61

MILLIE
Amid the palpable dread, Gio’s visage was a portrait of barely-contained rage. His eyes bore into the man responsible for my captivity. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s knives danced uneasily in his hands, his gaze darting between my trembling form on the floor and the menacing threat that hung over us all. The room was fraught with an oppressive silence, Valerio’s anguished sounds now silenced, leaving only a haunting echo.
The situation teetered on the brink of a nightmarish abyss. Bloodshed seemed inevitable, a cruel fate looming over us like a dark cloud. Gio’s voice sliced through the tension, a growl of warning and authority. He demanded my release from my captor’s grasp, the desperation in his tone palpable.
Yet, Aldo’s grip only tightened, his fingers digging into my throat with a cruel certainty. Oxygen felt like a luxury, slipping away in his suffocating grasp. Amid the dire struggle, the specter of losing those dearest to me loomed ominously. A silent plea resonated within me – a hope that my own demise might come swiftly, sparing me the agony of witnessing the slaughter of my loved ones.
Aldo’s words dripped with malevolence, a twisted claim of ownership in a world where violence ruled. His obscene gesture left me sickened, a visceral reaction to his revolting touch. He demanded information, a piece of knowledge that had ignited this deadly confrontation.
Gio’s stance stiffened, a step forward halted by the chilling sight of the knife inching closer to my throat. A cruel ultimatum emerged – my life for their compliance. The unthinkable became a reality as Gio, his eyes blazing with fury, reluctantly relinquished his guns to the floor.
The room seemed to contract, the air heavy with impending doom. My heart raced, terror and anticipation merging into a maelstrom of emotions. I was a mere pawn, ensnared in a macabre play whose outcome was destined to be grim.
Aldo’s grip tightened further, a reminder of his twisted power. My mind raced, the struggle for breath lending an odd clarity to the situation. The stakes had escalated beyond imagination. And then, as if a harrowing twist of fate, I found myself facing Aldo directly, his noxious breath a vile reminder of the horror before me. Gio’s gaze bore into me, a mix of helplessness and determination, but I wished he could turn away – spare him the agony of bearing witness to this vile degradation.
The tension culminated in a stomach-churning moment as Aldo’s lips inched closer. Revulsion surged through me, threatening to overwhelm reason. Desperate, I tried to recoil, only to be met with his callous laughter and an even tighter grip that seemed to ignore my struggle. It was then that the blade pricked me in an unexpected place – my hip – an unintentional twist that would soon prove pivotal.
Aldo’s advance was repulsive, his touch violating every boundary. But amid the horror, a surge of determination replaced my fear. My hand moved, drawn to a switchblade concealed in my back pocket. Fingers trembling, I retrieved it and, with a swift motion, drove the blade into Aldo’s thigh.
Agony reverberated through the room, his pained cry punctuating the chaos. Suddenly, the fragile equilibrium shattered. Gio moved with unparalleled speed, a blur of vengeance as he struck out. Aldo’s throat was laid open in a gruesome arc, a torrent of blood painting the violent tableau.
Gunfire erupted, a symphony of chaos that drowned out reason. The scent of iron mingled with terror, and the ground turned treacherous underfoot, slick with the crimson testament to the brutality unfolding. Amid the turmoil, Gio’s firm grip became my lifeline, keeping me upright amid the blood-soaked battleground.
Gio’s arsenal seemed endless as he relentlessly fired bullet after bullet from a sleek silenced gun. My fingers found purchase on a discarded weapon, slippery with gore, yet its weight was oddly reassuring. Dario materialized amidst the turmoil, a symbol of solidarity in this descent into madness. But amidst the chaos, Harper had vanished, leaving a gaping void in the chaos.
As Gio’s gun clicked empty, his focus shifted to a fallen adversary’s weapon, the ruthless dance of combat pushing him to improvise. But danger lurked in every shadow, a realization that struck hard when a Russian mobster leveled his weapon at Gio. My voice erupted in a raw cry, a desperate warning fueled by adrenaline. In a heart-pounding instant, I surged forward, gun extended, and fired. The deafening report was drowned out by my own screams – a testament to my resolve.
