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Cap reached the altar and stood across from Mal. They held hands and stared into each other’s eyes and smiled like teenagers in love.
I still stared at Jules as the gathered crowd took their seats. She looked back, head tilted to the side, a little smile on her face. She mouthed something to me and I raised my eyebrows.
She mouthed it again. Dance soon?
I felt my heart sputter in my chest. I nodded and turned back as the priest asked for the ring.
I reached to dig it from my pocket when the screaming started.
Half the crowd didn’t move. Those were the men and women that weren’t a part of my world. But the other half, the guards I’d placed scattered throughout the building, they leapt into action. Guns were drawn from hidden holsters, and another scream echoed from outside, followed by a loud blast.
A gunshot.
“They wouldn’t,” Mal said, his eyes wide with rage. The priest looked around in confusion. Mal grabbed my arm. “Tell me they wouldn’t.”
“They would.” I reached into the holster I had tucked into the waistband of my dress pants in the small of my back and drew my weapon. “Keep Cap safe.”
More gunshots. Two of my men, a young guy named Leandro and a cartel guy named Jasper, began herding the guests into the back of the building. We had a plan in place, just in the event of something like this.
I shoved my way toward Jules. She stood, terrified, as the panicking rich assholes stampeded like spooked cattle.
“What’s going on?” she asked, grabbing my wrist.
“It’s okay,” I said, and flagged down Jasper. He came over, a submachine gun gripped in one hand. “Take her out back. Make sure she’s okay.”
“Will do, boss.”
“Jasper, if she gets hurt, I’ll kill you.” I stared into his eyes.
He nodded once. “Understood.”
“Wait, Carmine.” Jules didn’t release my forearm. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”
“I think we’re under attack. Stay with Jasper and keep your head down.” I hesitated and leaned closer, lips brushing her cheek. “We’ll dance another time.”
I pulled away, like ripping off an infected scab. It hurt my soul to leave her in the care of someone else, but I had to handle this personally.
The front door of the Lowdown was closed and barred. Several of my men stood around the windows, crouching in cover. They came up and fired a few shots as I ran over, staying low. More gunfire erupted and some of the bottles behind the bar exploded into glass and liquor.
“Update,” I shouted to Iago, an older gentleman with a scarred face and a deep scowl. He was Jules’s father’s cousin, and the leader of the cartel men that worked for me.
“Six guys in motorcycles pulled up. They killed the outside guards and are lighting the place up.”
“Only six? We’ve got fifteen men in here.”
“And we’re pinned down.” Iago grimaced as more gunfire ripped into the wall nearby. “You got a better plan?”
“Where are your grenades?”
He grinned. “Didn’t bring them to a wedding.”
“Would’ve been nice.” I came up and fired a few shots into the parking lot. The motorcycles were parked nearby, and the attackers were using the cars for cover. I lit up a black SUV, breaking the windows, but the guy hiding behind it ducked out of sight.
I crouched down and grabbed Iago’s jacket. “Take three men onto the roof. I’ve got rifles set up there. Chase them away.”
“Roger that.” Iago gestured at three of his soldiers, and the four of them hustled away toward the stairs in the very back of the building. I put down covering fire to keep the men outside busy while they got into position.
It was a stalemate. The men outside couldn’t get in and we couldn’t break out. Iago and his soldiers would be able to get a better angle on the attackers, but I wasn’t sure it would be enough.
Another ten seconds of gunfire. We exchanged useless bullets until a whistle screamed through the noise. Suddenly, the shooting ceased, and a thick, heavy quiet fell over the hushed room. I could hear the young soldiers nearby breathing hard as they settled into the adrenaline-fueled battle mode that accompanied every deadly fight.
Another whistle. More dead silence. Five more seconds passed until a familiar voice pierced the stillness.
“Hello, Carmine. I know you’re in here.”
Cezary.
I didn’t show myself. That would be the dumbest fucking thing imaginable. I was sure he had sharp shooters waiting to take me out.
“Cezary. Didn’t you get your invite in the mail? It said black tie, no guns.”
“I guess I didn’t see that part.” He laughed, loud and hearty. “I guess I should apologize for crashing this lovely wedding.”
“And for killing my men.”
“That I don’t feel so sorry about. If they’d just let me in, things would’ve been easier.”
I smiled to myself. At least I knew my guards were loyal enough to stand up to Cezary and his gang.
