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“I’m still bound, Luca.” She coughs, going under once as she struggles to stay afloat, but I pull her to me.
Together, we make our way to the shore, keeping close to the deck, just under the swarm of flying bullets and falling bodies.
Once we’re out of the water, I drag her behind a stack of crates and begin to cut through the ropes binding her.
“It was your uncle,” she tells me over her shoulder. “He handed me over to Gideon.”
“Is it true Ray was behind Tony’s murder?”
“Yes,” she says, turning around and rubbing her wrists. “I’m sorry, Luca.”
So am I. I’m sorry that I had the pile of shit in my family. I’m sorry that he took Tony’s life. And I’m sorry that Gideon took my chance at revenge.
But right now isn’t the time for regrets.
I bring her close to me and peer around our cover, assessing our best chance at reaching the SUVs. “I need to get you out of here.”
“Not without my father.”
“He’s the least of my concerns,” I tell her just as I see him lying on the ground. From here, it’s hard to tell if he’s been shot. If he’s even still breathing. However, I don’t mention it to Carina, because it will only make it harder to get her to safety. “Alma is in one of the cars.”
“What?” She tries to glance around me, but I pull her in tight. “She’s here too?”
If she sounded worried about her father, she seems downright horrified now.
In the distance, Gavin gets out of his vehicle and begins to take out some men who have managed to get near them.
“Shit. We have to go.” I tug my gun from its holster. Then, bursting from behind our cover with Carina tucked behind me, I rush forward.
I do my best to shield her while at the same time shooting down any threats. But my biggest threat is lying on the ground in an area we must pass to get to the vehicles.
The moment she sees him, she stops. “Daddy!”
“You can’t help him.” I grab hold of her arm and drag her as far as I can, but she’s determined to get to him and manages to free herself.
She rushes to his side and drops to her knees. She inspects him gently, her fingers flying over his scalp in search of an injury. “Daddy, Daddy. Please be okay.”
“Daddy? Daddy!” The cry comes from behind me, and I turn to see Alma racing toward us.
Gregorio moans and tries to sit, clutching his head. “What happened?”
That’s when Scarlet appears as if from thin air, looking like she’s been dragged through the mud but alive. Her eyes immediately lock onto Gregorio.
“Carina, duck!” I’ve barely managed to shout when Scarlet swings her arm forward.
The glint of her knife catches the light as it goes flying end over end, aimed perfectly at her target. But instead of burying itself into Gregorio’s head, it lands hilt deep in his daughter’s chest.
“No!” Scarlett screams at the same time I do, the shock on her face mirroring my own.
For a horrifying moment, my mind scrambles to figure out the scene before me. It takes an eternity to identify the woman lying on her back with blood spurting from her mouth as Alma.
Only then do I allow myself to look up just as Scarlet loads onto the boat with Gideon, and they take off. Fuck!
“Carina!” I grasp her arm, but she yanks free.
I’m forced to make a split-second decision—to chase after them or shield her from harm. I choose her.
“Noah, Alexander,” I call when they run by me. “After them!”
