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“Could… be another one… up there.” Jock’s eyes meet mine. “He was trying to get into the safe, if you can believe that.”
“Why not? Might as well steal some shit once you’re done committing murder.” Marco and Rob run in, guns drawn, and I turn to them.
“Everything looks clear outside,” Marco confirms. “Aside from the bodies in the SUV and the one lying in the driveway.”
I can’t bring myself to care much. That makes seven dead men on the property, at least. Would Bernardi have only sent seven men? “Double check upstairs.”
“I probably owe you my life,” Jock admits to Vincent with a weak smile. “Try not to hold it over my head.”
“I can’t make any promises—” Vincent’s reply ends with the crack of a gunshot. I watch in horror as he falls forward against Jock. I’m halfway to turning around when an intense, searing pain explodes in my right arm, making me drop my gun.
“Motherfucker,” someone growls. I clutch my arm and turn to see a badly wounded man limping into the house. He could be the one who was run over for all I know. All I know now is that he’s aiming his gun at my forehead. “Say hello to your parents.”
So much goes through my mind all at once. Mom. Dad. Sera.
Delilah. I should have told her when I had the chance. What she means. How I feel. How she changed me, made me even better than who I used to be before last year turned me into who I became.
I should have told her.
She’ll never know.
“Luca! No!”
At least I got to hear her voice again.
He fires—but the scream startled him and the shot goes wide, hitting the wall beside me a split second before there’s another shot. He drops to the floor, dead before he hits the marble, a bullet wound between his eyes thanks to Jock being a damn good shot with Vincent’s pistol.
“Oh, my God!” And now she’s here, filthy and sweating, but she’s here. Alive and well and hovering over me, fumbling to take off my jacket.
“What are you doing here?” I demand, and my voice isn’t as strong as I’d like. “Vincent said—”
“I had to come back.” Her eyes meet mine for a second before going back to my arm, now soaked with blood that’s started to drip onto the stairs. “I couldn’t stay out there knowing you were up here.”
“Vincent.” I turn my head to look over at my brother, who’s starting to come back around though blood pours down the side of his head. Delilah lets out a breathless shriek, but I shake my head. “It grazed him. Thank God.”
“Graze or not, he needs help.” Jock is grey-faced, sweating, but as on top of things as ever. “Or else he’s going to bleed out from a scalp wound. If that’s possible.”
“I’m fine,” Vincent whispers a moment before his eyelids flutter.
“I’ll call the doctor. Where’s the number?” Delilah asks, balling up my jacket and pressing it against the side of Vincent’s head.
“In my cell.” She pulls the phone from my pocket. Jock holds out his hand, silently offering to do it himself, and she gives it to him in favor of tending to my brother.
She’s here. She’s safe. Marco gives out the all-clear from upstairs. “You’d better come back down here!” Delilah calls out. “They need help.”
“Delilah.” I lick my lips, suddenly fighting to find the strength to speak. I’m losing too much blood. Jesus Christ, what if he hit an artery? “Delilah, listen to me.”
“Hey. Hey, you’re not going anywhere.” She turns to me in favor of Vincent and pats my cheeks with both hands. “Stay with me. We didn’t go through all this for you to die on me, got it?”
“I did go to you. I need you to know that.”
She leans in when my whispering is too soft. “What did you say?”
“When you were hurt. I sat with you for hours. Because you were asleep, and it felt safer. I’m sorry. I know I hurt you. That’s the last thing I ever wanted.”
“I understand. Save your strength, please.”
“It was all my fault,” I whisper. She’s starting to go blurry. I have to get this out. “I blamed myself. I still do.”
“You shouldn’t.” She kisses me—hard, fierce. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“You’re… the best thing that ever happened to me.” I grasp her hand as tightly as I can. She has to believe me.
“Stay with me, Luca. Stay with me, please.” Her tears fall on my cheek. “Please, stay.”
I wish I could. But I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. The last thing I know is the sound of her sobbing my name over and over as darkness closes in around me.
She’s alive. She’s safe.
At least I know I did something right.
