Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,408

heard voices, I jumped, half expecting Father or Dante to rip open the door and shoot us all on the spot. Romero brushed a few strands that had fallen over my eyes away from my face. The look in his eyes made me realize that it was worth it. Love was worth risking it all. I just wished I hadn’t dragged others into danger with me. Five minutes later, the six of us left the room and continued our journey through the house. The sounds of the party had dwindled further, which meant more people could be walking back to their rooms and potentially cross our paths, but so far we’d been lucky.

We took the second staircase in the back of the house down to the first floor and headed for the door that led to the underground garage. Most houses in this area had them because outside space was limited. There was the sound of steps from the corridor to the left of the door. Romero pulled me to a stop and pointed his gun ahead. Both Matteo and Luca did the same. My pulse pounded in my temples. They had silencers on their barrels but a shooting always made some noise, and I really didn’t want to have more blood on my hands.

Someone turned the corner into our hallway and I clutched at Romero’s arm to stop him from shooting. It was Fabiano. He jerked to a stop with his own gun pointed at us. I didn’t even know he wore a gun, especially to my wedding. He was too young for this. His eyes scanned our small group, his brows drawing together in suspicion. He was still in his festive vest and trousers. What was going on here?

Aria put her hand on Luca’s arm with the gun but he didn’t lower it, neither did Matteo despite Gianna’s urgent whispering.

“Don’t hurt him,” I pleaded. Romero didn’t take his eyes off my brother but he lightly squeezed my hand in response.

“What’s going on here?” Fabiano asked firmly, standing even taller than usual and trying to look like a man. With the gun and that serious expression he almost managed to look like more than a teenage boy.

“Put that gun down,” Luca ordered.

Fabiano laughed but it sounded nervous. “No way. I want to know what’s going on.” His eyes moved from Aria to Gianna then to me, and finally settled on Romero’s hand, which was clutching mine.

“Why are you even running around with a gun? Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Aria asked and was about to take a step toward our brother but Luca pulled her back.

“I have guard duties,” Fabiano said with a hint of pride.

“But you aren’t inducted yet,” I said, confused. I would have noticed if he’d started the process, right? Fabi had always told me everything. It had been us against the rest after Gianna and Aria had moved to New York.

“I started the induction process a few weeks ago. This is my first task,” Fabi said. The hand with his gun was shaking slightly. If I noticed it, Romero, Luca, and Matteo definitely had. I wasn’t sure it was a good thing because his nervousness made them realize he was still a kid, or a bad thing because it made him an easy target in their eyes.

“Father gave it to you because he thought it would be an easy first job, right? Nothing bad ever happens at weddings,” I tried to joke.

Fabi didn’t even crack a smile, neither did anyone else. I exchanged a look with Aria and Gianna. We had to escape, that much was clear, but we couldn’t risk Fabi getting hurt.

“He gave me the job because he knew I was responsible and capable,” Fabi said, sounding like Father’s personal parrot. My chest tightened. What if Fabi really didn’t let us go? The way he pointed his gun at us, he appeared absolutely determined. Had he changed so much?

“You don’t really think you can kill all three of us, do you?” Matteo asked with a twisted grin.

Gianna shot him a glower. “Shut up, Matteo.”

Fabi shifted on his feet but his face remained hard. When had he learned to wear a poker face like that? “I can try,” Fabi said.

“Fabiano,” Luca said calmly. “They are your sisters. Do you really want to risk them getting hurt?”

“Why is Lily here? Why isn’t she with her husband? I want to know what’s going on. Why are you trying to take her with you? She’s part of