Branded (Fall of Angels #1)(49)

Before he can respond, I’ve already moved sideways and shot one of them who was hiding behind a bush. He drops dead onto the cold pavement.

One of them shoots and misses. I gun him down next.

“STOP!” Matteo yells.

He can’t control them. He never could. He wasn’t the ringleader, the boss.

I was.

The burden is too heavy for him to carry. He should quit while he’s still capable of walking.

“Get out before I ruin your last chance at a job, Matteo,” I warn him.

I don’t wanna do this. I really don’t. But if he gives me no choice, then I must.

My only chance at seeking the truth is right behind me, huddling at my back. That woman, despite our hatred, is my only shot at true freedom, as strange as that sounds. Us meeting again at my uncle’s hotel was no accident. It has to be fate.

“Brandon. Talk to your uncle. Just give it a chance,” Matteo yells, holding out a phone.

“No,” I respond.

I already know what he’ll say. That I’m a failure. That I’m going against everything our people stand for. Family. Values. Honor. It’s all lost on me … if I can’t have the revenge I need.

There’s no use talking to a man who won’t change his mind, and neither of us will.

So there’s only one option left.

I turn my head slightly, still keeping my eyes and gun on the men in front of me while simultaneously drawing Dixie’s attention. I ask her one simple question. “Do you want to live?”

“Would anyone ever really say no?” she says.

“Answer the question,” I hiss.

“Yes. I wanna live.”

“Then you’ll listen to every single one of my commands, yes?”

“Um … okay.” She swallows. “If you promise you won’t turn your back on me and kill me all the same.”

I take a deep breath. I can’t promise her that. I still hate her with every fiber of my being, but I can’t let any of these fucks kill her either. She’s not theirs to kill. She’s mine and mine alone.

“I’m the only one who can get us out of here alive,” I say. “Do you trust me?”

“How can I trust you?” she replies. “After everything you did?”

“You can’t, but you’re gonna have to right now,” I whisper back, still pointing my gun at Matteo.

I expect him to do something foolish any moment now. A grandstanding on a parking lot in the middle of the night is bound to be noticed by the common folk, and then the cops will get involved, which I’m sure they wanna avoid at all cost.

“Fine,” she says with a sigh. She and I both know she has no choice in the matter. It’s either do what I say or die.

“Follow and stay behind me,” I whisper. “On my mark … GO!”

I reach for a metal bin standing next to the door and take off the lid. As we walk sideways across the parking lot, I use the lid as a shield to stop the bombardment of gunshots.

“Stop, stop!” Matteo yells, but none of the men listen. They’re shooting on sight, completely uncontrolled. They want us dead when Matteo wants to bring us in alive. Guess the conflict of interest is the only advantage I have right now.

During the short pause while some of them are reloading, I aim and shoot. One is hit in the foot, and I shoot again to incapacitate his arm so he’s not a threat anymore. Another one has already reloaded, but I shoot him in the shoulder before he can act.

“Reload!” I yell at Dixie while I keep up the lid, which is our only defense.

Dixie immediately hands me the magazine she brought from the motel room and exchanges them quickly. I knew she’d be fast, considering our encounter at my uncle’s hotel.

After one more shot right through the head of a guy standing in front of one of the escape cars, we have our opening. We rush toward that car while Matteo starts shooting. The metal lid is almost perforated, so I gotta act quick. When he stops for a second, I shoot him in the thigh.

His yowl makes me clench my teeth. I considered him a friend, and I didn’t wanna hurt him, but he gave me no choice. Saving me and Dixie is more important right now.

So we run to the escape car, jumping over the bloodied bodies as if they mean nothing. I throw open the door and use that as a shield while two more men start shooting at us.

“Get in!” I yell at Dixie, who jumps into the driver’s seat. “Scoot over.”

“What?” she says.

“I’m driving,” I bark.

“Why?”

“No questions, just do it!” I command.

With furrowed brows, she slides across to the passenger’s seat so I can sit down. I slam the door shut behind me and start the engine. We’re lucky these idiots didn’t take the keys out.

They immediately start firing at the car, though.

I stomp my foot onto the gas pedal and make an instant U-turn. The wheels of the car squeal as bullets rain down on the bumper and windshield. Even though the windshield is bulletproof, the glass chips away fast.

Matteo rounds up his men, yelling at them as he jumps back into his car too. I barely manage to escape one of the shooters as I drive off the parking lot, racing as fast as I can. In the rearview mirror, I watch them come after us at full speed.

I drive through the upcoming traffic, ignoring the lights while Dixie holds on tight. A few cars have to swerve out of the way so we don’t crash into them, and most of them are blaring their horns. I don’t give a crap as long as they get out of the way.