"Maksim's in for a disappointment. Stay close to me." I study her to make sure she’s up for what we’re about to do. Chances are high we’re going to die, but it won’t be without a fight.
She nods.
"Stay behind me." I grip her hand tightly. "When I move, you move. Don't stop for anything."
“Okay.”
We're not going to die here. Not when I've just found her again.
Before I can turn to lead her out, a slow clap echoes in the room.
"Touching reunion," a voice calls from the shadows. "But I'm afraid neither of you are leaving alive. Won’t Maksim be pleased to finally have the black sheep of the Dante family?”
30
KATERINA
Luca's hand tightens around mine as Maksim’s man steps into the room. Death has never felt so close, so inevitable.
I think of Enzo, waiting for parents who might never return.
The thought guts me.
I catch Luca's eye, and in that moment, something passes between us. In a flash, Luca moves.
He moves in front of me and fires in one fluid motion.
The man, with a stunned look on his face, drops to the hard floor.
“Come on.” He grips my hand again and we step over the man into the hall.
An alarm shrieks.
My ears ring as we move down the corridor.
"They're here!" someone shouts in Russian.
The footsteps sound like an avalanche heading toward us. Five, six, maybe more rush in, blocking our exit.
Luca steps in front of me again, his gun erupting. The first two men fall before they can aim, but the others scatter for cover.
My heart is beating so hard I’m nearly paralyzed. Bullets strike the wall inches from my head. I reach deep inside me for courage. I don’t want my fear to be the reason we die.
I register movement in my peripheral vision. “On the left!” I shout to Luca.
He pivots and fires. Another man drops.
But bullets keep flying toward us. The exit is twenty feet away, but it might as well be miles. And of course, even if we leave the basement, there’s still the house and the compound to navigate. It’s a losing situation.
Luca fires again, and a man staggers back, clutching his shoulder.
Another burst of gunfire, and Luca grunts. My blood freezes.
"Luca?"
"I'm fine," he grits out, but I see the dark stain spreading across his sleeve. It matches the one I noticed earlier but haven’t had the chance to ask about.
“Hurry.” He grabs my hand and we move closer to the stairs.
