Page 134 of Dark Breaker

As if to emphasize that point, three goons race inside; Massimo, Luciano and Fabio mow them down.

“We’re running out of ammo,” Fabio continues. “If we want to try your plan, we have to do it now.” He glances at Massimo. “Take her. Make sure she doesn’t try to come back.”

Massimo nods. “I was wrong about you. You’re a good man, better than all of us.”

Luciano bows his head in agreement. “We’ll make sure your brother is taken care of.”

Nicolo is crying, just like me. “Fabio. Why?”

“It has to be me,” Fabio tells him. “I’m the leader of our family. I’m the one who got all of us into this mess by not properly dealing with the Jackal months ago. Now go!”

Massimo nods, then drops his handgun near Fabio so that my husband will have a spare weapon at least. Then Massimo grabs me and starts dragging me away from Fabio toward the far side of the room.

I struggle against him and can barely see for the tears in my eyes. “Don’t die! I love you!”

“I love you, too, Rosa,” Fabio says, and his words tear me apart. “I realize that now. You’re my wife. My everything. I’m doing this for you.”

I sob. He finally told me he loves me. Finally.

It can’t end this way.

I want to stay here and be with him to the end.

But Massimo won’t let me go.

Luciano is standing on one of the chairs. He shoves aside a ceiling tile, then hauls himself up and out of view. He peers back down.

“Seems to be holding my weight!” Luciano shouts.

This is my idea. I should have kept my mouth shut. Then I could stay with Fabio. But then all my brothers would die with me.

Nicolo follows.

Massimo forces me to stand on the chair. “Climb!” He shouts.

When I don’t move, Luciano reaches down and hauls me upward. I look at Fabio one last time, and he nods his head, then smiles at me.

My Fabio. My dear Fabio.

And then I’m rudely pulled into the crawlspace.

Feeling emotionally numb inside, I crawl away from the opening, vaguely aware I’m supposed to restrict my weight to the metal grid that supports the tiles. I move away from the light and into the darkness, and then sag against the ceiling tiles below me. I just weep. I hope the tiles collapse and I fall into the room below so I can be with Fabio.

“Rosa,” I hear Massimo saying behind me. “Rosa. We have to go. Otherwise, his sacrifice is for nothing.”

I nod, even though I doubt my brother can see it in the darkness, and then I reluctantly head toward his voice.

As before, there are air vents in the ceiling tiles that provide a bit of light, and they act as beacons, guiding us. I can see the silhouettes of the others in front of me, thanks to that dim light.

I hear the distant gunfire. Every shot could be the one that kills him. The man I love.

I’ve only gone maybe twenty feet when I stop.

I can’t do it. I just can’t leave Fabio. My love. My everything.

My husband.

I swore a vow that I would never leave his side. That I would support him through thick and thin. And here I am, running away like a coward.