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Sev was yelling now. “What happens in my family is none of your fucking concern.”

This was not going well. Bullets were going to start flying any minute, just like on the yacht. Was that only a few days before? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

“Shit, Sev,” Vinnie sneered. “You were helping an outsider against the head of the family. You weren’t just disloyal to your father. You betrayed us all. You swore a blood oath to the Cosa Nostra. You deserve to burn. The only reason I don’t shoot you where you stand is that Nico claimed the right to kill you himself. But he wants the girl you stole from him, too.”

Someone fired a shot into the windshield of the Lexus. The bulletproof glass spiderwebbed but didn’t shatter. But how long would that last?

Shots started flying all around them. The noise was deafening. Tildi released Kenzie’s hand to cover her ears, but not before a thud and a cry of pain from right outside the SUV filtered through the noise.

What had just happened? Had Boone been shot? No. No, she wasn’t going to think like that. That wasn’t a possibility.

She could not lose him. Had she already lost him? Tears stung the backs of her eyes, but she ignored it. The thunder ofher heart challenged the sound of guns firing in her ears. Had he been injured? Or worse?

She had to know what had happened. Pushing up from the floorboard just enough to look over the backs of the seats, she tried to see something, anything through the frozen windows.

Then the gunshots slowed. Was that a good sign? She had no idea, but she was grateful for the reprieve. She shook her head, trying to relieve the horrible ringing in her ears. When that didn’t help, she ignored it as best she could and scanned the area.

Boot prints and bullet holes marred the once pristine snow. A man lay crumpled on the ground by the truck behind them. Was that the man she’d heard cry out in pain?

Her heart seized until she focused on the man lying so still in the snow. He had red hair, so it couldn’t be her Daddy or Sev. Even though she searched the entire area twice, Boone and Sev were nowhere to be seen.

Maybe they had taken cover next to the SUV. But if that was the case, why hadn’t they gotten back in? She’d promised to stay on the floorboard, but he’d just have to spank her later. There was no way she couldn’t watch. That was her Daddy out there.

Hoping her Daddy would forgive her, she pushed higher off the floorboard, standing as tall as the cabin would allow. Nothing bad would happen if she just took a quick peek.

As soon as she stood high enough to be visible, men from both sides opened fire on the SUV. Bullets glanced off the side and splintered more of the window.

She dropped back to the floorboard, covering her head with her arms after she saw Kenzie doing the same.

What was happening to her Daddy? He and Sev were out there somewhere, pinned down by gunfire. They were going to die, and it would all be her fault.

She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let it happen. If giving herself back to Nico Midnight would save Boone’s life, she’d do it. He’d saved her once. He could do it again.

She reached for the door handle, but Kenzie grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?” she hissed. “You can’t go out there! They’ll kill you.”

“No they won’t. Nico wants me alive. No one out there would dare shoot me. I’m the only one who can stop this before Boone or Sev get killed. Tell Daddy I have my phone.”

She wasn’t a total idiot. And she wasn’t ready to become another number in some statistic about trafficked women. But just in case, there was something she needed to say.

She hugged her new friend as tight as their cumbersome coats would allow. “Thank you for welcoming me into your family and treating me like a sister. And if something bad happens, tell Boone I love him.”

“You’ll have to tell him that yourself.” Kenzie tried to grab hold of Tildi’s arm, but Tildi’s thick winter coat was too slippery. She jerked away from Kenzie. “Tildi, wait!”

Tildi had never wanted to do as she was told more than that moment. Nausea threatened to overcome her. She despised the thought of seeing Nico Midnight face to face. It terrified her.

But there was no time for waiting. Before she could change her mind, Tildi opened the door and stepped out onto the snow packed ground. She raised her hands in surrender, stepping away from the protection of the vehicle.

“Stop shooting!” she screamed. “I’m here! I’ll go with you. Just stop shooting!”

“Tildi!” Boone roared her name, but she couldn’t turn to face him. If she did, she’d try to run to him. That would just get them both killed.

Boone wasn’t done. “Matilda Jayne Lewis. You get your ass back in the vehicle right now!”

A sob almost broke free at the rage and fear she heard in his words. She’d never even told him her real name. He wouldn’t know how to get in touch with her sister if something happened. Suddenly, nothing was more important than her Daddy knowing her name.

“Daddy,” she yelled back. “My name is?—”

A huge hand covering her mouth cut her off. She struggled to get away until the ice cold muzzle of a gun pressed into her neck. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe these men weren’t afraid of killing her at all.