Page 27 of Promise Never

“Where’s Zeno?” I grind through clenched teeth,pressing the weapon at the back of his head.

A second man catches me by surprise by shoving thedoor at my side and knocking me against the sink.

The impact loosens my grip on the gun.

It falls to the floor.

Fuck. I forgot about backup.

“Get her,” one of the men grunts, and the otherrushes for me.

I jump up and knee him in the stomach as hard aspossible.

“Oomph!” The moment he hurls over, I slam his faceon the counter.

Blood gusts from his mouth.

“Bitch!” the other goon snarls as his unconsciouspartner slithers to the ground.

He grabs for me.

I land a right hook and attempt to knee hiscrotch.

Blocking the attack, he backhands me across theface. It leaves me so dazzled that stars dance in my vision.

“Ugh!” I grunt as he clutches my neck with bothhands and squeezes, cutting off my circulation.

“Zenomandaisuoisaluti,”he growls in my face.

I claw at his hands while fighting for air.

Panic starts to erase my months of vigorous combattraining.

“Get…off me….”

This is it. I’m going to die here.

The door swings open.

Relief floods me when Alessandro dashes into thebathroom, shooting my attacker in his head with his silencer.

Runiand moreguards appear, guns out.

“Cristo.” Alessandro grasps my arm, helping mesteady on my feet. “Are youallright?”

My throat’s throbbing. I cough and struggle tobreathe normally.

“Look at me.” He cradles my face, eyes full ofworry as he searches mine. “Tiana?”

“I’m fine,” I croak out and writhe away, snatchingmy gun from the floor.

The woman inside the stall is whimpering anduttering soft Italian words like prayers.

“Let’s go,”Runiurges.

We peel out of the bathroom.

The second we turn the corner, men emerge and openfire, hitting Alessandro’s guards that are in front.

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