The force of the explosion slammed into my chest and hurled me through the air.
I braced myself for the impact.
Instead, a pair of powerful arms closed around me.
Nero. He caught me in midair and twisted, turning his own body into a shield.
A split second later, his back crashed into a collapsing stone pillar.
A sickening c***k cut through the chaos.
He let out a muffled groan as we hit the rubble together.
Blood spilled from his mouth and splattered across my face.
All around us, people screamed.
Gunfire erupted from every direction, and flames swept through the ballroom.
This wasn't some reckless attempt to provoke Nero.
Lorenzo had planned an assassination.
He had never truly wanted me.
I had only been the excuse.
His real target had always been the Vitale family.
"Nero!"
