Chapter 67

Chapter 67
Sofia's POV

The cabin walls shook with every slam of boots outside. Shouts carried through the night, flashlights sweeping across cracks in the boards.

I pressed both hands to Luca’s wound, my knees shaking. His face was pale, lips tinged blue. His breathing shallow.

“Stay with me,” I whispered fiercely. “Don’t you dare leave me.”

He didn’t answer.

Diego paced near the door, rifle in hand, sweat streaking his dirt-smeared face. “They’ve surrounded us. At least two dozen on each side.”

Alessandro stood at the single window, peering through a slit in the boards. His gun rested easy in his grip, but his jaw was tight. “No,” he corrected. “Closer to forty. They’ll wait until they can crush us in one wave.”

“Then let them try,” Diego snapped. “We’ll mow them down.”

Alessandro turned slowly, his eyes like ice. “And when you’re out of bullets? When they torch this shack with us inside?”

Diego bared his teeth. “Better that than handing her over.”

My voice cracked. “Stop arguing. Luca’s dying.”

Both men stilled, their gazes cutting to him. Alessandro crouched beside me, pressing fingers against Luca’s neck. His expression hardened. “His pulse is faint. If we don’t move soon, he won’t make it.”

“Then we fight our way out,” Diego said instantly.

Alessandro shook his head. “Through two armies? We’d be cut down in seconds.”

“Then what, genius?” Diego snapped. “Sit here and wait for them to decide who gets to kill us first?”

I looked between them, desperation clawing my chest. “There has to be another way.”

The pounding outside grew louder. Voices shouted orders. A bullhorn crackled.

Rafael’s voice boomed, calm and sharp. “Hand over the girl, and I’ll let the rest of you crawl away. Resist, and I burn that cabin to ash.”

My stomach dropped.

Diego spat toward the door. “Come and try!”

Another voice shouted from the other side, cold and mocking. Marco.

“Don’t trust him, Sofia. Rafael won’t let you live. Choose me. I’ll keep you alive. The brothers? They’ll get you killed.”

The air inside thickened.

Alessandro muttered, “They’ll tear each other apart if we push them.”

Diego barked a bitter laugh. “And we’ll still be stuck in the middle.”

I gripped Luca’s hand, my throat tight. “There has to be a way to get him out. Please.”

Alessandro’s eyes flicked to the back wall. “There’s a crawl space. Old escape tunnel, maybe. Hunters used it.”

Diego glanced over. “And you waited till now to mention this?”

Alessandro’s voice was steady. “Because if we use it, we only get one chance. If they see us, we’re dead.”

“We take it,” I said instantly. “We don’t have a choice.”

Alessandro studied me for a long moment, then nodded once. “Help me lift him.”

Together we shifted Luca carefully, his blood seeping fresh through the bandage. He groaned faintly, his head falling against my shoulder.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered, choking back tears. “Just hold on.”

Alessandro moved crates aside, revealing a trapdoor in the corner. He pried it open with his knife, revealing a narrow tunnel of earth and stone.

Diego crouched low, rifle ready. “I’ll go first.”

Alessandro handed him a lantern. “If it’s blocked, clear it fast.”

Diego slid in, disappearing into the dark. His voice echoed back. “It runs under the ridge. Might lead to the river again.”

“Good,” Alessandro muttered. “Move.”

We lowered Luca in carefully. I climbed after, holding him against me. Alessandro dropped last, closing the hatch above us.

The tunnel was damp and narrow, smelling of earth and mold. The lantern flickered shadows across the walls.

Diego moved ahead, fast but cautious. Alessandro followed close, his hand steady on my back as I stumbled with Luca’s weight.

Behind us, muffled voices shouted. Boots pounded into the cabin.

“They’re inside,” Alessandro whispered. “We don’t have much time.”

We crawled faster, mud slick beneath our knees. Luca groaned softly, his breath shallow.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, pressing my cheek to his hair. “We’re almost out.”

“Left fork,” Diego called ahead. “This way.”

The tunnel curved sharply. A faint glow showed at the end—moonlight.

“Exit’s close,” Alessandro said, relief breaking through his voice.

Then—shouts above us. Heavy boots pounding on the trapdoor. Metal prying at the boards.

“They found it!” Diego hissed.

Alessandro cursed under his breath. “Faster. Go!”

We scrambled toward the light. Luca slipped in my arms, his body limp. I tightened my grip, teeth clenched. “Hold on, please—”

The tunnel opened suddenly into the night air.

We spilled out onto a rocky slope above the river, trees crowding around.

For one breath, I thought we’d made it.

Then floodlights snapped on.

Rafael’s soldiers stood waiting, rifles raised.

Marco’s men appeared from the trees on the other side, weapons aimed.

We were caught between them.

Diego swung his rifle up instantly, teeth bared. “Figures.”

Alessandro pushed me behind him, steady and cold. “They knew we’d run.”

Rafael stepped forward from his line, his smile sharp in the harsh light. “Smart girl. You almost slipped away.”

Marco emerged from the other side, blood still seeping from his shoulder, his face twisted. “She’s mine. You’ll have to kill me to take her.”

“Gladly,” Rafael said.

The air thickened as both armies raised their rifles, barrels gleaming.

Diego snarled. “We’ll never get through this.”

Alessandro’s eyes scanned the slope, calculating. “There’s only one chance. Down the cliff. Into the river again.”

My heart lurched. “We’ll die!”

“Not if we jump first,” Alessandro said.

The men on both sides shouted, closing in.

Marco raised his pistol, pointing it at Rafael. “She chooses now. Me or you.”

Rafael smirked, raising his gun back. “She’ll never choose you.”

Diego’s voice ripped over them. “She doesn’t choose either of you!”

Luca stirred weakly in my arms, his lips moving faintly. I bent low, desperate. “What? Tell me.”

His breath was a ghost against my ear. “Jump.”

Tears blurred my eyes. “We’ll drown—”

“Trust… me,” he whispered, then fell limp again.

The armies tightened their circle, rifles aimed at our hearts.

Alessandro’s voice cut like steel. “On my count, we move. You hold him tight. Don’t let go.”

Diego nodded once, his jaw clenched.

“Three,” Alessandro said softly, his eyes locked on mine.

“Two.”

Bullets clicked into chambers around us.

“One.”

He shoved me backward—straight off the cliff.

The world spun. My scream tore into the night as I clutched Luca’s body, the river rising fast to swallow us whole.

Above, gunfire erupted—two armies colliding, shouting, killing, as we vanished into the black water.