Chapter 12 - The Gunshot
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Russo whipped around, his gun now pointed directly at my chest.
Stella looked up from the wet concrete, blood dripping from her lip. Her eyes widened when she saw me standing there in my silk dress, holding a rusted pipe like a baseball bat.
"The little maid," Russo laughed, a cruel, grating sound. "You followed us. Perfect. Two tragedies for the price of one."
"Leandro knows you're here, Russo," I lied, keeping my voice steady even though my knees were shaking. "He's five minutes away."
Russo scoffed, cocking the gun. "Leandro is shaking hands at the Mayor's gala. By the time he realizes you're both gone, I'll be in Mexico with the treasury money, and he'll be explaining to Arthur why his daughter put a bullet in her own brain."
"You're betraying Arthur?" Stella sobbed, clutching her bruised face. "He treated you like a son!"
"He treated me like a dog!" Russo roared, losing his temper. He pointed the gun back at Stella. "Goodbye, princess."
BANG.
The gunshot echoed across the water, deafeningly loud.
Stella screamed, covering her head.
But it wasn't Stella who fell.
Russo dropped his gun, clutching his shoulder as blood exploded from his jacket. He collapsed to his knees, screaming in agony.
From the fog behind me, Leandro emerged.
He didn't look like a businessman anymore. He looked like the devil himself. His tuxedo jacket was gone, his white shirt sleeves rolled up, and a silenced pistol was gripped loosely in his right hand.
Behind him, two SUVs pulled up, tires screeching. Half a dozen armed men poured out, instantly surrounding Russo.
Leandro ignored the bleeding traitor. He walked straight past his sobbing sister and stopped right in front of me.
His dark eyes raked over my shivering body, taking in my bare arms and the iron pipe I was still gripping tightly.
He reached out and gently pried the pipe from my frozen fingers. Then, he took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. The warmth of his body heat and the smell of sandalwood instantly grounded me.
"I told you not to leave the cab," he whispered, his voice vibrating with a terrifying rage.
"He was going to kill her," I managed to say.
May you like
Leandro’s jaw tightened. He turned slowly to look at Russo, who was groaning on the ground.
"Take my sister home," Leandro ordered his men. "And put Russo in the warehouse. I’m going to take my time with him."
