Page 108 of The Devil's Pawn

Suddenly, madness ensues all over again. The sound of gunfire, the grunts, things cracking and breaking from the fighting.

The weapon in my hand rattles as I pull air into my lungs, steadying the fear and swallowing it away as the tears fall. Unending misery that I no longer want to feel.

Leave us alone!I shout within my head as my exhales huff out, fear replaced with rage.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I stand up, my body soaked in fury as I come out of hiding, no longer worried about dying. I just want to hurt my uncles. I want them dead, once and for all.

I draw my pistol up inch by inch as my feet move. I see Uncle Benvolio first, fighting with one of Dom’s men. Dante is on the far right, his weapon pointing at someone. He doesn’t see me yet. A heap of dead bodies lies on the ground.

No one notices me as I slowly creep toward my uncle.

No one sees my gun as it points at him.

No one pays attention.

Not until I pull the trigger.

Not until my uncle falls, the back of his head marred with a bullet hole I put there.

Everyone around me stops fighting, as though caught in a trance.

“Raquel?” Dante calls. “Give me the gun, baby.”

He walks toward me slowly as I stare at my dead uncle.

The one I killed.

I killed someone.

Oh my God.

I realize I’m the one in a trance now. The gun is still extended as I blink rapidly and my mind comes to focus. Finally turning toward Dante, I find the worry in his eyes as he gently grabs my wrist, lowering it to the ground before taking the gun from me.

“Come on. I’m taking you inside.” He places an arm under my thighs and lifts me up, cradling me close against his body.

I peer over my shoulder at the death I caused. My heartbeats quicken to a wayward pace.

“I…I’m sorry. I was so angry, and—”

“Hey. It’s okay, baby.” His arms tighten around me. “You did nothing wrong.”

Tears fall from my eyes as the hurt, the realization of what I did, crashes into me. I’m a doctor. I save people. I don’t kill them.

We make it inside Dom’s home, which is filled with more men. Too many to count.

“You’re going to stay here with them while I help clean up the yard, okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” My voice shudders right along with my hands as he lowers me to the ground.

“Take care of her,” he tells his men before his eyes are level to mine and a hand clasps around the side of my face. “Everything’s going to be okay. Chiara will be fine. This will be over soon. I swear.”

He leaves a quick kiss on my lips.

“You don’t know that,” I cry. “I need to see her. Did Dom take her to the hospital?”

“Yeah. I’ll take you as soon as I’m done here. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Please don’t get hurt,” I beg.