Page 53 of His Queen

Salvatore reacts with lightning speed. He pushed his chair back, flipping the long table in front of him for cover, as the first shots rang out. Silverware, wine glasses, and plates shattered, creating a cacophonous symphony of destruction. Gunfire erupted, filling the dining room with deafening cracks and flashes of muzzle flare. Italian mobsters and Russian enforcers took cover behind the overturned table and the walls of the doorway, trading volleys of bullets. The air was thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder, and panic hung like a dark cloud.

I see a man move out of the corner of my eye as his gun turns toward me, but before he can fire, I put a bullet in his head. The back of his head explodes on the man behind him. The smell of blood and death hangs heavily in the air. I am still fully engulfed in anger. Taking a step forward, I quickly grab the other man and snap his neck before he can pull the trigger.

I look around and see Demetrius. He nods at me and I nod back. We are both focused on Salvatore. Amidst the chaos, Salvatore seized the opportunity. I watched as he tried to slip away unnoticed. The door at the rear of the dining room was clear. Demetrius and I were the first to react. With a determined growl, he followed Salvatore, his footsteps echoing in pursuit. My gloved hand clutches my weapon as we race up the stairs.

"Capture as many of these mother fuckers as you can." Rings out behind me in Russian as I move to follow Salvatore.

Demetrius and Anton follow close behind. We push open the door and see a set of stairs leading up. Salvatore is nowhere in sight. I run up the stairs. Demetrius and Anton follow. The door at the top is open. Down the hall through an open door, we see Salvatore standing in the middle of a large room with a gun to Rose's head. Our eyes meet and I see the fear and pain in them. I move toward them, my gun raised.

Rose is all black and blue. Her one eye is completely swollen shut as he holds her there in front of me. I see red as I watch the woman I love. My heart sinks into an abyss of fear and despair. Time seems to slow down, and the world narrows to a single, horrifying image: her, vulnerable, beaten, abused, and trembling, with the cold steel of a gun pressed against her temple. Every instinct in his body screams for action, but a paralyzing mix of shock, dread, and powerlessness grips me like a vice.

The sudden intrusion sends ripples of panic through the men seated around the long table. The unmistakable click of safeties disengaging echoes in the air as black-clad Russian enforcers storm in. The tension in the room became palpable, like a storm brewing on the horizon. My chest tightens, and my breath quickens as adrenaline surges through my veins. I can feel my muscles tense as my body prepares for a fight.

My mind races, trying to process the unthinkable. Guilt washes over me like a tsunami. I wonder if there is anything I could have done differently to prevent this nightmare. Desperation claws at my soul, and a thousand thoughts and regrets flood my consciousness all at once. Time, normally a reliable constant, becomes warped and disjointed. Each second feels like an eternity as I desperately search for a way to defuse the situation, to protect her, to save the love of my life. The weight of responsibility bears down on me, and I’m painfully aware that every decision I make in this critical moment could be a matter of life and death.

Despite the overwhelming fear, a fierce determination begins to well up within me. I know that I have to stay composed. I can't let panic overcome me if I am to have any hope of helping her. His love for her fuels a deep, fiery resolve, pushing me to find a way, any way, to keep her safe and bring her back from the brink of this horrifying precipice. In this heart-wrenching moment, I’m torn between the sheer terror of the situation and the unwavering love and determination to protect her. The emotional turmoil is agonizing, and the weight of the situation is almost too much to bear. Yet, I have to cling to hope. I know that in the face of such darkness, love can sometimes shine its brightest.

I steel myself for what is about to happen

"Please let me go!" Rose screams out to Salvatore, her voice breaking with tears and panic.

He just laughs as his grip on her tightens. He looks down at her and grins, his eyes burning with malice and lust. She tries to pull away, and he presses the gun against her temple. She looks at me again and I feel my resolve harden. I know that Falkner is out there somewhere. He is Luna's father, an ex-assassin, and one of the best sharpshooters I have ever seen. I can only pray that he has a bead on this situation. But I know I can't depend on that and I somehow have to get her away from him.

"I thought something was going on with you two," Salvatore says, narrowing his eyes before laughing. "The Italian mafia princess and the second in command of the Bratva that's fucking rich. Hate to tell you Vladimir, but she is mine. We are married." He smiles again. "You were there."

I ball my hands up at my side. "Yeah, well, last I checked, husbands don't toss their wives to the wolves and call it a fun honeymoon." It all comes out in more of a growl than in my actual voice.

Salvatore raises an eyebrow and tightens his grip on the gun. He pulls Rose closer to him. "I think you know that she doesn't belong to you. She is mine, and I will kill her before I let you take her from me."

I take a step forward, but Salvatore holds the gun against her head, clicking off the safety. He looks at me and shakes his head.

"Don't move."

I stand there, taking in the situation. He is holding Rose hostage with the gun pointed at her head. I need to find a way to diffuse the situation or get her away from him. There are too many variables.

"Let her go, Salvatore. It's over. You can't have her." I say.

He smiles and shakes his head. "Why would I do that?" He asks.

I see a red dot traveling along his body as it moves over his body, and I try to ignore it as it moves into position. He towers over Rose and even though I want to torture this piece of shit, her life is worth more to me than him coming out of this alive. I have to keep him in that spot.

"You win. You always do. Now let her go. What can she do for you? You already have everything." I feel the anger rising in me. He is so fucking smug. I can feel my pulse pounding in my neck. I want to rip the smug smile from his face.

"You're right, I do win." He laughs. "She is mine." He cocks the gun. "Now lay down your guns, all of you."

I look at Demetrius, and he nods. "Fine." We lay down our guns, and I put my hands up, palms facing forward. I keep my eyes on Rose. The tears streaming down her face break my heart. I hold her gaze, hoping my eyes tell her how I feel about her.

I can feel the bile rise in my throat knowing he has had her for days with all of those other men. My Rose. My love. This evil bastard has had her. Raped her. Beaten her. Humiliated her. And I was powerless to stop it while we were trying to find her.

Once our hands are up, his face turns even more sinister. The red dot from the laser point of a marksman's rifle is on his head.

"Don't think for one minute I won't take a bullet for her," I say.

Salvatore narrows his eyes and points the gun at me and laughs.

"Please, don't shoot him. Please." Rose begs.

Salvatore laughs. "You know what happens next....." He grins.

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