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“Run!” I yell at Harper as I hold her hand and run across the hallway Bullets fly past us, and I’hting each other Italians and Russians against Irish and Polish, everybody’s throwing fists left and right, guns going off froet Harper to safety fast

“Through there,” I say, pointing at the hole in the wall, where Mario is beckoning her to come to him

I push her toward hi to shoot at Harper all the way froet aith this Not this time

Harper runs but stopswith her

“Marcello! What are you doing?!” she yells as Mario holds out his hand

“Go ahead I’ll catch up,” I reply, and I fire off another shot, which misses

I duck when he shoots back

“Marcello! I’ at the sound of gunfire even though she’s not as used to it as I am But this world has already hardened her beyond reparation, and I am the one to blame, so I should be the one to fix it I have to make this world safer for her, even if only a little Maybe then we can have a life together in peace … or at least a haven for our child

But before I can answer, Frank has already aiht in the calf

“Marcello!” Harper co toward me, but I hold up my hand and shoot at him with the other

“STOP!” I yell back, regaining“Get to safety! For our child”

I plead with her with o to Mario so he can take her to safety, but I know in my heart she won’t listen Because she is my fiery Kitten, and defiance is what makes her who she is

“Don’t be so rowls back “I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself just to kill Frank and Molly”

“After what they did to me, to you, they deserve death,” I respond, and I fire another shot in Frank’s direction to et e”

“Marcello!” Harper calls out, but I ignore her

I must do this I h is enough

Li, I make my way to the staircase, deter Frank’s rear by shooting anyone who dares to coot me on her radar, she fires off several shots at the staircase, but she has a lousy aim

“You were never as good at wielding a gun as you were at wielding that s must come to an end,” I spit at her

“Just like your tiny little heart when I’ it,” she quips back