Page 80 of The Shadow King's Brother

“Say another word,” I grit out, “and I swear I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.”

Eddie grins, lazy and unbothered. “Now there’s the fire. But let’s be real—if you were gonna do it, you’d have pulled the trigger already. You’re scared she’ll die. She’s your weakness.”

He lifts the phone, thumb hovering. “And I can still press that button.”

Behind me, I feel Nica stir. Her fingers twitch weakly against my chest.

Damn right she’s my weakness.

I don’t have a choice.

I don’t want a choice anymore.

I love her—with every jagged, broken piece of my goddamn black heart.

Gently, I lower her behind an overturned metal crate, brushing a hand over her face.

“Stay down, my love,” I whisper. “This is going to get ugly.”

Then I rise. Gun raised.

The first shot echoes through the hallway, deafening. My bullet rips through the closest man's chest. He crumples before he even gets a shot off.

The second guy fires, and I duck behind the crate just in time. The impact sends a searing pain through my already wounded shoulder.

"Shit," I hiss, the pain tearing through me like fire. It's unbearable.

But I can't give up. I can't hesitate. What did Papa teach me about this? Hesitate, and you die.

I spot him—the second man. His stance is sloppy and too exposed, which works to my advantage.

I bite down on the burning ache, grit my teeth, and force myself to push up. The world tilts, but I steady myself, locking in. My gun feels like an extension of my arm, instinct taking over.

One shot. I squeeze the trigger.

The bullet slams into his skull, and he drops without a sound.

Two down.

"I told you you'll die today," I groan.

"Fuck off, Elio De Luca," Eddie spits, but his voice it's cracking.

He's scared. I have to use this momentum.

I force my body to move despite the burning pain. With a grunt, I lunge forward, my legs unsteady. Eddie's eyes snap toward me, and I hear the sound of a gunshot as he fires towards me. The bullet rips through the air, and I duck, just barely missing it as it whizzes over my head.

I'm closer now, and there's no turning back.

I rise from my crouch and take the shot—focusing on Eddie's chest. The bullet strikes his side with a sickening thud.

My aim is off by a few inches, but he's hit.

Eddie stumbles back, clutching his bleeding side. His face twists in pain, but then, that sick fucking smirk spreads across his lips.

"Still too slow, De Luca," he croaks, grabbing his phone off the floor. "And now, no one will have her."

A warning alarm blares in my head.

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