Page 101 of His Passerotta

I nod, a few times too many, and let out a shaky breath when he takes me into his arms. My hands dig into his back as I squeeze him tightly, afraid if I don’t he’ll be gone.

“Don’t leave me,” I whisper.

He pulls back and tucks my hair behind my ears. “I’ll be here the whole time.”

Corey screams, and I try to turn that way, but Anthony holds me still. “He’s okay,” he says over Corey’s cry of agony. “You don’t want to watch.”

“What’s he doing to him?” I ask, thrashing in Anthony’s hold, but then I remember.

The bullet. He has to get the bullet out.

I cringe as screams curdle my blood, but I manage to get away from Anthony to take Corey’s hand.

It’s several minutes before his screams stop and the doctor hooks him up to pump fresh O-Neg blood into his system. The whole time, Anthony squeezes one of my hands while I hold Corey’s with the other.

“Why is he alive?” a low, enraged voice asks.

Anthony and I both turn that way to see a terrifying dark-haired man, cane in hand, and Anthony’s brothers.

Anthony goes to climb out, but I don’t let go of his hand.

“It’s okay,” he whispers. “I’ll be right back.” I look into his kind eyes and slowly release my grip, watching while he walks away with the men. Their angry voices reach me, but I turn back to Corey and try to ignore them.

Anthony said it’ll be okay.

He’ll keep us safe… Again.

The doctor finishes up with Corey and gives him instructions on how to take care of his wound before he leaves us.

When it’s just me and Corey, he sits up, looking at me with hardened eyes.

“Do you think they’ll kill us?” he asks.

“It’d be pretty fucked up to treat you just to put a bullet in your head.” I try to sound funny, but there’s too much unease in my tone. I take a deep breath and give a sad smile. “Anthony won’t let them hurt us. I promise.”

He looks away like he’s ashamed. “I would.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” I frown. “You would never let anyone hurt the woman you love, or her family. You’re a better man than that.”

He looks at me with a face so innocent, I see the little boy in him once again. “You really love him?”

Without hesitation, I nod.

Corey lets out a breath and messes with the bandage on his chest for a minute before scooting down the SUV. “Do you still have the keys to your car?”

I peek around the SUV to look at Anthony and the dark-haired man, still arguing, then I nod.

He nods to the driveway. “Let’s go.”

“We should?—”

“If he’s going to keep us alive, there’s no reason we need to wait. If he isn’t able to, we’re idiots for staying.”

I look at Anthony again, my heart aching even though I know Corey is right. I trust Anthony, but the right thing to do is go. Even if it means I won’t get to say goodbye.

I close my eyes, preparing myself to walk away as Corey hops down from the SUV and takes my hand. He guides me away from the mobsters, too concerned with their wounded to care about us.

Except for one mobster.

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