Chapter 17 - Surviving the Night
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The gunfight ended abruptly, leaving behind an echoing silence broken only by groans of the wounded.
Madeline broke free from Dominic’s grip and sprinted across the warehouse floor, sliding to her knees beside Gabriel. Blood was rapidly pooling under his dark shirt.
"No, no, no," she sobbed, pressing both of her hands hard against the gunshot wound on his abdomen. "Gabriel, look at me! Stay awake!"
Gabriel coughed, wincing in pain. His gray eyes fluttered open, locking onto her panicked face. A faint, bloody smile touched his lips.
"I told you... I protect what's mine," he rasped, his hand weakly reaching up to touch the side of her face.
"Shut up and save your strength!" she cried, tears dripping down her chin onto his shirt. "Dominic! Get a medic! Now!"
Dominic was already there, lifting Gabriel with the help of two other men. "We're taking him to the underground clinic. You come with us, Miss Harper."
As they carried Gabriel away, Nathan stepped out from behind a pillar, his face pale with shock. "Maddie... wait. Take me with you."
Madeline stopped. She turned around and looked at the brother she had spent her whole life protecting. She looked at his cowardice, at his greed.
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"You are dead to me, Nathan," she said, her voice completely hollow. "If I ever see your face again, I won't stop them from killing you."
She turned her back on him and climbed into the blood-stained SUV with Gabriel.
