CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

Dante

I PRAYED NIXON would know me well enough to see what was coming. Andrei motioned for the men to walk away from all of the bosses.

I took the floor.

Faced them all.

My brothers in blood and in war.

I locked eyes with Nixon and fired a shot directly into the same leg he was holding. His eyes rolled back into his skull before he gave his head a shake and smirked.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Each shot spiraled toward the intended boss. Blood was spilled, running like a river across the concrete.

The familiar smell of blood invaded my nostrils as it ran down my wrists, it’s hot wetness fueling the anger inside.

“Again,” Nixon screamed, his eyes flashed with fury as blood caked his face. “Do it again.”

So I did.

And again.

And again.

And again.

I fired a warning shot next to Tex again, then hit him in the left arm. He didn’t even flinch. And when I took down Sergio with a shot to his thigh, he grabbed it and fell, reaching for his gun before collapsing against the ground.

Rapid fire continued out of my gun until every last one of the bosses were on the ground holding their wounds.

Bloody.

Broken.

“Finish him,” a cold voice commanded.

Finish them, was what he really meant.

“Give me one good reason why I should.” I didn’t recognize my own voice, it might as well have been a stranger talking for me.

“I’ll give you the only reason.” A gun was held in front of my face — pointed directly at her. “Now finish him.” Andrei hesitated and said, “Better yet, finish them all. You walk out of here with your girl, this all goes away. You’re the last remaining made man, maybe Mil will even let you work for her, the De Langes clearly need more people they can trust.”

I snorted out a laugh. “You know…” I took the gun from his outstretched hand, the Russian gun with its gold plates and a black P on the right side. “I really don’t like working for other people.”

His eyes narrowed in confusion.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my ring and shoved it on my finger. “I think the title boss suites me much better.”

His gaze flickered down just enough for me to shove against him place my gun in the side of his chest and pull the trigger.

He fell as Maksim scrambled to grab a gun behind him.

Chaos ensued as the guys all started firing from their positions.

Nobody had critical wounds.

I was careful.

Nixon smashed a guy’s head in then fired a few shots after him, Mil collapsed to the ground.

El reached for her.

Andrei grinned as he lifted his gun and fired direct shots into Mil’s body.

I charged toward him and hit the gun out of his hand and turned.

El was leaning over Mil, her hands were bloodied.

I ran like hell and pulled her into my arms.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She shook against me. “It’s not my blood.”

Mil held her thigh and winced as blood ran down her chin.

Most of Andrei’s men had fled. And when I turned around he was gone too.

“We lost him.” Tex looked ready to take off.

“Shit!” Nixon winced.

Nobody was in good shape to chase after anyone.

Not since I shot them all — but it was the only way.

We circled around Mil.

“You did this,” Nixon said. “But that doesn’t mean—”

“Just get it over with.” She hiccupped as more blood came out of her mouth. “Don’t let me suffer this way.” She grabbed Chase’s hand and held the point of his gun to her chest.

His hand shook.

He dropped it.

So I held up my gun and pointed, ready to fire, ready to do what nobody else could.

And then a gunshot rang out, followed by two more as Mil went limp in Chase’s arms.

Phoenix lowered his gun, a solitary tear ran down his cheek and dropped onto his sister’s body. “Nobody deserves to live with that sort of taint on their soul—” He nodded to Chase. “Especially her husband.” He licked his lips and bent down over her. “It’s my job to keep the family’s secrets — what’s one more?”

She would have died anyway.

She had internal bleeding.

That didn’t make her death sentence any easier to deal out.

To serve.

Chase closed his eyes and pressed a hand to her bloody chest. “Blood of my blood, you’re free — find rest—” He choked out a sob, “at the end of your journey, may you be blessed, may your family be blessed, may their lives be blessed, may they be protected by the blood you spilled. Sangue in nessun fouri.”

“Sangue.” We crossed our chests. “In Nessun Fuori.”

Out of respect for Chase, I backed away, the rest of the men followed, and then, I watched him mourn.

I saw him break.

Shatter before my very eyes.

“WHY!” Chase screamed. “Ti Amavo! Ti Amavo!” he roared it over and over again.

I loved you. I loved you.

“Io, sono morta.”

I am dead too.

El ducked her head against my chest and sobbed.

And I watched.

I watched a man unbecome.

And I knew, nothing would ever be the same.