Chapter 1: The Five-Hundred-Dollar Kiss “Five hundred dollars. One kiss. That's all you have to do.”

Before Salvatore’s men could pull their triggers, Nico dove forward.

He fired three rapid shots, striking the two front gunmen directly between the eyes before they could bring their heavy rifles to bear. The cramped cellar exploded into violent thunder and blinding fire.

Victor screamed, lunging behind a massive oak wine cask, firing wildly. A bullet ricocheted off the stone wall inches from Nico’s shoulder, tearing through the fabric of his sleeve.

"Hannah! Stay down!" Nico roared.

The third gunman raised his rifle, aiming directly at Nico’s exposed back as Nico reloaded his weapon. Nico was pinned down by Victor’s suppressive fire—he wouldn't turn in time.

Fear surged through my veins, but beneath the terror, something fierce and primal roared to life. My mother hadn't raised a victim. Nico had put his life on the line for me.

I raised the heavy snub-nosed revolver with both shaking hands, closed one eye, and pulled the trigger.

*BANG!*

The recoil nearly kicked the gun from my grip, but the bullet found its mark, tearing through the mercenary's neck. The man choked on a spray of crimson and dropped like a sack of stones.

Nico spun around, shock registering in his silver eyes for a fraction of a second before a wolfish grin broke across his face. "Good girl!"

"Don't compliment me, shoot them!" I yelled, adrenaline coursing through me like liquid fire.

Salvatore realized the ambush had crumbled. Turning pale as death, the old mobster scrambled backward toward the iron door, abandoning Victor without hesitation.

Victor emerged from behind the wine cask, blood pouring from a graze on his cheek, eyes wild with rabid desperation. "You little bitch!"

He pointed his gun straight at me.

Nico moved faster than human thought. He threw himself across the space between us, shielding me with his body just as Victor fired.

A sickening *thud* echoed in the small space.

Nico grunted, a sharp hiss escaping his teeth as the bullet struck his side. Yet he didn't fall. With the fury of an enraged god, Nico raised his pistol and fired once, twice, three times.

Victor’s eyes widened in horror. Three holes blossomed across his chest. He tumbled backward, crashing through a stack of ancient wine racks, bottles shattering over him in a deluge of blood-red wine before he lay motionless on the floor.