Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I’ve seen a million guns in my life. Never have I held one in my hand, though. Not only that, Antonio turns around so his back is pressed up against me. I could kill him so easily if I wanted to. But could I really do that to the man who just shielded me? I think my father would have used me as the shield.
Antonio fires a few more shots out the door before he reloads. The other door swings open. I let out a small scream as a knife lands in the middle of the chest of the man who opened it. I didn’t even see Antonio produce it, let alone throw it. The attacker grabs his chest and gasps before falling forward. Antonio grabs him by the hair and yanks him halfway inside the limo. He pulls the knife out of the man’s chest. The man immediately starts to plead with Antonio not to kill him.
“You ruined my wife’s wedding day,” Antonio says before he slices his throat. Blood splatters across my dress. I sit there in shock. But Antonio doesn’t waste any time; he pushes the body out the door and then pulls it shut. “Anyone comes in this car you shoot unless I call your name.” What the hell? How is this happening? “Angelica!” Antonio snaps.
“Yes.” I nod, answering him.
“Good girl,” he says before he’s out the door of the limo. I want to call after him. To beg for him to come back. For some stupid reason, I want to make him promise that he won’t get hurt. I tense when the door opens, and there is a man pointing a gun in my direction. I don’t get the chance to fire. Before I can pull the trigger, the person is falling face first inside, blood spilling out of his mouth. The back of the man's shirt is riddled with bullet holes and soaked with blood.
“Angel,” Antonio calls. “I’m coming to get you.” He reaches in, grabbing the dead man and yanking him out of the way before he leans in, offering me his hand. I take it. He pulls me out of the back of the limo.
“Antonio,” I breathe when I see three SUVs riddled with bullet holes. Bodies litter the ground all around us. Holy crap.
“Come on,” someone shouts. I stand there paralyzed for a second. Maybe I’m hallucinating or in shock or something, but I swear I recognize a few of the dead men on the ground. That can’t be right. “Boss!”
“Got to move,” Antonio says before he’s lifting me off my feet. He jogs toward a waiting car, shoving me into the back. “Get her out of here.” He starts to shut the door.
“I’m not leaving you,” the man who called him boss says. If he’s Antonio’s right hand, I believe his name is Gilly.
“Get her out of here,” he orders again.
“Please don’t leave me.” The words are past my lips before I can comprehend what I’m saying. To my utter surprise, he actually gets in the car. I scramble to the other side to make room for him. I wince as I do it, my side aching now with each breath I take.
The vehicle takes off a second later. Gilly floors it down the road. “What the fuck was that?” he shouts from the front seat.
“Not now,” Antonio responds. He sounds so calm, but I can tell he’s anything but. “Let me.”
I glance down. He tries to take the gun that I’m still holding tightly in my hand.
“Or you can keep it if it makes you feel safe,” he offers. I release my hold on it.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask the same question Gilly did earlier.
“Are you hurt?” Antonio's hands start to roam, checking me over.
“It’s not my blood,” I say absently. “I feel numb.”
“It’s shock.” Antonio's hand grazes my ribs. I let out a small cry as the pain shoots through my body. Spots begin dancing in my eyes. “Angel, look at me,” Antonio orders, sounding far away.
“Was she hit?”
“I don’t know.” Antonio yanks at my dress. The sound of the material ripping pulls me back for a moment.
“Don’t.” I smack at his hands. “Don’t touch me!” My hand connects with his cheek. “Oh God.”
I just nearly escaped death only to slam myself right back into it.
5
ANTONIO
I’m more stunned by the bruises on her side than the smack to my face.
“Oh my God.” She covers her mouth with her hand and winces back.
“Who did this?” I skim my fingers along her skin.
“What?” She’s still flinching away from me.
“Who put these marks on you?” I can barely contain my rage, my entire body going even tenser than it already was.
“But I … I hit you.”
“The wind hits harder, angel. Tell me who hurt you.”
“Boss, I think we’re in the clear, but I’m not taking any chances.” Gilly pulls off the highway and onto side streets, cutting this way and that to lose any tail that might be on us.