Cassidy let out a shaky breath. "Then please, for the love of God, get these off me," he pleaded. "I need a hospital. I’m bleeding out here."
Ricardo moved behind the chair, already working at the bindings. The ropes were tight, dug deep into Cassidy’s wrists. "Hold still," Ricardo muttered, pulling at the knots. "Who is that guy?" He asked as he worked.
Cassidy winced as the rope loosened, blood rushing back into his hands. "Some guy Luca’s wife sent to kill me," he said bitterly, his head falling back against the chair. "Bianca’s cleaning house."
"You’re going to tell me everything," Ricardo said. "Every single thing you know."
"Buddy, at this point, I’ll tell you my childhood trauma if it gets me out of here alive."
The final knot gave way, and Ricardo pulled the ropes free, stepping back as Cassidy’s body slumped forward, finally released.
Cassidy groaned, clutching at his leg, his breath coming in sharp bursts as the pain surged again. "Jesus Christ..." he muttered.
Ricardo crouched in front of him. "Can you stand?" he asked.
Cassidy looked at him like he’d lost his mind. "Does it look like I can fucking stand?"
Ricardo exhaled, already reaching under Cassidy’s arm to haul him up anyway. "You’re going to have to try," he said.
Cassidy grit his teeth, letting out a strangled groan as he was pulled to his feet, his injured foot barely touching the ground.
"Let’s get you to a hospital. You got us in a lot of trouble, man," Ricardo said.
Cassidy groaned, his weight sagging heavily against Ricardo as he tried to put pressure on his injured foot. "I was trying to fix it," he muttered through clenched teeth. "But when you need Luca to show up like a ghost, he is never there."
Blood smeared across the floor as they moved, Cassidy’s limp dragging slightly. The front door loomed just a few feet away.
"Almost there," Ricardo said.
They turned toward the door. And froze. David stood there. He had doubled back silently. This time, there was no calm questioning. The gun was already in his hand, raised, steady—final.
The silencer stared at them like a dark eye. Ricardo’s grip tightened instinctively around Cassidy, his mind racing for one single, piercing thought.
Val... Her face flashed in his mind—her smile, the softness in her voice, the child she carried.
David pulled the trigger. The bullet struck Ricardo square in the forehead. Everything gave way. His grip loosened, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground—taking Cassidy down with him in a tangled, lifeless fall.
Cassidy lay beside him, stunned, breath knocked from his lungs, his mind scrambling to catch up. "No... no..." he gasped weakly, trying to push himself free, his hands slipping against Ricardo’s blood.
David stepped forward. Cassidy looked up, terror finally breaking through the pain. "Wait—wait, listen—" he started.



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