Mafia's fiancée

Chapter 14

- Gabriel, what are you doing, I yell.

- Stay out of this, Kira, Gabriel says. With cold eyes, Gabriel keeps his gun trained on Matteo.

- I'll give you ten seconds to convince me not to shoot, Gabriel says.

- There's nothing I can say. I followed orders, even when I knew in my heart they were wrong, Matteo says.

- Five seconds, Gabriel says. Matteo bows his head.

- Four, Gabriel says.

- Matteo, I yell in my head.

- Three. Two, Gabriel says.

- No, Gabriel, don't, I say in my head.

- One, Gabriel says. His finger begins to tighten on the trigger.

- No, I yell. Before he can shoot, I step in between Matteo and Gabriel And hold out my arms.

- Please, don't do this, I say.

- Kira, Matteo asks.

- Why shouldn't I kill him. He arrested you and assisted in an ambush against my men, all to make Angelo's plan go a little smoother, Gabriel says.

- He also helped us escape. As soon as he could, he changed sides and has done everything he could to help, I say.

- You don't have to fight for me, Kira. Maybe I should pay the price for what I've done, Matteo says.

- I don't believe that for a minute, I say. I stare into Gabriel's eyes.

- Please, Gabriel. Spare him for my sake, if nothing else, I say.

- He means that much to you, Gabriel asks.

- Yes, I say. Gabriel sighs. Slowly, he lowers his gun, and I exhale and turn back to Matteo, who's dumbfounded by Gabrel's change of mind. Then I wrap my arms around him.

- You don't deserve to die. Your life has been hard enough, and yet you've always fought to do the right thing. I'd be heartbroken if you were gone, Matteo, I say.

- I, Matteo says. He hesitantly wraps his arms around me.

- I'm sorry. I never wanted to leave you. And yet for a moment, it made sense to give myself up after everything I've done, Matteo says.

- Never think that way. Please, I say. I bury my face in his chest, where I feel his racing heartbeat. I suddenly feel his hand on the back of my head.

- Were you that confident he wouldn't shoot, Matteo asks. I lift my head as he strokes my hair. His gaze is confused, troubled.

- You stepped in between us when he was going to shoot me. He could easily have killed you first, and then me, Matteo says.

- I had to take that risk for your sake, I sake.

- What do you mean, Matteo asks.

- Do you remember talking about how you wanted to protect me no matter what, I ask.

- You wanted to do the same thing, Matteo says. I nod.

- Damn it, Kira. I want to tell you that's foolish, to never put yourself in harm's way, especially for someone as low as me. Nut I need to remind myself that only you can tell yourself what the right thing to do is. Thank you, I promise to cherish this opportunity you're giving me, to keep living, Matteo says. Suddenly, Matteo's body tenses.

- Ah. Perhaps we should save this for when we're alone, Matteo says. Heat rushes to my face, and we pull apart.

When I look at Gabriel, his expression is unreadable, but I notice his eye twitch in irritation.