03

Alora's POV

“Get down,” Dante hissed, his voice jolting me from my frozen state. My heart pounded, palms slick with sweat. As a nurse, I helped people, I didn’t get caught in shootouts.

I dropped to the floor, crawling toward Gianni and laying my body over his, trying to shield him. “They found us,” Dante said, his tone hushed.

“Who?” I whispered frantically, but he didn’t answer. His focus was entirely on the threat outside.

Dante moved toward the door, glancing over his shoulder. “Stay with him, I’ll be right back.”

I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.

A few seconds later, Dante rushed in, picking Gianni up and running toward the door. Without waiting for an invite, I followed him.

Once he opened the door, my eyes found another horrifying sight in less than three hours. Countless men, in similar black attire, stood around five black vehicles, shooting toward the other side, where other cars were approaching.

“We need to move,” Dante growled, his eyes flicking toward one of the men, who gave him a curt nod. “Stay low, be vigilant, and follow my lead.”

A groan from Gianni had me glancing down at him. “We can’t move him. He’s too weak. He—”

“We don’t have time for this,” Dante snapped, cutting me off. “They’ll break in here any second. If we stay, we’re dead. We must leave, okay?”

The thought of death didn’t seem appealing. Although my life was a lonely mess ever since my parents died and my brother moved, I didn’t want to die.

Heart racing, palms sweaty, I nodded quickly.

Dante looked and acted like someone who’d done this before. And not once. Right now, his confidence and Gianni were the only things keeping me from falling apart.

“On three,” Dante called out to his men, who all seemed to be paying close attention.

“One...” I squinted my eyes.

“Two...” Gianni moaned again, shifting slightly in my grasp.

“Three!” Dante growled.

The entire place turned into hell. Gunfire lit up the night sky as if a thousand fireworks were set off at once.

Dante pulled me and Gianni forward with incredible speed, his gaze calculated and unwavering.

Shadows moved in the dark corners of the street, men with guns slipping in and out of sight.

“We need to keep moving!” Dante exclaimed. “They’re closing in! My men won’t hold them off very long.”

I barely heard him over the deafening sounds.

I kept my head down, following Dante’s lead, praying we’d make it out alive.

A loud rumble broke through the night, the ground beneath us shuddering violently.

The explosion came from behind us, and the force sent me sprawling forward, planting my face in Dante’s strong back.

For a brief, terrifying second, my mind went blank.

Dazed, I turned my head to look behind me.

And I wish I hadn’t.

My house, the place I’d called home all my 23 years, was now a pile of rubble, flames still seeping through.

“No, no, no, no...” I trailed off, my voice a mere whisper.

I had nothing left.

Dante’s rough voice pulled me out of my stunned state.

“We have to keep moving.”

I had just lost everything, but I couldn’t mourn.

Not now.

Not with bullets flying and men hunting us.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, following Dante into the darkness.

There was no turning back now.

I had nothing left to go back to.

Soon, three cars rolled to a stop in front of us, blocking our path.

I got ready to bolt, but let my guard down as I saw Dante running toward them.

These must be his men.

We settled in, and the cars sped off down the streets.

As the car rolled to a stop, a look of amazement took over my features.

The mansion before me was magnificent.

I couldn’t help but let my mouth drop open.

A medical team stood waiting by the entrance, preparing to take Gianni inside.

I rushed out of the car, as the medics swarmed around Gianni, transferring him to a stretcher.

“I’m going in with him,” I demanded.

Dante, who had just exited the car, was speaking with one of the men.

He glanced back at me, his tone firm.

“No, you’re not. They’ll take care of him. You’ll get checked first, and then we’ll talk.”

I hesitated, my gaze locked on the medics wheeling Gianni into the mansion. A knot formed in my stomach as I fought the urge to follow them.

"I'm fine. I don't need to be checked." I replied, folding my arms over my chest. "But I'm staying for a few days. I'll stay until Gianni's okay, and then I'm going back home."

Dante's eyes flashed, a look of surprise and amusement taking over his features.

"Are you acting dumb or you really don't know?" He asked. Hearing his question, I fisted my hands by my side, ready to land a strong punch on his handsome face that would show him just how dumb I can be.

"You can't go back home."

Was this guy stupid? I knew that.

I frowned, a confused look taking over my face. "What do you mean I can't go back? My house is gone, but I have friends... I can stay with them until I figure things out."

Lies. I was lonely, but he didn't need to know that.

Dante's amuse look disappeared, his face turning serious. "You don't understand, Alora. When you saved my brother, you unintentionally stepped into a different world. You're in this now, whether you like it or not. You're tied…..to the Mafia."

What the actual shit did he just say?

The MAFIA??

How could I let this happen? What would Luciano say?

Oh my God Luciano will kill me.