Page 111 of Little Deer

“Rori gave it to me,” she answers. “Said just in case she wanted someone else to have something.”

“Thank fuck, honestly,” Sienna agrees. Then she turns her head around. “Where is Rori?”

“What the fuck do you mean, how did she know how to shoot like that?” Lazaro barks as he charges into the room, his eyes pinned to Amara, face twisted in fury. “Who the fuck were you shooting at?”

“The bad guys, obviously,” Amara laughs, before looking at Soren. “Your uncle is just being too overprotective, isn’t he?”

“I’m going to tan your ass,” Lazaro seethes. “You won’t be able to walk for a week.”

“With what you’re packing, I’m surprised I can walk now,” she quips back, looking far too smug and satisfied.

Lucy quickly moves to my arms, hugging me tight. I ignore whatever Lazaro and Amara are bickering about, and lift her into my arms, slamming my mouth to hers. She kisses me back, desperately, as she clings to me. When I finally yank my mouth from hers, I just press my forehead to hers. “I was so fucking terrified when I heard they were in the passages,” I whisper. “Fuck.”

“We’re okay. Rori, Sienna, and Amara saved us,” she whispered. “Is it over, Massimo? All of this? Is it done now?”

“It’s done,cerbiatta. We’ve got them all. All of this is done.”

“Thank God.” I just hold her tight for another moment, before I finally put her back on her feet, and I keep her tucked tight to my side.

I step forward and shove Lazaro aside, where he’s still glaring furiously at a grinning Amara. “Argue with her later, I want myson and I won’t have you scaring him,” I scold him. Lazaro glares at me, but nods before holding a hand out to Amara expectantly.

“I’m afraid I can’t hand him back yet,” Amara tells me apologetically.

I smile. “I know he’s adorable, little sister, but I want my son.”

Before she can answer, the door to the office opens and a gasp fills the room. I turn my head and freeze.

In walks Rori, Hades…and Amara.

What the fuck?

50

LUCY

I stareat the two women, before my head whips around and terror seizes me. I see the woman behind the desk stand up, my son in her arms, and a gun in her hand. “Massimo,” I whisper, body shaking.

Everything happens at once. Guns are up, I’m shoved behind Massimo, and no one moves as we stare at the two women.

“Oh, well, it seems my little secret is finally out,” Amara, or whoever she is, says with mock regret behind the desk.

“Who the fuck are you?” Massimo snarls, his body shaking with rage, but his hand steady as he points the gun right at her head.

“Yes, who am I indeed?” she returns.

“Please, just give me my son,” I plead, tears flowing down my cheeks. “Please, he’s just a baby.”

“He’s perfectly safe,” she returns. “However, the only reason I’m not dead yet is because I have him in my arms.” A low growl fills the room. “Silence him, Aurora,” she says calmly, but there’san underlying threat there that has Rori complying immediately. “Now, over here, but leave him there. And hand your gun to your man.”

I whip my head to Rori, whose face is tight, lips pinched, but she complies.

“No,” Alonzo snaps, taking Rori by the arm.

“Let me go, Alonzo. Now.” The steel in her tone has me tensing. Even Alonzo looks shocked when I briefly look at him. Rori looks at him. “Let me go.” She repeats, but there’s so much in her words. Something far more than a command. A finality.

Alonzo’s entire body stiffens, but he doesn’t release her. Rori just stares at him, but I force my gaze away from him to look at the woman holding my son. Her eyes are on Rori, but I’m not so naive to think that she doesn’t know exactly where I or anyone else is in this room.

She spins suddenly, gun pointed right for Dante who is trying to inch forward. “Ah ah,” she scolds, smiling coldly at him. Dante freezes, watching her. “One more step and you’re not going to like the consequences, Mr. Esposito.”