Page 31 of Capo Dei Capi's Daughter

“Shhhh,” my finger rises to my lips as I motion for her to get out of the bed.

She grabs the sheet and quickly wraps it around her body.

Another creak of the floorboard.

That’s two.

“Get in the closet,” I whisper.

She whispers back, “You’re scaring me,” and the fear is more than apparent in her eyes.

“Good. Take this,” I shove the pistol into her hands, “If anyone but me opens this door, you pull that trigger and don’t stop. Understand?”

Her eyes are teary as she nods back at me, “Dante?”

“I told you,” I quickly kiss her lips before closing the closet door, “I will give my life to protect you,cuore mio.”

Quickly crossing the room, I grab a knife and the other pistol off the nightstand before pulling an extra clip from the drawer and stuffing it into my back pocket. Knowing it’s a clear line-of-sight from the bedroom to the kitchen, I have no cover if I open the bedroom door.

My best chances are to take them from behind. Which also means I will leave Venecia unprotected until I make my way into the back of the cabin.

Looking out the window, I am unable to see anyone. Quietly flipping the latch, I slide it open and jump to the ground below. Quickly getting to my feet, I look around for any signs of men other than those I know are in the house. Unable to see any additional men, I stealthily make my way around the house.

I need to get to them before they get to the bedroom…before they get to her.

Pausing to look around the corner, there is one guy standing at the rear door. Taking advantage of the fact that his attention is focused on the men currently making their way through the house, I silently sneak up behind him. In a solitary movement, I wrap my hand over his mouth and slide the knife through his throat, ensuring he doesn’t have the opportunity to make a sound as I kill him. Holding him tightly, his blood flows down my arm as I quietly lower him to the ground trying not to alert the others.

Crossing the threshold, I see that there are two more men in the cabin – one just inside the bedroom door and the other several feet behind him in the living room. Traversing the kitchen, my breaths slow and steady, my bare feet enabling me to stay silent as I sneak up behind them.

They are so close to Venecia, I can’t risk taking them one at time. The knife in my left hand and the Glock in my right, I creep behind them. Awkwardly shoving the knife into the lung of the man in front of me, I step around him and shoot the other with hand on the knob of the closet door.

Venecia’s screams overshadow the echo of the gun firing, as I pump two more rounds into him before returning my attention to the pissed off guy with the knife sticking from his side. Shoving the pistol into his chest, I fire three times before pulling the knife from him. His body immediately falling to the floor.

Stepping over him, I rush to the closet and shove the dead body on the floor out of the way.

I need to get to her.

“It’s me,cuore mio,” turning the knob I pull the closet open to find the barrel of the gun shaking in my face, “It’s me.”

Still trembling her hands slightly lower the gun before I take it from her hands and pull her into my arms. Her body trembles against me as she cries.

VENECIA

“You’re okay,” Dante holds me tight against his body and I sob against his bare chest.

When the gun shots started firing, the only thought I had was that Dante was dead…and that I would be next.

His large hand brushes the hair from my face before his rough hands wipe the tears from my face, “I know you’re scared, but we have to go.”

Fighting back more tears, his lips press to my forehead. Lingering close to my face after the kiss, “Can you get dressed and grab your things?”

I nod my head as he continues to wipe the tears from my eyes.

Fumbling through the drawers and the closet, my primary focus is keeping my eyes off the two guys lying motionless on the floor, as I quickly throw on a pair of shorts and one of Dante’s t-shirts. Once dressed, I haphazardly start shoving the rest of my things into my suitcase.

Dante has dropped two duffel bags by the front door. Based on the sound of cabinet doors opening and closing, he is gathering some necessities from the kitchen. I am still emptying out a drawer when he drops the box of things he’s collected by the front door.

“Let me help you,” his hands slide over mine in the drawer as he takes the clothes from my grip before quickly shoving them into my suitcase. Within seconds he has everything packed and is bending to zip it shut.

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