But I wasn’t talking about that. What I meant was that she was mine. My protection. My wealth. Mylife.They were hers.
I just had to get us out of here first.
The pistol wasn’t ideal. A rifle would have been better. But I aimed at the tire and fired.
The truck swerved, and my shot went wide.
Just as I lined up another shot, Rae shouted. “Oh,HELLno!”
The second truck popped out in front of us, cutting off the path. Rae jerked the wheel. The Camaro spun, nearly slamming into a brick wall.
I was out of the door a second later. I barely remembered aiming. The pistol became an extension of my hand. When planning this attack, I’d anticipated needing a fast escape. But this? A high-stakes shootout in broad daylight? Where my woman was in danger? These men were dead.
The driver in the truck that cut us off dropped onto his steering wheel, a large hole decorating his forehead. The man in the passenger seat got caught as he tried to leave the vehicle.
The second truck pulled up short.
“Nico!” Rae screamed behind me.
In the time it would have taken me to turn and address the new threat, it would have been too late. Three quick shots rang over the area.
The passenger in that truck slumped backward against his driver, who was in the process of escaping.
Luigi’s Corvette launched around the corner. Emanuele’s rifle sang once more, and then a quiet fell on the warehouse. The contrast was loud enough to create a buzz.
Rae leaned on the door of her car, eyes squeezed shut and breathing hard. “Hallelujah, I’m done.”
Keeping an eye on the enemy, in case there was a surprise from the backseats, I moved to her. “Hey, it’s over. Just breathe, okay?”
Rae squinted at me before screwing her eyes closed. Her beautiful face was pale, with a green tinge to it. “You think you can just show up and take over my life?”
Frowning, I stepped closer. “What do you mean?”
Rae waved my other pistol, the one I dropped when I bolted from the car, in the air. “I came to this stupid, cold city for a fresh start, Nico. You just had to mess it up for me!”
I cupped her jaw, prying the weapon from her outstretched hand. “Look at me.”
She shook her head. “Can’t. Going to be sick.”
“Slow breaths.” I inhaled deeply, showing her what to do. “You just need to manage the adrenaline spike. Breathe with me, okay?”
Her jaw clenched tight in my grip.
But she breathed.
“That’s it,” I murmured.
Behind me, the boys were opening the truck doors and slamming them. I ignored the chaos, focusing on the sweet southern bloom who’d just had her first taste of the underworld.
Madonna santa, she was doing fantastic.
This woman was built for this life.
I didn’t want to think about what she meant when she’d said she learned to survive young. But it was clear that her past forged her into this beautiful visage standing before me.
“Mercy me,” Raechoked—
And vomited on my shoes.
