Caught in the Crossfire
Dante
My gut twisted as I watched Evelyn walk Il Lupo to the door. What the hell did my grandfather want with her? Was he going to warn her? Threaten her? Question her about our relationship?
Leo had been feared for a reason. In his prime, he’d been cunning, strategic, and utterly ruthless when necessary, though never reckless with violence. Every move he made had served a purpose. Every punishment sent a message.
Under his rule, the Marcelli empire had flourished, evolving from a traditional crime family into something far more sophisticated and untouchable. He was the foundation of the reputation we had today. Not Valentina, though she would fiercely disagree with that assessment.
My mother had simply continued in the same vein. Our enemies feared us. Our allies respected us. And the people under our protection remained fiercely loyal because we delivered exactly what we promised. Stability. Security. Power.
We weren’t some street gang trading bullets on corners or engaging in sloppy drive-bys. The Marcellis had outgrown that decades ago. Our battlefield now was corporate boardrooms, political offices, the construction industry, and international shipping routes.
Violence still existed, of course. People like us could never truly escape bloodshed. But it was controlled. Precise. Professional.
Not to mention profitable. With four ambitious children, Valentina had expanded the business even further.
We’d moved aggressively into cyber operations, financial hacking, surveillance tech, underground gambling, vice, and high-end black-market logistics, all while maintaining the traditional pipelines that had built the family fortune in the first place.
The Marcellis no longer operated only in the shadows; we operated in the bright light of day too.
Evelyn was gone for nearly ten minutes and I was about to go and find her, when she reappeared, looking flushed.
“All good?” I asked her, lifting a brow.
“Yes, fine.”
I knew it wasn’t. The sly old fox had said something to her, and I was going to find out what as soon as we got out of here. As always, when I was with my family, there was a point where I’d had enough and it was time to leave.
I got up, said my goodbyes, and, taking Evelyn’s arm, steered her back toward the door.
“Why are you in such a hurry to leave?” she asked, as we got into the SUV.
“Reached saturation point.” I turned to her. “What did Leo say to you?”
“He wants to have tea.”
“Tea?”
“Yes, he invited me over to his place for tea on Saturday morning. Eleven o’clock sharp.”
“Did he say why?”
She shrugged. “I think he just wants to talk about art.”
I grunted and pulled out my phone. That wasn’t implausible. “I’ll let Kyle know.”
Kyle had taken to driving Evelyn to the gallery every morning, while Max drove her home.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say the two jackasses were smitten with my woman.
A few days ago, Evelyn had bought Max’s baby girl a birthday present.
I’d known Max for six years and didn’t even know he had a daughter.
“Did you ever think to ask?” Evelyn had asked me when I’d said as much to her.
Communication wasn’t my strong suit. Then again, conversation led to friendships, friendships led to relationships, and relationships led to feelings.
Feelings led to a whole bunch of other problems.
Besides, the Marcellis weren’t the type of family that talked about our feelings. We preferred to keep them buried under years, if not decades, of suppressed emotion in the hopes that we’d never have to deal with them. It had worked for me so far.
Until she’d come along. The copper-haired vixen who made me feel far too goddamn much.
The worst part was, I didn’t totally hate it.
Even though I knew it could only end in disaster. One way or another, we were doomed to fail. Our whole relationship was built on a bed of lies, blackmail, and coercion. Evelyn was only here because she felt she had no choice.
And I was taking full advantage of that.
Our driver pulled into the underground garage and cut the ignition. I was so caught up with my thoughts that I barely registered the second SUV idling at the far end of the concrete level.
I stepped out first and rounded the vehicle to open Evelyn’s door. The second she climbed out, gunfire erupted across the garage.
“Down!” I grabbed her wrist and hurled us both behind a concrete support pillar just as bullets sprayed the side windows of the SUV. Glass exploded everywhere. Evelyn screamed as I dragged her against my chest and shielded her body with mine.
I drew my Glock as shots thundered through the enclosed space, deafeningly loud. Twisting my head, I saw muzzle flashes from both sides of the black SUV at the end of the level. Two shooters at least, using the armored doors as cover. It looked like a professional job.
My guess was they were here for Evelyn.
Reaching for my phone, I texted Kyle one-handed. He’d get here with reinforcements before the cops would.
Our driver hit the ground with a curse, clutching his leg. Blood spread rapidly beneath his calf.
“Stay down,” I barked as he reached for the pistol under his jacket. At least he was in front of our SUV, out of the line of fire.
