"Just do what you need to do, and do it as fast as you can."
I barely felt the needle piercing my skin over and over again. The pain was nothing compared to when he had to touch me. But I gritted my teeth and willed my heart to stop racing as I fought back the demons trying to take over my mind.
Once the doctor finished and he had me hooked up to an IV, he handed me a bottle of pills. "Take these twice a day until they're gone," he instructed. "And try to rest as much as possible. No strenuous activity for at least a week."
I nodded, setting the pills on the counter beside me and pulling my shirt back on with Enzo's help. "Thank you."
He'd just started packing up his supplies when Luca's cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket. "Yes?"
Luca's expression darkened as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. "What exactly are you telling me?" he growled, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the phone tighter.
After a few tense moments, he ended the call and turned to face us, his jaw clenched. "We're under attack. The guards spotted a group of armed men approaching the property."
"Fuck," Enzo growled, already moving towards the front door. "How many?"
"At least a dozen, maybe more." Luca's gaze swung to me. "Can you fight?"
I nodded. I was already pulling out the IV needle. "Yes." I already felt a little better. And, besides, it was Gino. I knew it in my gut. He was coming for us.
And I was going to kill him.
Luca didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue. Instead, he hurried out into the great room, yelling for Veda.
"What's going on?" she asked when she heard him.
"We're under attack," Luca told her, his voice tight. "I need you and Sera to go downstairs to the shelter. Now."
"No," she told him as she rushed over to him.
"Veda, so help me god, donotfucking argue with me right now."
"I'm not leaving you!" she yelled back.
Ducking down, he threw his shoulder into her middle and lifted her off the ground. "Sera," he said calmly as Veda kicked and screamed. "Come with me."
She looked in Enzo's direction.
"Go on," he told her. "I'll come get you when it's over."
"You'd better," she answered. "I'm too young to be a widow." Then she ran over and kissed him hard on the lips before chasing after Luca and Veda.
In the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Logan slipping out the back door. I hesitated for a moment, and the thought crossed my mind that I should go after him. But there was someone else I needed to protect more. And there was nothing wrong with his legs. He could run. Find a place to hide.
The sound of gunfire erupted outside, and I tensed halfway across the great room. I looked over my shoulder in the direction Luca had gone, and then toward the door. Then back over my shoulder. Torn between my duty to my boss and my need to protect Luna.
I was created to protect him.
I was born to be with her.
My legs begin to move, carrying me swiftly across the room. I had no weapon. No way to defend myself. But I had to get to her.
"Tristan."
Enzo had to step in front of me to get me to stop. My upper lip lifted in a snarl. "Get out of my way."
"Here," he said. "Take this."
I looked down. He was handing me a gun.
