Page 41 of Broken Mafia Prince
The car hasn’t even come to a complete stop when the passenger door flies open. A man leaps out, a gun already in his hand, the barrel pointed directly at me.
“Get down!” the blue-eyed man shouts behind me.
But it’s too late.
My eyes lock on the shooter’s hand as it jerks back with the recoil of the gun. Some absurd part of my brain notes that his grip is all wrong—too loose, too unsteady. He needs more practice.
Then the pain hits, ripping through my side like a blade. The world slows, each sound muted except for the pounding of my heartbeat.
Behind me, footsteps thunder closer, the cold clicks of guns being cocked a stark contrast to the heat blooming in my side.
The realization hits me like a second bullet, cold and terrifying.
He didn’t hesitate. He aimed right at me.
Iwas the target.
Someone wants me dead.
12
RAFFAELE
My heart stops for a split second as I watch Giulia’s body jerk backward. Panic seizes me. My mind screams one thing: She’s been hit, she’s hurt, and it’s my fault for keeping her here. But I don’t have time to dwell on guilt.
Instinct takes over. I lunge forward, wrap my arms around her, and pull her to the ground. My body absorbs the impact, shielding hers entirely. The next bullet whistles past us, too close.
If I had been a second late…
I force that thought away. My men will take care of the shooter. My priority is Giulia, trembling in my arms like a leaf in the wind. I push to my feet, keeping her close. When she tries to stand, her legs give out, and she nearly falls. I catch her, steadying her, and pull her toward the shelter of my SUV.
“You’re okay,” I say, my voice firm, willing her to believe me as we crouch behind the vehicle.
Her wide, frightened eyes meet mine, filled with questions she can’t put into words. Those eyes, a shade somewhere between hazelnut and heartbreak, ignite a fury in me so fierce, I almost leave her to go decapitate the bastard who shot at her.
But first, I grab her arm and check for the wound. Blood smears her sleeve, but relief floods me when I see it’s only a graze. My anger doesn’t subside, but it shifts to a low, pulsing heat.
“You’re safe now,” I assure her, though my voice comes out rougher than intended.
“What’s happening?”
Before I can answer, the sound of screeching tires shatters the moment. A car peels around the corner, heading straight for us. Giulia presses into me, making a small, terrified sound.
The footsteps of my men approach, and I look up to see Tommaso. His usual stoic face betrays a flicker of surprise when he sees us—me, holding her. The look vanishes almost instantly, replaced by his typical blank mask.
“Boss, we’ve got him,” Tommaso reports.
I nod, disentangling myself from Giulia. She clings to the car for support as I move toward the masked man my men have captured. He’s flanked by two of my guys, struggling like a trapped animal.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Giulia take a hesitant step away from the car, hovering behind me. I wonder how much she’s piecing together, if she’ll realize who I really am. Probably not yet. But when she does, she’ll hate herself for finding comfort in my arms, even for a moment.
Years ago in that orchard, I hesitated to tell her my name because I hadn’t wanted her asking about me and finding out it wasn’t just my scar that made me a loser. A nobody with a scarred face and an even more scarred soul.
The scars have faded now, and I’m confident in my looks and power, but something else keeps me from telling her my name. That thing is the simple fact that we aren’t supposed to be within ten inches of each other without it ending in a bloodbath.
“Take it off,” I command, pointing to the mask.
One of my men grips the edge of the cloth and yanks it free. The face beneath is unfamiliar to me. He’s no one important, which tells me he’s a hired hand.
