Trust doesn't break all at once.
It cracks.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Until one moment… it shatters everything.
---
The gun fired.
I moved.
Too late to stop the shot—
But not too late to change where it landed.
I slammed into Valentina, dragging her down as the bullet tore past us, grazing my already injured shoulder.
Pain flared—sharp, brutal—but I ignored it, rolling us both behind cover.
The traitor didn't wait.
He fired again.
And again.
Relentless.
Close.
Precise.
"He's trained," I muttered.
"He was one of our best," she said tightly.
Was.
Not anymore.
---
I leaned out just enough to return fire.
One shot.
Missed.
He ducked back, repositioning quickly.
Smart.
Too smart.
"Stay down," I said.
"I'm not hiding."
"You are if you want to live."
"I'm tired of being told that."
"And I'm tired of you trying to get yourself killed."
Silence snapped between us.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
Then—
"You think I can't handle this," she said.
"I think you don't understand what you're up against."
Her eyes burned.
"I grew up in this world, Dante."
"And I survived it."
"You survived under protection," I shot back. "That's not the same as fighting in it."
That hit.
Hard.
I saw it in the way her expression shifted—just for a second.
Then the fire came back.
Stronger.
"You don't know anything about me," she said coldly.
"I know enough."
"No," she snapped. "You think you do. That's the problem."
Another shot rang out.
Closer.
We both dropped lower.
But this time—
She didn't stay down.
---
Before I could stop her, she moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
She broke from cover, gun raised, charging straight toward the traitor.
"Valentina—!"
Gunfire erupted instantly.
He was ready.
Of course he was ready.
Bullets tore through the space around her, kicking up dirt, forcing her to dodge, twist, move faster than anyone should have to.
Reckless.
Insane.
Exactly what he wanted.
I moved too.
Ignoring the pain, forcing my body to keep up, closing the distance as fast as I could.
She fired—
Missed.
He fired—
Closer.
Too close.
"Get down!" I shouted.
She didn't.
Of course she didn't.
---
I reached her just as the next shot rang out.
This time—
It hit.
Her body jerked.
The sound that left her lips wasn't a scream.
It was smaller.
Sharper.
Worse.
"No."
The word tore out of me before I could stop it.
I caught her as she fell, pulling her back behind cover, my hands already moving, searching for the wound.
Blood.
Too much blood.
"Where?" I demanded.
"My side," she whispered, her voice tight now.
I pressed down hard.
She sucked in a sharp breath, her fingers gripping my shirt.
"Don't—" she started.
"Too late."
"You're hurting me."
"Good. Means you're still alive."
Her lips twitched despite the pain.
"You're… terrible at comfort."
"Not my job."
"Clearly."
---
Gunfire slowed.
Then stopped.
Too quiet.
I didn't like quiet.
Not after everything.
"He's repositioning," I said.
"Or leaving," she murmured.
"No."
I shook my head.
"He's not done."
Neither was I.
---
"You need to stay here," I said.
She looked at me like I'd just insulted her.
"Not happening."
"You're hit."
"I've been worse."
"That's my line."
"Then find a new one."
I almost laughed.
Almost.
But this wasn't funny.
Not even close.
"You can't fight like this," I said.
"Watch me."
Before I could argue—
She pushed herself up.
Unsteady.
Bleeding.
Still stubborn.
Still defiant.
Still her.
"You push too far," I muttered.
She met my gaze.
"So do you."
A beat.
Then—
"That's why we're still alive."
Damn it.
She had a point.
Again.
I really hated that.
---
Footsteps.
Close.
Too close.
I moved instantly, pulling her behind me, gun raised.
The traitor stepped into view.
Calm.
Collected.
Like none of this mattered.
"You should've stayed down," he said.
"You should've stayed loyal," she shot back.
He smiled faintly.
"Loyalty gets you killed in this world."
"No," I said coldly. "Betrayal does."
His eyes shifted to me.
"You're good," he admitted. "But not good enough."
"We'll see."
The tension snapped tight.
Explosive.
Final.
---
He fired.
I fired.
Shots collided in the space between us.
Chaos.
Movement.
Pain.
I pushed forward, closing the distance, forcing him back.
He was good.
Fast.
Trained.
But he hesitated—
Just for a second.
When he looked at her.
That was all I needed.
I struck.
Hard.
Fast.
Ending it before he could recover.
He hit the ground.
Still.
Silent.
Done.
---
The night went quiet again.
Finally.
But not peaceful.
Never peaceful.
---
I turned back to her.
She was still standing.
Barely.
But standing.
"You're bleeding too much," I said.
"So are you."
"Not the point."
"Everything's the point tonight."
I stepped closer, catching her as she swayed slightly.
"Easy."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
"I've been worse."
I exhaled slowly.
"You're impossible."
"You noticed."
A faint smile.
Then—
It faded.
Her body went still.
Too still.
"Valentina?"
No response.
Her eyes fluttered slightly—
Then closed.
"Valentina."
Nothing.
My chest tightened.
Something sharp and unfamiliar cutting through the control I never lost.
Until now.
"Stay with me," I muttered, tightening my grip on her.
No movement.
No response.
Just silence.
---
Then—
A slow clap echoed through the night.
I looked up.
And froze.
Adrian Voss stepped out of the shadows.
Smiling.
Unharmed.
Untouched.
"You really are impressive," he said.
My grip tightened on her.
"You should be dead."
"So should you," he replied lightly.
My jaw clenched.
"You're not taking her."
His smile widened.
"We'll see."
His hand lifted slightly—
And suddenly—
Red dots appeared.
Everywhere.
On me.
On her.
Surrounding us.
Snipers.
Multiple.
No escape.
No cover.
No time.
"Drop the gun," Adrian said softly.
I didn't move.
Couldn't.
Because for the first time—
I wasn't just calculating survival.
I was calculating hers.
And that?
That changed everything.
---
"Last chance," Adrian warned.
I looked down at her.
Unconscious.
Bleeding.
Still fighting… even now.
Then back at him.
And made a choice.
Slowly—
I lowered the gun.