Page 84 of Omega in Hiding

“No,” Valentino shouts from somewhere up above us. “Wouldn’t it be a bigger coup to kill me instead?”

Seamus laughs. “Obviously. You offering to take your brother’s place?”

“Why not?” A few feet away, Valentino drops down from the rafters. He has his rifle slung over his shoulder, and he looks almost nonchalant as he strides toward us. I’m in awe of my brother as he approaches. He’s fearless. He’s a true badass. All I’ve done so far is manage to get myself taken hostage.

“Valentino, don’t you dare take my place,” I rasp, voice wobbling. “He’ll kill you.”

He ignores me and continues walking toward us.

Where the fuck is Dario?

Seamus presses the gun harder against my head, and whispers into my ear, “Sorry, kid. This is for Pat.” In an instant, I know he’s going to pull the trigger. He wants to murder me in front of Valentino. He even doesn’t care if he dies. He just wants to destroy Valentino by killing me. My heart aches as images of Connor flash through my mind.

I don’t want to die. I want to live and be with Connor and our baby.

Pure instinct drives me as I drop to my haunches, and slam my elbow into Seamus’s knee. I hit him so hard, his leg bends backward, and he screams in pain. I fall onto my back and I fire up at him, striking him under the chin. Blood, bone, and teeth hit me, and grit my teeth, trying not to puke. The carnage makes it clear there’s no doubt Seamus is dead. The trajectory of the bullet was through the jaw into the brain.

Dario reaches me within seconds. He was behind me the whole time, but I didn’t know it. Valentino is suddenly there too and he looks horrified. It’s obvious he thinks for a moment that I was shot. Valentino grabs me and hugs me hard. I’m trembling and in shock as I try not to look at Seamus’s body.

Dario pats my back, his dark eyes concerned. “You’re okay, Paolo. I was gonna take him out if he tried anything.”

“He was going to pull the trigger,” I mumble. I tell them what Seamus said to me and they exchange a look.

“Fucking Irish,” Valentino growls. “Can’t even make a clean exchange of hostages.”

“Well, you did murder his son,” Dario says quietly. “Obviously, he was pissed.”

“Whatever.” Valentino slaps my cheek. “You good, Paolo? We should clear out.”

I nod. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” Dario squints at me. “If you’re gonna puke, wait till we’re away from here. Don’t want to leave any DNA on scene.”

I clench my teeth. “I’m not gonna puke.”

Valentino puts his arm around my shoulder. “But if youweregonna puke, it’s okay. Nothing to be ashamed of. You just have to let us know.”

“I’m not gonnapuke,” I growl.

Valentino lifts his brows. “If you say so.” He turns to Dario. “Did you plant the guns?”

“Obviously.” Dario chuffs.

“What guns?” I ask, letting Valentino lead me out of the warehouse.

Dario shrugs. “We’re making it look like Irish infighting. We want it to end here. If they’re fighting each other, they’re not fighting us.”

“You did good, Paolo. I’m proud of you,” Valentino says to me, letting go of me to open the car door.

“Yeah.” Dario climbs in the front passenger seat. “I didn’t expect you to take out the old man. I gotta be honest.”

“Right through the jaw into the brain. Beautiful shot, brother.” Valentino laughs.

I’m about to get in the back seat but I turn around as my stomach heaves at the memory of shooting Seamus. “Fuck. I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Shit.” Dario scrambles out of the front seat and yanks off his jacket.

He thrusts it under me just as I bend over and hurl. I retch for a few minutes, trying to forget what I saw in that building. Valentino offers me a bottle of water once I’m done, and Dario puts his desecrated jacket in the trunk.

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