My own gun is pointing uselessly at the floor while I try to tug Tig off me so I can check her for injuries. God, there was so much fucking blood in that kitchen.
She’s ignoring what I’m trying to do, clinging to me, talking through her sobs.
“It was them the w-whole time, Seamus. I’m s-so sorry. I d-didn’t know. They h-h-hired the Bulgarians to ram the car. They want to take you out. The w-whole marriage was a way for them to get to you so they could orchestrate this. They want you d-dead.”
“Stop, Ylenia!” Albescu’s cold voice cuts through her words, and she falls silent, unable to do anything other than obey her father. “Stop crying!” he snaps at her. “You bring shame on our family.”
Her sobs cut off with a choking noise, and she steps back, finally. I quickly run my hands and eyes over her, sagging with relief when I can’t see any damage to her clothing. There is some dried blood on her, but I don’t think it’s hers.
Relief courses through me as I tug her to my side, wrapping my arm around her and turning my eyes to her father.
“We are leaving, and we’re taking my wife. You’ll pay for this Albescu.”
He sneers at my words, pointing a finger at Tig.
“Ylenia,draga,”he commands. She lifts her head to look at him, her cheeks still wet with tears. “You come over here right now, and you won’t be hurt.”
There’s silence, and Tig nods, driving a fucking dagger to my heart.
“That’s right,” Albescu coaxes, “just walk over.”
Before my world can shatter around me, Tig’s hand slides up my back as she puts her arm around me.
“I’m right where I should be, Father,” she calls back. “You asked me if I was like my mother, and the answer is no. I’m nothing like her. I’m loyal to my husband and no one else.”
“Last chance, Ylenia.” Albescu’s face contorts with anger. “You stay there, and I will order my men to shoot you along with the Irish scum.”
“Then I’ll die with them,” she says loudly, her voice barely wavering. An immense surge of love and pride courses through me. Of course, she’s not getting shot here today. That’s not an option.
“It looks like you’ve lost this one, Albescu,” I call back to him with a cocky smirk.
“Have I?” he drawls, snatching a gun from one of his men and pointing it at us. Time slows to a trickle as he fires, Tig spasming and collapsing beside me.
The room erupts as everyone opens fire, taking cover behind whatever they can find, mainly tin barrels and old industrial furniture. I crouch over Tig, shielding her with my body as I try to staunch the wound at her shoulder while she whimpers in pain and shock.
The sounds of gunfire slowly die out as combatants hit the ground, and the smell of gunpowder and blood tinges the air. I don’t fucking care about any of that. My entire world has contracted to the bleeding woman in my hands.
“It’s going to be okay,momhuirníndílis. We’re going to get you out of here.”
Her hands move up to clutch at mine. “You have to get out of here, Seamus,” she chokes through her pain. “I need you to be safe.”
“I’m right where I should be,achuislemochroí.”I lean down, brushing my lips over hers, my hand pressing hard against the wound in her shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Enough!” the word roars through our little bubble, and I glance up, frozen into a statue, my breath cold at my nostrils.
Albescu looks to be the last Romanian standing, and he’s managed to get a fucking gun to Paddy’s head. My heart is torn between my bleeding wife and my best mate, with the barrel of a pistol pressed against his temple.
I stand slowly, turning as Albescu drags Paddy over to the door. I try to shield Tig with my lower legs the best I can, wanting her to be out of Albescu’s line of sight.
My gun lies on the ground at my feet, where I abandoned it to take care of Tig. I don’t need a gun right now. I need to use my legendary silver tongue to talk the fucker down.
Raising my hands, I try to calm the situation, bargaining for Paddy’s life. At my command, the lads all drop their weapons too.
Paddy’s mouthing off, as usual, shooting down any offer I make Albescu for him to release Paddy and walk away from this. Obviously, Paddy is ready to die right here, as long as Albescu dies alongside him.
“Paddy! Shut the feck up and let me bargain. Ye’re making this worse!”
“There’s no need to bargain. We can end this right now. Shoot the fecker!”