“It’ll be okay, princess,” I murmured, silently promising myself that I wasn’t lying. “Stay behind me.”
I lifted my hands, and my phone dropped to the floor. I hadn’t realized I was still holding it. Everything in my world had narrowed to keeping my body between Ashlyn and those guns.
“Where do you want to go?” I asked, stalling and seeking information. Maybe if I gave Joseph enough time, he would come back to check on us.
But if he did that, he would walk into a group of armed men completely unprepared.
My fault. I’d kept this plan secret from him, too. Hadn’t he warned me that he couldn’t protect Ashlyn if he was blindsided? He’d told me what would happen, but I’d tried to operate on my own, anyway. My attempt to preserve their happiness was now resulting in disaster. Ashlyn was in danger; she was scared and shaking behind me. Joseph could come back at any moment and get a bullet in the head.
“It doesn’t matter where we’re going,” Domenico sneered. “Not to you, anyway. Hurry up. We have a car outside.”
I paused, testing them. “And how do you expect to get us into the car?”
The third man, who had remained silent until now, waved his gun carelessly. “We threaten to shoot her if you don’t come quietly. The boss wants to kill you and Russo personally. The girl isn’t as important.”
I took a deep breath, making my body swell even wider to create a human shield for Ashlyn.
“I don’t care how big you are, motherfucker,” he drawled. “A bullet will tear through your guts just like any other person.”
“Get moving,” Domenico barked.
Slowly, I closed the distance between us, every fiber of my being resisting taking Ashlyn closer to these monsters and their deadly weapons. But the bastard was right. The guns would kill me the same as any other person. And if I went down, Ashlyn would be completely unprotected.
So, I gritted my teeth and allowed Gian to flank us as we walked out into the hall, down the stairs, and through the lobby. All the while, my eyes searched for a solution, a weapon, a way out. There wasn’t a single option that didn’t put Ashlyn’s life in immediate danger.
A black SUV waited for us outside the hotel. I stopped, digging in my heels. I couldn’t let them put her in that car.
“Leave Ashlyn here,” I demanded. “I’m the one your boss wants.”
“I didn’t ask your opinion,” Domenico seethed. “I have my orders, and I’m supposed to take the girl, too. It’s bad enough that Russo is missing. Now, get in the damn car.”
Domenico grabbed Ashlyn by the elbow and hauled her into the third row seating area, keeping her in close range of his gun. Her face had gone ghostly pale, the rosy glow utterly drained from her cheeks. My entire body strained against invisible chains, desperate to tear her away from these monsters. Then, I would tear them apart with my bare hands.
I didn’t need Gian’s shove to urge me into the second row of seats in the SUV. There was no way I was letting Ashlyn out of my sight. The logistical situation in the car was infinitely worse than the hotel suite. At least Ashlyn had been close enough to touch when I’d sheltered her in the bathroom. Now, the leather upholstered seatbacks separated us. I’d have a hell of a time even getting my body over the awkward barrier, much less taking the gun from Domenico and somehow turning it on him.
As it was, I twisted in my seat, keeping my eyes on her. The fear in her wide blue eyes broke something inside me. I’d sworn that she would never be afraid again, and I’d put her directly in danger. If I hadn’t contacted Elio Amato, none of this would be happening. We could be enjoying our vacation, and Joseph and I could be making plans about how we would overcome Ciro’s threat back home.
Gian’s phone chimed, and he checked the message. “Boss says he doesn’t want the girl to get fucked up if she tries to fight us. She’s worth more when she’s pretty. Be careful with her face.” He talked about Ashlyn as though she wasn’t even a person, as though she was a…commodity.
Rafael’s threats pierced my mind, a horrific reminder of what Amato had planned for us: Maybe I’ll take a turn with your pretty slut once we’ve buried you and Russo.
They wanted Joseph and me dead. But Ashlyn…
An inhuman roar tore through the SUV. I lunged for Ashlyn, mindless and desperate to hold her close, to shield her from these evil men.
A gunshot rent the air just before pain punched into my thigh. My second shout was a muted thing, lost in the ringing in my ears. Agony bit down on my consciousness as wet heat spilled from the hole in my leg, three inches above my knee. The sight of my own torn flesh and blood turned my stomach, but I didn’t see a white flash of bone.