Page 128 of Anti-Heroes in Love Duet

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The steady sound of a heavy fist pounding into human flesh filled the room as Dante methodically beat Kelly’s face in. He stood when he was done, Kelly a moaning mess on the floor, but he didn’t kill him.

Instead, he pointed at Frankie, then down at the prone Irishman.

And then he turned to me.

Tears flooded my eyes, pouring down my cheeks as he started toward me, his face a mask of relief and lingering rage.

Frantically, I shook my head and struggled against the zip ties, screaming at him from behind the tape.

His step faltered.

I looked at the table and then to him, calculating the angle.

Dante was still behind me slightly, out of range.

He peered at me, trying to read my face through the blood, tears, smeared makeup, and tape. “Elena, I won’t hurt you.”

NO!I wanted to scream.Of course, you won’t, you stupid, gorgeous man.

He moved closer, reaching the side of me that was still protected from Seamus. Gently, he started to cut the cable ties with a utility knife from his belt. When my hands were free, I ripped the tape from my mouth and started to yell, “Seamus—”

Finally, his eyes flickered, and comprehension dawned on his face.

Unfortunately, it dawned on Seamus too.

He pushed out from the back wall under the table with his feet, sliding on his back, gun raised, and fired a shot off at Dante.

I screamed as Dante jerked, once, then twice as two bullets found their way into his big body.

“Cazzo,” Dante cursed as he dropped to one knee, favoring his right side as he tried to drag himself behind the pole. Seamus got off another shot, this one drilling into the middle of Dante’s chest. I screamed as he fell to the ground, prone in the middle of the room, his gun skittering to rest just out of his reach.

His eyes weren’t open, and I couldn’t see his chest rising or falling through the veil of tears in my eyes.

Frankie fired at Seamus too, but he didn’t have a good shot. I watched as my father got to his feet, using me for cover from Frankie, and slowly approached Dante, motionless on the ground.

“I’m sorry,cara,” he told me again, but his eyes were on his prey beyond me.

I couldn’t move my feet, but my hands were free.

It wasn’t a decision so much as an animal impulse.

A bear defending his mate.

I let my wobbly legs collapse, taking me to the floor. Seamus stopped, eyes flickering with worry as I fell, but I was already moving, rolling closer to Dante so I could grab the gun near his hand.

“Elena,” Seamus snapped, gun raised still trained on Dante’s body beside mine as I raised Dante’s weapon at him. “You don’t want to do that.”

But he didn’t understand.

He’d taught me exactly what he meant to.

Family was everything.