CHAPTER TWO: WINTER
MaybeI'mnotquite as ready to be unalive as I thought, because the only thing I can feel is fear as the gun digs deeper into my skin.
And anyone ready to die doesn't feel fear, right?
I squeeze my eyes closed, praying that it'll be over quick, as my heart continues to jackhammer in my chest. I feel lightheaded.
I'm going to be on the floor one way or another in a moment, either from a gunshot or passing the fuck out.
The gun presses deeper into my stomach. Even as I try to pull away, the man’s grip on my arm is too strong, halting me in my tracks. My limbs shake and my breaths shorten.
A shot goes off, the loud bang breaking through the air. I draw in a deep breath, pain moving through my body as I hit the ground, my legs giving out.
Shouts erupt around me, but I can't focus on them as I try to do a mental check of my body. It hurts, but not the way I expected it to. The only real pain is in my knee, having hit the cool ground hard. But there's no pain in my stomach.
Have I gone numb or am I already in the afterlife?
I bring my hand up to my stomach expecting to feel a sticky wetness, but I only feel the rough texture of the sequins on my dress.
A shadow falls over my closed eyes and I take another deep breath before opening them.
Only to find a monster bigger than the one before crouching over me.
"Did you think I'd let you die before I was done having my fun with you, mouse?" Maximo Costa asks, his eyes flashing with humor. There's a splatter of blood on his cheekbone.
I try to scoot away from him, but he places a hand on my wrist, locking me in place. His eyes move over me before he rises, pulling me up with him. My legs still feel weak, and I go tilting over before a hand wraps around my free wrist. Another hand is placed on the small of my back to steady me. I look up, finding Enzo looking over my head at Maximo.
Maximo lets out a soft rumble, bringing my eyes back to him. He's staring at Enzo. "I always knew the mouse would be sandwiched between us one day," he drawls. "I just expected it to be in a different way." I don't miss the innuendo or the tone of his voice, and it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
"What are you doing here, Maximo?" Enzo hisses, keeping his voice low as people continue to run rampant around us, heading for the exit. The bouncers at the door don't let them out and I know that no one will be allowed to leave until the Costas have run damage control.
I’ve already learned the routine for club shootings.
Maximo shrugs a shoulder, his gaze lazy. "Didn't have anything better on my agenda tonight," he says casually. "Figured I'd drop in and keep an eye on things, I guess it was a good idea."
"Giovanni is going to flip his shit," Enzo tells him as they continue to talk over my head as if I don’t exist.
As if I'm not confused about what in the hell just went down.
"Giovanni will thank me when he realizes I saved his favorite asset's life." Maximo's eyes flicker down to me, and he releases my wrist. His hand comes up, his thumb swiping my cheek roughly.
I try not to think about the conflicting emotions that assail my body.
He inspects the thumb. "You had a drop of blood on you," he says and his lips twitch before blooming into a full-blown grin. "Nothing like the last time."
The last time?
I finally allow my gaze to move past Maximo and my stomach drops as I find the man who stopped me lying on the ground with a bullet hole in the side of his head. A pool of blood has formed around him. When my eyes move to the thicker clots of red around him, my knees grow weak again.
"It's just brain matter," Maximo says, waving a hand. "If I hadn't been here, it would have been your guts." It almost sounds like his words are supposed to be reassuring, but they only make me shake my head.
“When is this going to stop?” I breathe out.
No one gives me an answer. I inhale a sharp breath, pressure forming in my chest.
“Have you already called Gio and Bianchi?” Maximo’s eyes flick back to Enzo.
"Yes, they should be here soon."