Page 103 of Deathless & Divided

Lily bit her inner cheek and said, “I know what is yours.”

“Good.” Damian’s fingers danced up her stomach and over her chest. Sparks bloomed on every spot he touched, waking Lily’s lust up even more. It was innocent enough, sure, but it felt entirely sinful at the same time. He stepped back, giving her just enough space to breathe. “I’ll keep reminding you when I think you need it.”

“You don’t play a clean game, Rossi.”

“Nothing about me is clean, DeLuca. Which you already know. Don’t act so surprised.”

Lily poked him in the chest. “What are you going to do when my last name is changed, huh?”

“I’ll be happy I can add another way to show you’re mine. And—”

Damian’s words cut off as his gaze caught something else. Lily followed his stare and noticed a dark suburban driving slowly down the road in front of the Trentini home. Terrance’s driveway, blocked by an iron gate, had filled with the leaving guests getting into their cars. The gate began to open.

The hair on the back of Lily’s neck prickled with the oddest sensation. Damian’s hold on her tightened the closer the suburban came to the front of the driveway. Despite the unusually warm Chicago air, Lily suddenly felt cold all over.

“Oh, it’s great to see them home,” came a loud voice from the doorway of the large home. “I’m sure they’ll be lovely in the wedding.”

Lily’s gaze traveled back to see Terrance giving his goodbyes to the Rossi twins. Joel, Abriella, and their parents stood on the steps with Terrance. Ben stood in front of his boss, saying his goodbyes, too.

“Get down,” Damian said.

Lily barely heard the words. “What?”

“Get down!”

Damian shoved her to the driveway with enough force to rattle her bones. Lily’s skin felt the effects of the asphalt as it scraped her knees and elbows. Her cry of pain was drowned out by the shattering scream of others as rapid assault fire filled the air. The fast popping shredded what serenity had been gained from the dinner.

Lily’s heart was in her throat, beating wildly out of control. Damian covered her body with his own, whispering calm assurances in her ear.

“Shhh, sweetheart, it’s okay,” Damian murmured.

Lily didn’t believe him. She couldn’t breathe as the fear swept over her body with damning intent. Sickness welled in her gut as she clenched her fists against the driveway. Glass exploded around them as bullets rained into her Maserati. She heard the calls of people shouting for others.

There were kids in the driveway.

Her friends were in the driveway.

Damian was in the driveway.

“We’re okay,” Damian told her like he knew she needed to hear it.

Lily trembled, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hide her face. Damian had laid them flat beside the car for safety. She had just enough view from around the wheel well to see someone inside the black suburban toss out three glass bottles with burning rags sticking out of the tops. The bottles crashed over the top of two vehicles much closer to the gate than Lily’s was. The moment the bottles broke, fire lit up across the cars, engulfing them in flames.

Damian’s hands ran up and down Lily’s sides, soothing her without saying another word. She still shook like a leaf in the wind, but it wasn’t as bad with him there.

The screech of tires broke Lily from her daze. The black suburban disappeared before Lily could get another good look at it. Damian wasted no time rolling off her and standing. He lifted Lily’s stunned, shaking body up from the ground as if she weighed nothing more than a feather.

“Hey, hey,” Damian said, his tone calm and sweet in her ear.

Lily couldn’t see him through the haze of panic controlling her senses.

“Lily, look at me!”

Blinking away the confusion, Lily stared at Damian’s concerned features. Worry wrote lines over his brow as a frown curved his lips downward. His palms held her face tight in his hands, forcing her to keep looking at him.

“What just happened?” Lily asked, knowing but still unsure. She didn’t want to admit to herself what she already knew. Not again. Why did this happen again?

Before he could answer, sirens and lights blew past the Trentini home.