Page 125 of In My Heart
Then chaos detonated. I dropped to the floor and covered my head as bullets tore through wood and stained glass, debris and destruction falling down all around me.
I could hear the distant sound of men shouting over and amongst the gunfire. I was sure I heard Arran roaring like a bloody bear, but I didn’t dare move to look for him.
Someone grabbed my arm from behind, wrenching me backward so hard pain shot through my shoulder and I scrambled to defend myself, pushing and twisting in his grip to get upright.
I gained my footing and instantly thrust back my elbow into the man’s hard chest with as much force as I had. It was my right arm with the possibly broken wrist and I cried out in pain as it was jolted badly. The grunt from the man holding me, made it worth it though. He released me enough that I managed to twist from his grip and I moved to thrust my palm into his nose, but he caught the move and twisted my arm behind my back.
I cried out as he almost forced me to the ground, then he wrapped his other arm tight around me and I could only gasp for air, whilst he dragged me toward the side exit, which the priest had already fled through.
We were almost through it, but then I saw Dante, exactly where he had been. He still wasn’t moving and for a second, everything else disappeared for me, but him. It was the closest I had been to him and I could see every injury those monsters had done to him.
His face was almost unrecognizable beneath bruises, swelling, and dried blood. One eye swollen shut. Split lip. His chest wasa patchwork of blade cuts, bruises, and burns. I was pretty sure he had broken ribs judging by some bruising visible through the layers of dried blood, and some swelling. The rope cut deeply into his wrists where he’d clearly fought until his skin tore open.
“DANTE!” I screamed at the top of my voice.
A sob slipped from me when he jolted, then opened the eye he was able to, and lifted his head to look for me. Our eyes locked for a moment and I fought not to cry.
“Cara…” His voice was so weak, and the sound wrecked me. Tears threatened and my eyes burned instantly.
The soldier hauling me backward tightened his grip around me to crushing levels and I looked back to Dante as panic surged hard enough to choke me. I couldn’t leave him there. They’d shoot him if they got the chance. I had to do something.
A gunshot cracked through the air so close to us I flinched hard. But I wasn’t the only one. The man holding me faltered his grip as he too flinched and my training all seemed to kick in like never before.
I could hear their voices in my head – Hilt, Arran, Dario, and Cal.Take any opportunities. Use the distraction. Move first. Use surprise as your biggest asset.
I reacted before fear could stop me, not thinking too much and instead relying on my instinct.
I slammed the heel of my foot down into the man’s leather loafer, and drove my elbow hard into his throat this time, going for the bigger impact. He gagged, grip loosening just enough for me to twist free, and when he reached for me again, I was already ready. I pivoted exactly the way Arran had taught me, grabbed his wrist with both hands, and used his own momentumto throw him forward. It definitely took him by surprise. He hit the marble floor hard enough that his gun skidded from his hand.
Everything slowed then. My mind seemed to stutter for a moment as I stared at that weapon, then I seemed to remember what was at stake, and I lunged for it, and grabbed it.
The weight was heavy in my hands. It was bigger than any gun I had fired before, but it was still familiar to the guns Arran had shown me at the range, and to what I fired with Hilt so long ago. I looked for the safety and ensured it was off. I assumed it was loaded. Who would walk around with an unloaded gun? Certainly not anyone working for Adamian.
I reacted fast when I sensed movement behind me, the soldier I had taken down starting to try and get himself up. I pointed the gun right at him with shaking hands. My adrenaline was rioting and the shaking seemed to come with it.Not helpful!
“Don’t!” I warned him, my voice cracking.
He just smiled at me as he rose to his full height, then he lunged. He didn’t believe me capable. He was wrong.
The trigger was easy to squeeze. I remembered Arran’s words that I had to keep my eyes open, so I told myself not to flinch, and aimed as much as I could in the panicked moment. The shot exploded through the chapel.
The recoil jolted painfully through my arms and my right wrist was agony, but I dare not drop it from the two handed hold I had on the weapon. I just stared on, heart pounding as the man dropped heavily to the stone floor. There was blood coming from the middle of his chest. I’d hit him where Arran told me to aim, centre mass.
Silence punched through me for one sickening heartbeat, then the drumming of my pulse raced through me again as the truth settled. He was dead. I killed him. I didn’t miss. Oh my God.
“Cara!”
Rafe’s voice tore across the room. I spun toward him my grip on the gun staying firm and strong, despite the pain in both of my arms. Most of Adamian’s men were down. I could see Arran and Cal fighting two of Adamian’s guys, and obviously winning. Dio was leant over a guy, swiping blood from his own face. Rafe was whole. They were alive. Dante was still alive. Relief hit so hard it physically hurt.
Rafe stood near the ruined doorway, gun raised, chest heaving violently. His colour was awful. Every breath looked painful, one hand pressed briefly against his ribs before he forced himself forward again. He looked exhausted, but he was standing.
Dio moved to his side fast, pressing in beside him like a shadow, firing methodically at the remaining Armenians, while Arran and Cal fought on, hand-to-hand near the pews with brutal efficiency. They were both pretty covered with blood, but none of it seemed to be their own.
Then movement caught my eye off to the side. One of Grigor’s men appeared from nowhere and had a gun aimed directly at Arran’s back.
“Arran!” I screamed as I lifted my gun, but I already knew I was too slow.
The shot fired from behind Arran before I even had the gun straight, and a scream tore from me. My feet were moving with no care for the bullets still flying around me. I couldn’t lose him!
