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Chapter Twenty-Two

Gemma

Iwas ready to dislocatemy thumb to pull my hand through the damn handcuff and run far away from everyone who was mafia.Not just my brother and his man, Tommy, but Evander too.

I had no doubt his imminent rescue would conclude in a violent and bloody end.That the thought of Evander’s death left me cold and empty inside told me everything I needed to know.I really did still love him.

I bit back a desperate sob.I couldn’t let him lose his life to save mine.

I also didn’t want Enzo’s death on my conscience.He was the brother I’d never known, a part of me I was yet to understand.

A helicopter swooped low, its engine and rotors roaring overhead.More shots were fired and I shrank back even as Enzo seemed to come to life, a rush of adrenaline making him whoop out loud even before he unholstered his gun and ran toward the bedroom window.

The tires on the vehicles outside exploded—Enzo wouldn’t be going anywhere now—before the metal bird swung away.My brother leaned farther out of the window and peppered the air with bullets, a couple of them hitting their mark with aping.

“Fucking sewer rats,” he screamed.He aimed again, but this time he was unable to shoot.Click.Click.Click.With a snort of disgust, he threw his empty firearm away, then swung around and called out, “Tommy, what’s the damage?”

“Boss, our men are down, all but one are dead, though I’d say his death is imminent.”

I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by what Evander’s family had done to protect what was his...namely me.

I swallowed back tears.My mom wouldn’t even know what I was going through.When I’d lost my baby our emotions had frayed and then snapped, and we’d drifted apart.She’d been in such a happy place for the first time in years and hadn’t known how to comfort me when I’d hit rock bottom, and I’d been too closed off to accept or want her sympathy.

I’d been like a wounded animal, unable to trust or believe in anyone.Unloading the truth on Evander had been akin to shedding an overtight, shrinking skin, loosening a tension I hadn’t realized I’d carried.

Enzo’s breath hissed out.“Allof them?

“Yeah, boss.What do you want to do?”

Enzo pushed the back of his head back against the wall, his eyes on me.“I should kill you right now.”He blew out a heavy breath.“But you’re my one and only bargaining chip.”

I nodded.He wasn’t stupid and I got the impression he wasn’t as evil as the media made him out to be.“I understand.”

His eyes widened, then he nodded.“I’ll do my best to see you don’t get caught in the crosshairs of the war between our families.”

“So you’re not completely brutal and braindead.”