13
900 Words
The air was thick with smoke and the stench of gunpowder. Olivia’s heart pounded as she clutched Dominic’s shirt, standing behind him while he aimed his gun down the hallway.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos.
She didn’t need to be told twice.
The moment the first man rounded the corner, Dominic fired. The sharp crack of the gun made Olivia flinch, but the man dropped before he could even lift his weapon. Another rushed in right after, and Dominic barely had time to turn his aim before a bullet whizzed past his head, missing by inches.
He fired back, and the second man collapsed.
More footsteps. More shouting.
They were coming.
Dominic grabbed Olivia’s hand and pulled her into the hallway, moving quickly. He had memorized the house’s layout before coming, but now, every exit felt too far away.
“We need to get outside,” he muttered, his grip on her firm. “Leo is waiting with the car.”
Olivia nodded, but before they could take another step, two more men appeared at the end of the hallway.
One of them fired.
Dominic shoved Olivia hard to the side.
The bullet tore through his shoulder.
He stumbled but didn’t fall, gritting his teeth against the pain as he raised his gun and fired twice. One man went down instantly, the other barely had time to react before Dominic put another bullet in his chest.
Olivia scrambled to his side, her hands hovering near the wound, her panic rising.
Dominic exhaled through clenched teeth. “Not now, kitten,” he said, his voice tight. “We have to move.”
Blood was already seeping through his shirt. He was losing too much too fast.
But he didn’t stop.
He grabbed her hand again and pulled her forward, pushing through the burning pain.
They reached the back entrance just as another guard ran toward them. Dominic didn’t even slow down. He yanked a knife from his belt and drove it into the man’s throat, not sparing him a second glance as he fell.
The night air hit them like a slap when they finally made it outside.
Leo was already there, parked near the trees, his gun raised as he covered them.
“Boss—” Leo’s eyes widened when he saw Dominic’s bleeding shoulder, but there was no time for concern. “Get in!”
Dominic practically shoved Olivia into the car before sliding into the passenger seat.
Leo floored it before the doors had even shut.
Gunfire erupted behind them, bullets ricocheting off the car’s frame as they sped through the gates.
Olivia was breathing hard, her hands shaking as she tried to press down on Dominic’s wound to stop the bleeding.
“Drive faster,” Dominic muttered, leaning his head back against the seat.
Leo shot him a look through the rearview mirror. “I am.”
But Olivia wasn’t focused on Leo. She was watching Dominic.
His skin was pale. Too pale.
The blood wasn’t stopping.
He exhaled slowly, his fingers twitching against his leg. His usual sharp, focused gaze was clouded.
Panic clawed at Olivia’s chest.
She grabbed a napkin from the glove compartment and pressed it harder against the wound, her hands drenched in his blood.
Dominic hissed. “Kitten—”
No.
She shook her head furiously, her eyes wild as she looked up at him.
Stay awake.
She scribbled on the notepad in the car and shoved it into his lap.
“Stay awake. Don’t close your eyes.”
Dominic smirked weakly, but even that took effort. “Are you worried about me, kitten?”
Tears burned in her eyes as she nodded.
He exhaled, his breathing slowing. “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”
Liar.
She pressed harder on the wound, and he let out a strangled groan.
Leo cursed under his breath. “Boss, you’re losing too much blood.”
“I noticed,” Dominic muttered, his voice starting to slur.
The car swerved sharply as Leo took a side road, trying to avoid traffic.
Dominic blinked slowly, his body swaying slightly.
Olivia grabbed his arm and squeezed hard, trying to keep him conscious.
“Stay with me.”
His dark eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw something other than amusement or confidence.
She saw fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
He let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes for half a second too long.
“Dominic!”
Her silent scream was deafening in the car.
Leo sped up, knuckles white on the steering wheel. “We’re almost there, boss. Stay the f**k awake.”
Olivia kept her hands on his wound, her whole body trembling.
His breathing was too slow. His skin too cold.
Then, finally—
The mansion’s gates.
Leo didn’t even stop the car properly. He skidded to a halt, throwing the door open.
The house staff and Dominic’s personal doctor were already waiting at the entrance.
Leo dragged Dominic out of the car, barely catching him as his legs gave out.
Olivia followed, gripping his other arm.
The doctor was shouting something, but Olivia couldn’t focus.
All she could hear was Dominic’s weak, slurred voice.
“Kitten…”
His fingers twitched against her wrist, as if he was trying to reach for her.
And then—
He collapsed.
Everything went black.
- Writer
