Page 134 of Never Say Never

"Yes, Daddy."

I rolled my eyes at him. Even while he was making a disgusting wheezing noise, he still had time to joke and play. I loved that about him, all his quirks and craziness. They were so uniquely him.

"Gotta go find the girls. You, stay," I repeated.

"Staying," he said as he coughed and wrapped an arm around his ribs. "I've got this," he said as he waved his gun. "Go get our babies."

I nodded and stood up. As soon as I did, a man shot at me. I rushed him, slammed my fist into his face and watched him go down. As he laid on the ground, I didn't stop. I punched until my hand ached and then kept going. Once he was out, I stood up, flung the blood from my knuckles and went after the next guy.

My blood pumped, my heart racing as I threw myself into the thick of the battle. The smell of blood and gunpowder filled my nose, suffocating me as I avoided another gangster and kicked his legs out from under him. I pulled my foot back and delivered a blow to his face. When his eyes rolled back, I moved on. I didn't have time to waste, and killing? That was more Gianpoalo's thing. As long as I got to my girls, that's all I cared about.

I made my way to the back office, but it was empty. As I stepped out and rounded a corner, something snagged my pant leg. I glanced down, gun ready, before I saw a little hand.

"Navy? Nyra?"

I moved a large box they had turned upside down and put on top of them. When they looked up at me, eyes wide, my heart calmed a little.

"We pushed the button," Navy said.

"Did it help?" Nyra asked.

"What button?"

They both held up matching charm bracelets. I vaguely remembered them, but I had thought it was something Shelly had given them. She used to buy little trinkets here and there.

"Who gave you those?" I asked.

"Paolo," Nyra said. "Where is he?"

I glanced over my shoulder. There was no time to explain any of that, and worst of all, I didn't have a safe space where I could stash them. Every corner held danger, every vehicle outside could be attacked. We were stuck.

"I need a phone," I muttered.

"Here."

I turned on my heels, raising the gun. Giancarlo stood in front of me, blood splattered on the side of his face and dripping from his hammer. He passed over a phone.

"Where's my brother?"

"I stashed him behind a crate and gave him a gun."

He grinned. "Good man. I assume you're calling in the pig brigade?"

"What else can I do?"

"Stand back and let us work."

I frowned. "What if you lose?"

"We don't lose."

"My girls..."

"Take them out that back door and down the road to one of the cars we stashed. Once we figured out what was going on, Benito arranged for a driver to be ready to transport them somewhere safe."

I stared at him. "How do I know they're safe? There's been so many fucking moles..."

"Trust me, Benito knows him personally. Actually, here he is."