Page 116 of Cruel Love

Sirens cry in the distance, quickly moving closer.

“We’ve gotta go,” Fox says as he steps toward the unconscious driver behind me.

I nod, somehow moving through the numb feeling taking me over from head-to-toe.

Lucy. Christ, I’m sorry...

We pick him up and drop him in the trunk, disarming him completely before shutting him in. I let Fox take the wheel as I process the grief in my bones.

But the grief doesn’t last more than a minute.

Anger swells in me, quickly becoming rage. They betrayed my family. They killed my brother and tried to do the same to my baby sister, but this…

This is too fucking far.

I stare straight ahead, craving so much more than blood.

Chapter 34

Luka

Gio Zappia.

We make eye contact as our car races down the street with Dante inside. His face falls for a moment before his smirk crawls up his scarred face. So, that’s what’s different about him. That fall from the plane must have fucked up his face a little.

I look forward to getting close enough to be sure.

He turns on his heels and starts running down the street, trying to get lost in the sea of screaming, panicked tourists as they race away from the club.

I quickly free my pistol from my ankle holster.

“Luka...” Markov warns, knowing the look on my face.

This is a crowded city street in the center of Moscow. If this turns south, even Markov and his many connections won’t be able to protect me from the local law enforcement.

“I’m not letting him get away,” I say.

I take off, breaking into a sprint to try and catch up with Gio. His shadow disappears around the corner and I grit my teeth, pushing myself harder. I can’t let him get away.

I won’t let him get away.

For my Sofia.

I promised her vengeance. I will not fail her.

I turn the corner, spotting Gio standing in the middle of the street. The city lights reflect off the black metal in his hands. I fall back as he fires two shots at me. More screams echo as people bolt in the opposite direction. I smile, thankful that Gio is stupid enough to make every possible innocent bystander avoid him like a plague.

A man kneels beside me. I recognize the familiar tuft a silver-gray hair in my peripheral vision. Markov nods with his rifle clenched in his old hands. Loyal to a fault. Not that I ever doubted he wouldn’t follow me into this fight.

I ease forward, careful of any cheap pop-shots, but Gio has already spun around and bolted down the street. We stand and run, more determined than ever to bring him down but there’s not much we can do but give chase. I can already hear sirens on the horizon, racing toward the center of the city from all directions. I could really use Fox’s sniper eye right about now, but I won’t dwell on what should be.

I stop and raise my gun, holding my breath as I try to aim for Gio’s back. I fire off a shot, missing him by a short distance. He ducks on instinct, twisting around and spraying several shots with no real sense of aim or direction. I duck behind a car with Markov, listening to the damage as windows break and pedestrians continue screaming.

Gio rushes off again, quickly heading into an alleyway at the end of the street. I charge after him, picking up my pace and Markov continues to follow close behind me until we reach the alley.

I stop by the outer wall, gently tilting my gaze to look first just in case Gio is lying in wait. The alley appears clear. Panic rises in me. I lurch forward, driven by a need to find him, and another shot rings out from behind the dumpster at the far end by the fence.

“Gio!” I shout, leaning back. “You’ve got nowhere to go.”

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