Cara's POV
I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, the weight on my chest lightening just a little. When I glanced toward Luca, I caught the flash of surprise in his eyes, mixed with a bit of curiosity. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was wondering how I'd managed to get Alexei to stand down.
Then Luca's gaze softened, his shoulders relaxing as he slowly lowered his gun to the ground. He opened his arms wide, a hopeful smile tugging at his lips, and in that moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of us.
I didn't hesitate.
I ran toward him, throwing myself into his arms with a desperation that felt like it might consume me. The instant his arms closed around me, the world fell away. Time stopped, and for one fleeting moment, nothing else mattered.
His embrace was desperate, crushing, as if he feared I would vanish if he let go. I could feel his heart pounding against my chest, his breaths coming in gasps as he buried his face in my hair.
"You're safe," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "You're safe."
I clung to him, my own relief mingling with the guilt that this nightmare had unfolded because of me. "I'm here," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I'm okay."
I wasn't sure I believed my own words, but that didn't matter right now. Luca was here so I knew everything would be alright.
Luca pulled back just enough to cup my face in his hands, his piercing eyes scanning every inch of me as if checking for injuries. His jaw tightened, his throat bobbing as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
"You scared me, bambina," he admitted, his voice raw. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice breaking. "I-"
"Don't," he interrupted, his tone firm but tender. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
I glanced around, realizing that both sides were watching us, clearly confused by what was going on.
"Luca," I said softly, drawing his attention back to me. "Please, let this end. Tell your men to stand down. Alexei will do the same, I promise."
His eyes searched mine for a long moment, and then, to my surprise, he nodded. He turned to his men, his arm still protectively wrapped around me.
"Fall back!" he barked, his voice commanding. "Stand down, now!"
His soldiers hesitated, exchanging wary glances, but they obeyed, stepping back.
Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived.
From the corner of my eye, I saw a figure emerge from the shadows, limping but determined. My blood ran cold as I recognized him.
Diego.
The twisted expression on his face made my stomach tighten with dread, but it was the gun in his hand that sent a jolt of terror through me.
"No!" I screamed, but it was too late.
Diego raised his weapon, his aim locked on Luca.
Without thinking, without hesitation, I shoved Luca aside with all the strength I could muster. He hadn't been expecting the shove so he moved with lightning speed and turned around to see what happened.
The gunshot rang out, sharp and deafening, the pain following almost instantly.
It was like fire, searing and unrelenting, spreading from my side and consuming me whole. My knees buckled, and I crumpled to the ground, the world tilting and spinning around me.
"Cara!" Luca's voice was a roar, filled with a fury and anguish that made my chest ache even more than the bullet wound.
I barely registered the chaos that followed.
Luca's men opened fire on Diego, their bullets tearing through him relentlessly, over and over and over again. Diego's body jerked with each shot, collapsing in a lifeless heap by the time the shooting ended.
Luca was at my side in an instant, gathering me in his arms as if he could shield me from the pain. His face looked like he was staring at the most horrifying thing he had ever seen in his life and yet to me, this was the most handsome he ever looked. Or maybe I was losing too much blood that made everything in my field of vision appear more sentimental than they should.
"Cara, stay with me," he begged, his voice trembling as he pressed his hand against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. "Don't you dare leave me."
I blinked up at him, tears spilling down my cheeks as a weak smile tugged at my lips. Another face swam into view but all I could focus on was Luca.
"Big bad guys aren't supposed to cry," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
His jaw tightened, tears slipping down his cheek as he shook his head and quickly wiped at his face before continuing to apply pressure while yelling for them to get a car here as fast as possible. "Don't talk. Save your strength. I'll get you help, I swear."
"I'm fine," I lied, though the agony coursing through me told a different story. "I love you, Luca. So much."
His breath hitched, and he cradled my face in his hands. "Cara, stop," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "You're going to be okay, baby. I'll make sure of it."
"I'd take a thousand bullets for you," I murmured, my vision starting to blur.
"Don't you dare say that," he growled, his voice thick with desperation. "You're not taking any more bullets, do you hear me? You're staying with me. You're staying with me! And when you survive this, we are going to have a long talk about you jumping in front of bullets, okay, baby?"
"Say you love me too. I want to hear you say it" I whispered and he let out a heart wrenching sob and shook his head.
"You know just how much I love you, Tesoro mio. Please don't leave me. Please. I'm so sorry I didn't see the gun. I'm so sorry, mi amor. Please don't…"
I tried to respond, to tell him that I'd be fine, to tell him that seeing him cry was breaking my heart but the words wouldn't come. His voice became a distant hum, his face a blurry silhouette as the darkness closed in.
The last thing I felt was his arms around me, his warmth a fleeting comfort as I let the cold hands of oblivion pull me under.