Chapter 16

Kimberly POV

A sharp sting jolted me awake, pain searing through my back. I blinked, struggling to piece together what was happening, as the sound of gunshots broke through the haze, bringing me back to reality.

“Kimberly.” My name floated through the chaos, barely audible.

“Kimberly!” The voice came again, louder this time, unmistakable. Leonardo. I could pick out his voice anywhere.

Gritting my teeth, I made a feeble attempt to stand, but it was futile. The stone crumbled instantly under my fingers, tumbling down in a dusty heap. The mansion was nothing but rubble now, reduced to mere debris.

Another explosion ripped through the air, and I stumbled back to the ground, clutching my side as pain flared up my spine.

I forced myself up again, only to see Leonardo rushing toward me. But a pile of fallen bricks had already risen between us, forming an impassable wall.

I couldn’t go out, and he couldn’t get in. All around me, the walls continued to cave, pieces collapsing one after anothe