Page 26

T he moment bullets hit my Emilio, all of my breath leaves me. I pull at the manacles, not giving a shit if I’m injuring myself. My only goal is to get to my love, as he spins around from the impact, his body hitting the cement floor, and then…there’s no. Fucking. Movement.

My mind fractures, like glass being hit with a sledgehammer. There’s nothing there. I barely notice Tennant going down. The screams around me. The bullets hitting our fucking captor. Everything is in slow motion, compared to the man on the ground bleeding out. It’s pooling so fucking fast.

There’s a horrid keening, a scream of rage, that I don’t recognize. Only when Benjamin steps in front of me and pushes me back do I realize it’s coming from me.

Fuck .

I shake my head, my whole body trembling from the exertion of pulling at these damn manacles.

Whatever instructions Benjamin shouts out gets lost in my mind, as I’m too focused on my Emilio.

It’s not long before someone is working on the manacles.

I want them to hurry. Fuck . I don’t care if they amputate my hands at this point, as long as I. Get. To. My. Love.

As soon as they’re off, I’m moving, pushing at the people surrounding Emilio, desperately needing to be closer to him.

He’s been turned over, and multiple hands are pressing on two spots, as they work frantically to staunch the blood.

I drop to my knees, avoiding the chaos as much as possible, and I touch his hair, mumbling words of prayers to a God I don’t even believe in.

“Come on. We need to get him to the docs,” the men on the ground shout. I whimper, worried about them moving my Boy, despite knowing it needs to be done. Fuck .

“Caro, stay with us. Please, stay with me. I can’t lose you.” I whisper the words repeatedly.

We’re bundled into an ambulance, and I hold my breath as two men I don’t know work on my love. Thank fuck there’s two ambulances, so we’re not spread between Emilio and Tennant. I’d put a bullet in Tennant if they had to choose who to take care of right now.

The sirens flip on, and we’re off. I’m stuck in the corner, unwilling to leave him.

They stopped fighting me, snapping at me to shut the fuck up and stay out of their way.

All I can do is watch as they move. Emilio’s skin turns gray, and I notice his hand flops off the bed as they push him around.

It’s as if his muscles aren’t working anymore.

Blood continues to seep through the gauze they pack into his wounds, and I can hear the struggle as Emilio tries to breathe.

Thank fuck they have oxygen, but even that doesn’t seem to be enough.

I don’t know shit about the vitals that should be on the monitors that Emilio’s been hooked up to, but given the expressions of the men surrounding him, it’s not good.

The only thing I can focus on is his heartbeat. It’s erratic, but it’s there. That heartbeat is what I live for. It’s what got me through all the days I’ve been gone. My Caro’s life is tied to mine, and I won’t make it if he doesn’t.

I silently urge the ambulance to go faster—to get to the help we need now.

The frantic movements all around us turn me inside out, the fear beating through my veins threatens to overwhelm me.

I’ve been the Martelli Boss for years. I’ve faced pain, betrayal, war, and everything that can be thrown at me—yet I’ve never truly felt fear. Not at this level.

The ambulance slows down and takes a sharp turn. I can hear the driver reaching out to someone, letting them know there’s an incoming patient, and I slowly exhale. It’ll be alright. We’re in the homestretch.

Emilio’s heart rate becomes more erratic, and the shouting reaches a crescendo. Fuck, there’s even more frantic movement, more fucking everything. And then the worst happens. The sound of my life blowing up completely. A solid, continuous, mocking sound. Flatline .

I push forward, needing to get my hands on him, needing to bring him back, but I’m shoved backwards.

I’m so focused on my love that I don’t see it coming.

As I sink into the sound coming from the monitor, praying against all hope, there’s an explosion in my head.

With barely any time to figure out what’s happening, I hit the side of the ambulance, and black spots threaten to overwhelm me.

As I sink into inky darkness, the only thing reaching me is that flatline.

My life will end if his does. I’ll burn the world down; they can’t keep me from my Emilio—my sanity, my love, my fucking soul, and the monster who meets my own.

Because what is life without your other half?

Without the person who makes life worth living?

Flat. Fucking. Line.

To be continued…