Page 154 of The Underboss's Secret Twins
Sofia is shouting—I hear her voice, frantic, calling my name.
I twist beneath him, straining, fighting against the weight pressing down on me. Vittorio’s grip tightens, his fingers digging deeper into my throat, determined to crush the life out of me before he dies himself.
But he made one mistake.
He focused too much on strangling me.
And not on my hands.
I shove one arm between us, just enough to snap my elbow up into his jaw.
His head jerks back, his teeth clacking together hard enough to draw blood.
His grip loosens—just for a second.
It’s all I need.
I throw my weight forward, flipping him onto his back. His skull slams against the floor with a sickening crack. His groanis cut short as I snatch my gun from the ground and press the muzzle against his temple.
His chest heaves, eyes unfocused, blood seeping from his split lip.
For the first time, Vittorio looks afraid.
His jaw clenches, his breath rattling between us. But the sneer never fully leaves his face.
"You think this is over?" he spits. Blood dribbles down his chin, his body twitching beneath me. "Even if I die, you?—"
"Shut up."
I pull the trigger.
The gunshot shatters the room.
Vittorio’s body goes still.
His head slumps back, lifeless. The shadows in his eyes fade into nothing.
I don’t look away. Not as the blood pools beneath him. Not as the last breath leaks from his lips.
Vittorio Lombardi is dead.
And now—we have to get out of here.
I turn sharply toward Sofia.
She’s staring at me, wide-eyed, her chest rising and falling fast. The glow of the remaining detonator flickers against her skin, reflecting in her dark, glassy eyes.
"Can you finish disarming it?" I ask. My voice is hoarse, raw.
She swallows hard, nods once, then pushes herself to her knees, moving fast.
I exhale sharply, running a hand down my face. My throat is sore, my head pounding, but we’re still alive.
40
SOFIA
My hands tremble as I yank the final wire free.
