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My stomach dropped - Bree's vengeful thugs had somehow tracked us here. Leonardo reacted instantly, shoving me behind him toward the jet's open door as he drew his own weapon smoothly. I stumbled up the stairs on trembling legs, heart in my throat hearing the first cracks of gunfire erupt outside.
"Get inside, lock yourself in!" Leonardo ordered tersely, not taking his eyes off our attackers. When I hesitated, paralyzed by panic, he actually shouted "Natalia, go! Now!"
That galvanized me into action. I scrambled inside, slamming and bolting the door shut behind me. Crouched below window level, I could only listen to the muted sounds of fighting raging right outside.
I flinched as bullets peppered the jet's exterior, sounding thunderously loud within the confined space. The shots were followed by grunts and curses - the skirmish was vicious, but uneven. We were cornered and outgunned.
Sucking in panicked shallow breaths, my mind spun desperately for some way to aid Leonardo that didn't end with both of us dead. That's when I remembered the emergency burner phone in my pocket, our sole lifeline now.
With shaking fingers, I retrieved the device Leonardo had entrusted to me so reluctantly. The one contact on it made bile rise in my throat. But we were out of options - he was our only hope now.
I typed out the rushed SOS through my terror, keeping it as vague as possible. The line rang agonizingly long before he answered, shock evident in his tense voice. But I quickly choked out our location and a barely coherent plea for help before disconnecting.
Now all I could do was pray my brother got here in time. Cringing back from the windows, I blocked out the sounds of fighting growing ever nearer. But suddenly the shots outside went eerily silent. Dread clawed up my throat - had they won? Were we seconds from death?
Endless tense minutes later, heavy footfalls outside made me squeeze my eyes shut, bracing futilely. But then blessedly familiar voices reached my ears over the pounding rush of blood.
"Natalia! Are you hurt?" Enzo shouted through the door. "Can you open up? We need to move!"
I scrambled to unbolt the door on jelly legs. Practically falling down the stairs, I crashed right into Enzo's waiting arms as he caught me in a crushing embrace.
"Thank God," was all he managed hoarsely. His men fanned out swiftly around us, guns raised warily. But the ambushers had either fled or lay ominously still on the blood-speckled tarmac after the surprise two-pronged assault.
Leonardo was back on his feet too, leaning heavily against the jet's landing gear. He grimaced in pain pressing a hand over a bleeding arm wound, but gave me a subtle nod - he would be alright.
Enzo's sharp gaze assessed Leonardo guardedly. Perhaps taking his measure as the man who had ignited such recklessness inhis baby sister. But whatever protectiveness Enzo felt toward me was tempered now by grudging gratitude. Without Leonardo's lethal skills, I likely wouldn't have made it off this airfield alive tonight.
"You have my thanks for defending her," Enzo finally told Leonardo solemnly. To me he said more gently, "Let's get you both somewhere it's safe. We clearly have much to discuss."
I managed a shaky nod. The nightmare was far from over, and fresh troubles no doubt awaited back within the viper's nest of my family. But we three had faced the deadly storm tonight and emerged intact.
With Enzo's solid presence on one side, Leonardo's strong grip anchoring me on the other, fragile hope stirred inside me.
The drive to Enzo's safehouse was tense and silent. Leonardo grimaced in pain, pressing his hand over the bullet graze in his upper arm. Blood seeped through his fingers from the ragged furrow, marring the colorful tattoos beneath.
My brother stared straight ahead at the road, his profile stony. Now that immediate danger had passed, uncertainty lingered heavy in the space between us all.
When we finally pulled into the carport of the nondescript suburban house, I broke the taut silence. "Let me look at your arm inside," I implored Leonardo softly.
He hesitated, perhaps seeing Enzo's protectiveness simmering. But finally Leonardo conceded with a gruff nod, allowing me to guide him through the side door. Enzo swept ahead swiftly clearing rooms while I eased Leonardo's suit jacket off to inspect the damage.
The injury needed proper medical care, but this would have to do for now. I gingerly cleaned the torn flesh, Leonardo's muscles knotting against the pain.
Enzo reappeared just as I was wrapping gauze around the graze. He stood back with crossed arms, warring clearly with some internal struggle as he watched me tenderly bandage Leonardo's injury.
When I tied off the dressing snugly, Leonardo flexed his arm slowly, testing mobility. "Thank you," he told me sincerely. To Enzo, "And thank you again for the backup earlier. Your timing couldn't have been better."
Enzo's jaw worked, but finally he gave a terse nod. I could tell it was taking great effort on his part to remain civil in our forced alliance.
Sensing the strained atmosphere, I met Enzo's conflicted gaze earnestly. "I know you must have questions. Just...give me some time?" I asked softly.
Enzo scrubbed a hand over his face before sighing wearily. "Alright. Get some rest, both of you. We'll talk in the morning."
After he had gone to secure the perimeter, I let Leonardo guide us toward the cramped bedroom, too spent to argue. I started unpacking extra linens for Leonardo, but he dismissed the notion instantly.
"Please. I just...need you close tonight. If you're willing," he admitted quietly.
Wordlessly, I curled up beside Leonardo atop the rumpled covers, drawing comfort from his solid presence after the day's chaos. We lay in silence simply breathing each other in, anchored together against lingering fears.
