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I glanced over at the girl, and the same feeling of concern erupted in my chest, not making any sense.
“I was here for you. I made you the person you are forme.I did this for my sake, and he took it from me. He doesn’t realize that you’ll always be mine. I’ll take everything from him, and I’ll start with you.”
I wanted to fight him, but I could hardly move on my own. I could hardlybreathethrough the panic in my chest. What the hell happened? And now, with both hands cuffed behind my back and a scalpel protruding from one of them, I stood no chance of fighting. None.
Until I could walk straight, I wouldn’t stand a chance of escaping this place.
Still, I didn’t understand why I had to endure this.
This was supposed to be my home, wasn’t it?
“You’re overreacting,” I shouted at him. “I didn’t do anything to you.”
He balled his fist, this time not holding back as he slammed it into the side of my face. Everything went hazy for just a moment, but when I opened my eyes again, looking at the screaming little girl beside me, a deeper recognition set in. Isawher, and I knew her. I knew her uncles, and I knew why I was here.
I turned back to Valentino, and I understood.
The memories came back all at once, and as he lifted his fist again, I tried flinging myself out of the path of the hit, but there was no chance of escaping it.
I felt only a minor burst of pain before everything went dark.
32
Dante
The car jolted to a stop, and my belt held me to my seat as the glass of the rear window shattered under impact. I swerved to avoid colliding with the black SUV in front of us, and by the time we came to a halt, I had my gun in my hand.
I spared only one glance into the backseat, finding Bria and Sienna both unconscious. Sienna held her body around Bria, and I winced as I took in the awkward angle of her arm and the blood that welled from dozens of cuts from the shattered glass.
A car door slammed shut behind us, and I glanced in the rearview, finding two men approaching, their pistols already raised. I ducked my head just in time for a bullet to shatter through the front windshield where my head had been.
Fuck.
I couldn’t let them get to the car and hurt Bria or Sienna.
I had to get out and fight, and as long as they stayed unconscious on the seats, they’d be safe. They had to be.
I rolled across the center console and pushed through the passenger’s door, giving myself just enough cover to fire back at the men. Both dropped to the ground, but as they rose, I fired one more shot that took one down.
Another few car doors opened, and I looked at the black SUV in front of me.
Seven people, all armed and dressed in black, swarmed out of the car, rushing toward me. I needed to get them away from the car. That was the first priority.
I threw myself forward, using a nearby parked car as a barricade as I loaded my pistol again, counting the rounds as bullets ricocheted all around me.
I had enough if I didn’t miss, but with nearly a dozen men approaching…
Fuck. This wouldn’t be an easy fight, but I’d win it for Bria and Sienna. I had to because the alternative was something I wouldn’t even allow myself to imagine.
I shot forward and pulled the trigger twice, taking out two men as they rushed forward. I noticed another couple coming from a nearby building and knew I needed to move. I needed to get out of this pinned location and lure them elsewhere to fight. Here, I was nothing more than a sitting duck.
I rose again, firing one more shot and sending the men ducking.
It gave me enough time to rush toward a nearby building. I veered and swerved as I ran, lifting the gun and firing a missed shot. It kept them back long enough for me to reach the alley between buildings and take my high ground. Or the highest I’d get.
As men began funneling into the alleyway, I fired over and over again, using all the ammunition I had and taking out nearly a dozen of them.
When my gun clicked, I knew it meant I had to fight the old-fashioned way.
