The Devil I Love (Devil's Knights 3)

“Dad,” Luca shouted to warn his father as Arlo raised his weapon. “No.”

It was too late.

Claudio dodged Arlo’s bullet, then shot Arlo in the chest. The Knights gasped as Arlo staggered backward, grabbing his chest. He raised his gun, but Claudio closed the distance between them and swatted at his hand right before Arlo fell to the ground.

Claudio shot Arlo twice more for good measure, then stepped over his dead body like he was a piece of trash. The room erupted into chaos. Men from the invited crime families shot at Claudio and the armed men following him. Claudio strolled down the aisle, firing at everyone in his way, undeterred by the madness surrounding him.

“Watch her,” Luca said to Marcello before he stormed down the aisle.

“Luca, no,” I yelled. “Get back here!”

He ignored my protests, his gun raised and shooting at the men at the back of the room. Luca shot his uncle in the shoulder, attempting to fire off as many rounds as possible until he ran out of bullets. The Knights assisted their leader as Marcello stood in front of me, guarding me.

“Marcello, do something.” I tugged on his arm and tried to push him down the aisle, but he was too big and strong.

He lifted me in his arms and headed toward the side entrance, ducking flying bullets as he ran across the room like I weighed nothing. As he pulled open the door, I heard Luca shout as if he were in pain.

“Put me down,” I told Marcello. “Luca’s hurt.”

Marcello angled his body so I could see the room. Tears spilled from my eyes as Luca clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his white dress shirt.

“Luca,” I yelled.

His eyes found mine for a moment, and then Drake caught him before he fell to the side. Sonny aimed at Claudio’s head and plunged a bullet into his skull. Some of his men retreated after he dropped to the ground.

“Marcello, please.” I yanked on his hand to free myself.

Once the gunfire died down, he lowered me to the floor. I rushed across the room, past the Knights, hopping over dead bodies to get to Luca.

Drake laid him on the tile on his back. Pops was at his side, barking orders at the Knights, telling them which supplies he needed. The Salvatores had more medical equipment than a hospital at the estate.

I sat on the floor beside my husband. “No, no, no.” I squeezed his hand. “You’re not allowed to die on me, Luca. Not on our wedding day.”

Arlo was dead on the floor by his brother.

Finn winced in pain as he slumped into a chair on the right side of the aisle. Sonny and Callum were at his sides. Only a handful of the Knights looked unscathed.

Luca pressed his bloody hand to my cheek, his voice trembling along with his body. “I’ve never loved anyone or anything as much as I love you, Drea. You saved me, baby girl.” He closed his eyes for a moment as if he were struggling to keep them open. “When I’m gone, I want you to remember me. If the child is mine, I want you to tell him stories about me. I hope you make me the hero in all of them, even though we both know I was the villain.”

I cried so hard my chest ached. “No, Luca. You will tell him yourself. Stay with me. Keep your eyes open for me.”

“Get our marriage annulled. Marry Marcello,” he told me. “He loves you. Even if the baby isn’t his, he will take care of you, give you a better life than I ever could.”

“I don’t want a life without you, Luca.” I curled up beside him on the floor, still holding his hand. “I need you. This baby needs you. I can’t live without you.”

“You gave me peace in times of war.” His grip slipped on my hand. “It’s okay, baby. Let go.”

Then his eyes snapped shut.

Alex

Pops did what he could to treat Luca before a Medevac helicopter flew him to the nearest hospital, where I waited with the Knights surrounding me. Drake sat on my right, with my legs rested on his thighs. He rubbed my feet to take my mind off everything. But even his skilled hands could not make me forget about my husband getting shot at our wedding.

Finn and Luca were in surgery. It felt like hours had passed as I sat in my wedding dress stained with Luca’s blood. The doctors expected Finn to make a full recovery after surgery. According to my grandfather, his injuries were not as severe as Luca’s.

Arlo was dead. Most of our guests bled out on the ballroom floor. Some of the Mafia families lost men. The Carver had a bullet in his skull, though some of his men were lucky and got away in time. Marcello had assured me they wouldn’t come back to exact revenge for their boss. He said men in their world were only loyal to those who paid them, and since his uncle was no longer breathing, we didn't have to worry.