Page 58 of Bound to the Enforcer

Alessio runs toward me, his face filled with rage and fear. "Don't you dare, Sophia. Don't you dare make me carry you out of here."

But I don't have the strength to argue.

"Get them out," I whisper again, and he nods, his face hard as he turns back toward the van.

I stumble after him, my legs shaking, but I'm not going to let this stop me. Not now. Not after everything.

The kids are already in the van, and Alessio jumps in behind them, urging them to stay low, to stay quiet. Matteo's in the driver's seat, his face grim, his hands tight on the wheel.

"We're not done yet," I say hoarse, but there's a fire in it. "Get us out of here. Now."

And with that, Matteo starts the engine, and we race off into the night, leaving the chaos behind us—but the danger still ahead.

The van lurches forward, its tires screeching as we tear down the darkened roads, the city lights flickering in the rearview mirror. The explosion still echoes in my ears, the adrenaline slowly beginning to fade, leaving behind the sharp sting in my side. I'm losing blood, but I refuse to let it slow me down. Not when we've come this far.

The kids are quiet in the back, huddled together, their faces pale, eyes wide with fear and confusion. They've been through hell, and we're their only way out.

I turn toward them, forcing a smile I don't feel. "You're safe now," I say softly, trying to reassure them. They don't speak, but I can see the tiny sparks of hope in their eyes. They're still alive.

But it's not over.

I glance at Alessio, who's sitting beside me, his expression hard, his eyes scanning the road ahead. His hand rests on the gun at his side, ready for whatever comes next. He doesn't say anything, but I can feel the weight of his worry pressing against me. He's still furious with Matteo, and I can't blame him. I should be, too.

"Where are we going?" I inquire, though I try to sound steady.

"The safe house," Matteo answers from the front, his eyes flicking toward me in the mirror. "We'll get you patched up there."

I shake my head slightly, ignoring the sharp pain in my side as I sit up straighter. "We need to get them somewhere safe first. There's no time to waste."

"They're safe," Matteo insists. "This is the safest place we have right now. We need to regroup, and you need medical attention."

I don't argue, but I can feel the cold sweat starting to stick to my skin. My breath is shallow, the pain making everything seem far away, but I hold it together. I have to.

As we pull into a small, hidden alleyway behind the safe house, the engine cuts, and for a moment, everything is silent. The only sound is the pounding of my heart in my ears.

Alessio's already out of the van before it even stops. He's scanning the area, making sure we're not followed.

"Get the kids inside," I say to Matteo, though I can barely find my strength. I look at him, my vision blurring at the edges. "Now."

Matteo nods, his face tense as he opens the door and ushers the kids out quickly. They follow him, their small figures vanishing into the shadows of the building.

I start to get out, but the world tilts, and for a second, my legs betray me. My vision fades to gray.

Alessio's there, his hand on my arm, steadying me as I stumble. "Sophia, what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm fine," I rasp, trying to shake off the dizziness, but my body doesn't obey. The wound is worse than I let on.

"No, you're not," he growls, his grip tightening as he pulls me against him. "You're going inside, and you're sitting down, whether you like it or not."

I want to argue. I want to keep moving. But I can't. My vision blurs again, and I'm starting to lose the battle with my body.

Alessio doesn't give me a chance to fight him. He lifts me effortlessly, carrying me toward the door.

"I can walk," I protest weakly, but he's not listening.

"You're not walking anywhere," he mutters as he pushes open the door to the safe house.

The inside is dark, cold, and quiet—too quiet for my liking. Alessio doesn't stop until we're in one of the small bedrooms, and he gently sets me down on the bed.

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