Page 95 of Inside the Sun

I rear back and fling it, watching it tumble grotesquely across the lawn like something out of a fucked-up horror movie.

His headless body crumples forward, collapsing onto Sun’s back. Sun scrambles away, probably not wanting to get sprayed with the blood that’s gushing out, because itisgushing big times.

And that’s when I hear it: two more heartbeats nearby.

I spin around fast, sure I’m about to be lit up with another round of bullets, but no.

About thirty feet behind me, two figures stand completely still on the lawn.

Mauro and Luca.

I remain motionless over Vito’s corpse, my brain not quite firing right, getting shot close range will do that. For a moment, I just stare.

Sun is the first one to snap out of it, and the first thing he does isdefend me.

"They tried to rape me, and beat me! He was just trying to save me!" he blurts out, his voice shaking. He looks terrified. Desperate.

Truth be told, I’m desperate too, I just don’t show it. I’ve screwed up my mission. This looks really bad. Three soldiers lie dead around me, soaking in puddles of blood.

My hands and shirt are covered in it. And I know, whatever happens in the next few minutes will decideeverything.

Aware that these aren’t people I should mess with, I drop to my knees and rest my hands on my thighs so they can see I’m no longer a threat.

A strange silence falls over us, then Luca slowly turns his head and looks at Mauro.

Mauro gives the slightest nod.

With unhurried steps, Luca walks over and glances down at Massimo and Franco. It’s obvious they didn’t die from gunshots, my spikes pierced their skulls. I don’t know how much they saw, but I can guess it was plenty. The soldiers’ gunfire must’ve drawn these two out of the house.

The only small relief is that Anzo and Rocco aren’t home today. I saw them leaving earlier in the passageway.

Luca steps closer to Sun, who’s still crouched on the ground. His shirt is torn, and his shoulder is soaked in blood.

Then Luca speaks.

"Take Ragnar to your bathroom. He needs to wash off before he leaves the fortress. The soldiers in the passageway will smell the blood on him."

I stare at him in disbelief. There’s something in what he said that sends a cold shiver down my spine.

He called meRagnar.

But that’snotthe name I put on my application!

I putRaghu.

How the hell does Luca know my real name?

It’s… deeply unsettling. What the fuck is going on here?

"I don’t understand," I blurt, too many strange things hitting me all at once. "So you’re not planning to kill me? I killed three of your soldiers!"

"No.Ikilled three of our soldiers who were trying to rape Sun," Luca says calmly, his amber eyes watching me keenly.

None of this makes sense.

"But why? Why are you on my side?"

Something flickers across his face before he speaks, jaw clenched.

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