Page 73 of Beautiful Enemy

He jumps out of the car and runs over to us. “What happened?”

“He got stabbed. He needs help.”

Matteo eyes me like he doesn’t even recognize me before lifting Dante up and helping him to the car. I’m almost there when the guard grabs me around the waist.

My scream alerts Matteo and he comes running back over.

“Let her go.” Matteo punches the guard in the face and then I’m free. The guard falls right to the ground, unconscious. Matteo looks between me and Dante, now in the car. “You’re free, Nadia. I have to go take care of Dante.”

“I need to know that he’ll be ok.”

“Why do you care?”

“I just do,” I answer honestly. “I’m coming with.”

To say Matteo looks surprised is an understatement. “I won’t kidnap you. I have to get Dante to safety. You’re free. Return to your sister.”

“That’s what I want more in this world but I need to know that Dante will be ok. I don’t want a war between him and Erik. I need to convince him to end it before anyone else gets hurt.”

“Don’t be naïve. Leave now.”

“No. I’m coming.” I get into the backseat of the car beside Dante, who looks like he’s on the brink of death.

After shaking his head, Matteo gets in and drives away from the museum. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I really don’t. I’m just trusting my instinct.

Matteo slams on his breaks as a man jumps in front of the car. It’s Erik. He raises a gun and points it right at Matteo.

“Let her go,” Erik warns.

“Nadia, get out,” Matteo says. “Or I’m going to have to run him over. I need to save Dante.”

I clutch the back of his seat. “You can’t. Just drive around him.”

With an exasperated sound, Matteo revs his engine and drives forward. Erik jumps out of the way at the last moment. He sees me in the backseat and pounds on the window.

“Nadia!”

I wish I could put Erik at ease. I wish I could return to Anya. But I know now: I have to stop this war.

I might be the only one who can get through to Dante.

So, I have no choice but to watch Erik’s eyes grow wide as Matteo drives away with me in the car.

Chapter Thirteen

Dante

The pain in my side has gone numb which I know means I’m fucked. I’ve already lost a lot of blood and I keep losing more. If Matteo doesn’t hurry up and get me to a fucking doctor, I’m screwed.

The part that confuses me is why is Nadia still beside me? Why didn’t she leave?

She had multiple chances to go. Yet, she didn’t.

I can feel her beside me but I can’t open my eyes to look at her face, to understand what she’s thinking. Why she made the decision she made.

“Drive faster,” she says to Matteo. Is that worry in her voice? Worry that I’m going to die?

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