“Like hell I won’t. I’m not leaving you here. Come with us.”
Her face grew ashen. “I can’t. I won’t survive a day. My father will—”
“Don’t worry about him. We’ll get you protection. You can’t stay here.” Justin didn’t wait for an answer and pulled her close, tucking her in behind him as he led us down the hall and through the new tunnel, gun trained in front of him.
Pops of gunfire echoed from above, announcing the MC’s arrival. My feet moved quicker, wanting to get Cass out of here before the entire place went down.
“It’s about damn time,” Justin said, but the relief that had begun flooding my chest quickly drained when we rounded the corner, coming to a large opening, lanterns mounting the wall lending dim light to men blocking our path. Del Marco and two of his men stood waiting. Dressed in a suit, his hair was slicked back, right hand wrapped around his gold-plated pistol while his men held M-16s.
“Well, if it isn’t the traitor!” His accent was thick as rage burned in his black eyes. “And he brought his friends…”
“It’s over, Del Marco,” Bodie said, his steely gaze pinned on the men before us.
A malicious smile tilted Del Marco’s lips. “Oh, it’s far from over, Diablo.”
My damp palm clutched the stock of my .9mm hidden beneath Cassidy’s bent legs and covered by the blanket. My finger ready for whatever was about to happen.
Del Marco swung his arm sixty degrees to the left, training his gun on my brother.
A hot stone of dread sat in my gut, burning with determination.
“Let go of my daughter, pig.”
Justin’s arm remained across Selena where she stood motionless, her eyes wide with terror.
“Selena, darling, come to Daddy,” Del Marco urged gently.
She pushed past Justin’s arm, shuffling forward timidly.
“Selena, you don’t have to do this,” Justin said, his tone hard with a hint of panic.
She stopped in her tracks, turning back to my brother.
“You can stay with us,” he continued. “We’ll protect you.Iwill protect you.”
Her entire body shook but her eyes pled with him. She didn’t want to go any more than we wanted her to. I prayed she would listen to him, because I would hate for her to get struck in the crossfire.
Cass moaned and shifted in my arms. I kept my eyes ahead, pushing down my fear for her.
Del Marco’s eyes moved back and forth between them, his face flamed with fury. “What are you doing, Selena? Come. Now!”
Her tear-filled eyes remained on my brother. He nodded at her, extending his hand to her as if she were a frightened deer. My heart plummeted when she turned back to her father. I thought it was the end but then her shoulders straightened, her chin lifting defiantly. “You hurt people, Father, and I don’t like it. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”
Pain flashed in his eyes before stone-cold fury took over his expression. “You have no choice. You come to me or you die with them.”
“Then kill me,” she sobbed. “I won’t do this any longer.”
“Selena, get back!” my brother ordered, fear thick in his voice.
“I gave you everything,” Del Marco bellowed, rage prominent in his dark eyes. “And you think you can betray me like this?Recuerdas lo que le hize a tu madre?”(Do you remember what I did to your mother?)The more out of control he became, the more distracted he was.
I felt Bodie shift next to me and heard the cock of his gun. I kept my eyes trained on the bald one who had the muzzle of his gun aimed at me, hoping like hell he had his sights set on the other one.
Pain flashed in her eyes. “Si lo recuerdo padre. Lo recuerdo cada noche cuando cierro mis ojos.”(Yes, I remember, Father. I remember every single night when I close my eyes.)
“Well, now you can join her!”
“Selena, get down!” My brother leaped, throwing his body in front of hers, gun aimed at Del Marco as they both fired simultaneously.
