“It is not safe, Stella.”
“Move out of my way,now, or I’ll have your head!”
He stood taller, a wall between me and my heart.
In a split second, the scene came back to me in haunting detail. The gun had been aimed at Nonno, but Matteo had taken the bullet for him.
Nonno snapped orders left and right. And whatever he said, Armando moved a little, but it wasn’t for my benefit, even though I took the opening. I took off, dodging rock-hard bodies, until my feet stopped short at the sight of my husband lying on the ground in a pool of blood. I fell to my knees, moving one of the men next to him, and watched as Saverio snapped orders and tried to plug the wound.
I probably could have made out what Saverio was saying, but I was in…shock. My husband was pale and losing blood at an alarming rate.
“Unc-unc-uncle T-t-t-tito!” I screamed, and I knew it was bloodcurdling. “Please!Please! HELP!”
A second later, explosions went off around us. We were being attacked from all sides. Still, Uncle Tito moved quicker than I thought possible, even with all the chaos raging around us. He started snapping off orders to Saverio, who followed everything he seemed to be saying.
But then.
More gunfire.
It was exploding from different areas.
I smelled gunpowder and the scent of blood—it was so thick in the air, I felt like I was choking on it.
Or maybe it was that I was choking on air because it seemed like my husband was running out of his.
Oh God. Oh God. Matteo. My husband. My life.
I didn’t realize until someone was pulling me back that I was screaming at him to wake up. “Just wake up!” Please. Please. Please.
It took a second to realize I was lifted off my feet, and I could see the old man who had held the gun on the ground. His head had been blown off, and then I realized a man was carting me away from the chaotic scene.
Away from my husband!
I tried to jab him in the ribs with my elbows, but he held tighter. “Let me go!” I ordered. “Now! Or I’ll kill you myself!”
A breathy, familiar laugh was in my ear. “You have become a bossy bitch since the Italians stole you from us, Star.”
I wasn’t sure if it was because my husband’s blood was draining out of him, but I felt every ounce of mine rush to my feet.
Boris.
I almost passed out, but I kept blinking my eyes and clawing at his hands. I knew I was drawing blood, but the sadistic motherfucker liked it. He kept breathing in my ear, and it was sending fucking chills through me. But. My husband! I had to get back to him. I’d fight. Claw this motherfucker’s eyes out to get back to him! It would be like clawing my way through hell, but damned if I’d stop until one of us was dead.
Boris had me pinned in front of him, in case anyone decided to shoot at him. Whoever would have to shoot me first. Which was the case. A few men followed us, keeping their distance, their guns trained on Boris and his trained on me.
Right then would have been the perfect time for Wolf’s wolf to show up. Tear Boris to shreds from behind. I’d cook Boris however the wolf liked, if he preferred his kill to be skinned and fried in a skillet, but I was pretty sure I overheard Saverio say Wolf was back in Paris. Boris killing the girl wolf didn’t go over well with Wolf, especially since Wolf knew Boris was sending a message to Wolf about Evelina.
“These men think they can take me.” He spat on the ground. “I have what the pathetic bastards will die over. You!” He lifted his gun and pulled the trigger. One of our men went down and he laughed. “See? These men are soft hearted. Will die over a whore! Pew. Pew. Pew.” He lifted the gun again and made the noise.
“How perfect to send the old man up to slaughter. Apparently, your new family has quite the history. Did you know your new family got the old man’s daughter killed, and he has been harboring murderous resentment for years? He told me even if he died—which he did; I do not believe it is possible to live without a head—he will rest in peace knowing he sent one of them to hell. He took a lot of pleasure in thinking the oneswho love him will suffer, just like he did! Have you heard his daughter’s name before? Santina.”
I refused to answer him, and he bit the bottom of my earlobe. A sharp burning pain rushed up my ear, like it had suddenly caught fire, and I knew he’d bitten it off. I heard him chewing. And then felt the droplets of warm blood running down my neck.
“Talk to me, Star, or I will go for the other one.” He snapped his teeth in my ear.
“No,” I barely got out.
“See? You thought you had it so bad with us.” He made achasound. “We were much better. We care about the ones we take. This is why I came back for you. We care more about you.”
