Page 63 of Twisted Throne

When I turned around I was just in time to see the backdoor cave inward, quivering in the frame. The next hit busted it completely open, sending splinters flying. Everything that happened next felt like it was in slow motion.

Lucy screamed and shot at the men pushing their way through the door and into the house. The bullet went wide, hitting the wall about two feet to the right of the men.

There were three of them, and I recognized Emilio immediately, although his face was several different shades of purple and green and he had a nasty looking cut splitting his lip—Paul’s handiwork from the other day.

The other two men with him pointed their guns at us but didn’t make a move. Lucy still had her gun raised, but her hands shook as she took a step backward. She couldn’t seem to make up her mind about which of them to point it at, but I had a suggestion or two.

“Don’t be stupid,puttana.” Emilio sneered at both of us. “Be good and lower the gun,” he told Lucy, “and I won’t make you watch what I’ve got planned for her. Otherwise, I’ll take you down before you can pull the trigger.”

Lucy bit at her bottom lip but didn’t lower the pistol.

I started easing my way up to her, moving as slowly as possible.

“Don’t move!” Emilio barked at me.

I froze in place, my hands raised.

“Look, she’s just a kid,” I kept my voice as steady as I could. “You don’t want her, just let her leave.”

He broke into a dry, raspy laugh.

“Trust me, you have no idea what I want,” his face was hard, and his eyes stared at me with a cold hunger. His tongue darted out, snakelike, to lick his lips. “But you’ll find out.”

My blood ran cold. Lucy and I would be better off bleeding out right here than getting dragged off with this sick bastard.

One of the goons shifted positions and Lucy whirled around to face him, automatically assuming the defensive stance Bear had been trying to drum into us. As soon as she turned, the second guy took aim at her and fired.

No, damn it! I launched myself toward Emilio, eyes on the dark purple bruises that still mottled his face. If I could manage to land a blow on the injuries on his face, it might hurt just enough to distract him. If I could just slow him until the rest of the family could join the fight, we’d have a chance. He turned to greet me with a razor-edge smirk that suggested he’d welcome any pain that I could bring to him.

Elena barreled out from the side door that led to the dining room. She threw herself at Lucy and tackled her to the floor. Lucy screamed and swung at Elena before recognizing her.

The door I’d entered through flew open. Hands pushed me down hard and I hit the tiles as Paul and two other men pushed their way into the kitchen. A quick volley of gunshots rattled above where I lay on the floor, making my ears ring.

“Take the back! Carlos and Angelo have the front covered. Go!” Paul shouted out to the other men and he dropped down beside me.

“Are you hurt?”

“N-no, I’m fine.” I was shaky, and my hip throbbed from where I’d landed on it but otherwise, I was okay.

Paul looked over to where Lucy and Elena were still tangled up together on the floor. Lucy was pushing and swearing, scrabbling for the gun she’d dropped in the struggle.

“We’re fine, do what you need to.” Elena’s voice sounded terse and stiff.

“All of you, get upstairs to one of the saferooms and stay the hell there this time!” He sounded harsh, but when he looked down at me his face was only full of concern.

When I started to protest he put a finger to my lips and shushed me.

“I’ll come back to you,soubrette.”

Without giving me a chance to answer, he rushed out of the still open back door, into the darkness that was filled with men with guns.

I’d known that this was his reality. But it was finally starting to sink in that it was mine now too. Although logic told me I should hold back, part of me wanted to go out there with Paul and kick some ass.

***

“Elena, get off me!” Lucy squirmed out from under Elena. Somehow, she looked as polished as ever, but her eyes were wide, and her face was abnormally pale.

Lucy scooted away from her and stood up.