Page 98 of Coerced Wife

“Get out, Sav!” I slam my fists on his chest. “Move! Now!”

A flower arrangement explodes next to us, petals and stems flying everywhere before raining down on the carpet runner.

I reach for Saverio’s hands that are locked behind my waist, needing to pull him to the side door, but he only tightens his steel grip, caging me in between his arms and the solid wall of his battered body.

“Grenade,” someone yells.

I stop trying to break his iron hold and look over his shoulder. A black, elongated shape rolls down the aisle.

Dear God.

Dante is right there. He kicks the grenade toward an alcove before diving behind the communion table.

We go down to the floor, my stomach bottoming out as the earth gives way under my feet. Somehow, Saverio manages to catch my body and cushion my head with his big hands to soften the fall. He lies over me, holding his weight on his arms, and stares at my face as if it’s the last time he’ll see it.

An explosion rocks the side of the church.

Saverio grunts.

“Sav,” I sob, hysteria taking over.

He frames my face between his palms and forces me to look at him, smiling through the pain that’s etched on his beautiful features. “Listen to me,tesoro.”

I hold him to me and fist my hands in his jacket at his back. My fingers brush over torn fabric and sticky wetness.

Fighting him again, I say, “No!” We have to get out of here.

“Anya, listen.”

His soft tone makes me pause. I blink to clear the tears that blur my vision.

He brushes them away with his thumbs. “You’re going to be an amazing mother.”

“No!” I cry through the sobs racking my chest.

“You’re going to see your son grow up into a man you’ll be proud of.”

“Saverio, please!”

“You’re going to find a man, agoodman, and you’re going to have plenty more babies.”

“Stop,” I beg. “Please, stop.”

He wipes strands of hair from my forehead with a tender caress. “You’re going to get old and have a full and happy life.”

I place a palm on his cheek, willing him to be quiet.

“Remember what I told you about the money and the key in the safe.”

“You will not sacrifice yourself, do you hear me?” I push with renewed vigor on his chest. “Get up. Get up, damn you!”

The shots go quiet. Maybe we’re lucky. Maybe they left.

“Take cover!” someone shouts. “Grenade!”

Too late.

The unspoken knowledge passes between us as the seconds tick, tick, tick.

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