Christmas Vows with the Devil

10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Dante

She’s drunk.

She wants me to take her to bed.

My brain tries to process what’s happening, but it’s sluggish. Her scent wafting around me, dragging me closer.

I’m frozen, my hands around her waist, staring down at her like an idiot. My body’s screaming at me to give in, to take what I’ve wanted for so long.

Her eyes are dark, glazed over from the wine. The boldness in her gaze scares me.

I might be Il Diavolo .

I might torture teenage boys and murder men in cold blood. But I’d never take advantage of a woman like this.

“Gia,” I say, my voice low, strained.

She steps closer, her fingers sliding up my arm. It’s driving me insane. She tilts her head up, her lips parting slightly as if waiting for me to kiss her.

I grab her wrist instead, gentle but firm, and step back. “Not tonight.”

Her face falls, confusion flashing across her features. She doesn’t understand. How could she?

We’ve been playing this game for days now, circling each other, never fully crossing the line. And now that she’s ready to leap over it, I’m the one holding back.

Her eyes flicker with hurt, and I hate it. Hate that I’m the one causing it.

But I can’t. Not when she’s like this.

“You don’t want me?” she asks, her voice trembling.

I want to tell her the truth. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. Resisting her right now is like trying to hold back a tidal wave.

But I don’t. I just shake my head, stepping further away from her.

“You’re not thinking clearly,” I say.

Her shoulders slump, and she takes a shaky breath. But I can see it in her eyes—the hurt, the confusion.

I turn away, running a hand through my hair, trying to pull myself together. I can still feel her eyes on me, the tension hanging thick in the air.

I need to get out of here. Cool off. Before I do something I’ll regret.

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering rips through the air. My head snaps toward the front of the house, and instinct kicks in. I move toward the noise, heart racing, every muscle in my body tensing.

“What was that?” Gia’s voice is shaky, and when I glance back, I see her standing there, eyes wide with fear. The haze of the wine is broken, replaced by worry and fear.

“Stay here,” I say, heading toward the door.

Another crash. Then shouting. It’s coming from outside. My blood goes cold.

I blunder into the uncles and Giancarlo at the front door—all of us confused, stunned.

It’s the day before Christmas fucking Eve. What the hell is this?

Giancarlo pulls me back from bursting out the front door, and we make a rapid game plan. Roman, Leo, and I take the back door. We separate from the others, guns at the ready.

I burst through the back door, scanning the grounds. The lodge is surrounded by woods, snow blanketing the ground. It’s dark, but I can make out shadows moving near the edge of the property.

Too many shadows. Figures slipping through the trees, creeping closer.

My fingers grip the gun tight, the cold metal grounding me. This isn’t the first time someone’s tried to take a shot at me. It won’t be the last.

But tonight?

Tonight, they’ve picked the wrong man to mess with.

The shadows get closer, and I see them now. Men. Armed. My mind races, calculating the odds, assessing the threat. There are at least five of them. Maybe more.

The back door opens behind me, and Gia steps out. “Dante, what…”

“Get inside!” I snap, not even looking back at her. Roman is quick on his feet, trying to push her back inside.

“Get Matteo. Make sure he’s safe,” I hear his harsh whisper.

She hesitates. Then there’s no time to argue. The first shot rings out, and I hit the ground, pulling Gia down with me. The bullet zips over our heads, smashing into the side of the house.

“Stay down,” I growl, crawling toward the nearest tree for cover.

She’s frozen, eyes wide with shock.

Damn it.

I peek around the tree, aiming at the first man I see. One shot. He goes down.

The others scatter, taking cover behind the trees, but I know they’re still there. Waiting. I grit my teeth, moving to a better position, trying to get a clear shot.

I can see Leo on the ground in the bushes, his gun trained in the distance. Another bullet flies past, missing him by inches.

My blood pumps faster, adrenaline flooding my veins. I fire again, clipping one of them in the leg. He falls, cursing loudly.

I hear Uncle Roman whistle, a warning. And out of nowhere, pain explodes in my side.

I drop to one knee, gritting my teeth against the searing heat. I’ve been hit.

Shit.

I press a hand to my side, feeling the warm, sticky blood oozing between my fingers. I don’t have time for this.

I can’t stop now.

Not while they’re still out there.

Not while Gia huddles beside me, fighting to keep her tears silent.

“Dante!” Gia’s voice is full of panic.

“I said stay down!” I bark, clutching my side as I fire off another round.

She doesn’t listen. Of course, she doesn’t.

She crawls closer, her hands trembling as she reaches for me.

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”

The pain is worse than I expected, but I can’t let her see that. I can’t let her see me weak. Not now.

Another shot whizzes past us. We’re pinned down, but I know they’ll move in soon. I have to act fast.

I glance around, trying to figure out our next move. The house is too far away. We won’t make it back inside without getting shot. The only cover we have is the tree, but it’s not enough.

Leo and Roman are army-crawling through the snow, using shrubs and boulders for cover, trying to get closer.

We’re in this together.

The Manzos and the Vitales might not be friendly, but tonight, we have a common enemy.

More footsteps. They’re getting closer. I can hear them, moving carefully through the snow.

I turn to Gia. Her face is pale, eyes wide with fear. I can’t protect her from my world anymore.

“I need you to run,” I say, my voice low but firm.

“What? Are you insane? I’m not leaving you.”

“Gia, listen to me.” I grab her shoulders, forcing her to meet my gaze. “You need to get inside. Get Matteo. Lock the doors. Don’t let anyone in.”

Her eyes fill with tears. She nods, yet still she hesitates.

This damn stubborn woman is going to be the death of me.

Then everything goes black.