Page 168 of My Mafia Queen

My ears ring, and I almost taste gunpowder on my lips when I finally meet the wall, roll over, press my back into it, and increase my efforts to free my hands.

Quickly, I look around the room, not stopping for a second.

Vito presses his hand against his arm, blood gushing through his sleeve, and two more men lie on the floor.

Damaso spins around, puts a bullet in Joe’s head, and that’s that. He no longer moves.

A second passes as he assesses the situation and says something to Vito, who checks on the other men who have been wounded, when, out of nowhere, Anthony grabs his gun, props himself against the wall, and points it to Damaso’s head.

My voice shoots out of my chest like a crazy snake.

“Damaso!” I blurt, and he turns around to face the danger, yet it’s too late.

Anthony has already shot the bullet.

In horror I watch the trajectory of the small piece of metal.

Damaso jerks back, and the bullet grazes his forehead.

Blood trickles down his face, blocking his vision.

Rubbing his hand over his eyes, he shoots in Anthony’s direction.

His aim is off, slightly to the side, and the bullets bite into the wall when Vito turns around to take care of Anthony, who shoots him in the leg.

Vito falls and rolls over, away from Anthony, who keeps spraying bullets, while Damaso pulls the trigger, quickly learning he is out of bullets.

He swiftly changes the magazine, and I read Anthony’s intentions so clearly.

He is a few seconds ahead of Damaso, who realizes his disadvantage as well and seems unable to stop him.

For the second time this morning, Beau has a clean shot at Damaso, and he takes it.

He starts shooting at him, making an easy target out of him.

Damaso falls to the ground and rolls away to protect himself, and I don’t know whether he’s hurt or not.

All I know is that I finally pull my hands out of my restraints.

Without wasting a second, I reach inside my pocket, yank out my gun, and do something I never thought I’d do in my life.

Protect myself and someone I love.

The first bullet flying from my gun hits Beau Anthony in his chest. The blow makes him flick his eyes to me and shift his focus away from Damaso.

He aims in my direction, but before he pulls the trigger again, I empty my gun into his chest and put one last bullet in his head.

It’s all done within seconds.

Silence is restored, and no one is moving.

Not a man.

For sure, not the man in front of me.

His eyes are open. His stare is fixed.

Beau Anthony can no longer harm anyone.

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