SIXTEEN
1602 Words
Gabe shielded his body over Adrianna's trembling body. He couldn't believe what he'd witnessed tonight. First, he'd been a fool for doubting the woman he proclaimed to love, but then when he second-guessed his own friend, only to discover he'd been duped again, Gabe didn't know how to act. His heart was breaking. Yet now, all he could think about was trying to save Adrianna and her sister from his crazy friend.
His crazy ex-friend.
Valerie huddled nearby but she kept turning her gaze to the wall of weapons. He didn't have to ask what she was thinking. He could read her mind. Why were they afraid if they were in a room full of guns that could protect them?
Another few gunshots pierced the air. Thankfully, they were still in the other room. But he knew how well the bullets could pass through the walls and get into this room.
Dante cussed. "Open the door."
Adrianna whimpered as her body shook harder.
He must detain his friend somehow before the police arrived. He kissed Adrianna's head and pointed to the corner of the room. "Go over there and stay down."
"Why? What are you going to do?" She clung to him as tears streamed from her frightened eyes.
"I need to stop Dante." He kissed her lips before pulling away.
"Gabe, please...what if he shoots you? What if—"
He placed a finger on her trembling lips. "That won't happen. I have something to live for. I have fallen in love with the prettiest woman in the world. Do you think I'm going to do something as stupid as getting myself killed?" He shook his head, giving her a reassuring smile. "Adrianna, we still haven't ended our date the right way, and I'm definitely looking forward to doing that."
He hurried to the shelf and took down a Glock. He had one of these at home, so he was confident he could use it successfully. After he loaded it with a magazine, he began his crawl into the other room.
Valerie scrambled to her feet and rushed to one of the guns, grabbed it off the shelf before hurrying to a cabinet and pulling out some shells. It surprised him to see how well she loaded the gun. He glanced at Adrianna to see if she was watching this, but her hands covered her face as she crouched in the corner of the room.
Shots flew through the drug room again, and just as Gabe suspected, one came through the wall and broke the window.
"Get down," Gabe snapped at Valerie. "What do you think you are doing?"
"I'm going to help stop him."
Adrianna's head popped up. She gasped and reached for her sister. "Val, no. I don't know what I'd do if he shot you." Her voice broke.
Valerie gave Adrianna an apologetic smile. "It's about time I did something right for once. Don't you agree?"
"No, I don't agree," Adrianna cried. "I'd rather have a sister who makes mistakes and who is alive than one who wants to play hero and gets herself killed."
Val leaned down and gave her sister a hug. "Trust me on this. I know how to use a gun."
Groaning, Adrianna shook her head. "Please, don't do it."
"No matter what kind of mistakes I've made, and how much I've lied, I have always loved you."
Valerie scooted on the floor beside Gabe. He pushed open the door and crawled slowly inside the drug room with her following. Glass and broken bottles littered the floor, but he carefully slid them aside so that Valerie wouldn't get cut.
She stopped and tugged on his tux sleeve and then pointed toward the bottom of the door. Gabe peered closer in that direction. Dante's shoes were visible. Now he knew what Valerie wanted to do. If they shot at his feet, it wouldn't kill him, but it would prevent him from shooting their way.
"Gabe," Dante shouted again. "Please don't do this. Does our friendship mean anything?"
Gabe's heart twisted again. "Dante, do you realize how dangerous your life is because of what you do for a living? Dealing drugs and guns can eventually get your family and friends killed. Is that what you want?" He paused before adding, "Think of your parents. Your siblings. Even your nieces and nephews. Why would you want to put them in harm's way?"
"You don't understand," Dante whined. "What I'm doing is helping my family. I can give them anything they want. I'm very wealthy."
"You are putting them in danger, and you know it. One of these days, you are going to sell drugs or weapons to someone with a lot of power. If the deal does not go as planned, they will retaliate and go after your family." He paused for a moment, hoping his words would sink into his friend's head. "Do you really want that to happen? You will be their puppet, and the more they play you, the deeper you will get until you cannot get out at all."
