Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Scarlett, don’t shoot.” I watched her train her gun on the fight, unsure when to pull the trigger to hit Draven and not her father. “There’s a knife in my pocket. Cut me free.”
She tossed the gun on the floor then dug her hand into my pocket, pulling out the big blade inside of the sheath. She pulled it free then cut my zip ties.
In that short amount of time, both men had landed substantial blows on each other. Dante was bleeding from the mouth, but so was Draven. Dante had to be fifteen years older, but he still held his own pretty well.
“Dad!”
I joined the fight, knocking into Draven’s side and sending him across the floor.
Dante dove for the gun he’d dropped.
Draven stayed down for a second then spun his leg, catching my ankle and forcing me to flip down to the floor. Then he got on top of me, grabbed his dropped gun, and pointed it at me. He forced me up, using my body as a shield with the barrel against my temple.
Dante pointed his gun, but his hand shook.
Scarlett stood behind him, in a mess of tears.
“Let him go,” Dante said in a strong voice.
The fight started to wind down. It was just a pile of bodies with lingering gunfire.
Draven continued to pull me back farther, back toward the staircase and the rest of the house. Then he let me go, the gun pointed at the back of my head. He took one step back then another. And then, once he was blocked by the wall, he took off and moved into the kitchen and the back part of the house.
Dante dropped his gun.
Scarlett ran straight to me and jumped into my arms, not caring about the blood that continued to pour down my face.
“Enough of this shit.” Theo stepped inside with his shotgun and took out the remaining guys who still put up a fight.
It was silent after that, just the sound of Scarlett crying in my arms.
I held her against me, bleeding all over her, and just breathed. Breathed because it was over—and it was over because she’d saved my life. She always had my back, even if it meant risking her own life. I squeezed her and cherished her in a way I never had until that moment.
“Sweetheart, are you alright?” I knew Dante couldn’t stay away. Needed to interfere with our embrace because his daughter meant more to him than our affection.
She left my arms and ran to him next. “Dad!”
I felt cold the moment she was gone.
Dante gripped her hard and cupped the back of her head. His eyes were immediately wet with tears that had been ready to fall for weeks. “Oh, sweetheart.” He closed his eyes as he held her, getting blood in her hair.
“Did you get him?” Theo came to my side, his eyes throbbing with pure malice.
“He ran off.”
Theo motioned for his men to follow.
“There’s a small gate in the back corner,” I said. “He probably shot off the lock and ran for it.”
“We’ll find that motherfucker.” His hand moved to my shoulder, looking at my broken nose. “You alright?”
“I’m fine.” My eyes traveled to Scarlett and Dante, who continued to hold each other in a happy reunion. “She’s fine, so I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry I got you mixed up in this.”
“It’s not your fault.” I continued to look at Dante. “It’s his, remember? He’s the one who looped in that French bastard in the first place.”
“Yeah, but I kinda stirred the pot…a bit. Something I’m known to do.”
“You think he’ll be a problem again?”
“No.” Theo withdrew his arm. “Because I’m going to kill that motherfucker before he heads back to France. If he makes it out of here, he’ll be heading to his private plane at the airport, and there’s only one airport around here, so he won’t be hard to find.”
“Good luck.”
He pointed at his face. “Good luck with that broken nose. You look like shit.”
“Fuck you.”
He grinned before he walked off. “Fuck you too.”
Scarlett and Dante finally broke apart.
“I’m sorry for everything,” Dante said. “Truly, I am.”
“I know. I know you are.”
Dante had a light in his eyes, a joy in his expression that defied all the bloodshed that had just happened. “So…are we okay?” He seemed to hold his breath as he waited for her answer.
She nodded, new tears emerging in her eyes.
Dante’s looked the same. “That makes me…very happy.”
After Scarlett hugged her father again, she turned back to me. “Oh, your nose.”
“It’s fine. I don’t even notice it.”
“Are you alright?”
I pressed a kiss to her temple as I pulled her close. “I’m alright because of you. Nice shot.”
“Told you I knew how to use a gun,” she said with a slight smile.
I smiled back before I looked at Dante. “I’m alright because of you, too. Got here just in time.” I extended my hand to shake his.