Page 187 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

The initial shock was fading, replaced by pure terror, and I began to shake. As if sensing it, Sven placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Breathe.”

I nodded and took a slow, deep breath.

“What of the Harrington men?”

Sven shook his head.

“As soon as they got Arturo and Julian out of here, most of them ran. Luca is pinned down on the far side. Matteo has been shot, I don’t know how badly. No sign of Adriano, and Isadora is dead. We’re on our own.”

“Fuck,” Father grumbled.

Isadora was dead?

I hadn’t known her well, but I couldn’t help wondering if her final thought had been heartbreak and betrayal as Arturo fled and left her behind.

A shadow moved at the window closest to us.

I screamed and raised my gun, firing a single shot before Sven tackled me to the floor.

More shots rang out close enough to know they came from my father.

Sven pushed himself up and winced as he examined his arm.

“You’re hit.”

“It’s a flesh wound, I’ll be fine,” he said, glancing toward the window. “Nice shot.”

“I’m out.” Father let the empty clip drop from the gun.

Sven fired three more shots.

“Shit. I am too.”

“Here. Take mine,” I said, holding the gun out to Sven. “Who are they?”

“The DeLuca family,” Sven answered. “This was an assassination attempt.”

Dimitri swore and ran his hand down his face. They clearly knew information that wasn’t shared with me.

“If they are trying to take out Julian and Arturo, then why aren’t they leaving?”

“They aren’t after them.”

He stared at me, and then it clicked.

“Me? They want me? Why the hell do they want me?”

Sven glanced at my father, who had remained suspiciously quiet during the exchange. It had something to do with the deal my father had made with the Harringtons. He didn’t have to say it for me to understand.

I closed my eyes and tried to rein in the panic threatening to take over. Drawing in a deep breath, I forced the fear down. There was no room for weakness now that I knew I was the target.

“How are we going to get out of here?”

The look my father gave me said it all. He had known a day like this would come, and he had made his peace with it.

“We pray for a miracle.”