Page 132 of Ruthless God

“Go away,” Massimo said.

“No way. I need a dance with Luna.” Matteo moved to grab me, but Massimo twirled me away before he could.

Romeo and Elio came up to us, blocking Matteo from doing anything else.

“Come on, Luna,” Matteo said, peering around Romeo’s broad shoulders. “Just one dance. I promise I’ll behave.”

The look in his eyes said he would do just the opposite.

I giggled, still pressed against Massimo’s sturdy chest. I felt him tighten his arms around me. I didn’t think Massimo would let me go soon or at all for the entire night. “Maybe later,” I answered. “I think your brother might actually kill you if you try anything.”

“I just might for the fun of it,” Massimo murmured into my hair.

“I would like to see the pretty boy try,” Matteo said, flexing his biceps a little.

Romeo clapped Matteo’s back, shaking his head. “Give it up, man.”

Matteo was about to say something when Elio pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it. The brothers seemed to be on high alert then, the tension in the room thickening. Behind me, Massimo stiffened as I watched Elio’s face change from being expressionless to angry in a nanosecond.

He hung up the phone and turned to Massimo.

“What is it?”

“The guard caught sight of some Russians sneaking around the property.”

“Did they catch them?” Matteo asked.

“They caught three. Do you really think they planned on crashing this party with just three men?” Elio asked.

Massimo was about to say something when a loud explosion rang out in the far corner of the room, causing screams to erupt throughout.

Everything happened at once. A low, incessant ringing bloomed in my ears, and something burned my eyes. I blinked, but everything was just dark. And I felt like a wall was crushing me down on the ground. I couldn’t get up, and I might be blind and deaf.

I called out for Massimo, but I couldn’t hear my own voice. Was I even calling for him, or was this in my head?

Panic set in.

What was happening? Tears streamed down my face.

I blinked, and suddenly, my vision came back, and so did my hearing. But I wished it hadn’t. Everything was just so loud.

Too loud.

And someone was calling my name.

Who was calling my name?

I looked around but saw nothing but smoke and plaster on the ground.

I turned and finally saw Massimo. He was shaking me. And I was on the ground. How did I get on the ground? Did Massimo push me down? Everything ached.

“Luna, can you hear me?” he asked, his face alarmed. I could hear him, but it sounded like he was speaking in slow motion.

I shook my head.

“I need you to get to safety,” he said.

How?

---