Page 175 of Valentino

Oh my God.

Carlo dives for him as blood spurts across the bathroom.

Bang.

He fires again and Carlo drops.

“No,” I cry. “Stop.”

Carlo slides down the tiles, dropping his gun in the fall, a red sea of blood splattered on the wall behind him.

Valentino walks toward him, he shoots the tiles next to his head, the sound of the tiles shattering is deafening.

“Anna,” Valentino says calmly as he stands over Carlo who is now slumped against the tiles, blood is pooling beneath him. “Get out.”

“Don’t do this, Val,” I plead. “Don’t stoop to this level. I beg of you. You’re better than this.”

“Get. The. Fuck. Out,” Val screams, he pushes me hard and I stumble backward. I run from the bedroom. I hear another gunshot, more tiles smash.

He’s going to make him suffer.

I run down the hall just as police appear at the door. If Val does this now he’s going to go to prison for life. “The police are here,” I cry to warn him.

“What’s going on?” the policeman yells.

“In the bathroom,” I cry. “Quick.”

They run and then I hear, “Put the gun down!”

Another shot hits the tiles, and I screw up my face in fear. Valentino has completely lost his mind.

“Put the gun down. Now.”

“Anna.” Romeo appears out of nowhere; he scoops me up and then drags me out the door before pushing me into the spare bedroom. “Stay in here.” He slams the door.

Screaming, yelling. More gunshots outside…. More police sirens.

I slide down the wall into the fetal position and put my hands over my ears.

I hear banging and screaming and then the door opens, Romeo steps in and closes it behind him.

“What’s happening?” I stammer in a panic.

He grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. “When they question you. You tell them Valentino was protecting you.” He shakes me by my shoulders. “Do you understand me?”

“What?” My eyes are wide with fear. “Why would they question me?”

“If you side with Carlo on this…” his fingers dig into my shoulders as he holds me, “…I’ll personally make sure you don’t survive the fucking night,” he sneers.

“What?” My face falls. “Why would I side with Carlo?”

“We know, Anna.” His eyes flicker red. “We know every fucking thing.” He pushes me back. “You make me sick. How could you?”

My eyes search his, searching for an answer, some semblance of my beloved and trusted friend Romeo. “What are you talking about?” I whisper.

“Do not insult my intelligence,” he spits. “This is your first and final warning, Anna. You tell the police that you and Val are nothing more than friends, and if you side with Carlo when you get interviewed tonight, I will kill you.”

He knows about Val and me.