Page 59 of Hostile Rival
My stomach knots. “I don’t have time to explain. Go home to your pregnant wife, Dré. She’d kill me if something bad happened to you.”
“Fuck off, Mat. I’m not leaving you.”
“I don’t have time for this.” I grind my back teeth, elbowing my way to the opposite side of the room to the double doors.
On a mission, I barge into an empty hallway and look for an elevator. A few soldiers follow me, hot on my heels.
Heavy footsteps fall behind us and when I glance over my shoulder, André is flanked by Souza soldiers, too. They’re dressed in suits, have visible earpieces, and surround the two of us like a cage, now there’s a threat.
“Sir, the wine cellar runs the entire breadth of the building.” One of them says, respectfully. “It’s accessible via two elevators.” He stalks forward, taking the lead.
I follow him, understanding our security team would have studied the residence and its floor plans. They know this place better than anyone.
Locating a discreetly positioned lift, he punches the button and the doors automatically open.
Crammed inside, André glares at me. “You going to tell me what the fuck is happening here, brother?”
My chest is tight, and my knuckles are turning white from gripping my revolver. “There’s a woman in the cellar who needs my help.”
“What woman? Who is she?”
“That’s confidential, Dré. The Di Rossis started this.” My eyes cut to the armed soldiers filling the small space with us. “Protect the woman, no matter what. Understand me?”
They all nod before the doors slide open to semi-darkness. We raise our weapons, hearing snarling and grunting coming from the shadowy tunnel. Two of our guys rush out first, taking shelter behind an exposed brick wall. They check for danger and signal over to us, giving the all clear.
Blood pumps through my veins when I dart from the elevator next and use a large wooden barrel to hide behind. The soldiers switch on their flashlights and shine the light over thousands of wine bottles nestled in racks.
It's not the impressive wine collection that gets our attention. Rather, the suited bodies littering the stone floor and a shit ton of blood, broken glass, stab wounds, and a few killer bullet holes. Admiration and adrenaline spread through me. This girl is a fucking legend.
Still hearing a battle from deep inside the cellar, I charge in headfirst, knowing my men are following me, all of us navigating our way around the dead.
Rounding a corner, I freeze.
Holy fuck.
23
MATHEUS
The woman before me isn’t Dani––no, she’d transformed into a bloodthirsty sicario who single-handedly slaughtered around ten men and counting.
I blink in the sight of her, my dick twitching. She’s off-the-charts hot when she’s in action––and winning.
Her arms are wrapped around a man's neck from behind and her legs move to clamp around his hips. She’s on the big guy like a human backpack, holding him in a chokehold.
The black dress had crept up, revealing that tight bare ass of hers. And fuck, that niggling ache I’ve suffered since she blew my mind on the balcony, it grows in magnitude. As does the possessiveness charging through my veins.
Violently, her opponent throws himself backward, the movement slamming her spine into the wall. I keep my firearm raised, lining his brain up for a bullet until he swivels and maneuvers her into my line of fire instead.
“Don’t move, motherfucker!” I yell.
Immediately, at the sound of my voice, Dani’s head turns and our gazes lock. From the left of me, a flashlight strobes across her body, settling on her bloodied face. The murderousexpression she wears suddenly fades, replaced by terror. In that second, I can tell memories of her past are triggered.
The guy she’s wrestling senses the momentary stillness and takes advantage, flipping her sideways like a rag doll.
Rage scrapes out of my throat in a ferocious snarl when her body crashes down hard on the ground. Not giving a fuck he’s attacking a woman; the bastard stomps the sole of his boot on her windpipe.
At the same time, shots are fired, the crack of bullets echoing all around us when more Di Rossi men move in. I don’t care about the chaos when this fucker is my only target.
