Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“Fuck.” Leone grunts, his whole body going stiff on me.
I can’t hold it back any longer. Tears slide down my cheeks. He’s been hit. I know it. That doesn't slow him down, though. My legs burn, and I can barely catch my breath. We come to a halt behind the ticket booth, and Leone starts to reload again. Blood leaks down his arm.
“Where’s the wound? Your arm?” I ask, trying to pinpoint where the blood is starting.
“Yeah,” he says a bit too calmly for my liking. “I got one guy, but there’s still one more.”
I nod. “We’re almost there.”
He drops his forehead against mine. “Are you still with me?”
“I’ll always be with you, Leone.” He smirks, kissing the tip of my nose.
As soon as he pulls back from me, his expression completely changes. His eyes are now dark. He looks nothing like the Leone I’ve come to know. He looks lethal and sexy as all hell. This is so not the time for me to be thinking about any of that, but I can’t help it if my mind went there. Leone’s movement breaks me from my inappropriate thoughts. I watch as he starts to lean out again but pulls back when bullets rain into the old metal ticket box.
“Come on, motherfucker,” I hear him say under his breath. His mouth moves again, but I can’t hear what he’s saying. A few more shots hit the ticket box as I realize Leone is counting. My heart drops when he starts to lean out again as bullets are still flying our way, but the second he turns the corner, they stop, and it’s his gun going off now. “Got him.”
He pulls me, and we take off again on a dead run. Leone isn’t holding his gun up as we make our way back toward the car. His hand is to his side. His blood is still dripping and leaving a trail behind us. His steps start to slow down.
As we draw closer to the car, I don’t see Lenny anywhere. The driver’s side door stands open. “Do you want me to drive?” I ask. Leone slows down more when we’re about twenty yards out from the car until he comes to a complete stop. “What?” I squeeze his hand, worry filling me.
Leone lifts his other hand with the gun pointing it in the direction of the car. I follow his line of sight. All the air I have left in my lungs leaves when I see Xanny standing there on the other side of the car pointing a gun right back at us.
“Where's Lenny?” Leone asks as his hold on my hand tightens. It's something I’ve noticed he does when he thinks I might try to leave his grasp.
“Both of you put the guns down!” I shout. They have them trained on each other.
“Where’s the box?” Xanny asks her own question, ignoring not only Leone’s question but me as well.
“Xanny, where is Lenny? Is he okay?”
“He’s still breathing. I only knocked him out.” She shrugs. “Give the box to Zoey.”
“If you think I’m going to give her the box and send her to you, you’re dead wrong.”
Xanny’s eyes narrow on Leone.
“Stop pointing guns at each other,” I hiss. This is ridiculous. When neither do as I say, I try to step out in front of Leone, but he jerks me right back. “The hell!?”
“You can have the box,” Leone says again to her.
“I’m not leaving without my sister.”
“Funny. You had no problem leaving her before.”
“Hey!” I snip at Leone, not appreciating him talking to Xanny that way.
“I didn’t have a choice.” Her eyes start to fill with tears, but she quickly pulls it back. She’s always been so good at masking her emotions. It breaks my heart for her.
I reach into Leone’s pocket and pull out the box for myself before shoving it in my own pocket.
“Now who’s driving?” I ask. Again, I try to move but don’t get anywhere.
“Let her go, or I swear I’ll kill you.” I’ve never heard Xanny sound so cold before.
“You can’t kill him, Xanny. I love him.”
She shakes her head at my words. “Zoey, you can’t love this man. You have no clue who he really is. But I know who he is and the things he’s done.”
“I don’t care what he’s done. He’s kept me safe, and he loves me too.”
“Of course he loves you.” Xanny rolls her eyes.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say defensively.
“She means that anyone would love and want to keep you. Your innocence and sweetness is like a balm on the black souls of men like me.”
“That’s oddly sweet.” I reach up to touch Leone’s cheek, his face whiter now. He’s losing too much blood. We need to get him to a doctor or a hospital.
“Both of you knock it off. Leone needs medical help, and if he dies, I swear on Bentley I’ll never forgive you, Xanny. Now everyone get in the damn car already. I’m not going to say it again. You're driving, Xanny.” Both of them remain standing there. “Now!” I shout, fed up with this whole situation.