Page 128 of Bellini Born

Only a strangled squeak sounded in response.

“Gabi. Talk to me.”

“I-I was on the phone with Summer. I forgot one of my bags. Rico started shouting at her to put her seatbelt back on.” My heart dropped to my stomach, fear permeating every cell of my body. “And th-then she started freaking out, saying someone was shooting at them and begging me to call you.”

Hanging up the phone, I jumped to my feet, scooping up Serafina as I rushed out of the penthouse’s makeshift playroom.

“Teresa!” I hollered, nearing the kitchen.

The housekeeper appeared, her forehead lined with creases at my harsh summons.

I shoved the baby into her arms. “Lockdown protocol. No one leaves, and the only ones allowed entry are me, Mrs. Bellini, or Enzo. Understood?”

Having been in my employ long enough, Teresa knew not to ask questions. “Yes, sir.”

Running to the door, I cursed under my breath when precious seconds were wasted with the need to tie my shoes. The second I cleared the threshold, Enzo burst from his apartment, a wild look in his eyes.

“Summer.” The way he said my wife’s name, like he was already mourning her death, set me on edge.

I punched in the code that would limit access to the penthouse, barking, “Elevator. Now!”

My cousin jolted into action, pressing the button that opened the sliding door. Thankfully, we had a lift dedicated only to this floor, so it would be a straight descent to the lobby.

Crawling out of my skin in my desperation to get to Summer, I paced the confines of the tight space.

For some reason, Enzo felt the need to fill the awkward silence. “Rico called it in. I’ve got a location.”

“No.” I shook my head, pulling up the app that linked to the tracker inside her engagement ring. “If there’s an active threat, he’ll have abandoned the car, moved her somewhere safe while waiting for backup.”

“Right. You’re right.” His hands ran over the buzzed hair atop his head. “Fuck.”

A ding preceded the doors opening, and I charged through the lobby as fast as my legs would carry me, not stopping until I pushed through the exit and onto the sidewalk.

“Tino is bringing the car around,” Enzo huffed from beside me.

Checking the flashing dot on the map displayed on my phone, I said, “She’s only five blocks away. It’ll be faster on foot.”

“Matteo—“ he began to protest, but I had already taken off in the direction of my wife, the pavement pounding beneath my feet in time with my racing heart.

Behind me, I could barely hear his muttered grumbling as he tried to keep up. “Great, guess we’re running. I fuckinghatecardio.”

He’d never been in love, so he couldn’t possibly understand that, for me, ensuring Summer’s well-being trumped everything else. Even a few minutes’ delay in getting to her would not be tolerated, especially when those minutes could be the difference between life and death.

I gave no thought to the pedestrians I shoved out of my way as I closed the distance between me and my wife, constantlychecking my phone to make sure her location hadn’t changed. That flashing dot remained stationary as it taunted me, a reminder that while I drew nearer, I was still too fucking far away.

Lungs and thighs screaming with the strain as I pushed them to the absolute limit, I turned the final corner, praying that Rico had done his job and Summer remained unharmed.

The first thing I saw was the SUV, blocking half the damn sidewalk and riddled with bullet holes. Then my eyes locked on the body lying a few feet away, and my steps froze.

Enzo came to a wheezing stop beside me, and when he followed my gaze, he cursed under his breath, “Fuck.”

Rico was dead, and Summer was nowhere to be seen.

Fire seared through my left shoulder, and I dropped to my knees, howling in agony.

“Shit, get down.” Enzo covered my body with his as more gunshots rang out. When there was a brief pause for whoever was shooting at us to reload, he hauled me up by the uninjured arm and half dragged me to the far side of the haphazardly parked SUV.

Bolts of lightning radiated through my shoulder and down my bicep when my cousin dumped me unceremoniously on the ground, and I panted through the excruciating pain stealing all my focus. But my head snapped up at the cry of, “Help! Anybody please!” from a familiar voice.