Page 54 of King

The weight of the Glock is reassuring in my hands. I’ve never shot a gun before. But I’ve seen enough to know it’s pretty simple. As long as the safety is off - you just point and shoot.

I stay low and hidden, creeping into the living room. The security team is making quick work of the intruders.

Giovanni spins towards a shadow, taking aim and firing two shots. A man falls, but behind him another man moves from a hidden corner.

I stand up, scream Giovanni’s name and fire four shots in quick succession. The gun jolts in my hand and I fight to keep it steady.

The intruder drops to the ground. Giovanni spins towards me with his gun aimed high, then realizes it’s me. His eyes go wide, and he bolts towards me.

“You were supposed to stay upstairs.” He snarls.

“She just took out the last guy.” Fabio eyes me and instantly I feel very exposed. I grab the edges of Giovanni’s shirt and pull them tighter around my body.

Fabio still doesn’t look away. He doesn’t look impressed.

Surely he should be grateful that I just stopped Giovanni from getting shot.

Everyone gathers in the kitchen while the security teams clears up the carnage left behind by the intruders.

The coffee machine is on we’re all tense, adrenaline still rushing, and nerves frayed.

Giovanni walks in, his eyes drifting over me. I’ve buttoned his shirt up and it’s longer than most of my dresses, but he still seems unable to take his eyes off me.

“The house is clear.” He confirms, picking up a cup of coffee and taking a sip.

“What happened?” Santino demands, his arms folded across his chest.

Dante and Guido are sitting on the edge of the counter, quiet, watching everything unfold.

“We don’t know yet.” Fabio answers.

“It was her.” Santino glares at me. “She was way too calm. Way too confident the entire time. It was so fucking obviously her.”

“Santino—” Giovanni says.

“Stop being so fucking blind, dad. She’s right here - in our house. She probably unlocked the door for them. How else would they have gotten inside with all this security around?”

His eyes are on me like a hunter tracking its prey. I press my lips together. No matter what I say right now - it will sound wrong. I can tell him it wasn’t me - beg him to see reason - but it would sound desperate and fake. I could get angry, but I would sound too defensive.

I fold my arms across my chest, angry to be the one under attack when I am the one who did whatever I could to keep them safe.

Giovanni walks over to Santino and puts his hand on his shoulder. His back is turned to me so I can’t hear what he’s saying. He keeps his voice low.

Santino nods, sulking, still glaring at me.

When Giovanni turns to face the rest of us again, he sighs heavily and says, “I will get to the bottom of this. I promise you, no matter who is responsible for betraying the safety of this family - I will figure it out.”

His eyes are locked onto me as he spells each word out.

My chest tightens as I fight the urge to defend myself.

If he is so determined to find out the truth - then he’ll find it - and he’ll learn I had nothing to do with this.

I have to let things happen how they need to happen. Nothing I say will change anything. He needs to find out for himself.

So does everyone else by the looks of things.

Slowly, everyone leaves and goes back to bed to try to find some sleep in the last few hours of the night.

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