Page 48 of Savage Little War

The guard pauses, his lips forming a firm line. He doesn’t say a word.

Dmitri lets out a bitter laugh. “That bastard doesn’t give a shit about you.”

The guard swallows hard. “I haven’t heard anything about him. I don’t know where he is.”

“Well, he must be in here somewhere,” Dmitri replies. “Does he have a radio on him?”

The guard nods.

“Perfect,” Dmitri says before firing his gun, putting a bullet through the guard’s forehead to make him slump onto the floor. He snatches the radio out of the guard’s hand before walking over to me. “If I can find Ferro unguarded, I can finish this. It sounds like our guys are already handling the rest of his men.”

“What if they decide to all come after you? They’ll hear you on the radio,” I tell him as I frown in worry.

“Hopefully, our side deals with them before they can reach me,” Dmitri replies before turning around and picking up Show Tunes’ gun off the ground. He hands it to me. “If not…you could watch my back.”

I look down at the handgun, surprised by the weight of it in my hand. It looks so much lighter when Dmitri wields it.

“If you can,” Dmitri says softly as he gently guides my hands into the right place.

I draw in a deep breath through my nose and nod. Comfort honestly doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that we do what we have to do to keep each other alive, which means I need to be okay using this gun.

“I can,” I say as I lower it, holding the grip firmly. “I’m ready.”

Dmitri gently brushes his fingertips along my jaw, his eyes roaming over me like he’s drinking in the sight of me.

“Stop,” I tell him.

“Stop what?” Dmitri asks as he lowers his hand.

“Stop looking at me like it’s the last time you’ll see me,” I reply, giving him a pointed look. “Because you’re not dying. You don’t get to.”

Dmitri smiles a little before checking how many bullets are in the clip of his gun. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just stopping to admire a beautiful woman.”

I roll my eyes to try to stop them from watering.

Dmitri lifts the radio to his mouth. He meets my eyes before pressing the talk button. “Ferro, I know that you’re listening, and I’m sure that you know who I am. I bet you’re hiding somewhere in this villa like the rat you are. Meet me in the garden,” Dmitri says. “Or I’ll drag you out.”

I watch him release the button and lower the radio, tension hanging in the air around us. It’s borderline suffocating. “We should try to get there before he does. Maybe you can hide and ambush him.”

Dmitri places his hand on my cheek as he leans close. “Either way, I’m going to end him.”

My heart races in panic.

“Be smart about it,” I tell him, unable to get out any other words.

“Always.” Dmitri presses a gentle kiss against my lips. “Now, let’s go.”

With the gun in my hand, I follow him out of the room and into the hallway, heading toward the staircase that leads down to the first floor. Gunshots and shouts sound in the distance, and we carefully ease down the stairs to not draw attention to ourselves.

“Drop your weapons, yeah! Kick them over here!” Sean’s voice rings out from another room.

I’m not surprised to hear multiple gunshots follow his voice. We’re not leaving any survivors tonight. It’s too risky.

“Do you think Luca and Andrei are okay?” I ask Dmitri as we slip into another hallway, searching for a door that leads to the garden out back.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Dmitri replies.

We step over bodies, Italian, Irish, Bratva, and my hand flies to my stomach like I can shield the baby from the sight.