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He chose me.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Rex tries to shove Dante out of the way, but Dante doesn’t budge.
“She’s family.” Dante’s steady voice is full of emotion as his eyes move to mine.
That’s when I see it—unwavering support, protection, and love.
Just like that.
Every horrible thing I said to him is set aside, because I’m his family, and this is what family does.
Maybe there’s hope for Dante and me after all. Either way, I know what I have to do. Sal is watching Rex and Dante, so I use the moment of distraction to pull the gun from the back of my pants. Arms straight, elbows relaxed, I cock the gun, aiming it at Sal.
The sound echoes through the room, and four heads turn toward me.
“Pull the trigger, and I’ll end your pathetic little life,” I dare him. “You will not take another member of my family.”
Sal laughs. “That’s cute, sweetheart, but your hand is trembling.”
It’s not. My hand is steady, prepared to pull the trigger if he so much as moves the wrong way.
“Go ahead. Shoot me. I dare you. I’ll even give you a clear shot.” He holds his arms out, and this is my chance. My hand tightens on the gun, my finger applying the slightest bit of pressure, but I hesitate.
“Time’s up.” Sal straightens his arms, his gun once against pointed at Dante. “You had your chance, and you couldn’t take it because you’re a pussy, just like your father.”
“Fuck you!” I lunge forward, but Rex throws out an arm, stopping me.
“Stop.” Rex wrestles with me until I give up. “Put the gun down. We both know you won’t pull the trigger.”
“You have no clue what I’ll do to save my family, and right now Dante is the only family I have left.”
“You underestimate the lengths I’ll go to to save my family,” Rex counters. “And if you think I’m going to let you kill my father, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“But you’ll let your father kill, Dan—”
Rex twists my forearm, and I grunt, struggling against him. But he keeps twisting, and a sharp pain shoots up my arm. I release the gun. Before I have time to blink, he has the gun pointed at my head.
I swallow. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would.”
“Put the fucking gun down, Rex,” Dante pleads.
“I’m afraid you’re outnumbered, son.” Sal gives Dante an evil smirk.
“Don’t ever call me that again. I’m not your son.”
“You’re right. You’re a DiMarco,” he says, moving the gun toward me. A shiver runs up my spine at the sight of two guns pointed at my head, and I close my eyes. I refuse to give them the satisfaction of seeing my fear when they take my life.
Next thing I know, someone’s shoving me out of the way as a loud pop ricochets through the air. I manage to open my eyes long enough to see Dante drop to the ground, and Rex turn his gun on Sal. Another loud pop, and Sal collapses at the same time my head slams against something hard. Pain shoots through my skull. Isabella is screaming. Rex is at my side, his hands wrapped around my head, pleading with me to hang on, but I can’t because everything goes black.
The quiet, steady beep of a monitor pierces my subconscious, and the thick, black fog surrounding me slowly lifts. I open my eyes, but the light is too bright, and I squeeze them shut again.
“Shae.”
At the sound of Rex’s voice, I try again to open my eyes, but it’s no use. The light feels like daggers stabbing me in the head. “Too bright,” I murmur.