“Karina. Don’t listen to him. Come to me.”
She closed her eyes, and more tears streamed down her cheeks.
Oh, no, I’m losing her. I’m fucking losing her…I can see it.
“Karina, don’t do this.”
She didn’t move, and a chill spread through my body, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. “Karina?”
“I can’t,” she whispered while she remained still, a doleful expression on her face. My pulse echoed inside my head, panic twisting my gut in a vise.
“Karina, you can. Just trust me.”
Dante and Antonio moved up behind me with four guns aimed at the crowd in front of me. They remained silent while I kept my eyes locked on Karina. “Don’t let him do this. So, you made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes.”
“But mine will destroy my father.”
“No, it won’t.”
Everyone’s attention turned toward the strong, heavy voice.Lorenzo Valenti.
“Daddy?” Karina said softly.
“I know,bambina. I know everything.”
What the fuck was he doing here?
I glanced at Antonio and knew it was him. That was why he was on his phone on our way over here, informing the big boss about everything that was about to go down.
“Daddy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know—”
“Shhh.” Lorenzo walked toward her, the authority and confidence that oozed out of him claiming everyone’s attention. “I understand. What I don’t understand is how you could even think I would rather you marry this bastard than have the truth out there for the world to see.”
All I could do was watch while Karina cried, her sorrow weeping out of her soul.
“I want to see you happy,bambina. And I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like my pride and our values are more important than your happiness.”
“Daddy—”
Enzio moved, and I caught a glimpse of the gun he pulled from his back. The pull of my trigger, the boom of the shot, and the crimson that seeped through his chest happened within the blink of an eye.
Lorenzo grabbed Karina and pulled her down to the ground, covering her with his body while Antonio and Dante rained down a storm of bullets. Bodies fell, and I stared at the Valenti brothers, who stood next to each other like the fucking Boondock Saints.
I glanced down at Enzio. He was on the ground, his blood pooling around him. My ears rang, my heart pounded, and the only thought that ran through my mind was…she’s safe.
I was frozen on the spot, everything around me on mute. It was only when I felt two arms wrap around my neck and a warm, soft body against mine that I was able to shake the haze.
“Lorik.” Karina’s sweet voice filled my ears, and relief flowed through me like a stream of fucking living water. Dear God, she was safe. She was safe, and that was all that mattered.
I dropped my gun and wrapped my arms around her waist, pressing her harder against me. My fingers weaved through her dark curls, and I inhaled, wanting her sweet vanilla and honey scent to consume me.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
I pulled away and looked at her. “Did he hurt you? Touch you in any way?”
“I’m fine.” She wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.