Page 133 of Unravel Me

But I don't give a damn about what he's saying. Rocco has found me, and he's not the kind of man who lets go once he sets his sights on someone,

Mauro can't protect me now.

So I don't answer Silvio. I don't want to be rude to these kind people because they don't understand the scale of what happened in my past. I'm not going to dump my frustration on them. Besides, I don't have time to talk anyway.

Jaw clenched, I spring to my feet. Since Rocco came from the direction of the front door, I instinctively head toward the patio doors, intending to run around the house to the driveway.

"Jared!" Silvio calls after me, following me out onto the patio. "Jared, please, wait—"

But I'm not going to listen to him. Nothing he could say would make me stay. This isn't a safe place for me, and for sure it isn't safe for Tommy.

I’m done with this town.

I turn onto the lawn and start cutting across the side of the garden toward my car, but Silvio follows me. Renato is also not far behind.

That's when two black Cadillacs pull onto the driveway, which is already visible from where I am.

The sight freezes me in place.

I whirl toward Silvio.

He comes up beside me and stands shoulder to shoulder with me.

"So Rocco is still here after all!" I blurt out, feeling sick to my stomach.

I see a flicker of surprise on Silvio's face, as though something has stunned him. He rubs his temples lightly, staring at the cars.

I almost burst out laughing because his expression is genuinely funny. Does he not know Rocco? Does he really think someone like him can be gotten rid of that easily, that he can simply drive away?

So everything is over for me.

The elderly Silvio can't protect me.

No one can protect me.

Even Mauro would be alone against a group of mafia soldiers…

I hear more footsteps behind me. Renato joins us, but I doubt he can stop the bullet.

Rocco jumps out of the first car, looking around.

One thing is interesting. He was here already before I lost consciousness. Why didn't he take me earlier?

Did Silvio and Renato intervene?

Why did he come back?

What shocks me even more is that his clothes are splattered with blood, and there's a scar again across his face. And when I saw him before I blacked out, he had a smooth face.

What the hell is going on?

"No, no, please, no," I whisper, clutching Silvio's arm. He's more than a head shorter than me, but his strength—the strength I felt earlier, his calm energy—are exactly what I need right now.

"Easy, child," he begins.

Rocco strides toward us with purpose. Even from this distance, I can see the weapon in his hand. He raises his other hand, points a finger straight at me, and shouts,

"Give him to me and nothing will happen to you!"