Page 46 of Unruly Protector
My eyes bounce from Fredo to Dustin.Somehow this doesn’t surprise me.Fredo is an opportunist who will turn any situation to one that benefits him.I didn’t trust him beforehand and with this angle I’m sure there’s more than a kidnapped daughter pushing all of this into motion.
Sofia’s mood shifts too.As if the words Dustin just mentioned really sink in along with what I told her about him, making her see what kind of person Dustin really is.She starts to thrash in Dustin’s grip, making him grunt.
“Let her go,” a woman’s voice says as it wavers with emotion.
My eyes slide to Sofia’s mother who is holding a gun.She’s pointing it at Dustin but he doesn’t seem phased.
“You’re willing to risk your own daughter?”Dustin snickers.“What kind of fucking parents are you?Daddy pawns off his little girl while mommy dearest fawns over her future son-in-law and ignores her husband’s fuckfests with plain open eyes.”
The gun she’s pointing at Dustin shifts and it’s exactly what Dustin intended with his sneer, I’m sure of it.
Fredo is now the main target of his wife’s wrath and he’s holding his hands palms up in front of him.He’s about to say something but it’s useless.The gun goes off and when she swings her arm back to fire at Dustin, he doesn’t so much as blink, takes aim, and shoots her right between the eyes.
Sofia screams, grabs Dustin’s arm that’s holding the gun and that’s when Clemente launches himself at both of them.They all crash to the ground and start to struggle.The three soldiers rush toward the struggle and I’m about to step forward in an effort to untangle the fighting people at our feet because I can’t shoot anyone since they are a whirl of limbs and bodies and I can’t risk shooting Clemente or Sofia.
Someone grabs me from behind and I’m about to point my gun into that direction but the following words prevent me from doing so.
“Stop.He needs you safe,” Arturo growls.
When did he come in?A quick glance around me lets me know that the restaurant is now filled with men.Men I’m sure are loyal to Clemente.
Rapid shots blast through the air and the three people who were a heap of fighting limbs stop thrashing.
“No,” I gasp while watching Clemente fall to the side, rolling to his back, showing his chest where red is starting to soak the front of his crispy white shirt.
Leandro pulls Sofia off Dustin and she too falls aside, a bullet wound in her lower belly.She starts moaning and sobbing while Dustin starts to curse.Arturo kicks the gun away from Dustin’s body.Leandro aims his gun and shoots Dustin in the head.
“Motherfucker,” Clemente groans.
My knees hit the floor and I place my hands on his chest in an effort to stop the bleeding.
“My head,” Clemente whispers in pain at the same moment his eyes roll into the back of his head.
“Clemente,” I gasp.“Please, Clemente, stay with me.”I glance around me.“Someone, please.”
“Ambulance is on its way,” Leandro says as he squats down next to Clemente across from me.
His fingers go to Clemente’s neck.Seconds drag by and the concern is vivid on his face.
“Talk to me,” I croak.“Do you feel a pulse?”
He swallows hard and give a slight shake of his head.I watch with the air lodged in my throat as Leandro starts with chest compressions.
He might as well be pounding on my heart because it feels as if someone is squeezing all the blood out without an option to make it beat again.Not if it means the man lying before me isn’t alive to share my life with, for my heart belongs to him.
“Fuck you, asshole,” Leandro bellows.“You don’t get to fucking die like this.Come on.”
EMTs rush toward us and start to take over.Arturo drags me away from Clemente to create room while they start to divide their attention between him and Sofia.They are the only two still alive.Well, I hope he’s still alive.I hold my breath and strain my ears when they search for his heartbeat.
Seconds pass and finally a voice breaks through the tension.“We have a pulse.”
I sag in Arturo’s arms and start to sob.
“He’s going to make it, Caterina.You’ll see.He’s a tough, annoying asshole, who will keep driving you nuts, understand?”
Shaky breaths enter my body when an EMT steps toward us.“Ma’am, I need to check out your injury.”
With blurry vision I shake my head and mutter, “Help my husband.He needs to live.”
