Page 73 of A Mastery of Crows

If I had chosen, I might have saved one. Instead, I chose to risk them both on the slim chance of getting them both out, and it didn’t fuckingwork.

I tried to save two… and lost four.

“We have to go.” Dom’s voice isn’t harsh. There’s pain there, too. Tony was one of his. “They’ll be coming this way any second.”

“We wait.” My voice is iron. “Another minute.”

“Cat—,”

“Another fuckingminute,” I snap. “Rocco and Tony might make it out, even if—.”

If they were too late. If the shots didn’t land.

“Tony wouldn’t have left her there, Cat,” Vincent says gently. “He’s not coming back.”

My eyes start to burn. Fuck.Fuck.

I can’t think about it. Not now. “Rocco, then.”

“One minute,” Dante says hoarsely. He doesn’t say it, doesn’t mention Rocco at all, but he turns to face the rapidly clearing smoke, his fists clenched.

Thirty seconds tick past too quickly.

Sixty.

Ninety.

“Okay,” I swallow down the agony in my throat. “It’s time.”

“No.” Dante doesn’t move from his spot. His fists are clenched, his back straight. “Not yet.”

I swallow, before turning to Dom. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

He scans my face, but he doesn’t argue. He grips a silent Vincent’s shoulder as I turn from them and walk over to where Dante stands.

He inhales as I slip my hand into his. “We spent our whole childhood together, Cat. I’m not leaving him. If he’s not here, I’m going back.”

“It’s too late,” I say, throat aching. “He would have been here by now.”

“I’m not leaving him in that place,” he repeats hoarsely. “Get in the car.”

I don’t respond. Instead, I pull out my gun and check it’s still loaded. I’ve lost a knife – and hopefully Matteo is bleeding out because of it – but I still have several on me. “We go now, then. Before they get chance to regroup.”

I’m hoping the fucker is dead, but I’m not holding out hope. We’re not that lucky. But if he’s injured, the ensuing chaos might be enough for two of us to get through unnoticed.

“Absolutely fucking not.” He stares at me. “Get in the car.”

He swears when I walk past him, grabbing my arm. “I’m not joking.”

“You’re right,” I tell him. “And if you think I’m letting you go alone, you would be wrong. Try and stop me and I’ll shoot you.”

I’m not losing anyone els today.

Our heads jerk up at the same time. A heavy sound comes from behind the trees on our left. Almost… dragging.

We move at the same time.

Frankie Costa hisses at us as we rip the branches back. “Help me!”