Page 132 of Blue Blood

Scared, helpless.

Her heart breaking.

His eyes were so tired, the once gleaming black eyes now dulled. Defeated.

She had done this. She had summoned him here to Pittsburgh, unwittingly luring him to his death, and then left him alone. It was all her fault.

And yet, he looked at her now, despite all that had transpired, as if she was everything to him.

Memorizing her features.

As if it were a goodbye.

Ana clutched her throat, feeling his gaze choke her.

He had always regarded her that way, from the very start–though she hadn’t realized it then.

Back when he’d discovered her hiding in a corner during Gabi and Tony’s betrothal, he hadn’t seen her as a poor cousin or a castoff. He’d seen her…as his queen.

Go.

His lips moved.

“No!” Ana wrenched out of his grip and crawled forward until she was in front of him, covering him.

She felt him try to shove her aside, but his muscles had lost all power. His breaths came in angry, wheezing puffs from behind her.

Meeting her aunt’s eyes, Ana raised her chin. “I’m not leaving. If you want him, you’ll have to kill me first.”

One of the guards raised his gun.

Auntie’s hand flung out wildly as she stared down at her, incredulous. “Don’t throw away your life for him, Ana,” she warned sharply. “I will give you a fresh start. A happier one. I guarantee it.”

She couldn’t.

Anything else would always pale in comparison to the precious few months she’d shared with Gio. It would be an unending nightmare without respite.

Feeling his hands twist in the back of her dress–pleading with her or holding her, she didn’t know. But there was nowhere else she would rather be than here in his embrace.

Closing her eyes, Ana held her breath, waiting for the gunshot. Praying that it would be painless.

Crackle.

Hiss.

“Someone’s here.”

A disembodied voice echoed through the room.

Chills ran up her spine.

When Ana’s eyes blinked open, she saw a guard picking up a walkie-talkie. He began to mumble orders to the person on the other end, whose voice was distorted by static.

No response came.

As he repeated the order to resounding silence, footsteps began rushing toward them from somewhere in the hallway. Approaching closer and closer until they stopped just outside the room.

The guards braced themselves.

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