Page 73 of Little Rabbit

“We just need to keep ourselves ahead of these two. Once we lose them, then we can work on getting out,” I tell her as we make another right turn. I realize too late that we’ve made too many of them, and we’re heading back the way we came.

We exit one of the paths just as Rafaele and Lorenzo come from another, all of us nearly running into each other. Gia screams when Lorenzo immediately tries to grab her, and by sheer luck she manages to jump back and barely avoids him. I’m not as lucky, as Rafaele manages to tackle me to the ground, my gun flying from my hand and into the underbrush. “Gia, run!” I scream. She immediately follows my order, even as Lorenzo takes off after her.

“You’re going to pay for that bullet, you worthless cunt,” Rafaele spits as he pins me down, slamming his fist into my face. “When I’m done with you, you’re going to wish I killed you.” The punch to the face momentarily stuns me, and it’s just enough for him to haul me to my feet and shove his gun into my face. “When your cousin gets back, I’m going to kill your worthless sister before I take you back to Italy with me. You are going to give me as many sons as I want before I kill you.”

“Fuck you,” I grit out, staring at him defiantly. “I’ll kill myself before I’ll allow you to touch me.”

The smile he gives me is downright sinister. “You can try, but I won’t allow it. No, I’m going to keep you alive for as long as it pleases me. But if you don’t bear me a son, you’ll be useless. You’ll be given to the men to do with as they please.”

“You’re a sick bastard,” I tell him, desperately trying to find a way out of this without ending up dead. I need to get to Gia. “I’m surprised you want anything to do with me considering how often I’ve been fucking Alessio Caruso.”

His eyes flash with such anger I realize I may have said the wrong thing, until I feel the gun pull ever so slightly away from my forehead. “You’re going to pay for that dearly,” he threatens as his hand comes up and wraps around my throat, squeezing. It’s covered in blood, his grip not being as tight as I know it can be, meaning the bullet I shot him with didn’t damage many of the nerves that connect to his hand.

I bring one hand up to the grip he has on my throat, clawing at him, and use my free hand to find one of the knives I hid away in the back pocket of my pants. When I grip the handle, I wait, because I need to time this perfectly.

“I’m going to wipe any memory of that worthless fucker from your mind. And then, when I’m done with you, I’m going to send your body back to him piece by piece, reminding him what I took away from him.”

“He’ll kill you,” I gasp as he tightens his grip a fraction more, cutting off my air.

“He will die,” Rafaele vows. “And with him out of the way, I’ll take out his worthless father and brothers, and take over everything they think they have. Nothing will be left of their line when I’m done. The world will forget about them, and they will forget about you.”

“Big talk for someone who’s never managed to best them before,” I taunt breathlessly. I’m using precious air to talk, but when he leans forward, I know it’s worth it. Just a little more...

Rafaele leans in , his face so close to mine that I can smell his acrid breath. “You—” He lets out a scream of pain when I bring my knife up and shove it deep into his shoulder, directly over the bullet wound. His hand releases my throat and I stumble back, rushing to grab my gun and then taking off into the maze, trying to clear my vision and drag more air into my lungs. I need to get to Gia. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” he roars, the sound echoing around me.

“Gia!” I scream, my voice hoarse and not as loud as I want it. I run, no direction in mind, and just pray I can find some clue to where they are. Then I hear it, Gia’s scream of terror, and I rush toward the sound, cursing that I can’t see through the thick bushes on either side of me. I know they’re deeper into the maze, and I have to get to them fast.

Gia screams again, but then I hear an answering angry bellow that gives me some hope. Gia’s managed to stay alive, and when I hear running up ahead, I realize with elation that she’s managed to get away. “Gia!” I scream again, trying to find her.

“Sienna,” she cries, a sob in her voice. “Where are you?”

I run toward the sound of her voice, taking another corner and coming up to a dead end. “Fuck!” I yell, realizing that I need to go back.

“Sienna,” Gia cries desperately from the other side. “Where are you?”

“I’m in a dead end over here,” I tell her grimly as I hear footsteps coming. “Shit. Gia. You need to find a place to hide. Is there anywhere you can hide that you can see?”

“No,” she gasps out, desperation making her voice tinge toward panic.

“Then you need to keep running,” I order her as the footsteps get closer. “Keep going until you find a place to hide. I’ll find you.”

“But—”

“Go!” I hiss, hearing the steps getting closer. “You can do this. I’ll find you. Now go!”

Gia takes off. I turn and come face to face with Lorenzo, who is sporting a deep slash to his cheek, and a wild look on his face that matches Rafaele. Shit. He gives me a sinister, Joker-esque smile as he walks towards me. I don’t see a weapon in his hand, but I’m not taking any chances. I bring up my gun and I fire at him, but he dodges and lets out a snarl. “Fucking whore. I’m going to kill you.”

“Fuck you, cousin,” I taunt as I continue to fire. But I’m too tired, my body too unsteady to get a good shot other than to graze his arm, making him even more angry. By the time I’m out of bullets, he’s too close for me to get the other magazine from my pocket and reload.

He launches himself at me and we both roll into the bushes, thorns tearing into my skin as I struggle to get him off me. I bring my knee up and manage to catch him in the balls, making him groan in pain and fall backwards. I follow up with a kick to the gut, sending him back, and then I’m scrambling to my feet, jumping over him to rush for the end of the path and back into the maze.

But, of-fucking-course, who is waiting for me but Rafaele, his face contorted with rage as he advances on me, arm hanging limply at his side, my knife still sticking out of him. He doesn’t say anything to me as he advances toward me. The only way to get around him is through him, and that means letting him get close to me again. Damn it.

My heart pounds as I watch him, even as I hear Lorenzo coming after me from the other end. I’m about to be outnumbered, and I need to make a decision on what to do. Considering the state of Rafaele, I pick him, and launch myself at him with a roar.

I hit him hard, sending us both falling and my gun flying again, and he yells in pain when we hit the ground. I’m moving before he can recover, and smash my fist into his face before I rush to get to my feet, my hand hurting and my body starting to get sluggish with exhaustion. Fatigue is the very last thing I can afford right now. Fuck!

I manage to get off of him, but I throw myself to the ground again when a bullet comes flying past my head. The heat of it sears the air, and my ears ring as I try to get myself back to my feet. But then Lorenzo’s face is over mine, and he’s reaching for me. I thrash my arm out, but it’s weak and nowhere near where I need it to land, my equilibrium off kilter.

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