SURVIVING

iolen

EN'

first, they seemed distant-like they belonged to another world. But as another

're

his men were moving in, cutting down Riccardo's guards one by one. I forced my br

rdo n

ice. His dark eyes narrowed as he tilted his head, listening to the c

he muttered, his voice low

hard. Think,

rcing my voice to tremble ju

, searching for cracks in my mask. Another round of gunfire tore

ightly I thought his teeth might crack. Then,

setup," h

his belt, yanking out a sleek black pistol.

Heavy.

through me

, shaking my head.

r explo

om. The sheer force knocked a lamp from the table, sendin

e of dust and smoke,

rz

esence sucking the air from the room. The dim hotel lights caught the shar

re Riccardo's fingers twitched against his gun, Terzo was stead

could feel the tension rolling off him in waves. His fingers curled tig

his voice smooth, almost mo

orced. "You fucking bastard," he spat. "You sent a g

gun stayed steady, aimed d

softer this time, but it held a d

-but I saw it. A moment of hesitation. Hi

Dante! Enzo! Somebody

le

eavy, suffocating. Riccardo's grip on me turned rigid. His chest rose and

nd passed. T

s lips curled just slightly, but t

're d

against the trigger. A flicker of uncertainty cr

l me he was l

m, the gun now pressing into the un

alted i

but I could feel somethi

tight with barely concealed desperation

le

y. C

blink. But there was something

e spoke, but it sliced thr

ah

-and everyt

he next, Terzo lunged like a shadow slicing through the

a

shot explode

sed, my breath lodged in my throat. For a terri

it h

ent wild, burying into the wall behind

ending it clattering across the floor. Riccardo barely

kenin

d from the sheer force. But Terzo wasn't done. Before Riccardo could recov

ct shook

back against the surface, but Terzo'

d speckling his lips. Even cornered, he was g

didn't

hoke him-not yet-but enough to show

mming against my ribs. My knees trembled, my body still

n't just

sentence waitin

cardo k

y as Terzo leaned in, his

o something that

eath

or a fraction of a second before hi

of your whores, isn't she?" He scoffs. "Well guess what? She d

inst Riccardo's jaw befo

's head snapped to the side, his lip splitting open as a spr

muttered, spitting b

imply pulled a knife from his belt, the blade catching

id off Ricc

pressing the blade just hard enough

l rapidly, my throat dry, my fingers gripping the edge of the

e knife, then back to Terzo.

th

de. Heavy boots.

ation and shoved Riccardo's face

alled over h

Axel stepped inside, gun in hand, his c

en turn around.

ed. "With

on twisted. He wasn

ver. But as I looked at Terzo-at the way he moved so easily,

witnessed t

whether to fear

do's hands still burned on my skin. The humiliation, the violation,

n there

m, composed-like he hadn't just left me to

t. Like it was over. Like this

It was anger and sudden cou

bitter sound that

"That's it? You're just gonna act like

. I couldn't even say it. But

ed on me. "Now's n

n I stop feeling like my body isn't mine anymore? When I stop tasting hi

dug into my palms. "You could have come sooner," I whispered, the accusation sli

didn't change. He

made me

im. Hard. "Say you're sorry! Say you r

d him, like they were watching a

t stoo

his voice controlled, measured. Lik

aw

think that justifies what you did to me?" My breath was ragged, my vision blurred with fury. "

le

his cold eyes. Guilt? Regret? I didn't know

urse not. Why would Terzo, the untouchable fuc

barely-there reacti

lder knocking into his as

omething like that again,"

ullet in your skull before I let

e since I met Terzo,

hotel walls trembled

Riccardo's lifeless body bef

me, sending glass raining to the fl

voice snapped th

could react, dragging me toward

me, barely felt anything except the t

way. Riccardo's men weren't

ll speed down the corridor. My heels

re men

through the air. I pressed myself agains

re tr

sharp breath

th

tepped

the gunfire lik

ered with blood-not his.

e sh

ies hit t

't even

he sai

dn't b

ldn't

I

like blood and

t suff

ible, my arms wrapped around myself.

do was

ld still

dug my nails into my palms, tr

rom me, his gun re

s too

ted

an I had ever hated

he said after

eyes burning into his.

either throw up or kill yo

r went

. Fabio didn't

st stare

ed rig

wanted to see him flinch,

he d

ightly, as if I was a puzz

-he look

me off more