The Deep End

Chapter 26

•Polina•

This can't be real.

My head swims in disbelief of everything that just happened downstairs. I reach up, gliding the tips of my fingers against the place where Giovanni's gun had dug into my forehead. I can still feel the ghost of it there, as if it left an imprint behind. I can still see the look in his eyes as he stared me down, the pure rage rolling off of him in waves. He hates me and I don't blame him, I would hate me too if I were in his shoes. I did something that can never be forgiven. I caused him to lose a child.

Then it was as if the world stopped spinning and Enzo held his brother at gunpoint. Even with everything I've done he went to war for me, he defended me. I'd never experienced loyalty like that until that moment. I could see it in his eyes, even as I avoided them, that it wouldn't have taken much for him to squeeze the trigger.

He was ready to be named a traitor just as his namesake had been— ready to kill his brother over me. It was a heavy feeling, my emotions were a mess by the time he carried me upstairs and I couldn't hold my feelings back any longer. I'm in love with them and before anything else happened I needed them to know. Now I'm terrified of losing them. I'd seen men in our world die for smaller reasons than harboring an enemy and holding your superior at gunpoint.

"What are we going to do?" I whisper so Toni doesn't overhear.

I can picture him now, leaning against the door with his ear pressed to the wood. My skin crawls as I think about him, the way his eyes lit up when he recognized me. I fought him with everything I had in me but he cornered me at the stairs and I almost went down them head first before realizing it. By the time I had gotten my footing he had a fistful of my hair and he didn't mind dragging me by it. No matter how I came at him he refused to even lessen his hold. I was his trophy and he had been elated to show me off.

"We're gonna run." Enzo replies simply. He dumps his duffle bag out on the bed and starts stuffing it with anything he thinks we'll need. "I'll have to take care of Toni, just make sure you stay with Luca and don't worry about me. There's a car waiting for us down the road, we just have to make it to it. I have a contact with a private plane and it should be ready to take off by the time we get there." He zips the dufflebag up and hands it to Luca.

How could I not worry about him? If they catch him running they'll kill him on the spot. He must read the thought on my face because he leans down and presses a kiss against my lips before I can object to his plan.

"This isn't the time to disobey me, Polina, it's life or death. Follow Luca and don't look back." He demands firmly

I purse my lips but give him a nod. "Okay."

Enzo hands me a stack of clothes and a pair of shoes I hadn't even realized he'd taken from my suitcase. "Put these on."

I quickly get changed and mentally prepare myself for what's about to happen. Luca grabs my hand as Enzo unlocks and opens the door. Toni eyes us suspiciously as Luca and I slip out and then we start running. I hear a grunt behind me but I do as Enzo said and don't look back.

We sprint down the stairs, his hand never leaving mine. Thankfully there's no one in the hall as we run to the door but as soon as we exit gunfire sprays up the side of the house. I squeal and duck, noticing the man across the street wielding a gun, but don't stop running. I hear another gun and shouts in Italian behind us and then everything goes quiet.

I'm out of breath by the time we make it to the car that idles by the curb down the road, a driver seated in the front seat. We slide in the back and Luca tosses the duffle bag onto the floorboard. My heart races against my ribs and he gives my hand a squeeze.