AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I watched as he barked orders, oblivious to the danger lurking above him. My fingers tightened around the rifle’s grip, the metal cool and unforgiving against my skin. It was as if the chaos below was a storm, and I was the eye of it—calm, focused, and absolutely deadly.
Marco moved into my line of sight, his figure framed perfectly in the telescopic scope. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. Time seemed to slow as I exhaled, the crosshairs steady on Marco’s chest. This was the moment of truth, the pivot on which everything would turn.
He was going to die today.
With a final breath, I squeezed the trigger.
The rifle’s recoil jolted through me as the shot rang out, piercing through the madness below. Marco’s head jerked back violently, and blood sprayed out of the back of his scalp. For a moment, he stood utterly still, completely frozen, then his eyes turned glassy, and he crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap. The sudden silence was deafening as I stared down at his body.
I’d killed Marco.
In cold blood.
Dante and Rafael, momentarily stunned, stood there gawking at the body until they finally followed the trajectory of the shot upward. Their eyes met mine in the rafters, a mix of surprise and realization dawning across their faces as I peered down at them.
I just waved.
With Marco down, his men faltered, confusion marring their faces. Seizing the opportunity, Dante and Rafael sprang into action. They moved with lethal precision, their shots finding their marks with deadly accuracy.
From my elevated position, I provided cover and shot down several more, my newfound vantage point giving me a clear view of the remaining assailants. The rifle in my hands felt more natural now as we methodically took down Marco’s men.
We showed them no mercy.
One by one, they fell until no one was left standing except for the three of us.
I climbed down from the rafters, my heart sill beating with raging adrenaline. When I finally reached the ground floor, both Dante’s and Rafael’s faces were awash with relief at the sight of me.
“Ellie,” Rafael breathed.
Dante’s eyes met mine, his relief quickly turning to frustration. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have been killed!”
I met his gaze, unflinching. “I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. I had to help.”
Rafael interjected, his voice laced with tension. “Help? Ellie, you put yourself right in the line of fire. We had it under control.”
“Under control? If I hadn’t come, the both of you would be dead,” I spat back, lifting my chin with defiance.
Dante ran a hand through his hair, his expression awash with exasperation. “It doesn’t justify risking your life.”
There was a pause, and a heavy silence hung between us. Rafael’s eyes searched mine, a storm of emotions playing across his face.
“You’re not just a responsibility to us, Ellie. You’re… more than that,” he finally said, his voice softer.
I could see Dante noticing the tension between Rafael and me, and a flicker of confusion crossed his features. I swallowed hard and looked away with a grimace. Rafael took a deep breath and glanced at Dante, his expression carrying a mask of guilt.
“I know, and I’m sorry,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I couldn’t stand the thought of something happening to either of you.”
“Forget it. We need to get out of here before the police show up.” Dante growled, his gaze lingering on me and Rafael for a long moment before he turned away.
Neither Rafael nor I said anything in response.
We made our way back to the car, the silence between us thick and heavy. The drive back to the penthouse was tense and not a single one of us said a word.
When we arrived back home, we quickly entered the building and stepped into the elevator. The confined space amplified the tension between the three of us, the silence almost deafening. It was only once the elevator reached the top floor and we were safely inside the suite that Dante cleared his throat.
“What’s going on between you two?” Dante asked abruptly, his voice hard and unforgiving.
Rafael shot a quick glance at me before facing Dante. “Nothing’s going on, Dante. I was just concerned about her safety, that’s all.”
