Page 37 of Silent Night with Massimo

"How many did you count?" I ask, trying to catch my breath.

"Seventeen."

I nod. "Fuck."

"Yeah. We are a little outnumbered."

Elio laughs and Adrian grabs him by the hair and slams his face against the side of the container. The sound of it echoes around us.

Elio chokes out a cry of pain.

Gunshots erupt, slamming into the ground just next to the container and we crouch lower.

Adrian leans around the side of the container and fires two shots into the dark night.

Someone screams and there is a thud as a body hits the floor.

"Sixteen," Adrian says with a smirk.

"Behind the container." Someone shouts, and we hear them running for us.

"Go, go, go," Adrian shouts, pushing me in the opposite direction. I stumble, but I'm up and running quickly, pulling my brother with me.

Neither of us has a chance to worry about Elio and he remains ducked behind the container. They will probably shoot him anyway. Right now, I am more worried about keeping my brother alive than the dead weight of that traitor.

We rush to the side of the warehouse and down an alleyway and I hear Elio shouting over the shower of bullets.

"It's me, don't fucking shoot. It's Elio."

My throat tightens. That fucker even knows the guards here? Was he really that deep in with the Vitale clan that he even knew their guards? Has he been here - at this place that many times? That means he has met my son. That asshole has met my son. He has looked me in the eyes - knowing who my son is.

My breathing is catching in my throat and my heart is racing so fast I feel dizzy from it. I can't seem to see straight through the blind rage that is flooding me.

"Hey, focus," Adrian shouts into my face. "You've been shot."

I look down at myself. Blood is oozing from a hole in my thigh. I don't even know when I got shot. I don't know when it happened.

"It must have been the reason you stumbled at the container. They must have got you then." He says, moving closer to me.

Adrian pulls his tie off and wraps it tightly around my leg. "You need to stay still to keep the bleeding down."

"I can't. I need to get my son." I reply.

"Massimo. For fuck's sake - you've been shot."

"And - look - you stopped the bleeding." I gesture over the tie, knotted so tightly that I don't think that blood is flowing into myleg at all anymore.

"Fucking Elio. I can't believe this is happening." Adrian says in frustration.

"I should have killed him." I snarl.

"We will." Adrian promises, "Let's just get out of here alive first."

"Let's get out alive and find my son." I sigh.

We both look towards the dead end.

Adrian pulls his mouth tight, not knowing what to say.

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