Page 159 of Ruthless Sinner

Most of Igor’s men are down, so I leave Virgo and his guys to take care of the rest.

I run toward Serenity, and she grabs hold of me.

“Oh God, Dante!” She’s crying, in hysterics, trying to pull the bomb vest off herself.

“Don’t worry, baby. Stay calm.” I hold her shoulders and check the timer. We have fifty-one seconds to diffuse the bomb.

I lift the Velcro strap on her chest hiding the wiring and assess what’s there. I realize I don’t have a fucking clue which wire to pull—the red, yellow, white, or blue.

Forty seconds now.

I look around frantically until my gaze lands on the waterfall. The only viable idea comes to me, so I pull out my knife and slash the vest off her chest, then I grab her, pulling her to stand.

“Virgo, get your men out! The bomb’s going to blow! You have twenty-five seconds!”

“I hear you!” he answers.

“Dante—” I cut Serenity off by picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder.

Then I run, carrying her.

When we reach the edge of the garden where the waterfall flows, I jump down into the river, taking the leap seconds before the bomb goes off.

As we fall down the thirty-foot drop and plunge deep into the water, I hold her tight, so the river’s current doesn’t pull her away from me.

We seem to go down forever until the momentum stops and I can swim back up.

She clings to me as I propel us back up to the surface, then we break through gasping for air.

Jesus. We made it.

We actually made it.

Serenity grabs my neck, and we stare at each other, then she looks up to where we jumped down from, and a wealth of sadness fills her eyes.

Tears stream down her cheeks. I don’t have to ask her what she’s crying for.

It’s her father.

I pull her close and allow her to cry.

“Dante… he…” Her voice cuts, and she breaks down.

“I got you. I got you, baby.”

ChapterForty-Six

Serenity

Two weeks later…

Some people will tell you miracles don’t exist anymore. Others say you have to keep your eyes or your mind open to see them.

Whichever the reasoning, I know I was handed a bunch of miracles weeks ago when disaster struck and it felt like judgment day.

I want to believe that Mom protected me with her angel wings again, like she did before. And granted me another chance at life.

Dante saved me, and maybe, just maybe, Mom saved Dad for me, too.

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