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I took off in a sudden rush, zigzagging across the room towards the stairwell with bullets raining around me. A grunt escaped my lips as one grazed my ribcage but I didn’t slow down; my vision tunneled on the stairs before me.
Kieran popped up from behind the couch, firing a few shots to distract Nick long enough for me to reach the stairs. I had a moment to nod in gratitude before I took the steps two at a time, my heart pounding against my ribs.
At the top of the stairs, I found myself in a long, dimly lit hallway with doors on either side. Every instinct screamed at me to tread carefully, but I knew I didn’t have that luxury. Instead, I opted for the direct approach and kicked open the first door on my left.
The room was empty.
Sweat dripped into my eyes as I moved to the next one. The gunfire from downstairs turned into muffled pops as I moved further down the hallway. My heart pounded like a sledgehammer against my ribs, each beat echoing Adriana’s name.
The second door revealed another vacant room. Desperation clawed at my insides as I approached the final door at the end of the hallway. I hadn’t noticed the cheap plastic tray in front of the door. It was full of untouched food.
I tripped over it, cursing under my breath as I regained my balance. With a swift kick, I forced the door open, my weapon at the ready.
Adriana stood by the window, her back to me, her silhouette illuminated by the faint moonlight filtering in. Adriana’s eyes were wide as she turned around to look at me, her mouth opening in surprise. In that moment of confusion and disorientation, she looked like she was ready to claw my eyes out if it meant protecting our child.
And I knew right then and there that I loved her.
“Adriana,” I breathed.
She rushed over to me, throwing her arms around me. “I thought you weren’t coming.”
“What? Of course I was coming. I will always come for you.”
Tears welled up in her deep brown eyes. “I was so scared, Tristan,” she admitted with a shaky voice. I pulled her closer into a hug, my heart aching at the sight of her so vulnerable.
“It’s okay. You’ll be safe soon. We need to get out here,” I said, pressing my lips to the top of her head in a comforting gesture.
From downstairs, gunfire echoed up the stairwell like a war drum, jolting us back to reality. We didn’t have much time.
We stared at each other for a heartbeat before reality crashed back in. “We need to leave now,” I urged. She pulled away, nodding briskly, and we moved towards the door. But my eyes lingered on the window where she’d been standing a moment ago, a chill crawling down my spine as I realized she’d been planning to jump. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.
Headlights illuminated the hallway as more cars pulled up outside, followed by sharp, urgent voices shouting orders. Silvio Orsini and Malachy Callahan had arrived–united in their newfound hatred of the Rossi family, and the desire to protect their heir. They had sent their men, and we were going to be alright.
Adriana was going to be alright.
My heart pounded in anticipation. Even with the added support, our escape was going to be nothing short of a deadly dance with death.
Adriana looked at me, her eyes wide with fear. “How…?” she started, but I silenced her with a shake of my head.
“We jump, Ade.”
“Why aren’t we going back downstairs? Aren’t there more people coming? Tristan, I’m pregnant…”
“I’m aware,” I said. “But there’s still gunfire downstairs and I need to get you out of here. Right now. I know it’s dangerous, but…”
“Yeah, bullets are deadly.”
I looked at her for a second. “We need to hurry.”
She blinked at me, her face a pale mask of terror. But she was an Orsini, born and bred in the unforgiving world of mafia politics and bloodshed. She understood what needed to be done.
“Okay,” she said with a shaky nod. “Let’s do it.”
We moved towards the window; the night air poured in, simultaneously chilling and electrifying my senses. I could hear the chaos unfolding below us–shouting, gunfire, the revving of car engines. The danger crept up like a dark specter ready to claim us all.
I turned towards Adriana, my hand steady on her arm as she faced me with wide, frightened eyes. I wanted to reassure her, to tell her we would make it out together…but words were a luxury we couldn’t afford.
Instead I interlaced my fingers with hers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as I met her gaze steadily. “On three,” I instructed hoarsely.
