More boots above us.
“I counted nine earlier. Two went down outside. Then, these two. Five left,” I told her.
She nodded, clutching the pistol tight again. She looked scared out of her mind — but she didn’t panic.
“Stay out of sight,” I instructed.
The next wave hit hard; three men rushed in. One fired immediately. Gia yelped and dropped back down to a crouch, covering her head.
The lights came on. I took two steps toward the stairs, angled my shoulder, and fired. The blast sent the first sprawling down the stairs, piling on top of the other two bodies.
The second leapt over them. I grabbed the beam at the bottom of the staircase, swung my weight, and drove my boots into his chest, sending him falling backward as I shot into his chest.
The third tackled me before I could reset.
We hit the ground hard. Pain spiked through my ribs. The man grabbed for the shotgun. I slammed my elbow into his jaw,grabbed the back of his neck, and smashed his head against the steps twice.
His body went limp.
I was on my feet instantly, scanning for more. Two more appeared in the doorway and started firing. I dove for cover behind a stack of boxes.
“Just give us the girl and we’ll let you live, Wolf.”
I made eye contact with Gia. “Over my dead body,” I snarled, peeking around the side of my cover.
A bullet whizzed past my face, making me jerk back.
“Suit yourself,” the man replied.
Both men came down the steps at the same time. I waited until their footsteps sounded close enough to where one shot would take them both out.
Then, I jumped out, pulling the trigger. But only one of the men got hit. He collapsed as the other tucked and rolled just in time, then kicked the shotgun out of my hands.
He aimed at me but I swatted his arm away as he shot, sending his gun flying as well.
Then, we both charged, colliding in a flurry of punches. I tackled him to the ground and started punching.
“Enzo!” Gia yelled, but it was too late. One of the other men must have come to and had hooked his arm around my throat, pulling me off his associate.
I slammed my head back into his, making him lose his grip. I was able to free myself, but not before the other tackled me.
The breath knocked out of me from the fall and the man’s weight on me. He began punching me, and from the corner of my eye, I saw the other guy slowly starting to get up.
Panic seized me. I couldn’t let them get her; I couldn’t fail her. “Gia, run!”
A shot rang out, and the first man fell back down. I punched the one on top of me and flipped him over, pinning him under me.
He kneed me in the balls, making me see stars as I fell over in pain. Then, he was on top of me again, punching me in the jaw.
Another shot rang out and sharp, stinging pain pierced my arm.
“Shit, sorry!” Gia shrieked.
I blocked a punch as I yelled, “Did you really just shoot me?”
Another shot, but this time I heard it fly in between my attacker and me.
“Fuck,” Gia cursed.
