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A hard kick thrust against my ribs, another kick landed on the side of my head. Pain exploded in my brain and sent shock waves through every muscle, every strand of my DNA.
I sprawled out on the floor, my body beaten and my heart aching. I needed Marco, needed him to know I was sorry. I breathed the bad feeling out, only to have it rush back in with my next breath.
Blackness encroached on my peripheral vision. The roar of voices faded, and a mellow heat bloomed in my gut. I crumbled to the floor, and the room went dark.
Marco
A potent storm of emotions built within me. Every thought was of Allegra, of the sinful tone of her voice, the way she whispered my name, fuck, the way her eyes darkened with lust and sparked with mischief.
And the way her lashes glistened with tears as I broke her.
Nothing mattered but her. I couldn’t think of what Byrne would do to her. Instead, I focused on the pain I’d inflict on him for taking the only thing that mattered to me.
My gut clenched with regret. If I lost her…if she never knew the depth of my feelings for her. I’d abandoned her and failed in my responsibility to protect her. Fucking hell. I died a little with every minute that passed, knowing she was in my enemy’s hands. Nothing hurt as much as the thought of living without her.
Dead men littered the foyer, the corridors, and the courtyard. None were Patrick Byrne. Ant and I made our way through the house, clearing rooms. Timoteo and Stefano secured the open areas and monitored the entries for additional soldiers. My other men secured the perimeter.
A guard slumped against the solid door, a gaping injury from Ant’s weapon tore through his neck. His head listed to the side.
I crashed open the door. My arms dropped to my side. A whir of noise grew louder in my head. The room spun. Violent nausea crawled up my throat as I tried to make sense of the scene in front of me.
Allegra, my beautiful topolina, lay crumpled in a ball on the floor. Breath swooshed from my lungs. Pain tore through my chest. I wasn’t sure if my heart beat at all.
Ant moved in. I shoved him out of the way rushed across the room. I dropped to my knees and carefully lifted her head.
“Fuck! Fuck!” I roared as her head lolled. Blood smeared across her swollen and bruised face. “Ant,” I wailed. “Oh God, help her.”
I cradled her limp form against my chest. Her arm fell to the side, and a blade tumbled from her bloody fingers.
Tears burned in my eyes. Blood soaked her clothes. Her lips were puffy, and bruises darkened the tender flesh around her eyes. I gingerly brushed hair from her forehead. The skin at her temple and into her hairline bled with an abrasion.
Ant crouched next to me and pressed two fingers to her neck. “She has a pulse.”
“There’s too much blood.” The words would barely form. “Take the knife.”
Ant picked up the small dagger. His gaze met mine, and I nodded. He split her hoodie down the middle. I held her, my jaw tight as he checked her for injuries.
“She’s bruised,” he said, carefully running his fingers along her sides. “She could have broken ribs.” His gaze met mine. “I don’t think the blood is hers.”
My fierce fighter. “Topolina,” I whispered. “Please, don’t fucking leave me.”
Allegra moaned and curled into my side.
“Oh, fuck.” I heaved a breath and pressed my lips to her forehead. Relief washed over me with an incoming tide of emotions, surging through me, easing the dark terror of losing her.
“Marco,” she barely whispered, and her hazel eyes fluttered open. “My head.” She reached up, but I caught her arm.
“I’m here. You’re hurt.” As much as I wanted to end Byrne, Allegra was injured. Nothing else mattered.
“Byrne can wait,” I said to Ant. “She needs a doctor.”
“Panic,” she mumbled and swallowed hard. “Room. I stabbed Byrne. He’s bleeding.”
Stefano strode into the room with Timoteo.
Timoteo blanched.
“When I’ve finished with Byrne,” I said. “He won’t beg for me to spare his life, he’ll beg for me to end it.”
