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“You mean are we going to get on shore, remember where our allegiances lie, and turn and shoot each other?” I asked, a grim smile on my lips. “I don’t like that idea much.”
His smile answered mine. “Me, either. I’ve got your back, Brooks. Thick or thin.”
“Thick or thin,” I agreed, remembering all the times we’d said that to each other when we were kids. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
I felt the brush of his lips against my temple. “I think I may have fallen in love with the enemy,” he whispered. “Compared to that, a gunfight between our families looks completely safe.”
I was going to answer. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I was definitely going to answer.
Only whoever was on shore started firing at us before I could open my mouth.
We ducked at the same time, both of us rolling toward the opening in the rail where the boat’s gangplank led to the dock, and moments later we were running down the gangplank, hitting the dock, and sprinting for the first building we could find. Gunfire rang out from the buildings ahead of us and I realized that this was even bigger than us. Whoever was here hadn’t sent one or two shooters to take us out. They’d sent whole gangs.
And they might not only be after us.
In the alley ahead, I could see people I recognized as Rossi soldiers running from one building to another, their guns up and their trigger fingers quick as they squeezed off round after round in the other direction. Beyond them, another group of men were huddled in doorways, returning fire for all they were worth. Two men in the other group went down and Anthony grunted.
Massimos, then. Rossis and Massimos, and I was guessing there were Brennans and Carusos here as well. Fuck only knew why they were here but it didn’t seem to be about us.
They were here for each other.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I muttered. “How the fuck did they get here? What are they doing?”
Anthony ducked into an alley and grabbed me on his way, yanking me after him. I fell against his body and peeked out around the corner, my gun ready.
“Seems to me that they’re shooting at each other,” he huffed. “How many are there?”
“Too many, and I can’t see all of them,” I replied, my gaze darting from one doorway to another. “Why the fuck are they having a war right here? Are they after us?”
“All signs point to no. But I don’t think any of them will be happy if they see us together.”
I pulled back and looked up at him, sorrow rocketing through my body. He wasn’t wrong. We weren’t supposed to be together and if any of those men saw us, they’d name us both traitors. Moles. They’d be sure we were trading secrets.
We’d be dead in seconds.
“Shit,” I said again.
“Pretty much,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine. “Run with me,” he said quietly. “This isn’t our fight. This isn’t our problem, and it doesn’t have to be the life we lead. We can choose something else. Run away with me, Brooks Peterson. Let’s build a different life together. Just you and me. No Rossis or Brennans or Massimos.”
I bit my lip. No Rossis or Brennans or Massimos. Just me and Anthony. Me and the boy I’d been half in love with for much of my life. Me and the man I’d been with all night, who was sitting comfortably under my skin like he belonged there.
Me and Anthony.
But no Sloane or Penny. No Joseph or Michael. No Irish.
I couldn’t do it. I might still be half in love with Anthony, but Sloane and Penny, Joseph and Michael? They were my family. I didn’t know who I was without them.
That didn’t mean I was going to let Anthony go, though.
“I can’t,” I told him firmly. “But you’re right. This isn’t our fight, and this isn’t where we lose our lives. We have to get out of here.”
He searched my gaze for another moment, like he was waiting to see whether I’d change my mind, but I stared right back, knowing that I couldn’t take him up on his offer. Not right now. Not when my family needed me.
Finally he nodded, his face going from open and vulnerable to all business. “You go first,” he said. “Run to the main street and get a cab. Get away from here. I’ll watch your back.”
Of course he would. He always had.
“What about you?” I whispered.
