Page 46 of Mafia Don's Secret Baby

“I’m almost out!” she cried.

I dropped one gun and pulled out the other two, handing her one. “This is it.”

A bullet pinged on the metal wall at our back, serving as a reminder that we couldn’t move. Not an inch. The shots echoed far enough in the distance that I knew no pistol would stand a chance.

“We’re going to make it out of this,” I assured her. Her expression showed her skepticism as her eyes darted between me and the still-open door.

She would, at least. If I had to stand and charge the attackers, I would do it. I didn’t know when the realization hit me fully, but there was no denying it now. I would do what I had to do to save her.

“You’ll be okay,” I told her, pulling myself to my feet in a crouch. The pipe at my back still shielded me, but with my feet under me, I could move more quickly. I still had bullets left, but not many. If another round of men made it to the top of the stairwell, I’d need to move.

If I moved, I’d draw their attention away from Lilianna.

I couldn’t count on Kirk making it in time. Not when I could hear the Russians storming up the stairs. There wasn’t time, and there weren't many options.

“Matteo!” she shouted as I took one step.

A distant shot sounded, and Anthony spoke. “Kirk got the sniper.”

Lilianna stood alongside me, and we rushed toward the doorway, slamming it shut. I leaned into the thick metal door as Lilianna scoured the ground and found a rusted pipe, half squashed. She slammed it beneath the door and kicked it, lodging it in place.

“We need a plan.”

“Half of the backup team just pulled up,” Marcus said as the door banged loudly.

It would bend and break long before the men made it up to us. It would hold for a few minutes, but I doubted it would hold long enough.

I took a deep breath and stepped back, looking at Lilianna. “Go and find somewhere to hide,” I told her.

“No.”

“Lili—”

“I’m going to fight right beside you until help gets here.”

There was a banging sound again, and a man swearing on the other side of the door. How much longer would this last? “We’re going to be fine, Matteo. You said it first.”

“We will,” I replied.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

How the fuck was the pipe still holding?

Bang.

The pipe slid across the floor, revealing a crack in the door.

Then, the banging stopped, replaced by the sound of gunfire erupting and men shouting. I waited until the shouting died down, my pistol trained on the door.

“Boss, we’re clear.”

Lilianna exhaled a shaky sob as she lowered her gun and leaned into the wall beside the door. “Jesus,” she cried. “Oh my God.”

We knew we were in a heap of danger, but today had cemented that. This threat was real, and we wouldn’t hesitate next time we had the opportunity to take the Petrovs out. We couldn’t.

Not if we wanted to survive this.

Chapter Sixteen

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