Chapter 174 *
Lorenzo’s POV
She wasn't looking at me. She was staring at the rearview mirror. Her entire body had gone rigid.
"Get us out of here. Now."
"What—"
"There's a car coming up behind us. Fast."
I looked in the mirror.
A black SUV was racing up the road. No headlights. Just a dark mass getting bigger by the second.
My brain was still trying to process what I was seeing when Scarlett shouted.
"Move! They're going to hit us!"
I yanked the wheel. Tried to pull the car away from the guardrail and toward the mountain side of the road.
The SUV adjusted its angle. Came straight for us.
This wasn't an accident.
This was deliberate.
The SUV slammed into us.
The impact threw me forward. My seatbelt caught me but my head still hit the steering wheel.
Pain exploded across my forehead. Stars burst in my vision.
I heard metal crunching. Glass breaking. Scarlett's sharp intake of breath.
The SUV backed up. I could see it in the mirror. Preparing for another run.
My hands were shaking. Blood dripped down my face from where I'd hit the wheel.
But my mind was crystal clear now.
Miranda.
This had to be Miranda and Zelda.
They'd finally decided to get rid of me.
"Scarlett." My voice came out hoarse. "Run. They're after me. Call Damon. Have him pick you up—"
She wasn't listening.
She'd already unbuckled her seatbelt. Her hand shot out and grabbed my arm.
"We're both leaving."
"Scarlett, no—"
She pulled.
I'd known my sister was strong. I'd seen her carry heavy boxes. Watched her work out in the estate gym.
But this was different.
She yanked me out of the driver's seat with one hand. Just grabbed my arm and hauled me across the center console like I weighed nothing.
I stumbled. Caught myself on the passenger door frame.
She shoved me out onto the road. I landed hard on my hands and knees.
Behind us, the SUV's engine revved.
Scarlett grabbed the back of my jacket and dragged me away from the car.
The SUV hit us again.
This time it didn't just dent the bumper. It crushed the entire side of my Escalade. The impact sent the car flying sideways.
It hit the guardrail. The metal screamed as it bent.
Then the guardrail gave way.
My car tipped over the edge and disappeared.
Two seconds later I heard the crash. Metal on rock. The sound echoed up from the ravine below.
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Just stared at the broken guardrail where my car had been.
If Scarlett hadn't pulled me out...
"Come on."
Her voice was calm. Too calm. Like we weren't being hunted by people who wanted us dead.
She had my jacket in her fist. She pulled me to my feet and started running.
Not down the road. Up the mountain.
My legs felt like rubber. My head was spinning. But I ran.
We scrambled up the rocky slope. My dress shoes slipped on loose gravel. I grabbed onto bushes and tree roots to pull myself up.
Scarlett didn't slow down. She kept climbing. Her hand was still fisted in my jacket, dragging me along when I stumbled.
My lungs burned. My legs screamed. But I kept moving.
Because if I stopped, we were both dead.
Behind us, the SUV's brakes screamed. The sound echoed off the mountain.
I risked a glance back. Six men poured out of the vehicle. They moved with the kind of precision that made my blood run cold.
These weren't street thugs or amateur muscle. These were trained killers.
Black suits. Clean movements. They spread out immediately, cutting off any escape route back down to the road.
My right hand shot to the small of my back. I pulled my gun and retreated behind a tree. The bark was rough against my shoulders.
I grabbed Scarlett with my left hand and yanked her behind me. Shoved her against the trunk.
"Stay down."
My voice came out steadier than I felt. My heart was trying to punch through my ribcage.
I counted the men again. Six. All armed. I had fifteen rounds in my magazine. Maybe I could drop two of them before they returned fire. Maybe three if I got lucky.
Then the other three or four would tear us apart.
The math was brutal and simple. We were dead.
My chest tightened. This was my fault. All of it.
I'd known Miranda and Zelda were dangerous. I'd been so fucking careful lately. Changed cars three times in the past month. Varied my routes. Never went anywhere alone.
But tonight I'd wanted to do something nice for Scarlett. Show her that at least one person in the Romano family gave a shit about her.
And now she was going to die because of my stupidity.
She'd finally escaped that toxic house. Finally found someone who treated her right. And I was going to get her killed on some mountain road because I couldn't let go of my guilt.
The six men fanned out. They moved in perfect coordination. No communication needed. They'd done this before.
The leader raised his weapon. A black pistol with a suppressor. The barrel pointed directly at my chest.
I stepped forward. Put myself completely between him and Scarlett.
If they wanted to kill her, they'd have to go through me first.
"Listen." I kept my gun trained on the leader but tried to keep my voice calm. "You're making a mistake here. You kill the Romano family heir and you're starting a war."
The leader's expression didn't change. He took another step forward.
I tried again. "Whatever they're paying you, I'll triple it. This doesn't have to end badly for anyone."
Nothing. No reaction at all.
The leader made a small gesture with his left hand. Two of his men started moving to flank us. They spread wider, tightening the noose.
My throat closed up. This wasn't going to work.
I glanced at Scarlett. She was pressed against the tree trunk. Her face was pale but her eyes were focused.
Good. At least she wasn't panicking.
"Scarlett." I kept my voice low. "When I say go, you run into the trees. Don't look back. Don't stop. Just run."
She didn't respond. Didn't even look at me.
"Scarlett, did you hear me?"
Still nothing.
I turned my attention back to the killers. The two flankers were getting closer. Another ten seconds and they'd have us surrounded completely.
I had to give her a chance. Even if it was just a few seconds.
I aimed at the closest flanker and squeezed the trigger.
The gunshot cracked through the night air. The recoil kicked against my palm.
The flanker stumbled. I'd hit him in the shoulder. He dropped to one knee but didn't go down completely.
Shit.
The other five weapons swung toward me instantly. Six black holes staring at my face.
I turned and shoved Scarlett hard. "Run! Go!"
The leader's finger tightened on his trigger.
This was it. This was how I died.
At least I'd buy her a few seconds. That had to count for something.