Silence grew in the room and in the hall.
"Think about it, man," Gabe raised his voice. "Right now you have a great job with my sister. You have supportive and loving friends. Do you really want to ruin it all like this?"
"I wish you could understand," Dante blubbered. "I like having all the money I want."
Gabe glanced at Val and whispered, "Does he use drugs?"
Frowning, she nodded.
Gabe shook his head and his heart twisted harder. That's what Dante's problem was. He didn't want to change his way of life because he was addicted.
Off in the distance, the wail of sirens blared through the streets. Gabe exchanged relieved glances with Val. Unfortunately, it would still be a few more minutes before the police arrived. Many things could happen in a few minutes.
Out in the hall, Dante cussed again and kicked the door. "That's it," he snapped. "You brought this upon yourself, Count Marcelli. Tell your girlfriend and her sister goodbye."
Valerie aimed her gun toward Dante's feet, and Gabe quickly adjusted himself on the floor and aimed.
"Now," Gabe whispered before he fired.
Valerie fired a round of shots, as well.
Dante screamed and fell to the floor. Gabe sighed. At least Dante was still moving—and shouting. That was a good thing.
Valerie made a move to jump up, but Gabe pulled her back down beside him. "Not yet," he mouthed.
"But—" she pointed toward the door.
Just then, shots were fired from Dante's end. The door broke apart from the several bullets leaving the weapon as if they were exiting a machine gun.
Valerie covered her head from the debris falling around them. Gabe pointed his gun toward the direct spot where Dante's bullets were flying from, and he shot a few more times. Finally, silence settled through the air. Dante wasn't screaming, nor was he writhing in pain.
Closing his eyes, Gabe gritted his teeth against the pain slicing through his heart. He hadn't wanted to kill Dante, and he prayed he hadn't. But since the man wasn't shooting back...
Several footsteps pounded on the floor in the hall. "Man down," one of the policemen yelled.
The sirens grew louder, and more added to the chorus.
"Are you all right?" Gabe asked Valerie.
"Yes."
He stood and hurried to the back room to check on Adrianna. She lay on the floor in a pool of blood.
"No," he screamed and rushed to her side.
He moved his hands over her, trying to find where she'd been shot. Her chest still rose and fell, and he sighed with relief. But she'd lost so much blood. That couldn't be good at all.
"Anna!" Valerie ran to them and dropped to her knees. "Oh, this is all my fault." She sobbed into her hands.
Adrianna's eyes flickered open. "My shoulder," she whispered weakly.
Cussing, Gabe yanked off his tuxedo jacket before tugging his shirt off his chest. Then he ripped a piece from the shirt, fastening it around her shoulder to stop the bleeding.
"Valerie, take this and hold it against the open wound. It will help slow down the bleeding." He handed her a strip of his bunched-up shirt.
Nodding, Valerie took the cloth and pushed it against Adrianna's shoulder.
He traded places with Val as he added pressure to Adrianna's wound. Her face was pale, but at least she was breathing. How long had she been bleeding? Why hadn't she said anything? Pain like none other gripped his heart and squeezed. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose the only woman he'd ever cared about...had ever loved. God wasn't this cruel, was He?
"Mí amore," he said in a soft voice. "Look at me."
Her eyes flickered open again and she met his stare. "I want you to continue to look at me. Do not close your eyes. You will be fine."
"Okay," she said weakly.
He smiled. "I'm going to take care of you...forever if that is what you wish."
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "Forever?"
"Yes, as long as you consent to become my Countess. We will live at the vineyard, and we will have a large family. Does that sound fun?"
She chuckled softly. "It does."
"So, will you marry me?"
"I will."
From in the other room, the door was kicked open.
"We're in here," Gabe shouted. "Someone has been shot."
He leaned down and kissed her lips, but as he pulled away, she closed her eyes and fell limp.
- Writer
