Page 20 of Dangerous King (Savage Kings of New York #2)

The Employees Only area leads us out to the loading docks. My ears are ringing from the cacophony of shots and… Dio mio, explosions? Something exploded in there right before Manollo appeared and escorted us out into the open.

"Is he okay?" I yell at him because I can't control my voice level.

"He's fine," he assures me, looking at me funny. "Can you two run?"

"Not in these," Izzy points to her high heels.

"Yes, we can. Let's take them off," I yell again, doing just that.

She rolls her eyes at me, but she copies me and presses her heels to her chest next to the purse she snagged from the store.

Were these my shoes, I would leave them, but they're Izzy's.

I borrowed them this morning, and seeing how dear hers are to her, I keep hold of mine too, as Manollo begins to jog.

The other two men flank us, but Manollo stops one.

"Oscar, make sure the boss is alright, and don't let him give you any shit. Tell him I've got the girls."

Oscar nods and turns back inside without a comment.

We run down the loading dock to the front of the mall, where the valet parked our cars. When we reach the corner, Manollo stops us. "Let me make sure the path is clear first."

My heart is hammering inside my chest. I thought I had gotten used to the literal Sword of Damocles hanging over my head while living at the Giordano's house, but obviously, I haven't.

Either that, or running for my life twice in the span of twenty-four hours has thrown me for a loop.

Strangely, it's not so much myself I'm worried about.

There was an explosion! And Enrico was right there.

There were others, too. The sales lady. Oh God, the sales lady. I saw the blood spreading out from her forehead as she hit the ground. Were others killed too? Innocent people only doing their jobs or wanting to pick something up?

"Shit," Manollo's curse brings me back to the reality that we're not out of the woods yet.

"More?" The other bodyguard asks.

"You two, stay right here," Manollo orders Izzy and me through clenched teeth. He doesn't like the idea of leaving us behind. "We'll go get the truck."

Sirens blare in the distance, and Manollo curses again. He glares one more time at Izzy and me. "No more stunts." He demands of Izzy.

I don't think Izzy has any more stunts in her. Her face is ashen and pale, her pupils are dilated, and she's shaking like a leaf. I put my arms around her.

"We'll be right here," I promise Manollo.

"Do you know how to handle this?" He pulls out a gun hidden under his pant legs.

"I have an idea." I take the gun with shaking hands. "Point and pull, right?" The Giordano's house was filled with guns, and in a rare moment of… whatever it was, probably not kindness, Camilla actually showed me how to use one.

"Just like that," he nods.

He throws one more concerned look at Izzy, handing her a gun too, before he orders the other bodyguard, "Let's go."

I watch him leave, blood dripping down his arm, soaking his jacket, without any idea how he's even still on his feet, let alone running and shooting.

When he turns a corner, I lose sight of him.

I don't dare to peek around it to watch their progress.

I just stay where I am, pulling Izzy closer to me while mumbling stuttering promises I have no way of keeping, but as long as it comforts her, then somehow, it's comforting to me, too.

The sirens grow louder.

The sound should be reassuring, but it's not.

The last thing any of us needs is to be taken in for questioning.

Not Izzy and me personally, but they will connect the dots between her and her brother.

I'm not a full-fledged mafia member, far from it, but over the past fourteen years, I've heard and seen enough to know that being seen by the cops is not in our best interest.

It seems like an eternity before I hear the rumble of a motor approaching. Praying it's Manollo, I stick my head around the corner. The big, black tank-looking thing Enrico drove earlier comes into view.

"Come," I pull Izzy by the hand, and we make our way down the few steps off the loading dock to where Manollo idles the truck.

"Where are your keys, Signorina Sartori?" Manollo asks Izzy as I open the door to the backseat and push her in.

"My… Izzy still seems rattled.

I only see Manollo in the SUV, but I don't ask about the other bodyguard.

There were six of them when we arrived , my mind whispers, now there are two.

I don't dwell on it, I can't. I free the things Izzy is clutching to her chest and dig through her old purse.

All I find is the fob. She gave the keys to the valet guy.

I hold up the fob to Manollo, and he curses.

"Is there another one in the car?" He asks her while I close the door behind us, and he takes off.

"Yes," Izzy seems to be getting stronger and buckles herself in. "Do you want me to get it?"

"Enrico will," he says, speaking into his phone. "Yeah, a spare is in the Lambo."

"Is he alright?" I ask again, needing to hear Manollo tell me.

I don't know why. I hardly know Enrico, but his larger-than-life presence has already become a fixed figure in my head.

And it's not only because he's mine and my family's protector; there's something about him that I want to get to know better, and that draws me to him like a fly is drawn to honey.

Or a fly trap . As always, my mind can't keep quiet.

I don't think I'd mind being trapped by him, though.