I run down the stairs after Luke and Ivan. We take cover behind the stairs while the guys trying to shoot us stay behind their car doors.
“Give us the girl and no one has to get hurt.” I twist around the staircase, raise my gun and shoot at one of the men that are peering around the SUV.
The bullet grazes the side of the car, and I damn near curse out loud. I need to practice my shooting; I usually just use my fist.
“You can’t have the girl. You’re asking for a full out war by attacking us on my territory.” Ivan yells, before shooting off two bullets. One lands on its mark through the car door window, taking out the guy I tried to shoot just a short time ago, while the other hits the armored SUV.
“Then a war is what we will have.” Someone responds, a flurry of bullets hit the steps. I try and push down the worry knotting in my stomach, but it’s all I can feel. There’s no way I’m letting these fuckers get their hands on Sophie. I’ll die before I let that happen.
“Two birds with one stone if you ask me. We get the girl and we’ll kill you in the process. You’re a shitty leader anyway, Ivan. You don’t see where the big money comes from. No one respects you. Rossi at least cared for his men and their needs.”
“Fuck you!” I yell. These assholes think they are better than us? I’ll kill every single one of them. No one is touching Sophie, and no one is going to fuck with my brother. We run the show now, whether they like it or not.
“We will not leave here without the girl.”
I hear them move away from the car thinking they are going to come around to where we are. I crouch down waiting for them to come around when I realize they are actually going up the stairs.
Shit. I jump up and move around the stairs as fast as I can with Ivan on my heels. A soon as I’m around the corner, a shot is fired, and something hits my shoulder, making me jerk back. It takes me a moment to even understand I’ve been shot. I stagger back into Ivan, who’s already firing shots at the guys who just hit me.
Ivan gets him in the side of the head and his lifeless body falls backwards off the steps. Dante, who was upfront, jumps back down, gun pointing at Ivan’s head, and for a second, I think I’m about to watch my brother die. My chest tightens. Fuck, it can’t end this way.
Then like a saving fucking grace Luke appears out of nowhere, wrapping his arm around the guy’s neck, while pulling him backwards. The gun goes off again, but Dante just fires into the air above us. Ivan raises his gun, and I see the apprehension in his eyes. He can’t shoot knowing that if he does, he’ll most likely hit Luke as well.
I’m about to rush over and help him when Luke’s eyes meet mine and I freeze. Pure rage fills his gaze as I watch him tighten his hands around Dante’s neck. There's an inhuman look to Luke as he grapples with Dante.
He’s already struggling for air and then he drops the gun, trying to use his hands in a last-ditch effort to get Luke off of him, but it’s already too late.
Luke’s grip on him is like a boa constrictor. His arms keep tightening around Dante’s neck until his eyes bulge out of his skull and turn vacant with death. Luke grits his teeth, squeezing tighter and tighter. He releases the fucker with a shove, his body making a loud thud as it hits the ground.
Luke exhales a ragged breath, but doesn’t look as if he’s phased by anything that just happened. Most people would be freaking out, but he seems calm...calmer than normal.
I didn't understand why Xander was insisting on Luke working for Ivan until this very moment. He must have seen in him what I’m just now seeing.
Luke is a natural born killer.
“Well, fuck kid. I think you just saved our lives,” Ivan smiles.
“Don’t get used to it,” Luke smirks back at us, rolling his shoulders.
They both turn their attention to me. I’m clutching on to my shoulder as blood seeps through my clothes, soiling the fabric. It hurts, but I’ve felt worse. I want to go get Sophie, but when I get to my feet and start walking, I know I won’t last long. I can already feel my strength withering away, black dots line my vision, and I start swaying unsteadily on my feet.
I grit my teeth...fuck I need to get to Sophie...I’ve got to make sure she’s okay.
She’s all that matters. The words ring out in my ears.
“Fuck, they got you good. We got to go. Mac can take the bullet out hopefully. I really don’t want to have to make a run to the hospital.” Ivan murmurs, grabbing my arm and dragging me to the SUV.
“I need to get her, make sure she’s okay…” I growl, the pain in my shoulder lances through my body as he deposits me on the backseat.
“Luke’s going to get her. Just sit tight, everything will be okay,” Ivan assures me, turning on his heels to go and get Violet. Luke is already halfway up to the plane and when I lean back against the seat. My skin feels clammy, my stomach twisting into a knot.
A few moments later everyone appear at the planes exit door. My vision is blurry, and I can barely make out the images. They make their way down the steps and toward me. Ivan is on the phone, probably having a cleanup crew sent out before anybody sees this fucking mess. My heart thuds inside my chest, the sound vibrating through my veins.
Sophie opens the door, and up close, I see the fear and hysteria in her eyes. She slides in next to me and cradles my head against her lap.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Her tiny hands feel up and down my body like she’s checking for any injuries. “Where are you hurt? There’s blood…you’re bleeding Roman.”
“I’m fine baby, we just need to go see Mac,” I smile. I can’t help but smile even in the midst of the shit-storm we just went through.
“You’re not fine. You’re bleeding, there is blood everywhere…” I know I should probably be more worried, but I’m not. I’ll be okay. I know it. I feel it in my bones.
Violet and Ivan get into the front seat while Luke lifts my lower body and slides in underneath it. I couldn’t care less how we all get back to my place so long as we do.
“You okay?” Ivan calls from the front seat as he peels out of the parking lot.
“Never been better…I was thinking about heading straight to the gym and going a few more rounds.” My voice cracks as I speak, and Luke looks over at me with a grin.
“Even after being shot he still jokes.”
Sophie shakes her head. “You have no idea.”
It doesn’t take long for us to arrive at the house. Ivan called Mac from my cell somewhere in the time span, but I don’t know when. I was too caught up in Sophie’s ocean blue eyes to care about anything else. We all get out of the car, Mac and Dev halfway carry me into the house all the way into the kitchen. At this rate I should just build an infirmary here.
They put me on the marble top dining island, pushing all the contents to the floor in one swoop. Sophie comes into view and I reach for her hand without thought. She wears her emotions clearly on her features, her adorable little nose is wrinkled, and her thick dark brown brows are pointed down, while her lips show a perfect pout.
Mine. All mine. Until the day we die.
“I’m guessing you don’t want anything for the pain?” Mac mumbles, tearing my shirt off my body. I grit my teeth the movement jarring my shoulder. It feels like Mac is already digging his fingers around in the wound.