I wrapped my arms around him, intertwining my fingers at the back of his neck. "You show up everywhere you shouldn’t. You’re entirely too smooth, and you're constantly trying to tempt and seduce me."
He leaned down, the timber of his voice low and deep. "Is it working?"
"A little too well," I murmured.
Marco laughed and spun me out, then pulled me back in. "Well, let me try a little more." He ran his hand down my back, holding me possessively at my hip. "I missed you so much. It felt like I couldn’t breathe without you next to me." His eyes burned as they met mine. "You look so beautiful, and I’m jealous of everyone who got to see you before me."
I laughed. "Everyone?"
"Yes, man, women, child, anything and anyone." He squeezed my back. "But at least I'm the only one who gets to have you in their arms right now, and for that I'm tremendously honored."
Heat rose to my cheeks, and I blushed, biting my bottom lip.
He groaned. "I'm dying to kiss you, and I swear I'm trying to be respectful, but if you keep looking at me like that, I won't be able to."
"Like what?"
"Like you want me to."
A shiver ran up my spine. I opened my mouth to respond, but then a loud popping noise started outside.
Gunshots.
I broke out of Marco's arms, my heart racing, adrenaline surging through my veins. My phone rang, and I answered it immediately.
"Doña, they're shooting at us!" Another round of shots went off in the background. It sounded like he was in a war zone. "Thirteen SUVs are approaching the event, heavily armed. We can't get them all!"
"Just hold out as long as you can. We're coming!"
I quickly rounded up my capos and Olivia. Marco called over his men, and I slid back into my façade, using it to hide the rage boiling in my blood.
This event, something that was supposed to bring peace and happiness to everyone, would soon be ruined. My men were out there fighting for their lives, and I would kill each and every single person who dared to hurt any of the people in my familia. Then I'd hunt down the orchestrator and show them a hell they could have never imagined.
"Listen up. We have thirteen SUVs incoming. They're armed and currently shooting at the main entrance. We need to act fast and decisively. Olivia, take four men with you and usher everyone to the back door and into the parking lot. The rest of you, we hold the line here. Do your best to keep one of them alive so we can find out who's behind this."
My capos nodded and instructed their soldiers.
"Two of you, go with them," Marco said to his men.
We exchanged a glance and I nodded. I couldn't afford to stop him this time. He and his men were in just as much danger as my own, and every second counted.
I unholstered my gun as nine blacked-out, unregistered SUVs drove up to the entrance. We fired immediately.
We shot out one of the SUVs’ tires, making it run into the signage at the building. I got one more, but the rest braked. Almost thirty men poured out of the cars, and all hell broke loose.
The sound of gunfire was deafening. I tried to shoot them around their car doors, but the damn things were bulletproof. Switching tactics, I aimed for their legs, taking out three of them. Marco got another four, while the rest of our men worked to annihilate the enemy in front of us.
Some men jumped back in their cars, planning to drive off. But one of Marco's men had a high-powered rifle. He shot out the windows and a minute later they were dead.
Movement from the side drew my eye. Someone had crawled close to the building. They were flat on their stomach, their shot lined up to the window—exactly where Marco was.
My heart froze. Gripping my gun tight, I fired. The man's head snapped back, his lifeless body crumbling to the ground. Shots rained around me, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder and the metallic tang of blood, but there was only one thought echoing in my mind.Marco could have died.
I stood there, my breath coming in short gasps, my hands steady despite the tremors running through my body. I fought to keep my composure, to hide the fear clawing at my soul.
I couldn't let it show. Not even when the shots stopped.
Later, I would feel. I'd let it all in, the anxiety, the panic, the absolute terror, but for now… My familia needed me.
