Victoria face drained instantly as Enzo gun aimed at her life flashing before her eyes.

Dante stepped in front of her instantly, shielding her with his own body.

“Move, Dante,” Enzo taunted, finger curled around the trigger.

“Or maybe I should put a bullet through your heart first. You’ve always deserved it more.”

Dante didn’t blink.

“This is between us let her go.” Dante hissed.

Enzo laughed. “Everything is between us, brother. Even her.”

Victoria clutched the back of Dante’s shirt, heart hammering so loudly she could barely hear anything else.

This gesture warmed Dante heart as he gave her a light reassuring nod.

“I’m still here brother hand over the deed and stay a way from my business.”

“Your business of trafficking young women?” Dante snarled at him. “I hate that business.”

“Is it because your mother was bought into the moretti family like that?” Enzo laughed, touching a sore spot.

Dante jaw tightened.

Dante took one slow step forward.

“Enzo,” he said evenly, “don’t make this worse. It stops tonight.”

“Oh, it stops,” Enzo snapped, eyes wild. “When you HAND ME WHAT YOU OWE.”

“I owe you nothing,” Dante growled.

“I would kill her here” Enzo smirked.

“That’s your problem!” Enzo shouted, voice cracking. “Everything father built was supposed to be MINE. You took it. You were always their favorite. And you think I’ll let you destroy the empire now?”

“The child of a lowly woman like that but her don gets all the favour.”

Dante’s jaw flexed. “Then you ask your mum why it’s Like that, maybe you’re just not worthy.

“You’re pointing a gun at a woman you kidnapped. That’s what you’ve become?”

“Shut up!” Enzo screamed.

His hand trembled just a little, but enough for Dante to catch it.

Dante rushed at him but the gun went off.

The sound of gunshot.

Time stilled till the blood dyed red.

“No!!!”

Victoria screamed filled the room.

Dante staggered back his hand stained red he had gotten shot on his shoulder.

“Look at you for a woman my bullet finally pierced you after all these years you say I’m not worthy?” Enzo growled like a maniac.

Felix slipped into position behind a pillar, unseen.

Enzo still held the gun tight taunting and laughing while Dante pressed on his wound.

Victoria stood shaking as she reached out to hold Dante.

“Who said you could move?” Enzo barked.

Ohh… she cares,” he smirked. “How cute. Maybe I should shoot you first.”

Victoria’s breath hitched.

Dante’s voice turned cold, lethal.

“Touch her, and I’ll bury you.”

You always threaten,” Enzo hissed, raising the gun higher.

“But let’s see if you can take a bullet for her.”

Enzo fired and Felix lunged at him from behind but the bullet already traveled as Dante pushed Victoria down the bullet pierced into his side.

“No please” Victoria yelled holding Dante numb body against hers.

DANTE!” she cried. “Open your eyes.”

Felix bullet also greeze Enzo shoulder.

“Ah!!”Enzo screamed at Felix tackled his gun both men ended up in a fight.

Blows and kick raining on each other.

The gun landed in front of Felix.

Felix’s shot hit Enzo straight in the leg.

Enzo howled, collapsing to one knee, gun clattering to the floor.

“You…YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!” Enzo spat, clutching his bleeding leg.

Just then the sound of police siren rang

With a sudden burst of energy adrenaline or madness Enzo grabbed his injured leg and limped toward the back exit.

“STOP HIM!” Felix shouted.

Two men chased him, but Enzo fired wildly behind him, forcing them to duck.

He burst out the back door, limping into the night.

“Boss!” Felix came back seeing the injured state of Dante.

“Let’s rush him to the hospital” Victoria held him tightly, her eyes now puffy and red from shedding tears.

He lifted his hand and cupped her face, ignoring the blood dripping down his arm.

“I’m fine,” he murmured. “You’re safe. That’s what matters.”

“You’re bleeding…Dante, you’re bleeding.” Victoria cried.

DROP YOUR WEAPONS! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”

Police stormed in, guns drawn.

Felix stepped forward. “Boss… what do we do?”

Felix stepped between Dante and the officers. “Boss, you’re bleeding too much…”

“I’m fine,” Dante snapped, but his voice was weaker than before. His shoulder throbbed violently, blood soaking through his shirt, dripping down his arm.

Victoria stared at him, horror rising in her chest.

“Dante… you’re shaking.”

“Victoria,” he said through clenched teeth, “stay beside me.”

But the world around him wavered. The lights blurred. Only the sound of sirens vibrated through his skull.

Felix looked at Dante’s face and swore. “Boss your wound. You’ve lost too much blood.”

Dante’s breath grew shallow.

“I said… I’m fine.”

But his knees buckled.

“DANTE?” Victoria grabbed him.

The officers moved closer, shouting commands.

Felix raise his hands up. “Back up! He needs more be rushed to the hospital”

But Dante didn’t hear any of it.

The last thing he saw was Victoria’s terrified face as she cupped his cheeks, voice trembling.

“Dante—hey—look at me! Stay awake! Please!”

He tried.

For her, he really tried.

But the darkness swallowed him before he could say her name.

His body slumped forward into her arms.

“DANTE!” Victoria screamed.

Her hands trembled as she held his limp body, blood seeping through her fingers.

“Please…please don’t do this,” she cried, voice cracking.

“Somebody help him! PLEASE!”

Felix rushed to them, shouting orders for a medic, while the police swarmed the room.

But all Victoria could see was Dante’s pale face.

And the terrifying realization:

Dante Moretti was unconscious.

Because of her.