Gunfire

“Fuck.” I cussed. Was I really going to hell with these criminals? 

"Keep your head down!” Dante said as he docked my head low. He held my cheeks as he looked into my eyes. “Stay calm!" His voice was a steady command as it cut through the noise.

Stay calm? The thought was absurd. I was trapped in a car with a man I was supposed to be hunting, with no weapon, no backup, and there was a full blown gunfight in the middle of a public road.

I heard some scrambling and before I could even process it, Marco and Antonio had guns in their hands. They were firing back at the aggressors as Marco’s laughter pierced the air. The fucker seemed to enjoy the brutality. Because I had honestly never seen him change his damned poker face expression, except for now.

"These little boys really think they can play master because they have little toys that spits bullets huh," Antonio snarled, a scowl on his face as he fired.

"Hurry up and finish them off," Dante said, his voice completely devoid of panic. "I have somewhere to be."

They all looked relaxed and calm like this was some normal occurrence. As if this was just a minor inconvenience, like being stuck in traffic.  

Marco got out of the car. He seemed to adore the close quarters combat and his guns were much more sophisticated anyway. A moment later, the gunfire died down, replaced by the sickening crunch of metal as he kicked at something on the ground.

Dante turned his head, his hazel eyes locking on mine. He gave me a small, unsettling smile. "Is the sound too loud for you Liam?" he asked, the question with obvious mockery.

I couldn't believe his utter lack of concern. "What are the police doing?" I muttered. "If I remember correctly, a police station is close by and these shooting should have attracted them by now."

Dante's smirk only widened. "Don't make me laugh. Do you really think the cops are going to interfere?" He looked at me as if I was a clown.

Before I could say more, I noticed the gunshots had ceased completely. Dante looked over the back of his seat, his eyes scanning the scene before a satisfied smirk spread across his face. He simply opened the car door and stepped out. I scrambled to follow him, my legs unsteady as I got out of the wrecked vehicle.

Bodies were scattered across the road, lifeless and still. It was a scene of pure brutality. 

Marco, however, was dragging one man by the collar, throwing him at Dante’s feet. "Only survivor, boss."

The man was terrified, his eyes wide and pleading. Dante’s gaze narrowed into a cold slit as he took him in. He grabbed the man’s wrist, and I saw a flash of a lion head tattoo. 

Dante scoffed, a look of contempt on his face. "Lion Hearts gang," he spat, his voice filled with venom. "Raymond sends his little boys to do a man's job. Pathetic!"

He looked at Marco, a sadistic smile on his lips. "I'm in a good mood. Just cut off his thumbs and send him back to his master as a gift. Tell him this is a warning. The bodies can go with him."

The man snorted and begged as he ugly cried and I just stood there like a statue. This was it. The evidence. My first thought was to get it on record so I discreetly reached for my phone after I recovered, my thumb hovering over the record button. 

But as I was about to press it, Dante’s head snapped up. His eyes, sharp as razors, zeroed in on me. He took a step toward me, a slow, predatory smile on his face. "Did I scare you Liam?" he asked, his voice low and taunting.

I froze, pulling my hand away from my pocket. "No, no. I'm fine," I said, a nervous, forced laugh escaping my lips.

"He just sat there like a coward, waiting for us to protect him," Antonio snorted, a look of utter disdain on his face.

Dante shot Antonio a sharp glare, and he immediately fell silent. But just then, I noticed it. A dark stain was spreading across the shoulder of Dante’s suit. The glass from the crash had cut him. Before I could think, my body moved on its own.

"You're bleeding," I murmured, my voice full of genuine concern. I reached out a hand toward his shoulder, my fingers hovering just inches from the wound.

Dante stiffened, his eyes widening in a mixture of shock and surprise. He stared at me for a long moment, then a soft smile, one that seemed almost genuine, replaced the cold, sadistic one. "I suppose I can't go to my meeting looking like this," he said.

"We should get you to a hospital," I said, my voice urgent. "I can hail a cab."

Just then, two black cars pulled up behind us. The doors opened, and several more of Dante's men stepped out. One of them walked over and handed Dante a set of keys.

"No need," Dante said, taking the keys and tossing them to me. "You're driving."

My eyes went wide. "Me?"

"Antonio, handle the cleanup here. Marco, go with him." He didn’t wait for an answer as he headed toward the car.

Antonio's face hardened. "Boss, that's not wise. He's..."

Dante cut him off with a look that promised pain if he said another word. "I said, you're driving, Liam." He repeated.

He slid into the passenger seat while I stood there dumbfounded, the keys still in my hand. This was insane. He was putting his life and his safety, in my hands. Does he even trust me that much to be going without his bodyguard? 

For all he knows, I could just drive him straight to the station and dump him in custody.