Chapter 161
Aria – First Person POV
The shot rang out, loud and sharp. It echoed through the empty space behind the mall like a firecracker going off inside my head.
For a second, I didn’t move.
The man stumbled backward, clutching his side. I had hit him. Not Chiara. Not anyone else. Him.
My hands were still shaking. The gun was heavy in my grip. I couldn’t feel my fingers. My whole body felt like it wasn’t mine.
Chiara was on the ground, breathing hard. There was blood on her lip and a scrape on her cheek, but she was alive. She looked up at me, wide- eyed, then scrambled to her feet and rushed to my side.
“You okay?” she asked, grabbing my arm.
I nodded, even though I didn’t feel okay at all. I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe.
Then I heard it. Tires screeching. A car pulling up fast.
A black SUV stopped just a few feet away from us. The doors flew open, and Dante was the first one out. He didn’t even close the door behind him.
His eyes found me instantly.
“Aria!” he shouted, running over.
I didn’t realize I was crying until he pulled the gun out of my hand and wrapped me in his arms. I broke down the moment I felt his warmth. My legs gave out, and he caught me, holding me tight against his chest.
“I was so scared,” I whispered, my voice shaking.
“I know,” he said softly, rocking me a little. “I’m here. I’ve got you.”
Behind him, a few of his men surrounded the man I had shot. They pushed him to the ground and restrained him fast. One of them spoke into a radio, calling for backup or maybe someone else I didn’t recognize.
Dante gently pulled back to look at my face. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “No. Just… scared.”
He nodded, pressing a kiss to my forehead. Then he turned to Chiara. “You okay?”
She gave him a weak thumbs–up. “Bruised. Nothing major.”
“We’re going home,” he said, his voice deep and tight.
One of the men helped Chiara into the SUV while Dante stayed with me. He picked me up like I was weightless and carried me to the car. I didn’t even fight it. I was too tired. Too overwhelmed.
Inside the car, the seats were soft and warm. Chiara leaned her head back and closed her eyes. I held onto Dante’s hand like it was the only thing grounding me.
Chapter 161
When we got back to the house, the front door opened before we even reached it.
Matteo and Enzo stood there, waiting.
The moment they saw me, their faces changed. Panic. Relief. Anger.
Matteo rushed forward first. He cupped my face, his hands trembling a little.
“You’re okay,” he breathed. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” I whispered, even though I still didn’t feel it.
Enzo wrapped his arms around me from the side. His hand slid over my back slowly, grounding me. “You scared the hell out of us,” he said, his voice low and serious.
“I scared myself too,” I admitted, tears filling my eyes again.
They led me inside like I was made of glass. Dante followed close behind, never letting go of my arm. Someone took my shoes off. Someone brought me water. I sat on the couch while they fussed around me, asking if I was cold, if I needed anything, if I was dizzy.
“I shot someone,” I finally said aloud, my voice small.
Matteo sat beside me, his arm slipping around my waist. “You had no choice.”
Enzo crouched in front of me. “You protected Chiara. You protected yourself.”
Dante stood behind the couch, his hands on my shoulders. “You were brave. Don’t ever question that.”
Mooked at each of them. Their faces were tight with emotion. They were angry, yes, but not at me. Angry at the danger. At what could have
happened. At the fact that they hadn’t been there fast enough.
I had never seen them like this. So serious. So shaken.
And so gentle.
They stayed close for the rest of the evening. Dante never left the room. Enzo checked my pulse twice. Matteo made me eat something, even though I wasn’t hungry. They didn’t let me out of their sight./
And for once, I didn’t mind being watched.
Not by them.
Not when Lknew how much they cared.
I kept trying to tell myself it was over, that I was home, safe, that the man couldn’t hurt me anymore – but my body didn’t seem to believe it. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t get a full breath in. My muscles were sore from how tense I’d been, like they were still bracing for impact. Every little creak of the house made me jump, and every time I blinked, I saw flashes of that alley, that gun, that moment when everything could’ve gone wrong. It was like my body had memorized the fear, and now it didn’t know how to forget it. I hated that feeling. I hated how
it weak it made me feel, how small, like I was still that scared girl hiding behind Chiara, unsure if we’d make it out. But here in Matteo’s arms, was a little easier to breathe. I didn’t have to say anything, didn’t have to pretend I was fine. I could just exist, quietly, while someone else held the weight for a little while.
I never thought I’d be the kind of girl who could hold a gun, let alone fire one. That kind of thing felt like something out of a movie, something people trained for, not something that happened to girls like me. I still couldn’t believe it. My hand had just moved on its own. I didn’t think. I just acted. And now that everything had calmed down, it was hitting me all at once. What if I had missed? What if I had hit Chiara instead? What if he had gotten the gun back before I pulled the trigger? So many what–ifs swirled in my head, loud and heavy. I didn’t know what to do with them. I didn’t feel strong or fearless or anything close to that. I felt like a shaken–up bottle, full of things I didn’t have words for. I wanted to ask Matteo how he did it. How he stayed calm when everything felt like it was falling apart. But maybe that’s why he was
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Chapter 161
here now, holding me like I wasn’t broken. Like I was still worth protecting, even after all the chaos I brought into their lives.
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