A Burning Flame by Daniella Kunz (book recommendations txt) 📕

disconnect button on the screen, clenching it tightly in my hand to avoid throwing it across the car.

Images of Enzo with his hands over Gianna flash through my head. If he so much as touches her, I will run him through with a knife. I will make it painful and slow, I still have that ring he gave her. Maybe I'll use it like I had planned. I roll my shoulders trying to ease the tension building as I press my foot down further on the gas.

22

GIANNA

Wobbling back down the stairway, I become aware of how much I've had to drink. My foot slips on one of the steps and I throw my hand out gripping the rail. Despite my slow reflexes I manage to catch myself, laughter bubbling up at my clumsiness.

"You couldn't have made this easier for me, Gianna. Way to take away all the fun." A cold unsettling voice echoes up the stairway, freezing me in my place. My eyes frantically dart around searching for the source of needles pricking my skin. They land on a figure leaning against the wall at the bottom. I blink, disbelieving, while instinctively taking a step back onto the step behind me. Seeing Enzo is like a cold bucket of water being dumped over my head. I feel myself sober up slightly, trying to focus.

He doesn't move from his relaxed position on the wall as he watches me. "I thought I was going to have to search that damn club for hours trying to find you. You made it easy, too easy for my taste. I was looking forward to the chase, but you had to go and ruin all my fun." He has a cruel edge to his voice. "I wonder though. Are you going to try to run? Maybe my night isn't ruined after all." He pushes up from the wall sounding hopeful.

"What are you doing here, Enzo?" I ask, finally finding my voice.

"I came to take back what is mine." His eyes narrow on me. "So the question is, are you going to just stand there and allow me to take what I came for?" He tilts his head, a manic grin twists his lips up. "Or are you gonna run?" His voice drops low as he takes a step forward. My eyes glance up to the doorway a few steps above me before darting back down to him. He smiles wider. "Good choice."

He leaps forward grabbing the railing as he propels himself up towards me. Whipping around I throw myself forward, flying up the few steps before slamming my body into the door. I ignore the aching pain in my shoulder as it bursts open into the dark alley. Not looking back, I run down the alleyway heading to the main street. If I can just make it out of the alley someone will see me. Pushing forward I hear Enzo’s feet slapping down against the pavement. My heart beats erratically at the sound of his steps behind me.

Flying out of the alley I make a sharp turn down the sidewalk. A man is walking up ahead on his phone. "Help!" I call out trying to gain his attention. He turns in my direction lowering his phone from his ear. Looking behind me he sees Enzo trailing me. When I get a little closer, he reaches out, grabbing my hand as he jerks me behind him. Taking a protective stance in front of me he blocks me from Enzo.

"Get the fuck out of the way." Enzo sneers at him.

"Sorry man, looks an awful lot like she's trying to get away from you for some reason, so I'm not gonna be moving."

"She belongs to me, so hand her over."

He shakes his head in front of me. "You'll have to go through me to get to her." I watch as Enzo's body relaxes, getting eerily calm. He shrugs moving his hand behind him.

"If you insist." Thrusting his hand forward he aims as a gunshot thunders down the street. The man stumbles back a couple of steps bumping into me as he holds his stomach. I reach out trying to steady him in front of me before Enzo draws his gun up once again, shooting him once more. The man's weight slumps back into me, knocking me off balance as we fall to the ground, his body over top of mine. Panic rises like bile in my throat as I push and claw my way out from under him. Enzo reaches down twisting my hair into his fist as he jerks me up to my feet. I clamp my mouth shut, unwilling to let him hear me cry out. Placing his hand over my mouth he stops me from calling out for help once more as he drags me down the next alley. He slams me back against the brick wall, and pain rushes through my head as my vision dances.

Through my daze, self preservation kicks in as I thrash around. Kicking his legs and pushing at him. "Get your hands off me!" I instantly hate the cracking in my voice as my anxiety rises. Reaching out he clasps my throat pushing me back and up into the wall. His grip is hard enough to pinch my airways making me struggle to breathe. He takes a moment to gaze down at me, unconcerned as my hands try clawing desperately at his to release my neck.

He releases me and my feet plant themselves back on the ground. My hand instinctively reaches to my neck as I gasp for air. “You know, I’m going to love stealing back what was taken from me. What was mine to take from the beginning.”

My lips pull up into something of a smug grin as I right myself, looking back at him. "Even if I was still yours, you couldn't take it. I had given it to another well before our engagement was broken. I never belonged to you." I