. Don't you see? You ran away to the other side of the ocean, but you find yourself in the same world again. And now you have only choice. You know it deep down in your heart as well. Of course, if you don't want that girl anymore, and you are ready to give up on her to have calm life as you want, the things is different."

I clenched my fist. "I will never give up on Vanessa. I love her so much."

"Then you have the only choice." My father gave me a knowing look.

"No! I won't go back," I refused, shaking my head.

"Kiddo! I won't let you kill yourself with your stubbornness," my father stated angrily. "If you want that girl, you don't have another choice, but to fight with them as the heir of the Castellis. In a snap of your fingers, her bastard father, her idiot fiancé and his family will shut up. They won't intervene in your relationship because no one would dare to mess up with a Castelli," he added arrogantly. "Maybe I should visit your beautiful girlfriend to convince you. No, I have a better idea; I will send my men to visit her. It will definitely make you agree quickly."

"Don't dare to touch her," I snarled, clenching my fist.

"Calm down, Riccardo. I know very well that you will go back with me," my father commented, giving me a self-satisfied smirk. "Think about your mother. She misses you," he added firmly.

"How is she?" I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck.

"She is better after your call." I looked at him with wide eyes. He smirked cockily. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out? Don't forget who your father is. If I give some time to you to pull yourself together, it doesn't mean I will let you live away from your family the rest of your life. You have obligations as my son. Especially after what happened to your brother; you are our only hope, my only heir," he added in an authoritative tone.

I gave him a dirty look, gritting my teeth in annoyance. He didn't change at all. The same ruthless and manipulative man who was ready to do everything to get what he wanted.