Better In Your Arms (Parisian Mafia 2#)

24

Chapter 24: The Last Stand

The sound of boots crashing down the hallway sent a chill through the air. The wooden door trembled under the force of approaching enemies, and the scent of gun oil and adrenaline filled the room. Lawrence, Amari, and Jaxon exchanged quick glances, their minds calculating a way out.

Amari knelt beside Emery, her fingers quickly assessing the severity of his wound. Blood still seeped from the gash, but they had no time to fully treat him. Her eyes flickered up to Lawrence. “He can’t walk. We need a plan.”

Lawrence clenched his jaw, his mind already racing through options. “Jaxon, cover the entrance. We’re not leaving until we get Emery out of here.”

Jaxon nodded, positioning himself behind a low piece of furniture with his gun raised. Amari shifted to help Emery sit up against the wall, her heart pounding as she listened to the footsteps closing in. Every breath felt heavier as time slipped away.

Lawrence grabbed a chair and jammed it under the doorknob, barricading them in for the moment. His sharp eyes scanned the room for any possible exit. “There,” he pointed to the corner. “A window. We’ll get him out through there.”

Amari rushed to the window and peered down. It was a three-story drop, too high for Emery to survive without serious damage. She turned back, shaking her head. “It’s too dangerous.”

“We’ll make a rope out of the curtains,” Lawrence said, already tearing down the fabric. His hands moved swiftly as he knotted the long strips together, determined to buy them as much time as possible.

Suddenly, the door to the room shook violently as Adrian Halverson’s men started breaking it down. The wooden frame splintered, and the loud banging echoed off the walls. “They’re coming!” Jaxon called out, firing a few warning shots at the door.

Amari finished securing Emery’s wound as best she could with the fabric of her shirt, then stood, grabbing her gun from her holster. “We need to move fast.”

The door finally gave way with a loud crack, and several armed men burst in. Gunfire erupted, deafening and chaotic. Jaxon took down two of them instantly, but more flooded the room. Lawrence fired back, moving with precision and skill honed from years of combat. He was protecting not just his family’s legacy, but the future he and Amari had built together.

Amari grabbed Emery, who gritted his teeth in pain as she and Lawrence half-dragged, half-carried him toward the window. With bullets flying past them, Amari helped Emery climb onto the makeshift rope Lawrence had tied. Slowly, she lowered him down, every second feeling like a lifetime as the gunfight continued behind them.

Just as Emery reached the ground safely, a bullet grazed Amari’s arm. She hissed in pain, but she didn’t slow down. She turned, firing at one of Adrian’s men and hitting him square in the chest. Lawrence was beside her in an instant, his face etched with determination.

“They won’t stop until we’re dead,” he growled, pulling Amari toward the window. “We need to go, now!”

Jaxon threw his last grenade toward the door, causing a loud explosion that sent Adrian’s men scattering. The brief moment of chaos gave Lawrence and Amari just enough time to escape. Lawrence slid down the rope first, landing beside Emery, while Amari followed quickly behind.

As they regrouped in the alleyway, panting from the fight, Jaxon dropped down beside them, his face smeared with dust and sweat. “We need to move.”

They began sprinting down the narrow alley, navigating the maze of streets and shadows as Adrian’s men swarmed behind them. Gunfire echoed in the distance, but Lawrence knew the city like the back of his hand. He led them through hidden paths and backstreets, staying one step ahead of their enemies.

By the time they reached the edge of Stuart territory, the gunfire had died down, but the threat remained ever-present. Lawrence stopped, catching his breath as he glanced at Amari. Her face was set in grim determination, her arm still bleeding from the earlier wound.

Emery, though pale and weak, looked up at Lawrence with gratitude. “You saved my life.”

Lawrence shook his head. “We’re not done yet.”

The group hurried inside a nearby safe house, one of Lawrence’s trusted strongholds. Inside, a few of their loyal soldiers awaited, armed and ready.

Amari slumped against the wall, cradling her injured arm. “We need to regroup, plan our next move. Adrian’s not going to stop.”

Lawrence nodded, pacing the room. “He’s making a final play. The truce was just a distraction.”

Emery, still weak but coherent, looked up at them from his position on the couch. “Adrian’s planning to attack your main base tomorrow night. He’s gathering every ally he can find. He’s not going to stop until your family is wiped out.”

Amari’s breath caught in her throat. “We need to warn the others. If Adrian hits us with everything he has…”

Lawrence’s eyes hardened. “Then we hit back harder.”

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The following day was spent in preparation. Lawrence called in every favor, every ally they had left. The Stuart estate was fortified, soldiers posted at every entrance, and weapons stockpiled in every room. The calm before the storm was unnerving, and every second that passed felt like borrowed time.

Amari stood beside Lawrence, her hand resting on his arm as they looked out over their gathered forces. “This is it, isn’t it?”

Lawrence nodded, his jaw clenched. “This is the final battle.”

As night fell, the tension in the air grew thicker. Lawrence and Amari stood together at the front of their troops, their love and resolve unshaken despite the odds.

“They’re coming,” Jaxon called out from his position on the roof, his sniper rifle in hand. “Get ready.”

The streets filled with the sound of engines as Adrian’s men approached, a massive force ready to crush the Stuart family once and for all. But Lawrence and Amari stood tall, their eyes locked on the approaching enemy.

“We’ve fought too hard for too long to lose now,” Lawrence said quietly, his hand brushing Amari’s. “No matter what happens tonight, I love you.”

Amari smiled through the fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins. “We’ll survive this. Together.”

As Adrian’s forces drew closer, Lawrence raised his gun, his voice ringing out over the battlefield. “For the Stuarts!”

The battle erupted with a ferocity they had never seen before. But Lawrence and Amari were ready. They would protect their family, their legacy, and their love—no matter the cost.

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