Luciano | Book I ✓

Chapter Twenty-One

A/N: I want everyone to know I love, love, love all the kind messages you leave on my wall - and I try and respond to everyone - but please, do not talk about specifics of this story (i.e. - Someone dying) on my wall. Just in case some people have yet to read the story. If you do that, I will delete your message and I really hate doing that! Thank you!

Warning: Grammatical errors, signs of my imperfection, shirtless Liam, and angry Rico.

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Screams; they were infinite, deafening, and chill inducing. The moment Ryan Costello's body hit the ground with a distant thump, hell broke loose. People scramble from their metal chairs, knocking them over in the process as they trip over others to reach the isle. Everyone's face read the same emotion: fear. It was honestly hard to process anything with the noise; so for a few short seconds, I just watched.

Liam grips my hand, enlacing our fingers together as he pulls me up from my seat and leads the way; but we don't head towards an exit, instead, we head towards the stage. A group of people clamber up the steps, dropping to their knees as they take in the sight before them.

Not only did I feel nauseous at the sight, but my fear for Federico De Santis grew. Ryan Costello lay on his back, his eyes still open. They didn't sparkle or shine with life like they had a few minutes prior. I couldn't tell where exactly the bullet had hit, considering half of his forehead was blown off. I squeeze Liam's hand harder and turn my head, using his back to hide myself from the scene in front of me. Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I hear a high-pitched woman's voice ring out.

I pull my head away from Liam just enough to see Costello's widowed wife clutching her husband's head, bowing over him in grief. Her lips were moving, but I could hardly understand a word she said.

"A sniper," One of the men that was bowing over Costello, closely examining the perfectly executed headshot, pulls back and glances at his men, Liam, and even Peter Corinelli, who managed to sneak up behind us. "Clear the building, inform security, and have them check everywhere. I want this person dead." I assumed he was the head of Costello's security detail for the evening. My heart was racing as Luciano pulled back, walking us away from the grim sight.

"Liam, Faith, police and an ambulance are en route... I'm going to pull around back. Meet me there." William's serious tone breaks the quietness in our head as he speaks.

Luciano nudges me gently and nods towards the side door Rico and I had gone through earlier. Fighting against the flow of people was hard, and under the circumstances, an 'excuse me', wouldn't help. Liam pushes through the doors first as I follow and suddenly, everything is peaceful and quiet.

The sound of faint screaming, rushed chatter, and heels clicking against the hardwood floor slowly fade as we make our way to another side door. A brisk wind blows through my hair as Liam steps out first, closely followed by me. But it wasn't the harsh breeze that immediately slaps me in the face that startles me, but it was Liam. He stops abruptly and attempts to warn me, but fails to.

He drops to the ground quicker than a girl at a Justin Bieber or One Direction concert.

I hardly had time to even process what had happened, before I'm staring into the barrel of a gun; my heart lodges itself in my throat at the sound of a click - then there's silence.

"Jesus, you two scared me."

Once the gun is lowered and Liam slowly pulls himself back to his feet, my vision clears and all I see is Rico standing in front of me, smiling widely. His hand slides behind his back and once he brings it back around, the gun is gone.