Chapter 35 Gio #2
Stephanie hesitates, worrying her lip, then gives a single nod.
Reaching behind me, I grab my gun from its holster and pass it to her. “You remember how to use it?”
Once upon a time, I taught her how to use a gun.
Back then, she’d teased me for it, saying she didn’t anticipate having to shoot any armed robbers coming to steal flowers from the flower cart where she worked.
But now, I’m pleasantly surprised when Stephanie lifts her chin and takes the gun without hesitation.
She checks that the chamber is loaded, then holds it carefully in both hands, aiming the barrel toward the ground but ready to bring up at a moment’s notice.
“God, you look sexy like that,” I growl, unable to stop myself.
Stephanie blushes, a soft smile tugging at her lips, but her eyes flick to Jackson.
He still has his face tucked firmly against my neck, his arms forming the most gentle choke hold I’ve ever been put in.
“Stay close behind me,” I warn. “And be ready for anything.” Trading out my knife for a gun of my own, I slowly lead the way back up the stairs and into the room above.
When we reach the door to the hall, I press my back against the wall, carefully peering around the corner to ensure no one is coming.
Then I shift my hold so I can keep Jackson’s forehead gently pressed against my throat.
With a silent nod from Stephanie, confirming that she’s ready, I step out into the hall—and across the first dead body as I head toward the door.
Stephanie gasps as she follows, her eyes flying wide and her free hand going to her mouth to cover her shock.
Jackson tenses against me, his neck straining slightly as he tries to lift his head, but I keep him tucked closely beneath my chin as I whisper reassurances in his ear.
Then we’re rounding the corner, the grisly sight behind us.
“Thank you,” Stephanie says, her tongue darting out to wet her lips as she tips her chin toward Jackson, silently indicating that she’s grateful I didn’t let him see what she did.
I nod, then slowly sink to one knee. “Okay, bud,” I murmur, setting Jackson on his feet so I can look him in the face.
“I need you to do me a favor now. We’re going to sneak out of here very quietly, okay?
But to keep your mom safe, I’m going to need you to stick by her side and stay behind me. Can you do that for me?”
Jackson nods, his green eyes wide and grave.
“And if I tell you to do something, you do exactly what I say. Got it? If I tell you and your mom to run, you do it. You stay right by her side, and you don’t look behind you.”
“Okay,” he whispers.
“I knew I could trust you,” I say, flashing him a quick grin as I chuck him under the chin.
“Gio?” he says, and I pause to stay eye level with him.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“I’m really glad you’re here.”
If words alone could bring me to my knees, that would do it. I choke down my emotion as I clear my throat. “Me too. Now, let’s move.”
I give Jackson a gentle nudge in Stephanie’s direction, and she pulls him close against her, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as she passes me the second gun.
Then I take point, checking carefully around each corner as I guide them through the maze of rooms and hallways to the garden door I came in through.
The fountain in the koi pond trickles softly, and the sound of cicadas fills the still night air.
The peaceful sound makes my stomach knot—because it means our time is up.
The distraction is over.
I only hope my brothers got away.
Now it’s our turn, and I keep my footsteps soft, my body low to the ground as I lead the way across the yard to the nearest point in the wall that we can scale.
We reach the perimeter without incident, and as we breathe heavily from the effort of being both quick and quiet, I tuck my guns back into their holsters and create a stirrup with my hands.
“You first, amore,” I say, nodding to Stephanie.
But she hesitates, glancing at the wall then down at Jackson. “I can’t leave him,” she says, the first true sign of fear flashing in her green eyes.
“It’s just for a second,” I promise. “The wall’s too high for him to make it by himself. He’ll need your help.”
She swallows hard, glances again at the wall, then back at Jackson, and gives a sharp nod.
With the grace of a dancer, she places her bare foot on my hands, her hands on my shoulders, and as I straighten, hoisting her up, then above my head, she reaches for the top of the wall and pulls herself up.
Then she straddles the shingled top and turns back to watch us.
“Your turn, bud,” I say, looking at Jackson.
He peers up the length of the wall, his lips twisting anxiously. “It’s so high up.”
“I know, but you’ve got this. I’m going to lift you up.
You just need to reach for the top of the wall and try to pull yourself up.
Your mom will be there to help, and I’ll be right down here to spot you.
” I’m not sure if he knows what that means, but I don’t really want to finish with in case you fall and put that in his head right now.
Jackson nods and takes a deep breath as if to steal himself.
Then I take him by the waist and lift him onto my shoulders.
Even if I stretch my arms to the farthest length, I wouldn’t be able to get him high enough on my own, and I pivot as I consider my options.
“Okay, bud, I need another favor from you. I want you to stand on my hands, and when I lift you, I need you to lean toward the wall. Use your hands for balance and try to keep your legs as straight as possible.”
“Okay,” Jackson says nervously, but he does as I say, straightening his knees when I take his feet and leaning forward when I slowly lift him off my shoulders.
He wobbles a few times on the way up, but as long as I keep my pace slow and steady, he’s actually quite athletic for a kid.
Absently, I note that he’s wearing shoes while Stephanie was not—though he only has one sock on.
And I wonder if the bastards who took them told him to put his shoes on but were too impatient to let him put on socks.
A low, throbbing fury settles in my chest, but I push it aside and lift my gaze as I fully extend my arms.
Jackson’s fingers come just shy of the wall’s top edge, and my stomach sinks.
Stephanie’s going to have to pull him the rest of the way up.
She scoots forward quickly, her legs bracing around the wall as she leans precariously down to get him. “I’ve got you, Jay,” she promises, scooping her arms beneath his armpits.
“Hey!”
The shout blasts through my body like a hand grenade, jolting my heart, and it takes every ounce of my self-restraint not to move before I’m sure Stephanie has a firm grip on Jackson.
She strains to pull him up, and my heart stutters in my chest at the sound of a gun cocking.
“Get the hell out of here!” I shout, giving Jackson’s feet one final boost. Then I turn, drawing my weapon as a shot cracks through the night.