Sinful Kisses by Emily Bowie
CHAPTER 35
Pins and needles poke into my skin. I’m beyond nervous to see my family. Last time I saw one of them, I was handing her the needle that she would overdose on. Then I ran away. I didn’t stay to help. La famiglia protegge la famiglia. Family protects family. I did nothing of the sort.
There will be consequences. I defied our family’s greatest rule. It’s what keeps us together and unites us.
A black SUV pulls into the driveway, and my brother steps out. His expression is neutral, yet he looks lethal, like the born killer he is.
Romeo stands in front of me, his dog at my side, his teeth showing, but no sound escapes him. There are no handshakes. No warm greetings.
My brother eyes me up and down, and for a fraction of a second, when he sees I’m not hurt, his posture relaxes before he corrects himself.
“Let’s go, Gia.”
My feet hesitate for a second before Romeo turns and takes my hand. We both step in unison toward the car. I can see my brother’s disapproving glare. No one will ever be good enough for his sisters.
Romeo goes to slide into the back with me, but my brother’s hand stops him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m coming to make sure she arrives safely.”
Both their eyes narrow at each other while I hold my breath. Luca looks around before he gives a curt nod and walks to the driver side.
Romeo’s posture is stiff, his eyes darting around, staying aware of our surroundings. It makes me nervous that he’s expecting something to go wrong.
My brother is the best sniper around. Surely no one would try something.
I’m used to high energy and friction when Romeo and I are in close quarters. Today, everything feels different. Maybe it’s because he has me now. I place my hand on his arm, and he doesn’t look toward me. It unnerves me more.
My brother still looks at him like the enemy. I can feel his awareness on us, even though his eyes haven’t moved from the road.
“When we arrive, Father wants you to meet him in his study. Romeo, you will go back home.”
Hearing my own family talk about home has it becoming more real. I bite my lower lip, and this time, Romeo places his hand on my arm. It’s the first time he’s looked at me and not our surroundings.
It has my heart pounding in anticipation. He leans over, his lips hovering over my ear. “You’re beautiful.” My lips curve upward. “That’s the smile I love.”
“Mancini, keep your paws off my sister,” my brother grumbles.
“Where’s Vinny?” I ask. His best friend is always at his side. In fact, my brother normally has a small entourage when he goes anywhere.
My brother ignores my question, and Romeo straightens himself. He’s back to his serious face.
“Are you expecting company?” Romeo’s deep voice rumbles through the car.
The tension in the car has goose bumps scattering down my arm.
“Romeo, how do you have so many enemies at such a young age?”
My heart rate speeds up at my brother’s question.
“Much like your reputation, it’s from cowards who are afraid of me.”
“We are nothing alike.” My brother scoffs, sounding insulted that Romeo would compare them. We’re still on the outskirts of the city. Another half hour until we reach our home. “You know, I’ve received a few offers to eliminate you. It would free up much of my time with you gone.”
“What have you done?” I hiss, my eyes scanning behind us. A tank of a Jeep is following. “That Jeep better be with us.”
“They’re not.”
Romeo pulls out a gun from his back and lifts his pant leg to get his other.
My brother meets my eyes in the rearview mirror. “You should know I would never jeopardize your safety.”
I swallow the lump growing in my throat. I’m not sure if this is my brother’s way of saying he knows I won’t get hurt, or if it’s him saying he didn’t plan this.
The massive Jeep has its windows blackened. I can’t even see the driver. It switches lanes, coming to our left. Adrenaline rockets through me as I realize they most likely want us dead. The Jeep swerves, coming into our lane, and my brother guns the gas. We miss by a hair, but they’re right behind us.
“How much is on my head?” Romeo seethes.
“Don’t think that matters at the moment,” Luca grunts as the Jeep hits us from behind.
My hands reach out and brace myself on the front seat.
“Get down,” Romeo commands me.
We both unbuckle, and I crouch down between the seats. Glass shards fly toward us, and a spray of bullets annihilates our back window.
My body shakes as they kiss our bumper. Luca swerves into the other lane. I suck in a breath, waiting for another impact. A bullet lodges in the seat above my head. It startles me and causes my body to shake.
“He better be fucking worth it, Gia!” Luca yells, our car going all over the road. I’m pushed from side to side.
Don’t be afraid. Romeo and Luca will make it right.
Romeo is firing back, the sound of bullets ringing through my ears. “You have extra guns in this thing?” Romeo hollers, taking the clip out of his gun. He digs into his pockets and grabs a few more bullets. “I have a handful left.”
“Sounds like you better make them count.”
My heart stops. We’re going to die.
“Gia, you need to take the wheel.” My brother turns and takes a shot. I look over the seats and see the Jeep swerve before it straightens itself. Heavy fire pours at us. They must have ten people in that thing.
Be brave.Holding my breath, I climb over. A bullet soars past me. Luca moves to the passenger side, keeping one foot and hand in the driver area as I slip under him, taking his position. My foot tremors as I keep it pressed to the gas.
The Jeep hits again, this time on our side, catching me unprepared from the switchover. Stealing a look at both Romeo and Luca, I see they’re returning fire. Romeo throws one gun down and uses his other one.
All I can think about is making it into the city. It’s not like we can have a gunfight in the busy streets. A shiver zips through me, unsure if the city would deter whoever is behind us.
It isn’t that far away. Turning the corner, two SUVs block the road. “What do I do?” I yell. My foot stays on the gas as my muscles fight over whether to stop or plow through them.
A string of curses is muttered behind me. “We’ve been set up. This was planned,” Romeo says.
“No fucking shit,” Luca responds.
I hear more glass breaking, and both Romeo and Luca duck. Romeo is on the phone, barking orders to someone.
“Back up is on its way,” Romeo calls out.
“You’re late on the ball. I already did that.”
“This isn’t the time to be fighting,” I squeak, my voice higher than normal.
I do a quick, silent Please, help me; I’ll do anything speech in my head. Bullets are flying everywhere. I don’t see how we’re going to get out of this alive. The sound of gunfire gets louder but not from inside our vehicle.
“We’re out of bullets,” Romeo hollers.
I get my breathing under control, and a new strength emerges. There’s no more tremor through me, and I feel calm. I watch the cars on the road coming closer to us.
My brother reaches under the seats and pulls out two more guns, passing Romeo one.
“What the hell, man?”
“I didn’t want you to waste what we had.”
I keep my foot floored, the engine revving with an unnatural sound. The cars on the road are a few yards away from us. This time, I’m afraid to die.
“Get ready.” I swerve off the road, clipping one of the black SUVs. Our car shakes as it bounces into the ditch. I try to steady my hands on the wheel. I grip hard, my fingers turning white. Our car makes an annoying hum, going back up the ditch. Our tires try to hit the road, but it’s too steep.
We’re at a ninety-degree angle. The car sways in the air, deciding which direction it’s going to fall before it tips backward. It happens so fast. The roof smashes against the hard ground. My cheek hits the roof with a thump. The impact stuns me. I can’t breathe. My jaw feels like it’s on fire.
While I try to gain air, the area is silent of bullets. I can hear the slight squeak of the metal.
“Everyone okay?” I whisper, crawling out of the now-totaled car.
Romeo and Luca are out before me. Both men have blood running down the side of their faces. They put me in the middle of them as we try to get out of this alive.