by Anna Widzisz
However, in spite of the determination written on her face, the girl was fighting with her thoughts. On one hand, the man had made her life a living hell the last few weeks, but it was still the same person who’d protected her and always been there for her when she needed him. He might be Luca, but he was still Jason to her. She wasn’t sure if she wanted him dead.
“Do it, Lyn. Just like I taught you,” he croaked, raising his hands at the height of his head in a gesture of surrender. He was ready for whatever was about to happen.
But the girl’s decision was the last thing he would have expected. She lowered her gun, bursting into tears. She realized that she really was weak. Unable to kill him. To say goodbye to him. Even if it was the wrong move, she didn’t have it in her to be the one to end his life. Not when the action could haunt her forever.
Noah didn’t share her foolish sentiment though and moved to finish what he’d started, but stopped when the gunshot echoed throughout the entire shed. Lynette felt the pressure in her stomach, looked down and saw her shirt getting soaked in blood. She fell to the ground from the impact of Marco’s shot.
Everything suddenly slowed down. Noah moved toward his father, but before he could reach him, Severo grabbed a weapon from one of the soldiers he’d fought with and fired at Falcone's head, killing him immediately.
In the distance, they heard the sounds of sirens, and many FBI agents ran into the warehouse, making arrests in turn. Noah and Drew moved towards the bleeding girl. Ryder took off his T-shirt and placed it firmly against the wound, pressing it to stop Lynette from bleeding out.
“Do not leave me. You hear me? Lynette, don’t even think of leaving me alone! I need you,” he hissed, seeing as the light was slowly burning out in her eyes. She smiled weakly. “Please, fight. The ambulance will arrive soon. Hold on a little bit more,” Drew called, kneeling over her, cradling her face in his arms so she wouldn’t lose consciousness. Tears flowed down his cheeks, blurring his vision. He wasn’t even sure what was going on at that moment. He only knew he needed help. He looked back, where his father was just ramming his knee into one of Marco's soldiers.
“Call an ambulance. Now!” he shouted at him, and the man nodded. The other FBI agent took over his task as Mark grabbed the radio and called for help.
“Get her into the car. We will drive to meet the ambulance on the way. It’s faster,” Mark ordered, to which Drew picked up the girl and ran into the car, getting inside, to continue to try to stem the bleeding.
Noah moved to do the same but got held up by one of the agents who knocked him down. He could only watch powerlessly as the car moved away.
There was more and more blood with each second, and Lynette’s eyelids slowly dropped. Using all that was left of her willpower, she opened them again. One more time. To see Ryder leaning over her just like he’d done in the cubbyhole back at school. But now there was no desire, but pure love and pain in both of their eyes.
“Hold on. I can already hear the ambulance. We'll meet them soon,” said Drew.
“I-I can’t stop it. I’m sorry,” she whispered coughing up blood.
“It’s okay. Just breathe. You have nothing to be sorry for. I’ve got you.”
Lynette looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes, as a muffled laugh came out of her mouth. The sound that had once made him feel like he was in a completely different world. A new reality that she’d created. This time, he felt shivers running down his spine. Their eyes met. He shuddered at the sight of what he saw. An ocean of regret and some kind of despair that had soaked through them. Once again, she choked on blood, and the mask dropped for a second, causing the boy to embrace her as hard as he could, trying to protect her from all the evil in the world.
Another cough escaped her lips.
“I don’t feel anything anymore,” she whispered those words that carried so much power within, taking him back to their first meeting.
He knew it was her attempt to calm him down. Showing him that it hurt him more than it did her. But it had the complete opposite effect. He tried to block all bad thoughts, praying that the girl whom he loved with all he had would survive. She was a goddamn warrior. A survivor. He couldn’t and wouldn’t imagine his life without her. But in that instant, he dreaded it. He didn’t want to wake up one day, realizing that he would never see her again.
“The fact that something doesn’t last forever, doesn’t mean that it is not worth it. Thank you for destroying this wall that I’d built around me. For some reason, I have always been innocent in your eyes,” she choked out.
Her eyelids eventually fell, her lungs not allowing another breath, and her hand slipped from the seat inertly. The heart lost its rhythm.
