Page 66 of Heartless Union

So, all I say is, “Please. Don’t do this.”

“You really do care, don’t you?”

I suck in a breath. “I do.” It both does and doesn’t surprise me that I feel this way.

He leans in and kisses my forehead, and I hear Gabriella gasp behind me. Rocco pulls back and gives me a steady look. “I’ll be fine. But you all need to leave. Now.” He lets go of my hand and walks to the door.

I stumble back toward Gabriella, who catches me.

“I’ve never seen my brother show affection like that before,” she says.

“We need to get out of here,” my father says, ushering us toward the back door.

Massimo and Emilio remain standing side by side. “We’re not going anywhere,” Massimo says.

Rocco looks back. “I need you to care for Lara and Gabriella. That’s what you can do.”

“I’ll go with them,” Emilio says. “Massimo, you stay here.” He shoots Rocco a look. “No more arguing.” He rushes toward the back door and opens it, motioning us outside.

I take one last look at Rocco, who nods in encouragement, and then I leave.

I can hear Rocco open the front door and start talking to Carlo.

“What did you want to say to me?”

“Only this,” is Carlo’s reply.

I hear footsteps running, and then I hear a gunshot.

I gasp, stumbling into my dad. “What was that? We need to go back inside.”

Emilio looks pained. “We can’t. We have to keep moving.” He runs across the backyard to the fence. “Hurry. Climb over.” He helps Gabriella up first.

When he turns to me, I nod at my dad. “Help him.”

“I don’t need any help,” Dad says, but he struggles to even grip the edge of the fence. He doubles over and begins coughing. The sight of my dad in pain rips my heart right in two.

“Sorry about this,” Emilio says, grabbing my dad and hoisting him over the fence. “Come on, Lara.”

I glance back. “We can’t leave them. We need to know what happened. I’m sorry.”

I run to the house.

“Lara,” Emilio hisses, but I don’t slow down.

Bursting inside, I see Rocco and Massimo but no Carlo. The front door is shut.

Massimo is lying on the floor, his shirt covered in blood.

Rocco looks up at me. “Lara?” He shakes his head. “Help me.” I run over to Massimo’s side and kneel. Someone starts banging on the front door. Carlo.

“What happened?”

“I opened the door, and Carlo raised a gun on me. Massimo ran forward and pushed me out of the way and got shot. I managed to close the door and lock it, but it won’t keep Carlo out forever.”

Footsteps sound out behind me. Emilio.

“Oh my god,” he murmurs.