Defender's Heartbeat

Chapter 33

I had no idea how Papa knew we were under attack, but he quickly tossed me my gun. He always kept it on him for emergencies. I already knew how to handle a weapon. I even had a blade tucked in my shoe. I was terrified, especially when I saw another car pulling up behind us.

Papa got out of the car and started shooting at the truck. The truck's driver exited and took cover behind it, returning fire. Three men emerged from the other SUV, and Papa shot at them as well.

The air filled with the deafening sound of gunfire and the acrid smell of gunpowder. My heart raced in my chest as I watched Papa move with a precision I'd never seen before. It was like he'd transformed into a different person right before my eyes.

I gripped my gun tightly, my palms sweaty against the metal. The weight of it felt both familiar and strange in this intense situation. I knew I might have to use it, and the thought sent a chill down my spine.

"Enzo, get out here!" Papa yelled, and I scrambled to get the door open. Papa grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the car just as I hit the ground, and right then, the truck smashed into my ride again.

I was shaking uncontrollably, but I aimed and shot at the truck's wheels, managing to hit one. Some guy tried to grab me, but I wasn't going down without a fight. I threw a punch, but he was bigger and stronger than me. Even though I had more skills, he overpowered me. As they tried to drag me away, Papa intervened, shooting one of the attackers in the leg and making him scream in pain. With Papa's help, I broke free from those jerks. I could see Papa was bleeding, his injuries worse than mine. Even so, he had my back, not letting anyone get close. But there were still two of them left.

The whole scene was chaos - the smell of gunpowder and blood, the sound of groaning metal and pained yells. My heart was racing so fast I thought it might burst out of my chest. I gripped my gun tighter, trying to steady my shaking hands. Papa looked fierce, his eyes scanning our surroundings for any more threats. Despite his injuries, he stood tall, protecting me. At that moment, I realized how little I knew about Papa and what he could do.

My heart was racing; I was terrified. I couldn't stand seeing Papa all beaten up. I was more worried about him than I was about myself.

I watched as Papa hit and shot the men mercilessly. It was like it was no big deal for him. I thought I knew my Papa better than anyone. But I was wrong. I didn't know him at all. Yet he was doing all this to protect me.

Suddenly, Papa jumped in front of me, pulling me close to his chest, using his body as a shield. He covered me completely, his strong hands protecting my head. As my back hit the car, I realized what he was doing. Two men swung iron poles at us, but Papa took the hits, using himself as a human shield to keep me from harm. He cried out in pain as the poles struck him, and I heard a gunshot. His grip on me loosened, but he fought to stay standing, determined to keep me safe. Blood trickled from his mouth, and I was frozen in shock, not knowing what to do. He struggled to keep his eyes open, his voice barely a whisper as he tried to comfort me.

"Don't worry, baby. Help is coming," he said weakly. I tried to hold him up, but he was too heavy. He fell to the ground.

With Papa unconscious, I was left alone with the two men. They looked at me like wild animals stalking their prey. I had no choice but to shoot at one of them, catching them by surprise. The bullet hit one of them in the arm, making him stumble back in pain. I quickly pointed my gun at the other man, ready to defend myself.

"He got a gun. The little bitch got a gun," one man said with a rough voice. I shot until the bullets were gone.

When the bullets ran out, I didn't know what to do. I saw a grin on one of the man's faces.

"Looks like you're out of bullets, you little Gerardo. Let's see how your Papa feels when he's never going to see you again," one of the men said.

My heart was pounding in my chest, fear gripping me as I realized I was defenseless. The man's words sent a chill down my spine. I glanced desperately at Papa, still lying motionless on the ground.

Suddenly, I could hear cars approaching in the distance. It was Pedro's men. They were late.

One of the men rushed towards me and tried to grab me. I quickly found my blade and stabbed his hand. The man screamed in pain. It was not a good experience for me. I had shot a man and stabbed another. But I had no choice.

"Let's go, let's go. They are coming," the men said, and they ran away from me.

While I heard a rain of gunshots passing here and there, I fell to my knees beside Papa as he lay on the ground, bleeding from his wounds. I started crying, tears running down my face, terrified that I might lose him. Was he dead? Please, God, no.

Someone tried to pull me away, but I fought against them with everything I had, refusing to leave Papa's side. I could hear voices through the chaos, but my mind was a mess. I felt dizzy. But I held onto Papa's hand, not wanting to let go.

I was confused and not sure what was happening. Was I still on the road or back in that dirty house? Was I still 16, or was I 10 again? Two men picked me up, their voices sounding far away as they talked to me. I felt my legs like jelly. The men put me in a car, and I realized one of them was Pedro's main bodyguard, sitting next to me.

"Where's Papa? Where am I?" I looked around, shocked, and searched for Papa. I felt like I could still hear the sounds of gunshots and screaming.

"We're taking him to the hospital. Don't worry," Pedro's guard told me.

"Where is he? I can't see him. I want to see him," I begged, my voice shaking. My lips were trembling.

"They've already taken him, don't worry," he said again, gently wiping my face with a handkerchief. When he took away the handkerchief, I saw blood on it. 'Am I bleeding?'

"I want to go with him," I insisted, trying to open the door, but it was locked, and I realized the car was already moving.

A wave of fear washed over me when I realized I had missed some crucial moments. How did I not notice them taking Papa away? How did I not realize the car was moving? I looked at the bodyguard, confused.

"Did I faint?" I asked, my voice unsure.

"No, but you seemed frozen for a few minutes. You didn't talk. You just stared at nothing. I was afraid of what was going on with you. Then you started to talk," the guard confirmed, gently wiping the tears from my face with a handkerchief again.

"I want to go to the hospital to see Papa," I pleaded with Pedro's bodyguard.

"First, I have to take you home, and Pedro will decide," he replied.

"How does Pedro decide what I do or don't do?" I asked angrily. "He's not my Papa."

The guard didn't say anything, not responding to my frustration.