I woke up when the plane hit the runway. It jostled me enough to make me jump up with confusion. "Hello, my Bella." Enzo was already awake, sitting up next to me. I rubbed my eyes, watching him text someone on his phone. My eyebrows crinkled when I read the name "Sarah".

"Relax, Sarah is the manager of one of my clubs in Manhattan. She had a problem with some security. I am just letting her know that I sent people over there," he chuckled. My cheeks blushed with embarrassment for jumping to conclusions. I nodded my head, and he lifted my chin to give me a sweet peck.

"You are my only woman. I am loyal to you, angel," he sighed against my lips.

I smiled and kissed him again, another quick peck.

"I love you," I sighed. As soon as the words left my mouth, my eyes flew open. Fuck. Did I just say that?

I totally did. There was no taking it back. No going back now.

Enzo watched me for a few seconds, then he kissed me again. I held my breath. Not making a single noise. I bit my tongue, hoping to prevent any more word vomit. He didn't say it back. Did he feel the same way? Was he going to end things because I spooked him? I wanted him to say it back, badly. I held back the tears that were going to form very soon. I looked away and got off the bed.

"It's okay. You don't have to say it. I guess it's early for you," I mumbled. My voice was thick with emotion. I barely recognized my voice. My chest hurt with anxiety. I felt like an idiot.

Enzo just nodded and slipped out of the room after telling me he needed to talk to Dante.

What the fuck. He was so uneasy, normally he was always the brave one of the two of us. Yet here he was, spooked as if he just saw a ghost. I felt so awkward. I walked to the bathroom to quickly wipe my eyes of the tears that started dripping after he left the room.

I stared at myself in the mirror.

Don't be upset. It is not a big deal. He just didn't say it back. But what if he just doesn't feel the same? I watched as my reflection stared back at me with empty eyes. I felt pathetic. Confessing that to him, only for him to literally run away.

When I get out of the bathroom I walked out into the section of the plane where everyone was. They were waiting for me to get off the plane. We exited the plane together but split up the cars.

"We will go back in two cars to be safe. The threat is still out there. I still don't trust anyone but the people right here," Enzo said pointing at the five of us. I avoided eye contact with him for the most part as we all stood there on the tarmac.

"Lilly, we'll take one car. You three take the other one. Good?"

I didn't answer. Just looked away, trying not to let him see the emotions written all over my face. Dante put an arm around me and squeezed me. I wondered if he could tell there was something wrong.

I appreciated the warmth, though. New York was freezing, with Christmas was around the corner now. I zipped up my coat a little more, as high as it'd go.

I got into the car with Enzo silently. We both sat in the back seat while a driver drove us. It was silent and beyond awkward. I stared at my lap, then out the window, then my lap again. Enzo was just staring out of the window as well. We took the side streets and empty roads to be safe. Dante, Stef, and Lessi were behind us.

I watched out of the window when I saw another SUV come next to us. When I turned towards Enzo to ask if they were more of his security team, he tried to grab me and pull me toward him. His face told me that they were not his security. Everything went in slow motion for the next few seconds. The black SUV next to us swerved and crashed right into us. Our car spun fast and went into the side of the road, quickly falling into the ditch. I screamed but no sound came out. Enzo tried to pull me to him but couldn't in time. I had my seatbelt on thankfully or I might have gone through the window. It all happened too slow, but too fast at the same time. Glass shards broke and flew through the air, I felt them cut my face and skin, but it felt like tiny stings. Enzo's hand grabbed mine desperately. I heard him roar my name in fear but I was okay. The car didn't hit us that hard, just enough to get us off the road.

Loud bangs followed my ears but they were ringing too loud. I couldn't tell what was going on.

I shut my eyes, my head dizzy. I think it hit the side of the car when they hit us. I felt Enzo squeezing my hand with a death grip. We stopped moving. I presumed we were stuck in the ditch on the side of the road. I wondered where Alessio, Dante, and Stefano were. Were they okay?

My face was wet, with tears or blood? I didn't know.

"Enzo," I croaked.

"Take my gun," he whispered to me.

"What?" I opened my eyes and looked at him frantically.

His face was bleeding too. But worse than mine. His leg was bleeding too. There was a piece of glass the size of my hand in his thigh. Fuck, he was bleeding a lot.

"Take it. My arm is dislocated or broken. I can feel it."

"No, I-"

"Take it, now. They are going to come. Shoot them. I can't protect you. I need you to protect yourself right now. Please, baby."

My body was on fire. Everything was stinging in pain from the glass.

"Okay," I croaked. It hurt to speak. It hurt to breathe.

"I am so sorry baby," he was losing consciousness as he spoke. He was bleeding too much. A tear rolled down his cheek. "I do love you. I'm so sorry. I should have protected you. You are my first and only love, Lilly." His eyes closed and opened a few times. They fluttered closed and his head hung to the side. I started crying.

"I love you, too. Please I need you. I'm scared."

He was incoherent. I unbuckled my seatbelt and slide toward him slowly. My hands were dark red with my blood.

His gun was on the floor next to his feet. Fuck. I reached toward it but couldn't. My body was fighting me. It hurt all over. I knew I was running on pure adrenaline. I'd crash soon. Enzo needed help. He needed to go to a hospital. He was pale. And his breathing was too slow. He looked horrible. Please. Please someone help me I thought. I looked at the driver in the front seat but his neck was twisted all the way to the side. I saw instantly that he was dead from the impact.

I tried to scream for Alessio but no sound came out. I tried screaming all of their names. Nothing. My throat was dry. My ears started ringing again and I lost all my hearing.

I reached for the gun again, but couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Enzo." I cried and kissed his cheek. He didn't budge. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!