Page 74 of Married to the Ruthless Mafia Heir

Javier came at us, gun up, cursing.

I fired back twice and shoved Elena behind a rack. "Stay down."

Elena crouched, hand over her mouth, tears streaming.

Javier clutched his arm where I'd hit him, howling. "Dante, you're dead!"

I dove and rolled, dodging his shots.

Blood made Javier reckless. He charged the rack—straight for Elena. He raised his gun. Aimed at her.

I lined up the shot. Got there first.

Bang.

Javier's eyes went wide. He dropped at my feet.

"Dante!"

Elena sobbed, hand over her mouth. She stumbled toward me. I relaxed, reaching for her—then another shot rang out from the entrance.

Instinct took over. I threw myself in front of Elena, taking the hit with my body. The bullet tore into my back. Pain ripped through me.

I grunted and collapsed with Elena in my arms.

Hector Cruz's voice echoed through the empty warehouse.

"How touching. Young love. Shame you're both about to die."

His footsteps closed in. Elena clutched my shirt, fingers trembling. "Dante..."

Pain threatened to drag me under, but I raised my gun and kept my body between Elena and him. "Hector, I'll agree to your terms. Now."

"Too late."

Hector's gun pointed at my head.

Then I saw Marco's silhouette at the door. One look. We had a plan.

"You kill me, those old bastards in the family won't give you the route!"

My voice came out hard.

Hector hesitated. Thinking it over.

That split second—Marco took it. One shot. Clean through Hector's skull. Hector's eyes went wide, body rigid. He hit the ground.

My strength gave out. I fell backward onto the concrete.

Marco and his men stormed in. Elena collapsed over me, sobbing.

My vision blurred. I lifted my hand, barely, tried to comfort her. My voice came out thin. "It's okay..."

Then the pain swallowed me whole. Everything went dark.

Elena

Dante collapsed in front of me, face drained of color. Blood poured from his back—so much red it burned my eyes.