Page 23 of Savage Enemy

Police had discovered the officer several days later. Rumor had it, when they found him, the man begged for death. He never made it to the hospital.

After that, no officer would dare take an assignment to infiltrate Klimov’s organization. Other outfits had tried to rise against Klimov, but he always left a long trail of blood and gore in his wake.

“You cannot give her to that fucking monster,” Stefano hissed. “He’ll torture her and kill her.”

Saul shrugged. “Valentina is no longer fit to be a proper wife, thanks to you, Vignali. You’ve dishonored us all by taking her without marriage. You ruined her value. You took that from me. Still, Klimov is owed my daughter, and what he decides to do with her is none of my concern or yours.”

“She is mine by right,” Stefano snapped.

“She was yours by theft. We are rivals, and your relationship with Valentina was forbidden. You know this. My daughter’s not yet wed, so she indeed belongs to me.”

Saul nodded at Aris, who then dragged me to the door.

Stefano followed on his heels, but I begged him with my eyes to stop, to let me go, to stay alive for Enzo.

We both knew he couldn’t win, not then, unprepared, and I needed him whole. He couldn’t save me, but he could protect our son.

He held my gaze and shook his head, his stoic mask cracked by torment.

Then I looked up the staircase.

My heart stopped.

Enzo stood at the top, arms folded over his chest, a thin trail of blood trickling down the side of his face.

I swallowed back a sob.

It would be the last time I saw my son.

His last memory of me, watching strangers drag me out of his father’s house.

I mouthed the words ‘I love you always’to my boy.

“No!” Stefano shouted.

Aris fired his weapon.

Stefano fired back.

Santo and Marco opened fired across the house.

I screamed over the sound of gunfire, my whole body dying from this waking nightmare, writhing to break free of it. My soul shrieked and wailed within me. Then I dared to look back at the landing.

Enzo was gone.

I had to believe he’d run away, that Aris hadn’t hit him.

Stefano dove for cover in the kitchen, returning fire.

Tony, slumped against the wall, squeezed off several shots.

Aris dragged me outside, shoved me into the back of a limo, and climbed in after me—cutting off my view of Stefano’s house and everything happening inside it.

I scrambled to the opposite door, yanking at the handle, but Aris hauled me back with a violent jerk.

Then he aimed his gun at my face.

“Just fucking do it!” I screamed. “Do it!”

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