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Hospital.

My heart lurched.

No.

No, no?—

“Alessio?”My throat was raw.His name came out shredded.

Nothing answered me but the monitor.

The memory hit me like a bullet.

Blood.

Screaming.

Gunfire ripping the air apart.

Alessio at the door.

My brother.

My baby brother.

Standing there with a gun too big for his hands, eyes fierce, body shaking—not running, not hiding—protecting me.

I sucked in a breath that turned into a broken sound.

“No…”

My eyes flew open fully now, panic flooding my veins.My head jerked from side to side, searching the room like if I looked hard enough, Alessio would be there, sitting in a chair, smirking, calling me an asshole for almost dying.

“Alessio!”I shouted.

Nothing.

The truth crashed into me, merciless and final.

He didn’t come back.

My chest seized so violently I thought my heart had stopped.

“Oh God—” I tried to sit up, but pain exploded through me, white-hot, savage.I didn’t care.I ripped against the tubes in my arms, the wires on my chest, the bandages binding my ribs.

“Alessio!”I roared again, voice breaking.

Hands grabbed me.Voices shouted.None of it mattered.

I had promised.

I had promised.

You don’t go anywhere unless you can take me down.

We go together.

I won’t let you die.