Kimberly POV
A sharp sting jolted me awake, pain searing through my back. I blinked, struggling to piece together what was happening, as the sound of gunshots broke through the haze, bringing me back to reality.
"Kimberly." My name floated through the chaos, barely audible.
"Kimberly!" The voice came again, louder this time, unmistakable. Leonardo. I could pick out his voice anywhere.
Gritting my teeth, I made a feeble attempt to stand, but it was futile. The stone crumbled instantly under my fingers, tumbling down in a dusty heap. The mansion was nothing but rubble now, reduced to mere debris.
Another explosion ripped through the air, and I stumbled back to the ground, clutching my side as pain flared up my spine.
I forced myself up again, only to see Leonardo rushing toward me. But a pile of fallen bricks had already risen between us, forming an impassable wall.
I couldn't go out, and he couldn't get in. All around me, the walls continued to cave, pieces collapsing one after another. Each second brought me closer to my end.
"Move closer, Kimberly!" Leonardo shouted. I took a shaky step forward, but even the ground beneath me was unstable, nearly swallowing me whole.
I froze, rooted to the spot. That was the only solution.
"Damn it," Leonardo cursed under his breath, his voice tinged with desperation. "I'll get you. I promise."
At that moment, I wanted to believe him. But the weight of broken walls and smoke-choked air pressed down on me, making each breath a struggle. Outside, gunshots echoed like a heartbeat, relentless and unforgiving, meaning it's not over yet.
And to say all these are happening because of me is unbelievable.
Leonardo reappeared, a shovel in hand, clearing the bricks with fierce determination. His side was streaked with blood, sweat trickling down his face, and he moved with a terrifying intensity that both scared and comforted me. But the more he cleared, the more bricks seemed to fall, as if mocking his efforts.
"Don't," I whispered, barely audible.
He ignored me, hacking away at the debris, using another alternative, until there was a small gap between us. But the moment he reached out to pull me, the ground beneath him gave way, and he stumbled, slamming against the fallen bricks. The cracks deepened, and for a moment, it looked like he might be swallowed by the rubble himself.
"No! Leonardo, please—leave."
He steadied himself, casting me a sharp, almost defiant glance. His hand stretched toward me once more.
Finally, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. Relief surged through me—until I realised the brutal truth. The narrow patch of safe ground could only hold one of us. If he tried to pull me to safety, he would fall.
I jerked my hand back, shaking my head as tears welled up. "No… let me go. I caused all of this."
His jaw clenched, anger and frustration flashing across his face. "Can you just keep quiet, Kimberly?" he snapped, his voice raw. "And give me your hand."!
"Promise me," I whispered, desperation edging into my voice. "Promise you'll look after my brother."
The floor beneath me cracked again, and I stumbled forward with a gasp. Leonardo seized the opportunity, lunging forward to grab me, and in one swift motion, he pulled me into his arms.
He didn't hesitate as he carried me, manoeuvring us through the ruins of the mansion. Outside, I saw Mario and Enzo—their faces were unreadable and tense as they served as a shield covering us from the attackers, guiding us toward a lone car hidden away from the line of fire.
"Did I mention that Leonardo's fleet of luxury cars was now reduced to nothing but unrecognisable ashes?"
The car roared to life as Leonardo sped off, his face hard as stone. I felt tears streaming down my face, uncontrollable, burning.
"I'm disappointed in you, Kimberly," he said, voice barely above a whisper. The words were quiet, almost to himself, but each syllable struck me like a blow.
"I'm—" I started, but before I could finish, the car came to a stop in front of a condo. Similar to Emily's place. Before I knew it, Leonardo was out of the car, striding towards the entrance without a backward glance.
I stumbled out and followed him inside, trailing sheepishly behind like a shadow.
Suddenly, he spun around, grabbing me by the shoulders, his grip rough as he pinned me to the wall. His hand found my throat, and the force of his anger pressed against my skin. My breath hitched, but I didn't fight back. I deserved this. Every part of it.
"Why?" His voice was a low, dangerous growl, warm breath brushing against my face. "You wanted to leave so badly, didn't you? To be free?"
His fingers tightened, and I choked, tears spilling over. I didn't answer, only stared up at him, my heart breaking all over again.
"Fine," he spat, releasing his grip on my neck and seizing my wrist instead. With a rough pull, he dragged me to the door and shoved me out.
"Leave," he said, voice cold as ice. "And be free of me."
The door slammed shut in my face.
I stood there, blinking back tears as reality sank in. I was free now, free to walk away without a single thing holding me back.
But my legs refused to move.
And that was when I realised, I didn't want freedom. I didn't want to leave Leonardo.
I never wanted to be away from him.