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“Not so fast,” Rick snarled, yanking me by the hair. As he swung me around, all I could see was blood oozing from Gabriel’s chest. He was on the floor, fighting the drug and the pain, trying to get to me.
The knife was knocked from my hand as Rick took aim.
“No!” My scream was muffled, visions of my life flashing in front of my eyes.
“Sorry, princess. We could have enjoyed spending time together.” Rick laughed and all I could do was call out Gabriel’s name.
“Gabriel!”
Pop! Pop!
Everything was in slow motion and all I could hear was the echo of gunfire, the ragged thumping of my heart.
And the bellow Gabriel issued as I swung my head. He was on his knees, the gun pointed toward Rick. Additional shots were fired.
Then he pitched forward as Rick tumbled onto his back.
“No. No!” I scrambled across the floor through a stream of blood, my body shaking. As I gathered Gabriel into my arms, cradling his head, the gunfire continued. “Stay with me. I’m right here.”
He opened his eyes, managing to lift his arm, brushing his fingers across my cheek. “Safe.”
“I’m fine. Just breathe, baby. Breathe. I need help. Please!”
“I… love… you.”
As his eyes slowly closed, his arm falling away, I threw my head back and screamed.
CHAPTER19
Gabriel
Six weeks later
Death.
The thought was no longer with me, although on this day, I was reminded just how precious life truly was. Again. Perhaps this time, I’d let it sink into my brain that I couldn’t waste another damn day.
As I stood in the doorway, all I could think about was ravaging Sarah’s hot little body. My cock was fully aroused, my balls tight and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep from taking her just as I’d done only hours before.
I still had a difficult time processing all that had happened, Rick’s scheme of revenge taking him years to perfect. He’d hired several mercenaries to help in his endeavor, able to afford their salaries given his profession.
As well as his family’s status within the Bratva.
If only I’d remembered earlier the one saying he used every so often when he lost a deal or a stock crashed, then dozens of lives might have been saved.
Every jungle has a snake.
He’d purposely sent warnings that I’d ignored given my own need for revenge. I’d played into his scheme after Luciano’s death. His hatred for my family had been born the day my father had made a mistake, the ‘innocent’ lives lost including Rick’s wife.
The fact he’d killed Mary and our unborn child had been too much to bear, but he’d used the combined tragedies to become close enough to learn far too much information about my family. I’d allowed it. I’d been reckless.
And because I had, my family had been jeopardized. I’d learned since the catastrophic event at the church where he’d been married that his family was powerful, his Russian roots providing access to the soldiers he’d hired. And the Bratva had been behind him, his father considered second in command to the Pakhan.
Rick’s need for revenge had parlayed a chain of events, the Bratva using it for their gain, terrorizing anyone who’d gotten in their way. While I’d worked with the Morettis in sweeping the streets of as many of the Bratva as possible, it was only a stopgap and nothing more. They would continue the war, seeking another round of vengeance as well as gains in their territory. What surprised me was how reactive Nico had been in his new role as Don of the family, his father taking a turn for the worse.
The events had been a revelation, pushing me into further acceptance of my new role. I’d lost several good men, but Dillon had been spared, although he’d spent two weeks in the hospital with a bullet wound to his chest.
If I hadn’t had my Florence Nightingale by my side, I would have perished, the poison almost ending my life. Rick had planned the events so well, using his patience as the greatest weapon while I’d reacted out of anger and guilt.
