Nicky’s phone chirped, and he swiveled around. “The Met is five blocks away. We’re almost there.”
He started to turn back the other way when an almighty smash struck the limo from the side. I caught a flash of fire corkscrewing across the street, and then the rocket plowed into the limo’s front end.
The whole car twirled sideways, and Gia screamed. All the security guys got thrown against the opposite wall. I kept telling myself to get down on the floor and protect Gia, but no one could move with the car spiraling out of control.
Nicky got thrown on top of Gia, and then another rocket punched into the limo from the other side. Deafening noise drowned out everything else. The car screeched across Broadway and smashed into a building.
The impact threw everyone into a heap, and the next instant, gunfire erupted out of the darkness.
Nicky hauled himself upright, but a second later, automatic gunfire hammered the car. It popped against the reinforced sides, and some of the windows cracked, but they didn’t give.
Nicky rotated over to the door and leveled his sidearm at it, but before anyone could move, someone ripped the door open from outside. Nicky popped off three shots before another belch of automatic gunfire exploded into the car.
His body jerked and tossed as bullets ripped across his chest. “Nicky!” Gia shrieked, but it was too late.
A man in a black mask dove through the door and nailed his rifle butt square into Nicky’s already injured face. His skull snapped back, and the attacker grabbed him, yanked him outside, and dragged him from the car.
All the other security guys floundered to get out of the pile of bodies, but they weren’t quick enough. The same black-clad guy dove in and snatched Gia by the arm.
He started towing her through the door. I couldn’t let them take her. I sprang forward and grabbed her by her other hand, but she was already too far away.
She screamed again when we both tried to pull her away from the other. I felt my grip on her arm start to slip.
In a flash, the attacker jabbed his rifle through the door and opened fire straight into my chest. The impact of bullets hitting my vest slammed me back, and I lost my grip on Gia’s arm.
Searing pain rocketed through my shoulder, and I tumbled back on top of the security guards.
Even then, Gia’s screams set my blood on fire. I scrambled out of the limo and found Nicky already there. One of his arms hung limp at his side and he moved in a pained crouch with one sidearm dangling from his good hand, but he still went after the enemy in a rage.
He fired again and again into the retreating ranks. He only made it a few yards before the combined Leone and Terranova security force cut him off.
They advanced up the street raining automatic rifle fire everywhere. They drove the enemy back into the shadows and left Broadway a war-torn disaster zone, but the worst was yet to come. Gia was gone.
NICKY
“Are you all right?” Cesare moved his face in front of mine and studied my eyes.
I nodded and winced, but I couldn’t stop searching Broadway for any sign of Gia. Those cocksucking Neccis took her before I could stop them.
“You don’t look so good, man,” Cesare told me. “Let’s get you under cover, and we’ll clean you up.”
I didn’t feel so good. I couldn’t move my left arm, and I was pretty damn sure I rebroke the ribs Romeo and his brothers cracked that first day at the estate.
Cesare moved over to Leo who looked almost as bad as I did. He had taken at least one bullet through his shoulder, but at least his vest held.
Cesare’s father, uncle, and two of his brothers surrounded him talking fast. The Neccis left a carpet of destruction across Broadway with at least four limos destroyed. Now the Neccis had Gia.
I didn’t want to get under cover or get cleaned up. I wanted to go after her right this minute, but that would only get me killed.
The Leone and Terranova security forces searched the area and even held the intersection under guard to make sure none of the Neccis stuck around.
They didn’t. That was the problem. They grabbed Gia and vanished into the night. They didn’t need to stick around to fight the war. They got what they came for.
Cesare touched my elbow. I didn’t want to go—not now—but he wouldn’t leave me alone.
He steered me over to Leo, and the security guys surrounded our party. I couldn’t stand that. I should have been the one to guard Leo, Cesare, and Don Vincenzo. I couldn’t be the one under guard.
I ejected the clip from my sidearm, but I had to use one hand to put a fresh clip into the gun. I kept scanning the area, but the security forces already had every angle covered.