Page 48 of Possessive Mafia Bodyguard

“If that’s what it takes.”

I glance at Finn, needing to see his expression, to understand that he’s serious.

And that’s all it takes. In that split second that I take my eyes off Connor, he lunges forward to disarm me, and I react the way I always do when my life is being threatened.

I shoot him.

It’s a subconscious decision. A reflex that has been ingrained into my psyche for as long as I can remember. But I have the presence of mind to remember that he is Finn’s brother and shoot his weapon hand instead of shooting to kill.

The bullet goes straight through his hand, through a carton of equipment, and lodges in the closet wall, creating a mini cartoon-style explosion in the plasterboard. Blood splatters my face and clothes as his gun hits the floor with a dull thud.

Time slows down.

I stare at the bloody hole in his hand, my brain playing catch-up, my heart trying to escape my chest. I shot Finn’s brother. I let my guard down for a moment, let him get back under my skin, and everything turns to shit.

The world speeds up again, whirring around me and rearranging itself into an order that I don’t recognize.

Leonid doesn’t want a war against the Irish. What did he tell Victoria: I can handle the Irish. When this is over, they’ll be licking my ass.

Not fucking now, they won’t.

But a million times worse than starting a war with the Irish mob is knowing that I shot Finn’s brother. When he looks at me now, all he will see is the hole in his brother’s hand because I felt threatened and acted on impulse rather than allow him to diffuse the situation.

Connor slides his other hand, the hand that isn’t dripping blood onto the floor, down to his pocket, and Finn and I both react together.

“Don’t!”

His gaze flits between us both and settles on me. “You might’ve fooled my brother, but you won’t get away with this.” His words are laced with pain, the skin around his mouth pulled tight, but there’s no mistaking the menace in his tone.

I don’t expect to get away with this. I understand the consequences of my actions, and I’ll face whatever Leonid throws my way when he hears about this. But right now, the closet walls are closing in on me, and I can’t bear to see the disappointment in Finn’s eyes, so I need to get out of here before I do something I’ll regret even more.

“Stand away from the door.” I hold my gun steady.

“Ha!” Connor’s mouth twists into an ugly shape that bears even less resemblance to his brother’s smile. “You think we’re going to let you walk out of here just like that? I wonder how your Pakhan will feel about having his pleasant evening ruined.”

“You heard her.” Finn’s voice is like gravel. “Stand aside, Connor.”

My heart lurches sickeningly when I glance at Finn and find his gun trained on his own brother.

“Finn, what are you⁠—”

“Go!” He doesn’t look at me, and I don’t know if he’s angry, hurt, or filled with self-loathing at taking my side over that of his brother. “I won’t say it again, Tamara.”

Something icy slithers down my spine. If I don’t do as he said and get the fuck out of here, my legs will collapse, and Finn and his brother will settle this their way with zero input from me.

Connor doesn’t stand aside, so I push past him, my shoulder hitting his as I reach for the door. I don’t look at Finn. The air inside the closet that smelled of sex minutes ago, is now filled with tension the consistency of gloopy soup.

I stumble out of the closet aware of Connor’s blood on my face and clothes. I can’t risk going back through the foyer, so I follow the corridor until I reach the building’s rear exit, and out into the starry night. Outside, I bend double and grip my knees to stop myself from face-planting the ground. I retch, and steaming yellow bile hits the ground at my feet, splashing my boots.

When my legs stop shaking enough for me to walk, I wipe my face on my jacket sleeve, and head to the road where I wave down a taxi to take me to the Port of Chicago.

My subconscious takes over while my brain and my heart battle it out.

My sister is missing, and now I’ve lost Finn too. I’d convinced myself that I didn’t need him, that he was fun but that’s all it was, a temporary distraction that should never be confused with anything deeper. Because there’s no room for anything more in our lives.

But the emptiness in my chest now when I stare out of the rear passenger window of the taxi is unbearable. It isn’t something I can rub away or replace with hugs for Gianna and Leonid’s dogs. It’s a Finn-shaped hole that shouldn’t be there.

The Calumet Harbor, when I arrive, is painted stark white from the floodlights.