Page 106 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

“Does it hurt?” I whisper, gently taking his hand in mine.

A faint smile tugs at his lips. “No, I’m fine,” he says, shooting Matteo a seething glare.

I lift my gaze to his, and in that moment, I catch his eyes widening. He freezes, staring past me. I follow his line of sight, twisting around just in time to see Matteo raise his gun, the barrel pointing straight at me.

Time slows, turning into a blur as my heart slams against my ribs. I’m unable to move. But Ezra does.

He instantly shoves me aside just as Matteo pulls the trigger. The gunshot rings in my ears, and I scream as Ezra staggers back, a pained expression crossing his face.

No!

“Ezra!” my voice cracks, and I lunge toward him, hands trembling.

Panic grips me when I see the blood on his left shoulder until I see it’s just a graze. My heart suddenly slows, and the tension begins to melt away. Relief washes over me, but it’s short-lived as another gunshot echoes, and I yelp in fear.

I whip around to the door, where Ezra’s guard stands, his gun still smoking. His aim is locked on something behind me.

I quickly look back, just in time to see Matteo’s head snap backwards, blood splattering across the room. He crumples to the floor, his body limp with a bullet hole punched clean through his forehead.

Blood pools around him, his eyes wide and lifeless. I swallow thickly, forcing the bile down my throat. This is the end…

Feeling a sudden tug on my hand, I snap back to reality. Ezra is kneeling in front of me, his face twisted in pain as he slices through the ropes binding my wrists.

The ropes fall away, revealing angry red bruises on my skin. Ezra grinds his teeth at the sight. “You’re okay,” he breathes, his voice strained as he rubs soothing strokes down my shoulders.

That’s all it takes for the tears to spill as the sheer weight of everything lifts from my chest.

He pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me. For the first time in days, the tight knot of dread in my stomach slowly unwinds, replaced by a warmth only being with Ezra brings.

With one arm wrapped securely around me, Ezra lifts me into his arms, carrying me in a smooth, effortless motion out of the musty basement.

We move down the hallway where I’d once tried to escape, turning left before reaching a stairway leading up. So, I’d been in a basement this whole time.

As we emerge, the gunfire sounds sharper, echoing through the space. Ezra’s five guards fan out in a protective formation, two staying close behind us while three lead the way, their weapons poised and ready, scanning every direction.

At the corner where the gunfire intensifies, the guards at the front pause.

“Boss, it looks like Elio and his men have Matteo’s guys contained around here,” one of the guards murmurs to Ezra.

Ezra nods and gently sets me down. “Stay here. I’ll come back for you,” he cups my cheeks as he speaks.

I nod in response as I turn my head slightly, and place a kiss on his palm. He points at one of his guards behind us.

“You, stay with her. Protect her with your life,” he commands. The guard nods, firm and ready.

With a quick signal, Ezra and the other guards slip around the corner. Within seconds, the gunfire erupts louder, more intense. I inch forward, peeking around the corner, but the guard by my side steps forward.

“I wouldn’t suggest that,” he warns from behind.

However, I pay him no attention, my gaze fixed on Ezra. He’s crouched behind a couch in the living room, rising just enough to fire. I can’t see who he’s aiming at, but each time he pulls the trigger, I watch the bullets fly from his gun, his face tense and unyielding.

Then, silence. The gunshots finally stop, and Ezra stands, surveying the area with a hard look that makes my heart race.

“Boss, I think we got them all,” Elio calls out. “The coast is clear.”

Ezra doesn’t even flinch. “What’s the situation at the mansion?” he asks, his tone sharp as I step forward, drawn by the relief of seeing him safe.

Matteo’s threat about attacking the mansion rushes back to me.