And just like that, the world didn’t end with a bang or a scream. But rather with one last shaky breath.
EPILOGUE
I wanted to overcome the demons that had been with me every step of the way. Until I found out that chaos is an angel who fell in love with the devil.
The pain hadn’t come yet. But he wasn’t sure why. He didn’t react as he was supposed to. But he had no idea why. There was only anger. But he didn’t understand it at all.
And nothing made sense for him.
It was hard for him to be in the cemetery. He hadn’t been there in a long time. He wasn’t sure why he’d decided to come back once again. There was no rational reason for it. He didn’t even remember how he got there.
What he knew was that he was standing the middle of a goddamned huge cemetery over the grave of the girl who’d turned his world upside down. Twice. He was holding a bloody newspaper with a photo of her father, describing his trial. He was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. And under all of it, there was a small photo of the girl and some brief information about her death. Because the death of a teenage girl wouldn’t bring as much attention as a gangster’s trial.
And to add to all of that, it was fucking snowing as if the girl’s death hadn’t brought him enough pain as it was.
There was only anger left in him. But he couldn’t understand it at all. It wasn’t even rational. Aimed at no one in particular. Because that was common fucking sense.
He furiously threw the paper on the ground and soon it wasn’t even visible anymore under the blanket of snow.
Goddamn snow.
Goddamn mafia.
And maybe they had to get hurt in order to see how much they meant for each other. Maybe they needed to part ways to be set free. Maybe the universe had really fought to bind their souls together. Maybe they will eventually come back to each other, saying how much they’d missed it all. Maybe…
Acknowledgments
I would love to thank the readers who were wronged, hurt or mistreated. May you find strength in yourselves to push through all the bad moments. No words or actions of other people define you. Be who you want to be and never apologize for it. You are the definition of enough within.
Once again, thank you to my best friend and editor - Zuzia for always having my back, listening to me while I was ranting about this book and others that are to come. You’ve always given me best advice and opinions which I've taken to heart. For all the years that we’ve been friends and many more that are to come. I mean forever.
To my other editor and a friend that I made while studying abroad - Miruna. I cannot believe that we’ve met so randomly and clicked. It’s astonishing that we have similar taste in books among other things. I’d loved working with you on this book. Thank you for everything. You’re amazing.
To my parents who have been supportive of my writing and always pushed me to be better and do more. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be so confident as far as my passion goes. I’m forever thankful to the both of you for everything you’ve given me and how you raised me. I love you!
To my brother Michał. You don’t know that, because I’ve never told you, but you are my role model. I look up to you like no one else. You inspire me with all that you’ve achieved and c
ontinue to do so. I can always count on you.
Kuba - my real life Noah who never cease to amaze me. You are the bluntest person I know and I love that about you. You are one in a million and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to put a piece of you in my writing. All the best and cockiest qualities that Noah has are yours. We’ve known each other for so long, and even though we are so far apart you always support me and kick my ass whenever I need it. Thank you for making me a better person.
To my favorite Sicilian family that has given me an insight in their life. I’ve learnt so many things about mafia, the life in Sicily and much more. Meeting you all was wonderful and I couldn’t be more thankful. And special thanks to those amazing brothers that I've spent so much time with. Never before have I met such beautiful souls. Grazie mille!
To the one person whose name I am not going to mention. I’ve started writing this book long ago and you were the reason why. I could say many things about this time because it was both a wonderful experience and the hardest disappointment. I wouldn’t come up with the idea for this book if it wasn’t for you. You’re not a part of my life anymore, but you will always be a part of this book. So above all thank you.
You’re all amazing people that I’ve been blessed with. I love you and thank you once again for everything.
About the author
Anna Widzisz was born in 1998 in Poland. She studies International Business for her bachelor’s degree. From a very young age she's been writing stories, slowly honing her skills. She also loves traveling, dancing and, of course, reading.
The dark world of the Mafia has always drawn her in and it shows in the countless hours she’s spent documenting about the inns and outs of the criminal organization - yes, she also knows The Godfather book series by heart.
Innocent is her debut novel and her way of grabbing you by the hand and immersing you into the ruthless, twisted, but exhilarating world that the Omertà series will bring to life.
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UNTAMED
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
EPILOGUE
UNTAMED