Page 130 of Impenitent Claim

Launching myself into the air, I leapt into his arms, wrapping all four of my limbs around him. “You’re here,” I breathed. “You’re here, you’re here, you’re here.”

“Hush.” He smoothed a hand down my back, splaying it protectively over my spine.

I only squeezed tighter. “I was so scared, Ilya. Scared that you hadn’t come, frightened by the idea of you coming.”

“Izzy—”

“So much has happened!” I protested, pulling back and cupping my hand behind his head.And you haven’t been here.

I didn’t have to say that thought. I read it in his eyes. He knew.

“Your brother…” he started and stopped.

My lips pursed tight. I gave him a hard nod, fighting and struggling to keep back the tears. “You did everything you could.”

Disbelief shot across his face like a bolt of lightning. “I didn’t do enough, Izzy!”

The finger I pressed against his lips silenced anything else. “If there was a way for you to save him, not even the demons of hell could stand against you. It’s all raw, very fresh. But when I tell you that I don’t hold it against you, when I say you did everything you could, I need you to believe that. Okay?”

His answer was cut off by a gunshot.

My poor heart stopped beating.

Time slowed as I turned toward the don’s door. The world fell from under me. This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen. I was supposed to save them!

And then, a small miracle appeared. It was the youthful face that moved through the doorway.

A sob choked me. My spectre tightened his grip, but I felt the relief coming from him too.

“You killed the guards?” Alonzo met the phantom’s level stare.

Ilya nodded. “You killed the don?”

“I did.” A shudder rolled down my friend's frame.

But when he finally looked at me, a small smile flickered on his face. “Here, Isabella, take this back. I truly believe it’s what kept me safe. And Ilya—thank you for everything.”

I reached for the cornicello necklace.

In the distance, something click-clicked.

I should have known that sound, but my too-tired mind couldn’t comprehend the noise. As my fingers brushed over the warm metal chain, Ilya jerked. Harsh words were on the tip of my tongue, but the spectre turned sharply, shielding me as heducked back toward the front door, Alonzo scampering after us in a blur of motion.

Chapter 48 – Ilya

The dead bodies of the guards littered the front steps, the landing before the door, and the pavement beyond. There shouldn’t be anyone left. However, the sound of the shotgun being pumped begged to differ.

“You said you shot the don,” I snapped at the lad as we took cover along the side of the house.

“I did!” The Bruno boy panted after us. “Right in the heart!”

So young!So sheltered. I bit back my anger. I should have checked, instead of leaving it all to the kid.

“He was probably wearing body armor,” I ground out.

The gun exploded, and pellets scattered against the doorframe.

Not probably. Most definitely.

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