Chapter 2 Spitfire

DANTE

I had been watching her since I walked into a club with my cousins for a drink, she was attention grabbing.

My cousins couldn't take their eyes off her, they had been talking about a little spitfire working in a club downtown after visiting it once.

All the men around me couldn't stop gushing about how big her ass was or how good she would feel against them, I didn't care until I saw her.

She had caught my attention the moment I stepped into the club though I tried not to show it. I had a feeling that I'd seen her somewhere but I ignored it.

We left the club early and I sent my cousins home, though they hesitated before finally leaving. I wanted to be alone for a moment to think of a way to get out of the ridiculous engagement my dead grandfather signed in my name.

I wasn't going to get married to a spoilt brat and I was definitely not getting married to a fucking Lombardi.

Though I couldn't just break off the deal he made with them, I was going to find a way to end the engagement one way or the other.

I brought out a cigarette from my pocket, opened it and took one out, placing it between my lips but didn't light it. I only smoked when I was really angry or holding myself back.

After walking aimlessly for hours, I decided to head back home because I knew the streets of scampia like the back of my hands, it was filled with trouble.

And even though I was a little riled up and looking for a way to vent, I didn't have the time or energy to deal with street thugs who didn't know who was in charge.

I was just about to call for a car when I felt someone running towards me from behind, I turned around immediately and saw a group of bandits walking towards me.

Fuck. Just great.

My hand flew to the gun tucked under my shirt, but before I could pull it out, one of them lunged at me with a knife. I dodged to the side and slammed my fist into his jaw. He hit the ground hard, but two more came running toward me from behind.

“Idiots” I muttered, pulling out my gun and firing a quick shot. One of them dropped instantly, but the other kept coming, swinging a metal pipe like a maniac.

I ducked, kicked his leg out from under him, and smashed my elbow into his face. Blood splattered across my shirt.

Then I saw headlights approaching fast. A black SUV. My stomach dropped.

Shit. These weren’t random thugs. They were coming for me.

More men spilled out of the SUV, all dressed in black, guns in hand. I didn’t wait for them to aim. I fired twice, taking cover behind a trash bin. The sound of bullets hitting metal rang in my ears.

“Spread out!” one of them shouted.

“Fuck this,” I hissed, reloading. I popped out and shot again, hitting one in the shoulder, but another bullet grazed my side, ripping through my shirt. Pain shot through my ribs like fire.

I pressed my hand against the wound, my vision blurring for a moment. I had to move. Now.

Running low, I dashed into a narrow alley and jumped over a fence, landing hard on my injured side. I gritted my teeth to stop a groan.

The bastards followed me, their footsteps echoing through the night. I fired blindly behind me, just enough to slow them down. I needed to disappear before they cornered me.

I turned another corner, climbed up a stack of crates, and hauled myself onto the rooftop of a nearby building. My chest burned, blood dripping down my fingers as I pressed against the wound.

From up there, I could see the alley below...three of them were still fucking looking for me.

One of them looked up. “He’s on the roof!”

“Damn it,” I cursed under my breath.

I pulled the trigger again, taking one of them down. The others scattered for cover. I used the chance to limp across the rooftop, jumping onto the next building. My side screamed in pain, but I kept going until I couldn’t hear their voices anymore.

When I finally stopped, I leaned against a wall, panting heavily. My hand came away soaked in blood.

I tore off a piece of my shirt and tied it tightly around the wound. It wasn’t much, but it would stop the bleeding for now.

“Could this night get any worse?” I muttered.

It did. Because after barely escaping death, I had to face it all over again thanks to a tiny, stubborn little thing who nearly electrocuted me.

I was limping through the alley, blood soaking my side, when I saw her. The same woman from the club. She was walking alone, clutching her bag like it was a life vest.

Perfect. Just what I needed, a witness.

I was about to turn the other way, but my legs gave out and I dropped to the ground with a thud. My vision went blurry, and the last thing I saw was her wide, terrified eyes staring down at me.

Next thing I knew, pain shot through my body. Electricity.

That little devil had tasered me.

I groaned, barely conscious, trying to move, but my muscles refused to listen. She hit me again...this time with her shoe.

Jesus,” I rasped to myself, grabbing her ankle before she could kill me completely.

She screamed and started kicking like a wild cat. The woman had guts, I’ll give her that.

When she finally bolted and disappeared, I exhaled sharply, lying there on the cold wet floor. I didn’t even have the energy to swear anymore.

I didn’t plan on following her. I just didn’t have another choice. My head was spinning, and I was losing blood fast. If I passed out here, I’d be dead before sunrise.

So, when I saw the apartments she had ran into, I dragged myself toward it. Step by step.

And as fate would have it, she was still at her door trying to open it.

She tried to scream again, of course.

“Shhh” I shushed her, covering her mouth before she could shout.

The next few minutes were a blur...a gun, her baseball bat, her panic. But in the end, I was inside. Bleeding all over her floor.

And that’s when it hit me.

I’d just escaped one death… only to walk straight into another.

Because that little spitfire? She might actually kill me before the night was over.

Then she decided to treat my wounds which was shocking. She was fearless, I would give her that. But she was also careless.

So fucking careless.