“I’ll cover for you,” he gritted out before letting off a volley of shots.
I joined him, adrenaline sharpening everything to a crystal clarity. The bastards must have seen us leave and been waiting for us to come back. Had we been on foot, they’d have picked us off from the rooftop, I had no doubt.
I made a mental note to double our security. Right now, however, I had to get Evelyn to safety.
“What do we do?” she squeaked, flattening herself against the pillar. Her eyes were huge and fearful as she stared up at me.
“It’ll be okay.” Cold fear flashed through my chest. No way was I letting her die here on the concrete. “Stay behind me, no matter what.”
She gulped but nodded.
“Good girl.”
My phone beeped. Looking down, I saw a text message from Kyle. On our way. ETA 5 minutes.
We just had to hang in here for a short while longer. I only hoped we had enough ammo to hold them off till then.
Gunfire exploded again, chunks of concrete spraying over us as bullets tore into the pillar. Evelyn flinched and I wrapped an arm around her head, shielding her from the debris. A sharp sting sliced across my cheek.
I let out a growl. Now I was mad.
I leaned out and fired twice in quick succession. One of the shooters ducked back behind the SUV as bullets sparked against metal.
There was a loud curse in Spanish.
Yes!
Our driver crawled behind the front wheel of our vehicle, grimacing through the pain as he returned fire in controlled bursts.
“We’re pinned!” he shouted. “Can’t reach the elevators!”
I knew that already.
The shooters had positioned themselves perfectly. The elevator lobby was exposed and too far away. The second we broke cover, we’d be cut down.
Another barrage erupted. Bullets punched through the windshield of our SUV and ricocheted wildly around the garage. One shattered a nearby fluorescent strip light, plunging half the level into flickering shadow.
Then I saw it.
The reflection in the black SUV’s driver-side mirror.
One of the shooters had shifted position slightly, exposing just enough of his shoulder.
I steadied my breathing. Waited.
Another inch.
I rose from cover and fired three rapid shots.
The man screamed and collapsed hard against the SUV, his weapon clattering across the concrete.
“Move!” I roared at Evelyn, grabbing her hand.
We sprinted from behind the pillar while the second shooter unleashed wild retaliatory fire. Bullets screamed past us as I shoved Evelyn behind a parked Mercedes near the elevator bank.
The remaining gunman advanced aggressively now, firing as he came. Too aggressive. Too emotional. Rookie fucking error.
I was about to mow him down when the garage entrance exploded with headlights.
A black Escalade tore down the ramp at terrifying speed before slewing sideways across the concrete. Doors burst open before the vehicle had fully stopped.
Kyle emerged first, assault rifle already raised.
Gunfire erupted from both sides simultaneously. Max and two more men poured out behind him, forcing the cartel shooter backward in a hailstorm of bullets. Concrete dust and sparks filled the air as the gunman scrambled for cover.
“Tango moving!” Max yelled.
The wounded shooter managed to drag himself into the waiting SUV. Tires screeched violently as it made for the exit ramp.
Kyle opened fire at the retreating vehicle, bullets smashing into the rear windshield, but the SUV kept going. Seconds later, it disappeared up the ramp and out into the Manhattan night.
Silence crashed over the garage.
My chest heaved as adrenaline flooded my bloodstream. I turned, looking for Evelyn. She stood behind the Mercedes, exactly where I’d left her, trembling but alive.
Thank Christ.
I crossed the distance in three strides and grabbed her face between my hands, checking frantically for blood, injuries, anything.
“Are you hit?” I demanded.
She shook her head shakily. “No.”
The relief that hit me was so intense it almost brought me to my knees. For one terrible moment, I’d imagined finding her bleeding out on the concrete because of me. Because I’d dragged her into my sordid world.
As I stared down at her pale face and wide green eyes, a cold truth settled on me. I couldn’t let her go. Not until Los Santos Rotos were annihilated.
I was pretty damn sure this was them. They’d already gone after her at her apartment. Tonight, they’d escalated, attacking her on my turf.
A dangerous mistake.
My arm wrapped around Evelyn, pulling her against my chest as I lifted my gaze toward the ramp where the SUV had disappeared.
There would be consequences for this. Bloody ones.
Nobody fired on my woman and got away with it. Because that was the truth I could no longer deny. Evelyn wasn’t just under my protection anymore.
She was mine.
And I would bury every last cartel bastard before I let them take her from me.