“I am going to end you.” I have never meant anything more in my life. He is not going anywhere near Little Red, and every last man in this room will die before I let that happen.

Little Red is mine, and Dominic is going to pay.

38

Annie

My head rests on my knees, my teeth drumming in my ears as they chatter in fear. I am still curled up in the dark cupboard where Nico left me. I have no idea what is happening, but the loud gunshots have stopped. I strain to hear any signs of life, and I hear people yelling, men, how many I don’t know. I try to concentrate to see if I can hear Nico, praying that he is alright, not wanting anyone to die on behalf of protecting me.

Still not able to distinguish who is talking or what they are saying, I peer out the small crack in the wardrobe door, pushing it open a little wider, and then I hear his voice.

Dante is here.

Relief floods me immediately as his voice soothes my shaking body, and I slowly open the wardrobe door wider. I am as quiet as a mouse as I step out from my hiding place, stretching a little before I walk toward the bedroom door to see if I can hear them any better.

Leaning my ear against the bedroom door, the voices are still muffled, so I reach out and slowly turn the brass knob, praying that it remains silent as I quietly open the door and peek down the hallway. I am eager to see him. It has been weeks since I last saw him, and if he is here, I just want to look him in the eye. Then I will know for sure. I will know if he still feels something for me.

The hallway is empty, so I open the door wider and slip out of the bedroom, making my way quietly down the hall, featherlight on my feet, tiptoeing toward the kitchen. I know I shouldn’t. I know I should stay where I am, but it is like he is a magnet. My body is being pulled toward him, needing to feel his safe, protective arms around me, telling me everything will be alright. Just like he did the first time we met.

There is more yelling then, and I stop suddenly as fear sweeps over me. For a brief moment, I wonder what the hell I am doing. Panic seeps into my bones, and I start to shake again as I come to my senses. But as I turn around to walk back to the bedroom, I hear him again.

“You lay one hand on him, and I will slice your fucking throat and hang you upside down to bleed out in front of the whole mafia family,” Dante says in an evil voice I have never heard before, and a cold shiver runs down my spine.