Top Dog

Enrico drew his gun and began marching toward the house. He fired shot after shot at the SUVs as men came charging out of all sides of the vehicles. The sounds broke me from my fear-based paralysis and I threw the car into reverse. I jammed the gas pedal down to the floor as I blocked out Matteo’s gut-wrenching sobs. The tires of the car squealed as I charged down the driveway, my hand wrapped around the passenger seat and my eyes torn away from Enrico.

The gunshots made me sick, and I knew if I looked back I’d see him lying on the ground.

I got to the end of the driveway and careened the car around. I shifted gears and chanced a look back, my eyes taking in the terrible sight before me. I watched as Enrico’s arms shot out beside him, his gun clattering to the pavement. He dropped to his knees as men approached him from all sides.

“No!” I exclaimed. “Enrico!”

Then I watched the men turn their guns toward my car.

I tore down the road, driving as fast as I could. I looked behind me before I turned a corner and saw one of the SUVs pull out onto the road. I dodged traffic and weaved in and out of cars, but the SUV had no issues plowing through the people I was trying to avoid. Matteo was sobbing in the backseat. My heart was breaking.

Enrico.

They killed my best friend, and now they were after my son and me.

The SUV was gaining on me. I watched as another followed chase from the alleyway. I was outnumbered,

and their vehicles were faster than mine. I slammed down onto the gas pedal and ran through a red light as my hand dug into my pocket.

I pulled out my phone and hit the number “1,” then sent the call out to Romeo.

“Julia. What’s wrong?”

“Stefano knows, Romeo!”

A gunshot fired past my car forced me down into an alleyway.

“Julia, where are you?”

“They killed Enrico,” I said as tears flowed down my face. “Matteo’s in the backseat. They’re coming for us. He’s coming for us.”

“Listen to me. I need you to tell me where you are.”

“They have guns. I don’t have any guns. Matteo is so scared, Romeo. What am I supposed to do?”

“Look around you,” he said. “Tell me what you see?”

I whipped around a corner and dumped back out into the street after crashing into some trash cans.

“Apartments. A pizza shop. So many people running. There are two black SUVs following me. Ah!”

Gunshots hit the back end of my car, shattering the brake lights.

“Julia!”

“Romeo, they’re going to kill us,” I said trying not to scream.

“What streets are you passing?” he asked.

My eyes fluttered out the window, but I was going too quickly to clock them.

“I don’t know. I don’t know, Romeo. I’m going too fast. Central Park!”

“What?”

“I just went past Central Park.”

“Okay. Good girl. Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to keep away from those SUVs as much as you can. Keep your cell phone on and hide it away. I’m coming for you. Do you hear me?”