Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Fifty-Nine

                I only had time to gasp before I lunged forward and grabbed Alessio. Not that I was much help as he was falling backwards and I had zero upper body strength. But I softened the blow of his falls as much as I possibly could and threw myself over him to shield his body.

"Alessio, baby, talk to me." I looked down to assess the damaged as best I could without leaning back to expose him to anymore attacks.

I was nowhere near a doctor. I saw blood. Lots of blood. Too much blood. I turned my attention to his face.

Alessio seemed too shocked to say or do anything for a few moments. He was staring at the sky looking absolutely baffled and blinking rapidly for too long before he finally let out a breath.

It was a relief to hear him breathe but otherwise I had no clue what to do. I dropped my head onto his shoulder for a brief second before raising it. "It's going to be okay. I've got you baby. Just talk to me."

He groaned loudly and lifted his head and shoulders trying to get up but fell back immediately. "Fu-" Was all he managed between short breathes.

I put my hand to his sweaty forehead. "Shh baby. I know it hurts." I said fighting back tears. "Please Alessio, just stay down. It's going to be okay."

He lifted his head half-heartedly and then dropped it again. The sound of slow calm footsteps caught my attention. With each and every step my heart quickened. I kept repeating lies to Alessio, that I had him, that everything was okay, that he was okay. Everything you're supposed to say to someone whose life had been flipped upside down, everything you were to say to ease someone's worries just before they were to die.

The footsteps stopped and a shadow was cast over us. I was looking at a shiny pair of black dress shoes. "Move." The gunman instructed. Every inch of me was shaking as I clung to my bloody lover. I was strong enough to stay over him, shielding him until my last breath, but not strong enough to look up to confront my gun man. I shook my head, not quite strong enough to speak.

The muzzle of the gun pressed against my temple. I let out a shaky breath and held Alessio to the best of my capabilities in this tragic position.

I bit my lip to keep it from shaking and to keep myself from crying out. The only sound for a very long time was Alessio's ragged and unsteady breathing. The gunman moved the gun down from my temple and I squeezed my eyes shut, he used the gun to push a bit of hair away from my face.

"Y-you fu-fȕcking-" Alessio growled and raised his bloody hand almost all the way to my cheek but fell short with a grunt. "Va-vaffanculo a...chi t'e...mo-morto."

(Vaffanculo a chi t'e morto = Go fȕck your dead family)

"Look at me." The gunman instructed. Alessio coughed suddenly hard enough to shake his whole body and he lifted his head again to spit blood to the side before dropping it again panting heavily. "I said-" The gunman said and very slowly brought the muzzle of the gun gently along my cheek and down my jaw until he reached my chin. "Look at me." He forced my chin upwards with the gun.

I found it difficult to argue with a man with a gun pointed to my throat and raise my head but my body did not budge. I still guarded Alessio as I turned my head upwards to glare at the man who had shot him.

Giovanni Bonanno.

If I had reserved any doubts before, now I really knew we were dead. He didn't look smug or triumphant as he stared down at me, makeup smeared eyes on top of Alessio who was bleeding out beneath me. He looked completely calm, almost indifferent. It must have been some sort of Mafia leader requirement to have this face mastered as I'd seen Alessio with a nearly identical expression in times of trouble too.