42
Alessio
I pull up to the front of the casino, skipping the back entrance to the Grotto .
No way am I giving this pezzo di merda a chance to see me coming.
Kota and I jump out before the car even fully stops.
I grab the duffel and toss the keys at the valet without a second look, barely registering the kid scrambling to catch my keys before they hit the ground.
My backup isn’t here yet.
They’re close, but not close enough.
Fuck it, I’m not waiting and leaving Liv in there with that stronzo a second longer.
The casino is quiet for a Sunday, even at 7:00 P.
M.
.
Good, fewer witnesses.
I’ve got that damn video of Liv seared into my brain, bruised but still fighting, my Sirena .
But I saw the fear in her eyes, the way she flinched when that bastard put his hands on her.
I’m going to kill this fucker and enjoy every second of it .
Kota pulls out his gun and nods at me as we approach the Grotto entrance.
Ray stands at his post, his stance going rigid the second he sees me.
He nods, already moving to open the door.
I stop him with a quick raise of my hand.
I don’t need him giving Ezra a damn head start.
“Who’s in there?” I ask.
“Nobody’s used this entrance since my shift started at five, Don Gualtiero.”
Ezra had to have come in through the back.
I grit my teeth, nodding once.
“Get Raf, Javier, and Jay to cover both exits. No one comes in or out of this entrance. Got it?” They’re my best casino security and will do what’s asked of them, no matter what.
“Yes, sir.”
I pull my gun out, cocking it back as Ray’s hand goes to the doorknob.
“Anyone who walks out of this door that isn’t me? You shoot to kill.”
Ray nods with understanding.
“Yes, Don Gualtiero.”
Heat crawls up my neck, every muscle pulled tight with rage.
My finger is on the trigger, ready to blow the door open and start firing, until Kota grabs my shoulder.
“Steady,” he whispers.
I grit my teeth but nod, walking through the door with Kota on my right.
The only light comes from above the cage, almost like it’s purposely pointing to the woman tied to the chair beneath it.
My woman.
Liv is tied up with bruises and blood streaking her face.
But her fucking eyes still hold that fire that I can’t get enough of.
My Sirena, still fighting .
Ezra stands near her, barking orders to his men from the cage.
He’s smug, cocky, and too confident in whatever sick game he’s playing.
The sight of him makes me want to put a bullet between his eyes, but first, I’m getting Liv out of here.
Kota and I exchange a look and turn opposite ways, toward four of Ezra’s men coming at us on either side, two on each side.
Ezra’s goons lunge first, with their guns drawn.
I drop the duffel and fire off two shots before they even blink.
One grabs his throat, choking on his own blood.
The other stumbles back, screaming, with blood pouring from his leg—until I put a bullet in each eye.
Bet he didn’t see that coming.
Kota takes out another two just as fast, and Ezra’s face twists in shock, then rage.
“Get them!” he shouts, scrambling back, but I’m already moving toward him.
More of his minions flood in from every fucking angle.
One lunges at me, but I sidestep him, slamming my elbow into his face with enough force to shatter his nose.
He drops instantly, groaning, and I step over him like the pezzo di merda he is.
Ezra’s next.
I rip open the cage door and charge straight for him.
He’s already swinging a knife like some desperate fuck, and he manages to knock my gun out of my hand and kick it across the floor.
My fist cracks against his chin, and he stumbles back, off-balance.
I grab him by the collar and slam him into the metal bars.
The whole cage rattles from the impact, and the knife drops from his hand.
“ Cazzo di cagna ,” I snarl, drawing back and slamming my fist into his face again.
His head snaps back with a sick thud, and he slumps against the metal, blood leaking from his mouth.
I don’t have time to kill him now.
Liv comes first.
I spin toward her, my hands shaking as I untie the ropes at her wrists.
She looks up at me, her face is a little pale, but she’s alive, that’s all that matters.
Before I can finish untying her, I catch movement in my peripheral, a flash of silver.
Damn Ezra, the fucker moves fast grabbing the knife off the floor and lunging like a rabid dog, but I’m already shifting, putting myself between him and Liv.
Kota shouts something, but it’s too fucking late .
White-hot pain tears through my side, right above my hip, and it burns like a bitch.
My jaw clenches as I grab his wrist, stopping him before he can take another stab at me.
I let out a snarl and drive my fist into his gut, knocking the wind out of him.
He grunts, trying to wrench free, but I twist his arm hard enough to send the knife clattering to the floor.
I drive my knee into his gut, knocking the wind out of him, then slam my fist into his jaw.
His head snaps back, and blood drips from his mouth, but I don’t stop.
I catch him by the throat and slam him against the cage again, harder this time.
“You think you can stab me and fucking live?” I growl, cocking my fist back and driving it into his face.
He drops to the ground like the useless pezzo di merda he is.
I spin back to Liv, ignoring the fire tearing through my side.
I can bleed later.
Right now, she’s the only thing that matters.
But before I can reach her, Ezra jumps up.
The bastard is already on his feet with the knife back in hand, and right in front of her.
“Liv!” The blade sinks into her belly before I can stop it .
Her breath catches, a choked gasp tearing from her lips as the knife is ripped away.
Her body jerks, and her free hand flies to her stomach, blood already spilling between her fingers.
Ezra sneers.
“Now you both know what it’s like to lose.”
Then…
pure fucking chaos.
The back door to the Grotto crashes open, and my men pour in, guns drawn, locked, and ready to turn this place into a bloodbath.
Ezra panics, and the coward bolts, shoving past bodies, desperately trying to make it out of here.
He doesn’t make it two steps out of the cage before a single shot rings out.
His head snaps back, and his body drops like a sack of shit.
Blood spills between his eyes, pooling beneath him on the filthy floor.
