The Donna’s Choice Chapter 03
Author: Null
The car cruised down the street when gunfire erupted not far away.
In an instant, five black sedans boxed us in, slamming into our vehicle again and again.
We were all in the back. Dante pressed against Alexa, and me across from him.
I gripped my seatbelt and looked at Dante instinctively.
“Nora!”
Dante started to unbuckle to get to me, but the driver cut in.
“Don, it’s too dangerous for you to unbuckle right now.”
Another impact rocked the car.
Alexa screamed.
Dante pulled her close, shielding her against his chest.
“Damn it, where the hell is Daniel?” he shouted toward the window.
Bullets sparked against the glass with sharp cracks. I covered my head.
A cramp twisted low in my belly.
I realized my baby was frightened too, fighting, struggling inside me.
The pain drained the color from my face.
I whispered Dante’s name, reaching out for him.
“Dante…”
His eyes were fixed on the window, flicking between the gunfire outside and Alexa.
I called again.
He heard me this time. His brow pinched, and he swatted my hand away.
“Nora, it’s dangerous right now. Stay in your seat and don’t move.”
Alexa, pale with fear in his arms, turned her head at those words.
She looked at me and gave a smile, there and gone.
I closed my eyes and held the seatbelt so hard my knuckles went white.
I could only soothe the child inside me.
Baby. Calm down. Please calm down.
Your father doesn’t want us bothering him.
Daniel’s car caught up quickly. Outside, there were horns, gunshots, then silence.
Our car pulled over.
Daniel opened the door. “Don, it’s handled. But the car’s too damaged. Please move to the other vehicle.”
Everyone exhaled with relief.
I was still catching my breath, the cold sweat on my back not yet dry, when Dante unbuckled and came to me.
He cupped my face, thumb brushing a smudge of dust off my cheek.
“Nora, you look terrible. Are you hurt?”
His voice was low, rough.
My throat tightened. I couldn’t speak. I just shook my head.
He let out a breath, pulled me into his arms, and rubbed my back in slow, steady strokes.
“Nora, you were so brave. You did good.”
His arms were tight around me, so tight I almost believed I was safe.
I held him back.
“Don! Alexa’s hurt!”
Daniel’s voice hit like a death sentence.
The arms around me snapped open. The warmth vanished too fast, because he pushed me out of his embrace.
I lost my balance, dropped back into my seat, and my lower back cracked against the buckle groove.
I curled forward from the pain, vision swimming as I looked up.
It took a few hard blinks to see the scene across from me.
Alexa cradled in Dante’s arms, her face buried in his chest, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
He looked down at her, his eyes full of grief and tenderness.
“It’s okay. I’m here. It’s okay.”
He pulled her closer, his voice soft as if soothing something fragile.
“We’re moving to somewhere safe.”
I looked down.
My skirt was damp underneath.
I froze, voice shaking.
“Dante!”
But Dante had already turned with Alexa in his arms, bending to slide into the other black SUV.
The door closed with a soft click, like he was afraid to startle her.
Daniel’s head appeared at my window, respectfully.
“Donna, let me take you to the car.”
I pulled my gaze away and pressed myself up from the seat, slowly.
“No need.”
I said to Daniel.
“Take me to the hospital.”
