Page 127 of Paid In Full

“I had to get his attention off of you after he hit you with that fucking gun. Better for it to be aimed at me.”

My heart faltered. “We have to hurry up. If they come back, they will hurt you.” Blood pounded in my ears, battling with my erratic breaths as I tried to hurry. My stupid fingers were numb and kept slipping.

“Run, kid. I can get out by myself.”

“Fuck no.”

The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. They were coming back. Shit, shit.

“Ash, I said leave.”

“Shut the fuck up for once, Gin. I’m not leaving you, ever!” I yanked the knot out. A cry of relief left me, but it was short-lived as the door opened.

Giancarlo rolled out of the chair and threw it at the men. Weston screamed and fell back. The other three dodged the chair.

“Move it, Ash.”

I scrambled up and moved with him. Giancarlo snatched up the gun as we headed for another door. We slipped past a room and then another. Lumber and construction equipment was scattered everywhere.

“They all seemed shocked Able had a gun on him, going to use that to my advantage. While I take care of them, I need you to get out of here.”

“No.”

“Ash, I’m not asking.”

“And I don’t belong to you anymore. Remember? You tossed your money at me.” It hurt worse than being beaten to remember the way Gin threw me out.

He groaned. “Ash, about that.”

“I don’t want to hear it right now.”

Giancarlo’s big hand covered my mouth. I glared up at him, but his gaze was focused on the entrance of the room. Sweat coated my forehead as the tense seconds ticked by.

A foot came into view before one of Abel’s guys appeared before us. Giancarlo sprung up and moved around him without making a sound. He was silent, a predator waiting to grab his kill. The entire time we’d lived together, I’d only ever known Giancarlo to be loud and scary. However, this side of him was far more terrifying.

The man’s eyes landed on me. “There you are. You little bitch.” He lunged, but his hands fell short as Giancarlo slammed him down to the ground.

“Mine!”

Giancarlo’s fists cut through the air. The sound of flesh colliding together was sickening, added to the wet sound of blood gushing out. Giancarlo grabbed the guy’s head and smashed it into the floor repeatedly. A puddle of blood grew as Gin slammed it down one more time. Blood splashed up, a few warm droplets splattered on my face.

“Gin.”

His head whipped around. A wild beast stared back at me, blood splattered all over his face, his teeth bared. I didn’t look at the lifeless body under Gin or acknowledge the blood under my hands and knees as I moved toward him. I cupped his face.

“He’s dead. You can stop. It’s okay.” For the first time, I truly felt like it would be. As long as I had Giancarlo, things would get better.

A visible shudder worked over Giancarlo. He grabbed my blood-covered hand and pulled me along as we moved from one room to the next. Shouts reached our ears as the guys looked for us.

“Find him yet?”

“No!”

“Get them! I don’t give a fuck what you have to do. That fucker dies. You can kill his whore too.”Able woke up.

We moved behind a large pile of cement bags. Thank goodness the basement was pretty much done. The walls gave us more cover as we moved about.

Giancarlo glanced over at me. “Told you to run.”

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