Page 183 of The Counterfeit Lover

To avoid the incoming path of bullets, I grasp on to the bumper, lowering myself slightly but without touching the ground. It's a struggle as the moisture on the surface of the car makes me lose my grasp again and again, my fingers red from the pressure I apply to keep my balance.

Fuck!

Unless I can get back up I won't be able to get a clear shot at him.

As the car continues to drive in circles around the parking lot, I get a better perspective of what's happening to everyone else.

The man with the other machine gun is out, and Vlad is currently shooting it at some of the men on foot. And as I look around, I realize there are still ten or more people, with the ones in the car about twelve or thirteen.

The odds are decidedlynotin our favor.

Just as I swing myself back on the car, the machine gun points at me again. Ready to avoid a direct hit, I gawk in shock as the man slumps down over the roof before he has the chance to pull the trigger. Blood pours down, signaling he'd been hit.

A quick glance around and I can't figure out where the shot came from. Not one to question my good luck—at least not in this moment—I climb up the car, pulling at the ammo and quickly disabling the machine gun.

Something of this caliber… I think we're safer ifnoone uses it for now. After all, one of my first lessons about weapons had been that a powerful weapon can always be taken from you and turnedagainstyou. As such,youmust be a powerful weapon in itself.

Satisfied that the gun is now in pieces, I throw parts of it around before I turn my attention to the roof window.

I pull on the man's body until I can throw him out of the way, all the while trying to maintain my equilibrium when the car does some serious drifts.

Finally finding my footing, I grasp the edge of the trapdoor and I lower myself inside the car. Ready to get on the defensive, I see there are only two men. One is driving while the other is in the other seat, his gun out as he shoots out the window.

Removing one hand to grab my gun, I hold myself off the roof with my other hand, concentrating all my strength in that arm. Once I grasp my gun properly, I aim and fire before the man can turn and cock his gun towards me.

Another one out and then I simply lower myself to the backseat.

The man driving takes a gun out and tries to shoot back, but with his attention at the wheel, his aim is very much off. Taking advantage of that, I propel myself feet forward towards the front of the car. My elbow makes contact with his side as I kick him until he drops the gun. With my other hand, I swipe the lock on the door, kicking it open and dumping the body while holding on to the top handles when the driver decides to make a few dangerous moves in order to get me out too.

A few failed attempts but I eventually manage to close to door. Right at that moment, the driver tries to shoot at me again so I lean back, grabbing his arm and making him repeatedly pull the trigger until he empties his barrel. Then it's just a matter of seconds as I aim my own gun towards him, a bullet making contact with his temple.

Disposing of the body, I take control of the car as I try to stabilize my breathing, my adrenaline out of control.

Looking around, I see there are a few more men left. Vlad and Sisi had taken the majority out. So I do the only thing that crosses my mind. I drive at full speed towards one of the men currently aiming a gun at them, crashing into him and sending him flying.

"Not bad, posh boy," Vlad chuckles from the side.

I wink at him, putting the car in reverse as I spot another person in the back and heading towards the place I'd left Noelle.

Pushing at full speed, I catch him with the back of the car, not only hitting him, but dragging him with me as the car continues to move backwards. I can hear the bones crunching as they get mangled under the tire, but I don't stop until I spot the next target.

Yet just as I'm about the repeat the action from before, something else happens.

Venezia.

She's out of her hiding place, looking entirely disoriented as she limps in the middle of the driving lane. Her expression is one of pure terror as she looks right and left, not knowing where to go. At the same moment, another man turns his focus towards her, his gun angled and ready to fire.

Shit. No. No. No.

I hit the gas pedal, rushing at full speed even as I know I might not make it.

Her eyes widen as she spots the gun aimed in her direction, and I swallow painfully as the seconds trickle down.

Yet just as I'm sure no one will be able to help, a motorbike flies past the jammed entrance, a biker draped in all black and sporting an equally black helmet skillfully squeezing through the narrow spot. Before the man can pull the trigger on Venezia, the biker stops in front of her, his hand around her waist as he does an impressive U-turn before opening direct fire on the other man, killing him on the spot.

There are two more left, and both of them meet the same fate in rapid succession as they focus their attention on the biker and Venezia.

When everyone's dead, I stop the car, getting out but keeping my gun with me as we haven't ascertained yet if he's friend or foe.

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