Page 62 of His Dark Vendetta

I pulled out my gun and darted forward, taking aim. The cops ducked behind the car. I fired four rounds and blew out their front tires. I took cover behind the semi-trailer’s rear door just in time. The cops fired back, and the hail of bullets struck metal.

Another round of gunfire rang out through the night. Dom. He stood at the front of the fake U-Haul behind the cab, taking shots and giving the cops another target.

I peeked around the door. The cops from the first car crouched behind the front and rear bumpers. At the other end of the semi, Mikey jumped out of the van and sprinted toward us. The cops in the second car flung open their doors.

I broke my cover and fired two rounds at the first car, letting them know I hadn’t forgotten about them, then took four shots at the second car, trying to buy Mikey time.

Lightning flashed overhead. It illuminated the scene and a horrifying twist of fate. Mikey lost his footing on the slick pavement and careened forward. He landed flat on his stomach, his left arm bent at an unnatural angle.

A bullet whizzed past my head. I darted behind the trailer door, my blood pounding in my ears loud enough to drown out the rain.

They’re taking head shots.

My chest heaved. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing.

I’m not dying here. I can’t leave?—

“Got it!” Leo shouted. My eyes snapped open, and Leo raised the box truck’s gate.

We needed to get the fuck out of there. “Dom! Cover me!”

The gunfire picked up from behind the front of the fake U-Haul. I dashed forward.

Guns cracked. Bullets flew. I raised my piece and got off another couple rounds before yanking the passenger-side door open and launching myself into the front seat. Dom stood at the corner of the cab, relying on the angle to protect him. But as I rolled down the window to give Mikey cover, one of the cops from the first car popped up from behind the rear bumper and fired.

The first bullet hit Dom in the stomach and went clear through. It knocked him back, and as he reeled, a second bullet hit his left shoulder.

“Argh!” he screamed and stumbled behind the cab.

“Get in!” I shouted and fired back. The cop ducked behind the rear bumper.

The driver’s side door opened. I aimed my gun at the second cop car, and my stomach bottomed out.

Mikey flailed on the ground beneath the assault of the two cops from the second car. One tried to pin him with a knee in his back. He failed, no match for Mikey’s strength. Mikey pushed himself up, but the second cop brought up his gun and pointed it at Mikey’s chest.

“Fuck!”

Mikey was done. He knew better than to take a bullet point blank. He’d survive, but our secret wouldn’t, and no soldati demoni del sangue would ever betray our truth.

“Get us out of here, Dom. Now!”

The engine rumbled to life, and with one hand, Dom threw the truck into gear. He grabbed the steering wheel and slammed on the accelerator. I fired round after round as we sped away, making sure they didn’t take out our tires. I stopped once we were out of range, rolled up the window, and watched Mikey grow smaller in the passenger-side mirror.

“Cazzo!”

Dom took a hard turn and groaned. He was covered in blood, the entire front of his shirt soaked through, made worse by the rain. His breath came in short pants, and his face was pale and drawn.

“Can you make it to the Pike?”

“Yeah,” he ground out between gritted teeth.

“Do it. Then take the first exit. I’ll drive.”

He gave me a quick nod and let go of the wheel long enough to push the soaked hair off his forehead and out of his eyes.

I took out my cell phone. “Come on,” I muttered under my breath. “Pick up.”

“Yeah?” Vito’s gruff voice came across the line after the fourth ring.Thank fuck.

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