Payback

A shrill scream left Cara's mouth as she anticipated the pain from the fall, but it never came. 

Adonis pulled her around as he cushioned the fall, and they both crashed to the ground, him taking most of the hit.

She glanced up at the cause with a glare; Natasha stood over them, a wicked smirk on her face and a gun in hand. 

"You b*tch. Are you trying to kill us? You must've forgotten, but I'm  pregnant."

Natasha let out a cackle.

"There's a gun in my hand, and you're still in doubt? You must be stupid!"

Cara could only watch her, half-dazed.

Why was she acting this way? Where was Luca? Didn't he go after her?

Natasha took a step closer, with the gun still aimed at her.

"Adonis is mine, and if I can't have him, no one will." She sneered.

Anxiety took over Cara's features. Her heart rapidly pounded like a dance beat on a drum in her chest. 

Why was Natasha acting deranged over a man who didn't want her? How could someone be so obsessive? 

She eyed the gun as her mind began to turn, thinking of ways to escape the situation.

What can she do to get her to drop the gun?

She thought hard, steadily rising to her feet, and then it clicked.

It was Adonis she wanted, so he should be the one to settle this. Maybe he'd be able to get her to lower her guard.

Her face scrunched up in puzzlement.

Where was he anyway?

Cara looked over to the side to find the man in question hunched over in a squat, a few steps away from her in a tense position.

She frowned.

Why was he bent over so awkwardly? Had he been by her side all along? Then why was he silent? What was wrong?

"Adonis?" She called out tentatively, and at the sound of his name, he slowly raised his head. 

She paled. 

His eyes were blank, but that was a usual expression for him. 

The unusual was the unhealthy whitish shade that painted his face and the thick veins protruding all over his neck and face as he drew in ragged, heavy breaths.

The rhythm of his chest rose and fell rapidly, and she could immediately tell something was wrong.

It was like he was struggling to stay composed. 

Natasha's scrutinizing gaze followed as she scooted closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. The moment her hand touched him, she felt the intense trembling of his body and wetness. 

"What's going on, Adonis?" Cara asked again, but he only stared back in reply; cold sweats had broken out on his face, and his breathing became more ragged.

Suddenly, she realized. 

A gun was fired at her, but Adonis saved her in time. If she was indeed fine, then who took the fall?

Her eyes widened. 

The wetness she felt when she touched him... was cold sweat that greasy?

Hesitantly, she pulled her hands away to confirm her suspicions, hoping it wasn't true, but before she could even take a peek at her palm, the metallic scent filtered into her nostrils.

She wasn't the only one who was aghast.

"Adonis!" Natasha screeched.

A sharp intake of breath rushed through Cara, and fear flashed in her eyes.

Blood. 

And it was spreading fast. How could she not notice? 

She snapped out of her shocked state, gripping his trembling hands in hers. It was getting more difficult for him to breathe.

"Adonis! Oh my God! What do we do? Why didn't you say a word? You're losing so much blood!" Cara cried helplessly.

Taken aback, Natasha threw the gun in her hand to the side as she rushed towards them. 

"What do we do? Adonis, I'm so sorry..." 

"What do we do? You're the reason he's in this state! Are you crazy? Get away from him!" She spat through clenched teeth, but Natasha snapped back.

"You were meant to be shot. Not Adonis! If anything, you're the one at fault!" 

"Get away from him." Cara snarled and they bickered back and forth. It wasn't until they felt Adonis fall back to the floor that they were reminded of the issue at hand. 

She mentally chided herself.

Was she really stupid? A man was dying, yet she was arguing pointlessly. Ignoring Natasha's words, she called out

"Hello? Is anyone there? Please help... please..." The words clogged up in her throat as he let out a low agonising groan.

Adonis was getting weaker. She needed to do something or get someone, but leaving him alone with Natasha wasn't an option.

She felt a small squeeze; and looked down to see his empty gaze already on her as he held her hand with the little strength he had left.

"Get Luca. I'd be fine." He rasped. 

Cara didn't want to and she silently communicated that through her gaze. Adonis gave a weak nod in reply and with a sigh, she helped him lie on the ground in the most comfortable position he could and hurriedly stood to her feet to go in search of Luca.

But luck was on her side, and just as she turned towards the door, he ran in with his face heavy with worry.

"I can't find Natasha; she must have..." he trailed off at the scene, narrowing his gaze on the said woman. "You did this!"

Natasha took a step back. 

"No! Cara did. I shot at Cara, not at Adonis." She defended again, but Luca knew arguing with her wasn't the priority, and he ran towards a barely conscious Adonis. 

A bullet was nothing to them in their line of work. They were trained to protect their vital points to avoid life-threatening situations like this.

Yet one look at him, he could tell the situation was dire. The bullet had pierced his left side, it'd be a miracle if it didn't go through his heart. 

It was obvious that Adonis took the shot on purpose. If he wanted to avoid it, he could've. He glanced at Cara, having it at the back of his mind to question her later.

"I need to get him out of here pronto!" Luca stated firmly, then thundered. "Mario, Freddy, get the men over here now." 

His seriousness made Cara more anxious. Luca was one to always find a reason to joke at all times, but if he was being so stern, it meant Adonis was in a critical situation.

The door burst open, and five men rushed in, including Freddy and Mario. 

Where were they when she called? 

Together, they moved Adonis out of the house, and Luca looked back when he noticed she wasn't following.

"Come on, Cara. We need to go to the hospital." 

In case he doesn't make it, you should be by his side. 

She heard the unspoken words he refused to finish, but she shook her head in disagreement.

"You go. I think I should finish this."

Imitating Adonis's cold look, she eyed the woman in front of her. 

"I won't forgive myself if she lives... and I lose him."

Luca sighed heavily but nodded in understanding. He pulled the band off his wrist and threw it to her as he said,

"Some men are out, guarding the mansion. One call and they'll be here." And with one last look at her, he muttered. "Be safe. Or Adonis would have my head." 

Then he was gone. 

Cara fixed her eyes on Natasha as she pulled on the band, pinning her with a prowled look.

From her smirk, she knew she had better chances

She was taller and more trained for this kind of life, but Natasha failed to consider the most important thing.

Cara was pissed. 

There was no way she'd let her leave the mansion alive.