I sighed in relief, smiling down at her. She might not have said the words exactly, but the sentiment rang like the sound of a hammer against a gong, anyway. "We have all the time in the world," I said. "But I'll make you say it sooner than later."
She laughed and my heart swelled with the sound as it echoed around the space. That I could make her smile despite her world burning down around her, that was the truth of the love pounding between us.
"You're more important to me than this gym. I would be with you even if I had to choose," she said, still dancing around the words. I suspected Sadie, like me, didn't say them easily.
It made them that much more worth hearing.
"So it's a yes on the location then?" I asked, smirking at her.
"Of course, it's a yes. How could I say no to this place? The wood beams and the metalwork in the bones of the building? It's perfect."
"Good," I said, leaning down to kiss her gently. Adoringly.
Taking her hand in mine and squeezing tight, I led her down the stairs and to the front door. The smile on my face echoed in hers as we made our way through the open door. Rebel hesitated for a moment before stepping over the threshold.
The realtor smiled at me, reading the unmistakable language in our faces as we emerged. "I take it you like it?" he asked. Rebel barked, the sound trailing into a growl.
"We'll—" I cut off, shock registering for a split second when his face burst into a splash of blood and his body crumpled to the ground.
33 Sadie
Enzo moved so quickly I didn't even have time to process what happened. "Inside!" he yelled, tucking me under his arm and going in the opposite direction of the car as more gunfire cracked through the air.
Shuffling into the door as he pulled his Glock out and heaved the heavy metal door closed, I looked at him with terror in my eyes. Rebel stood guard at my feet, growling at the closed door. "Go to the back," he urged me forward, pulling out his cell and frantically dialing. He relayed the address to whoever answered. "Taking fire, I have Sadie with me. One known gunman in the front, David is down. Making for the rear entrance and the woods," he said, ending the call and shoving the phone back into his pocket.
"When we get out, you're going to run and not look back. Do not stop no matter what you hear. I'm going to cover you, and I'll be right behind you, Baby Girl," he said.
Horror filled me, the thought of him sacrificing himself for me to get away, and my head filled with images of his blood leaking into the dirt. "I'm not going to leave you!" I yelled, fighting against his stern hand that pushed me forward.
"Yes, you fucking are. It is my job to protect you. You're going to get to the woods and find a place to hide. Take Rebel with you. Seb will mobilize the men and they'll be here as soon as they can."
"Then we should wait in here!" I protested. "We can hide in the loft and wait for them to come."
Enzo shifted, dropping his head and touching his forehead to mine as he sighed. "They lit your gym on fire, Sadie," he said as bullets shattered the glass at the front of the building. "What do you think they'll do knowing we're in here?"
"Enzo, no. Don't ask me to leave you, please," I begged, tears blurring my vision as he resumed pushing me to the back door.
"Go!" he said quietly, leaving me no choice but to move as his hands guided me along the alley. The back door loomed next to the stairs at the back as I frantically tried to find another way. Another option as Enzo kept glancing over his shoulder for whoever had come in the front window.
With the back door only feet in front of me, there was no time to think of an alternative, but I knew I'd never be able to leave him.
It turned out it wouldn't matter when the choice was taken away from me.
The back door blew open as a different man filled the doorway, his rifle pointed at Enzo as he moved to shove me behind him. "Tiernan sends his regards," the man said. Enzo never aimed his handgun. Never even made to do it as all his focus went to getting me shielded.
Slapping his hand away, I twisted my body to the front of his, curling around him as his face filled with panic. "No!" he yelled, finally raising his gun when he realized he wouldn't be able to spin me out of the way in time when the bang of the gun shattered the silence.
Everything slowed, waiting for the end with eyes clenched shut and breathing Enzo in. Relishing the contact between us and knowing that no matter what, at least I wasn't alone.
But he didn't know I loved him.
Pain exploded in my shoulder, my world narrowing down to the blinding heat searing me from the inside. "Fuck!" I screamed as Enzo's hand curled around the back of my neck and twisted me out of the way. His gun fired and then he grabbed me under the knees and scooped me into his arms. Racing over to a metal table they'd left behind at the back of the ground floor, he moved with frenzied and hasty bursts of energy. Kicking over the table, he set me down behind it, turning me to inspect the wound.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" he asked, his voice
