“Stop!” I push off from the chair I was leaning on and pull my gun out of its holster, aiming it right at Matteo.
“Tommaso, what are you doing?” Carmine asks me.
“They already took the money,” I say matter-of-factly.
“What is he talking about?” Matteo asks. “And why is he pointing his gun at me, that’s not very friendly is it?”
I put my finger on the trigger. “Look at their clothing. It’s brand new. Matteo’s watch is new. Their shoes aren’t just shined, this is the first, maybe second, time they’re ever being worn. I bet if I looked at the car they came in it would be new too. You already took the money from the Bianchis, didn’t you, Matteo?”
While I’m glancing at Carmine, Daniella takes this moment to actually pull her gun out and point it right back at me.
“Everyone, stop this,” Carmine insists. “Put your guns away.”
“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “We can’t trust them.”
“Is this true, Matteo, did you already take the money?” Carmine asks.
Matteo blinks and then laughs. I watch as Daniella’s finger slides onto the trigger. She’s confident, more confident than she should be in this situation.
“You really thought we would agree to take anything from you?” Lucas says with a sneer. “You’re disgusting.”
Carmine takes a step back and motions my brothers with one of his hands, not needing to say anything.
“Get out of our house,” Carmine demands.
I step closer to Matteo, my gun aimed directly at his head. His guards suddenly draw their guns and every single one is pointed at me. Goeff is the only one who hasn’t pulled his gun.
“You have five seconds,” I growl. “And then I blow your fucking head off.”
I see out of the corner of my eye Daniella’s finger twitch against the trigger, and I don’t take chances. In a split second, I have my gun on her and a bullet racing through the air. She’s struck directly in the chest and goes down against one of the guards behind her.
Suddenly, I’m not the only one shooting.
Goeff draws his gun and the second he does I hear my brothers’ guns go off.
Three bullets dive their way into his skull one after the other.
Blood splatters across the carpet and his body goes limp on the floor just next to Danilla, who is sputtering for breath.
Instead of leaving, instead of running as fast as they can out the front door and saving their own lives, Matteo, Lucas, and their three guards start to shoot.
A gun fight breaks out in less than ten seconds.
I dive to the side in front of Carmine, who for some reason doesn’t have his own gun on him.
Pain shoots through my left leg as a bullet buries itself in my calf and I grunt with the pain, but don’t go down. Nothing is going to get me down. Not while the Carvels are still up and standing.
I hear a familiar voice in the distance. Nikolas.
“Get out of here!” I shout in no particular direction. The last thing we need is them getting in here and causing trouble.
Nikolas doesn’t listen. I watch as he comes diving in and shoots out of the guards from behind. Beau is trailing close behind him.
I hear Tiberi’s voice from behind me. “On your right!”
I move to the left just before a bullet comes flying in my direction. It hits the couch, tearing the upholstery apart like nothing.
Cassian comes running in behind the younger boys. “I couldn’t keep them downstairs!” he shouts as he pulls his own gun out.