I don’t know who took that shot but I’m glad they did, even though that fucker deserved a worse death.
I don’t waste another second ripping the last of the ropes from Liv’s wrists and catching her before she slumps forward.
“We’re getting out of here,” I murmur, lifting her against my chest.
Kota moves ahead, clearing the way, taking out anyone dumb enough to think they can stop us.
I don’t stop, and I don’t look back.
All that matters is getting Liv the fuck out of here.
She needs a doctor.
Now.
I barely make it three steps outside before she goes limp in my arms, and my fucking heart stops.
“Liv?” I whisper, but she doesn’t answer.
She’s too still.
Too fucking still.
Cold dread claws through my chest, and I drop to my knees, holding her tight against me.
My fingers tremble as I push her hair back, needing to see her face, needing to see her eyes open.
Her face is bruised, streaked with blood and sweat, her hair sticking to it.
So much fucking blood.
I press my hand against her belly, trying to stop the bleeding, but it just keeps coming.
“No.” The word barely makes it out, my throat is locking up, and my lungs are refusing to fucking work.
This isn’t happening.
“Liv, wake up.”
Nothing.
I was too late.
I’m always too fucking late to help anyone .
Her lips are parted, her breath is shallow, and her chest barely moves.
She’s slipping fast.
The car screeches to a stop in front of me, and Kota jumps out, swearing as he rips off his jacket, pressing it over my hand.
“She’s losing too much blood, man. Do you need help lifting her?”
“No, I got her.” I lift her into my arms and slide into the back seat, holding her against me as Kota peels out of the lot.
Chaos is still erupting around us, but I don’t care.
Ezra is gone, but none of it matters.
Liv feels so fragile in my arms, not the spitfire she usually is.
Her fingers twitch over my hand like she’s trying to hold on, but it’s not enough.
I press my lips to her forehead, my breath coming in uneven, ragged bursts.
“Stay with me, baby.” My hands shake as I hold Kota’s jacket against her, trying to stop the bleeding.
“You hear me? Stay the fuck with me.”
Her lashes flutter, and I see a flicker of life.
“Ales—”
I lean in, desperate to hear her, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“I’m here, Liv. I’m right here.”
She exhales a shaky breath, her emerald eyes lock onto mine.
“You’re… so bossy,” she murmurs, trying to tease, but it’s weak, barely a ghost of her usual fire .
I choke on a laugh that feels too much like a sob.
“Damn right I am.”
Her lips twitch, like she wants to smile, but then she coughs, and I feel the warmth of her blood spill onto my lap.
Fuck.
She’s losing too much.
It’s on my hands, my clothes, mixing with my blood.
It’s everywhere.
It’s drowning me.
I press harder, but I can feel her slipping, like the thread tethering her here is fraying by the second.
“You don’t get to do this, Liv. You don’t get to fucking leave me.”
Her trembling hand lifts to my face, her fingers brushing my cheek.
“I love you,” she breathes, and I see the tears slipping down her face.
Both her words and tears fucking wreck me.
I’m not worthy of her love.
Not after what happened to her.
Not after how I treated her.
She said it once before, and I pushed her away.
I thought she was dreaming, that she didn’t mean it.
Now she’s saying it like it’s her last chance.
“Don’t you dare.” I’m trying to hold it together for her, but I’m failing.
“Don’t you fucking say that like you’re saying goodbye.”
I’ve seen death.
I’ve dealt it with my own two hands, watched men beg for their last breath.
But nothing has ever felt like this, not even when Bria died.
Because this…
it feels like my heart is the one bleeding out.
My world just caved in around me, like I am dying with her.
I shake my head, fear climbing its way up my throat.
“You love me, right?” My voice is raw, and I know I sound desperate, but I can’t lose her.
“You just fucking said it. So stay. Stay here with me, Liv.”
She blinks up at me, and I see the moment she knows she won’t make it.
Her lips part, and she tries to lift her hand, but she’s too weak.
I grab it and press it against my racing heart.
Tears sting my eyes, blurring everything, but I don’t let them fall.
If I start, I won’t fucking stop.
I let out a broken laugh, shaking my head, refusing to let her go.
“Then fight for me, Liv. Fight for us.”
Her breath shudders.
A tear slips down her cheek.
“I don’t… I don’t think I can.”
No.
Her fingers tighten, the last of her strength pulling me closer.
“I love you,” she whispers again, breaking apart everything inside me .
Her eyes start to close, and something in me snaps.
“No, fuck that!” My voice cracks, holding her tight against my chest.
“You can fight. You will fight.” I press my forehead to hers.
My whole body is fucking trembling.
“Because I swear to God, Olivia, if you leave me, I will burn this entire fucking world down.”
Her lips twitch like she wants to smile.
Then…
her hand slips from mine, off my chest.
And I break.
The kind of break you don’t come back from.
“Liv?” I say, barely above a whisper.
I shake her gently, my breath catching in my throat.
“Baby, please.” Nothing.
I press my fingers against her neck, desperate for a pulse, for anything, but there’s nothing.
“No. No, no, no.” My whole body shakes as I press my hands to her chest, pushing down, forcing life back into her.
My vision swims, and my hands are wet with her blood.
“Come on, baby,” I choke out.
“Please don’t do this to me.”
Kota is yelling in the front seat, but I don’t hear him.
All I hear is silence.
Liv’s silence, and when her eyes flutter shut, my world stops.
I swallow down the panic ripping through me.
“You’re okay,” because saying it out loud will make it happen.
“You’re gonna be okay. ”
But it’s a lie.
The truth is, I don’t know if she will be okay.
If she doesn’t open her eyes, I don’t know what the fuck I’ll do.
For the first time in my life, I know what real fear is.
Losing her.