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Her gasping, choking sounds followed as the Son stumbled, then righted himself before slowly turning toward me. I was in trouble. I knew that even as I swung my gun upwards, my finger, squeezing the trigger. He moved faster than I was prepared for. One second, I was standing, and the next I was flying backwards with agony roaring through my chest.
The slash of a blade came. I did my best to duck and as blood roared in my head I looked up into the eyes of death and prayed please, God…help me.
He lunged, driving a killing blow under my jaw. All I saw were stars until the faint sound of gunfire broke in…then next, there was nothing but the swirling room and dark shadows moving into my view.
“You alive?” Finley Salvatore asked above me.
I tried to answer, but all I could do was stare upwards.
“Blink twice if you hear me.”
Blink.
Blink.
“You’re okay.” Finley reached out his hand.
It took all my damn strength to meet it. One powerful yank and he pulled me upwards. The darkened room sharpened into focus. Anna was doubled over, her hand clutching her throat as she coughed and wheezed.
“He would’ve killed her,” Finley murmured. “That’s what she said…he would’ve killed her if you hadn’t stopped it.”
I kept sucking in deep breaths, the feeling slowly coming back into my body.
“You have my loyalty for that.” The head of one of the most powerful Mafia families pledged.
The weight of that hit me. I gave a nod, glancing at Anna before I turned to Kat and Lazarus Rossi. The Stidda Prince, “now King” flashed across my mind, rose upwards, his fists a goddamn mess…but that was nothing compared to what was left of the Son lying dead at his feet.
He sucked in harsh breaths and lifted that rage-filled gaze to me. Shrill wails came from the child clawing at her mother’s leg, trying desperately to get away.
“Laz,” Kat snapped. “Please.”
In an instant he changed and stepped over the Son’s body to bend and grab his daughter, then coaxed her head down against his shoulder and away from the gruesome sights. He cradled her with bloody hands, moving away from the others.
“Hale…wanted her.” I croaked. “It was her all along.”
Lazarus stopped and slowly turned, those blue eyes igniting.
“He’s never going to stop. You know that, right?” I met that terrifying stare.
“It will,” he answered coldly. “When he’s dead.”
That was the only thing that would stop him.
He left then, still cradling his daughter, and waited at the door for his wife and their son before he stepped through.
“There’s nowhere safe,” I said and looked at Finley. “Not with us or without.”
He scowled, then looked at his wife, who pulled on a shoulder holster and seated her weapon before making her way to the gun safe secured to the wall for more.
“At least with us they have a chance.”
I jerked back to him as London St. James strode through the door. “Vivienne!” he roared, his face smeared with blood.
But she wasn’t there, nor was Ryth.
“In the safe room,” Anna croaked, still coughing and wheezing a little. “We secured them inside before we came back here. We thought they were the ones they wanted.”
London spun around and lunged, heading for the door…and his very pregnant wife.
