“Let’s go.”
At the same time, with silencers on our guns, we launch a synchronized attack.
Guns lift.
“On three.”
“One. Two. Three.”
Pop. Pop. Pop.
The men drop like dominos falling.
“We’re coming in,” I announce into the mic, letting Julia know to take cover.
At that, we bust open the door, guns raised. But as soon as we do, Salvatore moves too fast. His gun is now aimed at Julia’s head.
“Let go of the girl,” I hiss.
“And lose my own bargaining tool?”
“She’s not some tool, you shit,” Jonathan steps up, gun raised.
Salvatore looks at all of us. There are more of us than him, so there is no way he can get out of this alive. However, he doesn’t seem upset at all.
It’s almost like he knows something we don’t. Then I hear it, and I know it’s because he does.
Cars screeching to a halt, doors slamming, heavy boots moving our way. It’s a fucking ambush.
His lip tips up, and then he laughs. “The moment you hit Marino’s, I knew you were coming. Julia showing up alone was the icing on the cake.”
“You let us kill your men outside?”
“Casualties of war.”
The crazy motherfucker allowed his men to be bait so we would come in here, essentially trapping us.
“Spread out. Protect the girls!” I scream, but with Salvatore holding Julia hostage, that will be harder.
It takes a moment to realize what’s happening, but then like a flash of lightning, Julia thrusts her head back, and at the same time, Jonathan charges.
All hell breaks loose.
It’s complete pandemonium.
Salvatore lifts his gun and fires. Jonathan flops to the floor. He didn’t even make it two steps before he was hit.
However, it was enough time for his sister to escape and run for Viviana and enough time for me to lose focus and almost get knocked out by my cousin. Luckily, I right myself as he comes barreling into me, and only my gun drops to the floor.
All around me, a war is waging. Guns fire.
My men are taking cover and firing back.
From the corner of my eye as I stand, I can see Julia flipping the bed over to give her and a chained-up Viviana protection from the gunfire.
“I should have killed you too.” He throws the first punch. I block and jab back.
“Too?”
An evil smirk and dark eyes tell me all the answers I need to know. He chuckles to himself, clearly amused. “Seriously, you really don’t know?”
“You killed my parents.”
“Of course, I did. Your father killed my father. He took away my legacy. He stole my throne, and you put yourself on it. You never belonged there. It was always mine. I let you warm it for a few years, but I’m taking it back.”
“Like fuck you are.”
Even without my gun, I’m going to kill him.
I charge him again. This time, I allow the full weight of my body to collide with his.
We struggle on the floor.
Blood splays between us. He grabs my head, attempting to bash it into the concrete, I brace for impact, but as he moves, I headbutt him, busting his nose and flipping us over. Now straddling him, my hands wrap around his neck.
I hold tighter and tighter.
His life slipping through my fingers.
It’s almost over.
From the corner of my eye, I can see his gaze change, his arm reaching out. I follow his line of sight. His fingers are now dangerously close to the discarded gun.
If he gets it, I’m dead.
If that happens, my wife will meet a fate worse than me. I know it. She knows it. Salvatore knows it. No matter what happens, I can’t let that happen, even if I have to die to protect her. Letting him go is a calculated move as my hands slip from his neck. Oxygen rushes into him, and it’s enough to give me the leverage I need. I jump.
He’s quick to follow.
My fingers feel the metal.
My hand wrapping around it.
I grab the gun, and then I aim.
Bang.
The sound rings through the air.
Thunderous.
Right in the head.
I’ve killed my cousin.
I’ve avenged my parents.
Most of all, I’ve saved the love of my life.
With his body now on the floor, lying in a pool of his blood, I move to stand so that I can make my way over to Viviana.
His men are all subdued, some dead. Julia is grasping keys from one of the bodies and is working on freeing my wife.
I’m tired, so very fucking tired, but then I see her running, and despite her healing injuries, she’s barreling toward me. Throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me as if she was sure I had died.
It was close.
But in the end, we prevailed.
“I love you. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I can’t say never.”
And that’s the honest truth. I can’t. Not in my line of work.
Can I give it up?
Could I walk away?
She looks at me like I’m her salvation, not her damnation, and I know right then and there I can.