“She bleeds for no one,” I say. “Not anymore.”
He laughs. “You think you’re just going to walk out of here with her? Look where you are. You’re dead where you stand.”
“Your guards are gone, Gio. All of them — even that pathetic assassin you sent after me. You want to kill me? You’re going to have to try a little harder than this.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that.”
“Don’t bother,” I say. “You won’t see the next sunrise.”
“Your bastard won’t either.” He chuckles and licks the sweat off his lips. “Go ahead. Kill me. I dare you.”
I lean all my weight onto his leg and he growls in pain.
“Luka.”
I look over my shoulder at Fox and he beckons me down the hall.
“Don’t go anywhere,” I growl at Gio. “We’re not done yet.”
He spits at my feet as I push off him. I hold Sofia’s hand a little tighter as we move down the hall toward Fox. I may never let go of her ever again after this.
“We’ve got company,” Fox says.
“Who?”
“Three cars just parked outside. Someone must have called for back-up.”
“How many men?”
“A dozen? Maybe more, but I’m low on ammo.”
“How low?”
“Too low.”
“Then, I hope you’re good with a knife.”
He shrugs. “Better than most.”
Definitely cocky.
I pause, taking a quick breath to try and think a little clearer. Gio has my son. There’s no way I’m leaving here without knowing where, but we’re officially out of time.
Sofia stares up at me, shaking with confusion and fear behind a veil of blood on her face. I don’t see a wound anywhere.
And then, I realize...
“Where’s Rosalie?” I ask her.
Her eyes swell and she looks behind me at Gio’s study. I move toward it. She drags her feet, dropping my hand completely by the doorway to avoid going inside.
The smell of blood and sweat reaches my nose before I even see her on the floor.
But mostly blood.
Gio laughs. He fucking laughs.
“That one is on you, by the way,” he says, propping himself up onto his elbows. “If you had kept your hands off my wife, then she never would have seen a thing and she’d still be breathing right now—”