Chapter 75

• Sandro blinked once, then nodded slowly, his chest heaving with exertion and anxiety. It was then that she noticed the dark stain of blood pooling on his shirt, a sinking feeling overtaking her heart. In a sudden panic, she yanked down on his collar, popping a few buttons in the process; her breath hitched in her throat as she realized a bullet was lodged in his shoulder.
• "You're shot." Her mind raced to piece together the events: it dawned on her that he must have taken a bullet for her when he twisted them both during the chaos.
• Sandro's gaze dropped to the wound, almost as if it registered with him for the first time. However, his attention quickly shifted to her bare feet, as if prioritizing her wellbeing over his own injury. He relinquished his gun into her hands and lifted her effortlessly off the ground, securing her legs around his torso while his hands trembled as they wove into her hair.