My shot found its mark, the mobster’s life extinguished in a final act of defiance. Yet, agony blossomed in my shoulder, a searing fire that threatened to claim my consciousness. Even as my vision dimmed, my bullet had struck true, sealing the man’s fate.
Awakening from the abyss, I found myself cradled in Gio’s arms. Silence had descended, save for the echoes of someone’s soft whimpers – a sound I belatedly recognized as my own. Pain surged anew, a cruel reminder of the horrors I’d endured. In the aftermath, the world seemed to narrow to the cocoon of Gio’s embrace.
Amid the anguish, I fought to open my eyes, my voice a fragile thread as I sought assurance in the wake of the storm. And as I whispered those words, I realized that survival came at a cost, a cost etched in blood and pain, forever altering the fabric of our lives.
Gio’s trembling form leaned heavily against me, his breath uneven. Despite the pain etched on his face, he managed to grit out, “Yes, but you aren’t.” His hand pressed down on my shoulder, a source of discomfort that matched the searing pain I felt. My shirt was damp with a warm, viscous liquid – undoubtedly blood.
In the midst of my dizziness, I managed to murmur, “What about Harper, Sienna, and Karsen?” The encroaching darkness threatened to overwhelm me once more.
Harper’s voice emerged from a distant place, faint and barely audible. It was as if she were speaking through a tunnel. In the meantime, Gio maneuvered his hands under me and carefully lifted me up. A sharp cry of pain escaped my lips, tears streaming down my cheeks. The lobby appeared before me, a blurry scene filled with our men.
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Gio declared with a resolute tone, his grip unwavering.
“Gio,” Sebastian’s voice interjected with a hint of caution, “let the Doc handle it. He’s been overseeing our affairs for years.”
“No,” Gio snarled, a ferocity in his eyes. “Millie needs proper care. She’s lost too much blood.” His men surreptitiously stole glances in our direction, quickly averting their gaze as they resumed their tasks. He was their leader, their Capo, and vulnerability was not an option, even when it concerned me.
A deep, soothing voice cut through the tension, belonging to the Doc. A man aged by time, his hair a pristine shade of white, his demeanor exuding kindness. “I can perform a blood transfusion,” he offered, his words a balm to the tumultuous atmosphere. Gio’s hold on me tightened, my fingers clutching his arm in response.
“It’s okay, Gio,” I managed to reassure him, my voice a weak whisper. “Let him take care of me. I don’t want you to take me to a hospital. It’s too dangerous.”
Gio’s hesitation was palpable, a conflict playing out in his eyes. Eventually, a slow nod signified his agreement. “Follow me,” he directed, lifting me with a newfound determination. But consciousness once again slipped away from me.
***
When I awoke, I found myself in a cocoon of softness, the world around me drenched in a hazy glow. Beside me, Harper slumbered, her presence a comforting reassurance. Daylight streamed through the windows, indicating that several hours had passed since my last memory. A throbbing ache emanated from my shoulder as I attempted to sit up, a reminder of the ordeal I had endured.
Harper stirred, her eyes fluttering open to reveal a relieved smile. “You’re awake.”
A feeble response escaped my lips. “Yeah,” my voice barely audible, muffled by the sensation of cotton within my mouth.
“Gio hardly left your side all night,” Harper shared, her voice carrying a mix of gratitude and concern. “But Sebastian convinced him to join in handling the Russian mobsters they captured.”
“They managed to catch some?” I inquired, my thoughts gradually clearing despite the fog in my mind.
Harper nodded in affirmation. “Indeed, they’re trying to extract information from them.”
A wry twist of my lips formed, unable to muster sympathy for those who had caused us such harm. “How are you holding up?”
“Better than you, it seems,” Harper responded before closing her eyes once more. “I’m sorry about how I lashed out at you yesterday. I couldn’t bear it if that were the last memory between us.”
Shaking my head faintly, I replied, “Don’t worry. It’s all right.”
She hopped down from the bed with a purposeful air. “I should inform Gio that you’re awake, unless he wants to tear my head off.”