Eighty Three

Isabella

Marco jerks me closer and starts moving backward. "I've lost nothing. I still have your puttanella. I'll kill her."

Dante prowls forward, his gun remaining trained on Marco. "You die either way."

"Put down your gun or I'll shoot her. Right fucking now!" Marco shakes me, his arm coming around my throat, and I gasp.

Something flashes on Dante's face at the sound, but he doesn't take his gun off Marco. "I don't think so. You are going to let her go."

"Wrong, I'm going to keep her. I think I will let her watch as I kill you."

"Gabrielle!" Dante shouts, his voice echoing in the large space.

Gabrielle steps into the doorway, but he isn't alone. He has a woman and a small boy. Their mouths are covered with duct tape, hands bound, eyes wide with fear. It looks as if they had been pulled out of their beds, with the kid still in pajamas. Gabrielle's gun is aimed at the boy.