Page 19 of Hostile Love
Toño Salazar—Eduardo Salazar’s nephew.
The same guy who’d kidnapped Dani earlier and was caught on Blanco’s surveillance cameras.
When I go to move, he shoves the gun in harder and bares his teeth at me.
“You’re gonna pay for what you did to my uncle. They won’t let your brothers get away with it, either. And the puta who killed him––she’s dead next. But first…” He lowers his face to mine. “I’m going to send your eyeballs to Tomás as a warning. We’re taking down your family. One cocky cunt at a time.”
On his last word, warm blood spatters my face and his knees buckle.
My chest rises and falls, anger knotting in my stomach. I look left where swirling smoke moves around the womanly figure of my little firecracker as she slowly lowers her gun.
Her feet are planted wide and flyaway strands of hair dance in the breeze, catching in her lashes.
My heartbeat goes haywire. I jostle the dead guy off me and stand, ignoring the burn in my shoulder.
Running my fingers through my hair, I comb the lengths back off my forehead and wipe the blood covering my face with my forearm.
In four fast strides, I’m before her, a victim of dark desire.
“You can’t help yourself, can you, little firecracker?” She frowns at my statement. “Protecting what’s yours and only yours,” I answer for her, dishing out a cocky grin.
She swallows and blinks, the veins in her throat thrumming. When it's just the two of us, the chemistry is more powerful than any bomb blast.
The sexual energy is nuclear.
“We need to get out of here, smartass. Come on.” She gestures with her head to the boundary fencing.
Dani takes a few steps to leave and my instincts suddenly flare. I glance left, noticing a few soldiers aiming their rifles right at us––at her.
In one breath, I charge at Dani and throw myself on top of her as we come under fire. She grunts when we land awkwardly on the ground together.
I angle my chest, still shielding her beneath me. Yet ready to shoot in defense until a bullet hits my vest.
The powerful impact punches my lungs and steals the air from inside them. Immediately, they cramp and I can’t breathe.
From out of nowhere, the soldiers Giovanni had organized to help circle us. Hands tug at my arms while I struggle to inhale, dragging me backward.
In the chaos, Dani stays by my side, her furious hands padding the edges of the bulletproof vest I’m wearing, checking for blood.
“Fuck…Mat…” she mutters, her tone verging on angry.
Sucking gusts of oxygen, I yank my arms free and latch onto her hand, craving the buzz of her body. Those silver irises of hers darken even in the sunlight.
Worried creases at the corners of her eyes furrow deeper as I gasp for air.
“Slow down…breathe.” She stays tight to my side and squeezes my hand. “The vest saved you. You’re winded, that’s all.”
A sensation of peace pours from my head to my toes. Her voice, the only thing I focus on, anchors me to her.
Getting to my feet, I manage to straighten while inhaling through my nostrils. I growl at the pain in my ribs, link our fingers together and kiss her knuckles, smiling right at her.
“Let’s get the fuck…out of here,” I manage to say, clawing at my vest.
Together, we hurry towards Dario and the Blanco soldiers, all of them working alongside my team to ensure our safety.
There’s another explosion and I’m immediately crowded by the men paid to protect me with their lives.
Dani lets go of my hand and allows herself to get swept away by the Blanco soldiers protecting her too.
