Page 64 of Twisted Throne

“Oh, shit! Lucy!”

Red smeared and spread across her shirt.

I jumped up and ran over to her.

“Did you get hit?” I tried to tug the bottom of her shirt up and she shoved me off.

“No, I’m okay. It’s n-not mine.”

“It’s mine.” Elena remained on the kitchen floor but had pulled herself up into a sitting position. She had a wet, bloody spot on the side of her sundress that matched up with the stain on Lucy. “It just grazed me though, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, you got shot!” I grabbed a dish towel off of the marble countertop and dropped to my knees beside her.

Lucy hovered just behind me, chewing her bottom lip and fiddling with one of the bangle bracelets that lined her arms. Her rapid breathing came with a hitch, but I couldn’t tell if she was trying to contain anger or fear.

Elena jerked the towel out of my hands and pressed it to her side.

“I told you I’m fine! I’ve stitched up worse than this on Alec over the years.” She slowly rose to her feet. “But we need to go back upstairs like Paul said.”

Paul. He’s still out there.

“I have to go after Paul.” I knew it was stupid, but I couldn’t just go hide and wait to see if he was alive or dead. “And we need to make sure you’re okay.”

“I already told you, it’s barely a nick.” Elena glared at me.

“You guys go back to the safe room. I’m sorry, but I have to see what’s happening,” I looked at Lucy, the fright on her face made her look younger than she usually did. “Help Elena get upstairs. Keep pressure on the wound.” I racked my mind. Did I know anything else about first aid?

I’d have to learn. I wasn’t going to be caught out like this again.

Lucy nodded at me and moved closer to Elena. I took off toward the door, then stopped. I knew there was danger out there. I knew I was going out anyway, but I needed to be smart about it. The pistol Lucy had dropped when Elena tackled her was lying on the floor by the kitchen sink. Hesitating for only a moment, I rushed over and snatched it up before continuing out the door.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Paul

I will find him.

Emilio was not going to slip out of my grasp again.

Leaving Gia was possibly one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done. But she would be safe in the house with Lucy and Elena. And I would make sure that she would stay that way. A red haze filled my vision, something I hadn’t seen since the last time my father tried to knock the shit out of me. He didn’t get away, and neither would Emilio.

I’d always thought I was at my best when I was cool, careful, and efficient. But the red rage sped my reflexes and drove me faster, fiercer than any precise plan of action.

I heard raised voices coming from every direction. But there were fewer and fewer shots being fired. The backup had arrived and we were able to trap Sabitino’s men between Ricky’s guys and the men we had at the house already. They hadn’t counted on the rest of our men getting here as quickly as they had. Most of Sabitino's guys had either taken off already or were bleeding out on the lawn. Or dead. No sign of Emilio yet, but that didn’t matter. I’d find him, and I’d be damned if he got away from me again.

Once outside I paused to assess things. What little bit of action that remained was still focused around the front. The backyard and garden were both quiet. The floodlights had kicked back on; the tech guys must have re-established the connection for the cams and lights. But the harsh, white light only illuminated a ring about twenty feet from the house. Emilio would have headed away from the last of the fighting, to try and sneak out like the filthy coward he is.

Fast and smooth, I ran across the yard toward the garden. When I made it out of the pool of light, I slowed my steps, listening and watching for any sound or movement. There was a noise from ahead of me. I froze in place and waited, motionless.

Snap.

There it was again. Still ahead of me, but a little to the left this time. It sounded as if someone had snapped a twig. I began to move forward, in the direction of the noise. I tried to cover ground quickly but kept my steps silent as I stalked through the maze of flowers and pale, marble sculptures. The heady scent of lavender filled the air, cloyingly sweet. It made an odd backdrop for the violence that had taken place here tonight. And what was yet to come.

Crunch.

A light step on gravel, slightly closer this time but still in front of me. Now the question was, did he know I was here? If not, I could circle around to the right and come at him from the side. But if he had realized that someone was in the garden with him, it was possible that he was trying to flip the table on me.

I heard nothing else, but there was a prickle on the back of my neck that made me uneasy. When I heard a footfall behind me I turned in a flash, pistol raised.