Page 43 of Contracted

“Yeah, well, I’d say thank you, but it looks as though we’re at a bit of a standstill,” he said with a crooked smirk.

My arm twitched ever so slightly. “Let Delilah go and we’ll forget this...incident ever happened.”

Connor looked around him. “I might have considered that option if there weren’t a whole lot more dead people on my side of the fence than yours.” He stared at Delilah with a twisted grin before looking my way once again. “It seems you owe me at least one life.”

Sweat beaded my brow even as chills slid down my spine. “We don’t owe you anything. You took my girl; we shot some of your men. We’re even now.”

Connor spat on the ground. “Your whore isn’t worth one of my men let alone a dozen.”

I sensed my brothers’ gazes on me. But then, they knew me better than anyone. Knew I was a coldblooded killer at the best of times. It probably scared them to see me care so much for anyone besides my family. They didn’t know what to expect from this side of my character.

Not even I knew how far I’d go to save her life.

I was only thankful Evander wasn’t using his underboss title to take away my decision making. He’d experienced love and knew this fucked-up scenario was personal for me. I had nothing but instinct to act on now.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I said, my voice ringing out loud and clear. “She’s worth more than any of you.” I stood and dropped my gun, my hands raised. “She’s definitely worth more than me.” I’d acknowledged long ago I deserved a death sentence. It was finally time to pay my penance. “Let her go. Take me instead.”

Alessandro’s breath hissed. “What the fuck, Serafino?”

I was distantly aware of Evander and Valentino echoing his words before all my focus centered on Delilah.

She gaped. “Serafino, no! Don’t you dare give yourself up, not for me, not for anyone.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Connor growled, “or I’ll put a bullet in your head right now.”

“Then do it,” she said.

I slowed and sucked in a breath. Was she crazy? I was trying to save her ass and she was ready to die.

“Tempting,” Connor mused. “But your lover is worth more to me.”

I stopped at the fence, though all I wanted was to vault over it and drag her away from the sick fuck holding her. “I’ll climb over once you’ve let her go.” I narrowed my eyes. “If even one shot goes off, you’ll be the first one my brothers will shoot.”

“Not before you and your whore are shot dead.”

He shoved Delilah away and she cried out as she stumbled, limping heavily. I held her gaze. “Take off your shoes, then climb the fence.”

She shook her head. “No, I-I can’t do that. I can’t let you die.”

“And I can’t let you die.” I held her stricken gaze. “I’ve done a lot of bad things, if anyone deserves this, it’s me.”

A tear trickled down her cheek. “Don’t talk like that.”

My heart broke at what I understood was her emotional farewell. But I had to stay strong and distance myself. “I need you to climb the fence, little firebird.”

She lifted her chin, her eyes suddenly glinting and her shoulders back as she refuted, “And I need you alive and well.”

My eyes widened as she whirled around then stamped her uninjured foot hard onto Connor’s nearest foot. Her boot heel went straight through his shoe and into his flesh and he shrieked bloody murder before he swung his fist at her.

She ducked, grasped his wildly waving gun then snatched it free. Yanking her heel out of his foot, she stepped behind him and held the muzzle of the gun to his head. “Surprise, mother fucker.”

His shrieks quickly died off, his face red and blotchy as he snarled, “You’re going to pay for that bitch.”

She pressed the muzzle harder against his brow. “Tell your men to drop their guns or watch their don’s brains get blown all over the yard.”

He scoffed. “You wouldn’t—“

“Try me,” she said quietly, but with such conviction in her voice he became subdued, compliant.

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