Page 65 of Unholy Union

Icrack open the door to look down the hallway. The body of one of Salvatore’s guards is lying in the hallway. Slipping my hands under his arms, I pull him inside the room.

“Is he dead, too?” Cecilia asks.

“No. I didn’t want to have to kill more than I needed to.” As I drop his body next to Salvatore, he wakes up and groans, opening his eyes. “Shit,” I growl. “We need to get out of here fast.”

The guard scrambles for the gun, which is in a holster around his waist, but I kick it out of his hand before he can use it.

“Grab that,” I order Cecilia, nodding at the gun.

“I’ve never held one before,” she says.

“Cecilia, I need you to trust me. Be strong.”

“Ok,” she whispers, running over to the gun and picking it up gingerly.

I grab the guard’s hands and press them against the bedpost. “Give me the sheets off the bed.”

Cecilia does as I ask, tossing them over to me.

The guard finally seems to notice Salvatore’s dead body because he lets out a groan. “You’re not going to get away with this.”

I keep quiet as I tie his hands to the bedpost. “You’re not going anywhere.” I stand up and take Cecilia’s hand in mine.

“You really think you can outrun Salvatore’s reach?” he asks. “He might be dead, but you still have to go through his men.”

“Shut up,” I growl as I punch him in the face. His head snaps back. “Salvatore is gone. I suggest you find someone else to follow.”

“Who? Antonio Moretti?” He scoffs. “He won’t be happy with you when he finds out you killed his best chance at gaining influence.”

“What do you know about that?” Cecilia asks him. “Antonio will understand.”

“Will he?”

Cecilia turns to me. “We need to leave. Now.” Even though her words are full of determination, her eyes are uncertain. The guard has gotten to her.

We leave the room and walk as silently as possible down the hallway. No need to attract more attention than necessary.

I push the button for the elevator, and the doors open moments later, revealing three of Salvatore’s men. They pause when they see me. Their gazes turn to Cecilia in her wedding dress …

As one, they pounce on me.

“Theo!” Cecilia gasps.

“Run!” I shout as I face off against the first attacker. He comes at me with his fist, but I dodge out of the way. I manage to get a solid bunch into his jaw, which sends him stumbling back.

The other two men grab my arms and pin them at my sides while the one I hit straightens back up and gets out his gun. It can’t end like this. Not when Cecilia and I never even got a chance.

But then a shot fires off, and the man with the gun grunts as he hits the wall. Blood blossoms from his chest. I turn and see Cecilia pointing the gun at him.

She quickly lowers it, her eyes tight and her cheeks flushed.

I use that to my advantage.

I headbutt the man behind me, and he groans as a crack fills the air. Presumably his nose just broke. The other man stumbles back, and I kick him in the chest, sending him flying across the hallway.

While both men are down, I grab Cecilia’s hand and run into the elevator, pushing the button to shut the doors faster. The doors close as one of them smacks into it.

Cecilia leans against me, breathing heavily. “I just shot a man. Oh my God. What …” She grabs her cross. “Theo … I …”

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