Adrenaline pumps through my veins, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest. Running through the house, I skid to a stop in the foyer just as two loud pops ring through the air. I yank open the front door, and my entire world tilts on its axis.
“Oh, God.”
A bloodcurdling scream pierces my ears, pushing me into motion. Sprinting across the yard, I drop to my knees at Daddy’s side, landing in a pool of blood. Daddy is lying on the ground, his body limp and eyes lifeless.
“Daddy.” My fingers shake as I cradle his pale face in my hands. “Please, Daddy.” His head lolls to the side, and a stream of blood trickles out of his mouth, down his cheek, and over my knuckles. My stomach rolls. “Please wake up,” I cry. “You can’t leave me.” I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. “You’re Luca DiMarco,” I whisper. “And DiMarcos are strong. Isn’t that what you told me?” My throat grows thick as I struggle to get the words out. “Plea—”
The distinct sound of a gun being cocked cuts me off. I look up, everything around me blurred by tears. Cami is standing a couple of feet away, her gun drawn and pointed directly at the stranger—scratch that, monster—who just killed my father.
“Shoot her,” Cami warns, “and I will put a bullet between your eyes.”
I’ve never seen Cami like this, and I wonder what in the world I’m missing, because I’m definitely missing something. Her hand is steady as her finger rests on the trigger. Lips drawn tight, eyes focused, she doesn’t waiver. I whisper her name, mostly out of fear and confusion, but she doesn’t spare me a glance.
“This isn’t a game.”
My eyes move to the monster. His gun is trained on me, but he’s staring daggers at Cami.
“Put the gun down, and neither one of you will get hurt.”
“I’m not naïve, Mr. Ambrosi—or should I call you Sal?” she says, tilting her head to the side. “You have no intention of letting either of us walk away. I may be young, and I may be a girl, but don’t underestimate what I’m capable of. My dad taught me, and he taught me well. You shoot her, and I’ll put a bullet right between your beady little eyes.”
Mr. Ambrosi, or Sal, or whatever his name is, busts out laughing. Without lowering his gun, he uses his free hand to grab a hanky out of his pocket. He runs the white cloth over his forehead, stuffs it back in his pocket, and then his beady little eyes find me.
“You sure are a pretty thing.” He all but croons the words, and bile rushes up my throat. “I could get a pretty penny—”
“Shut your mouth,” Cami says, rushing forward. Mr. Ambrosi shoves his gun against the back of my head, causing me to wince, and Cami’s steps falter.
“Don’t fucking move,” he seethes, “or she dies.”
A sob rips from my throat, and I slap a hand over my mouth. Cami’s firm and unyielding eyes soften for a just a beat, as though she’s silently assuring me that everything will be okay.
“You’re wrong,” Cami says, shifting her attention back to Mr. Ambrosi, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. “She doesn’t die. Because if she dies, you die. Plus, I made a promise to my father that I intend to keep. So, I’ll ask you one more time to remove your gun from the back of her head.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I wait for his reaction. The muzzle of his gun digs farther into my scalp. Tears seep past my lashes, dripping down my face as I begin to whisper The Lord’s Prayer.
“Our Father who art in heaven—”
Pop!
The sound echoes through my head, piercing my ears, but one thing manages to penetrate through.
One voice.
One word.
“Run!”
And I do. Without looking back, I listen to my big sister, and I run. Her voice cuts off, followed by yelling and muffled grunts, but even then I don’t turn around.
Someone is chasing me; I can hear feet pounding against the sidewalk. They’re getting closer, so I push harder. My short legs are running faster than they’ve ever run, and it isn’t until I step on something sharp that I realize I’m barefoot. Rocks and loose gravel are cutting into my skin, but the pain doesn’t stop me.
“Keep running,” I whisper, repeating those two words over and over in my head like a mantra.
“Faster, Bianca!” The sound of Cami’s voice startles me, and I glance back, shocked and relieved to see her catching up to me. But then two boys turn the corner behind her, and what little bit of relief I’d found disappears.
Cami pushes my arm, and I whirl back around just in time to jump over a gaping hole in the sidewalk. “They’re chasing us,” she pants. “Faster, Bianca. You’ve got to run faster.”
“What did you do?” I cry.