Page 161 of Dark Romeo

Everything seemed to slow around me, my heartbeat in my ears became long and overwhelming. Was it too much to hope that there was a heaven and that my mother would be waiting for me?

“Two…”

Who was I kidding? If there was a heaven, then I wasn’t being let anywhere near it. My fingers twitched by my gun. My vision sharpened down to two hateful eyes.

A gunshot fired, pain tearing across my left arm. I sprinted for cover behind a pile of crates as more shots whizzed past my head. The shots had not come from Dante but rather from somewhere else in the dark. My arm throbbed but I ignored it, drawing my own gun.

“You cheater,” I yelled. I cursed as a shot hit somewhere near my right, causing splinters to spit at me. “Where’s your honor?”

I heard Dante laughing. “You idiot. Your precious honor is just going to get you killed. Did you really think I was going to pass up the chance to end the Tyrell line?”

I shot out wildly from the corner of my hiding place. A barrage of bullets was their deadly answer. I was forced to crouch low as chips of wood exploded around me.

“Surrender,” he called. “I’ll make your death quick and painless. This is just business, after all.”

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. They had me surrounded. This wasn’t a duel, but an execution.

I wasn’t getting out alive.

JULIANNA

____________

One hour earlier…

The second I stepped out of Espinoza’s car, the smile slid off my face. Lately it hurt to smile, like I was somehow out of practice. As I made my way into my building, my thoughts turned to Roman. I wondered what he was doing tonight. He probably wasn’t alone like I was. He had Rosaline to keep him company. His fiancée, I thought bitterly.

I had barely gotten my key into my door when a deep male voice called my name. I’d been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t heard him come up behind me.

Startled, I spun, drawing my gun at the same time. I didn’t expect to see him. Mercutio Brevio was standing behind me, a serious look on his face.

“Whoa,” he said as I pointed my weapon at him. He raised his hands, showing me his palms in an act of placation. “Don’t shoot.”

“Mercutio?” I frowned. He didn’t like me. The last time we saw each other he told me in no uncertain terms to leave his best friend the hell alone. The reminder of Roman throbbed like a wound across my heart. “What are you doing here?”

Mercutio’s dark eyebrows drew together. He looked away. Whatever he was here for, he was struggling with telling me. Whatever it was, it took a lot for him to come here. I lowered my weapon but I didn’t put it away, my eyes darting over his shoulder to make sure we were alone. “What is it?”

He shuffled his weight, his eyes darting around the hall. “Can we talk?”

“Talk.”

“Inside your apartment?”

I flinched. Was this a trick?

Mercutio must have sensed my hesitancy because he opened his jacket, then patted his body. “Look, I don’t have any weapons on me.” He eyed my gun, now pointed at the floor. “I hate the damn things. Besides, I’m positive you’d kick my ass if I tried anything.”

I didn’t move. Mercutio might not have a record, but that could just mean that he’d never been caught.

Now who’s being prejudiced, Jules?

“Please. It’s about Roman.”

Fuck. My heart felt scraped raw, my nerves fraying over just hearing his name. God, when would I be able to place him in the past? When would the wound stop feeling so fresh?

I tried to remain as calm as possible. I was sure that I failed. I nodded, my throat in a knot. I unlocked the door and let us in, holstering my gun.

“What about him?” I asked as soon as we were inside, my voice steadier than I expected it to be.

---