AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No,” I say. “You can just walk away.”
“If there’s any chance for me to live so we can be together, I’ll take it.” He grabs my face and plants a passionate kiss on my lips. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I whimper.
He walks into the ring.
My sisters stand beside me, holding me up as Theo and Antonio face off.
Antonio takes the first swing, but Theo ducks out of the way. I hold my breath. Emilia grips my left hand tightly while Gemma holds onto the other.
Theo strikes out with his fist and manages to clip Antonio on the shoulder, but Antonio jumps back before Theo can fully get him. I’m not even sure who I want to win. I know I don’t want Theo to die, but … Antonio is still my brother. He’s the one who made sure I was always taken care of when we were kids.
But he’s also the one doing this to me. He made the choice to have a fight to the death. No one forced him.
Antonio lunges at Theo and grabs his shoulders. They grapple with each other. Theo headbutts Antonio. A squelching, cracking sound fills the air. Antonio’s nose looks broken. His men murmur among each other. Theo drew first blood. With a snarl, Antonio grabs Theo and forces him to the ground.
He gets on top of Theo and starts pounding into his face.
I scream.
“Don’t watch,” Emilia says but I can’t look away.
When Antonio reaches his hand back to hit Theo again, Theo bucks up and manages to roll Antonio onto his back. Now Theo is the on top, and he punches straight into Antonio’s face, over and over and over again.
Both Theo and Antonio are covered in blood. Their own and each other’s.
Antonio shoves Theo off and kicks up, landing a hit to Theo’s stomach. Theo doubles over, coughing. I watch in horror as Antonio grabs Theo’s face and slams it into the cord around the ring. Theo slumps to the ground.
“Oh my god.” I grip my cross. Is this it? Is Antonio really going to kill Theo?
Antonio lumbers over to Theo and raises his hand like he’s about to deliver the killing blow.
Theo lifts his head.
As if in slow motion, Theo rushes straight into Antonio and knocks him to the ground. I can sense the discomfort in the air. What do Antonio’s men think of their boss right now?
Theo gets back on top of Antonio and starts raining down punches. But Antonio isn’t out of the fight yet. He hits back. He even bites Theo on the arm, making Theo jerk back.
They’re like feral animals going at each other. Where one ends, the other begins. I don’t know how much longer this will last, but I can’t stand another second of it.
If I want Antonio to take me seriously, I need to do something brave. I’ve been standing around, waiting for Theo to save me from Salvatore. I waited for Antonio to save me from Franco.
I’m tired of waiting.
The two men are on their sides, punching and kicking each other.
I’ve had enough.
I wrench away from Emilia and run toward the ring.
“Cecilia!” Emilia shouts, running after me, but I ignore her.
The men in the room are starting to get rowdy, especially as I climb into the ring. Neither Antonio nor Theo notices me.
“Be careful!” Gemma shouts. It’s rare to hear her sound so worried.
I don’t slow down. Antonio is back on top of Theo. He raises his fist.
