image [https://img.wattpad.com/story_parts/1498432404/images/180b3e05193ed44b612103040736.jpg]
Once they hit the Cobra's parking lot, Jacob killed the engine on his dad's McLaren, and Enzo's and the others' Honda SHs and Yamaha T-Maxs pulled up right next to the car.
Jacob hopped out of the driver's side in a flash, not even bothering to slam the door. He immediately walked around to open the passenger side where Johnny was. By the time he got there, Enzo was already off Bruno's scooter, rushing to Jacob's side.
Jacob shot a quick look at his most trusted guy and then opened the door. Even though they had tried to cover the wound with a rag, blood kept spilling out, and by now it had soaked through Johnny's pants.
«Hurry up, hurry up,» Enzo urged, while Jacob pulled his dad out and dragged him out of the car.
Then, together, Jacob and Enzo helped Johnny inside the house as fast as they could.
«Call Uncle Wade and Mom, tell 'em to open the damn door right now!» Jacob ordered Oliver, who nodded and, with Manu, headed toward the front door.
Oliver rang the doorbell a bunch of times but didn't stop there. He hammered his fist against the heavy door with all his might. After a second, Wade had just gotten back from a meeting about the meth deal. Still wearing a white shirt and dark pants. Wade took a quick look through the peephole first. Then he opened the door.
«Shit's hit the fan,» Manu said first as he moved aside to show Wade the wrecked state of his brother, and Wade didn't hesitate for a second to grasp how bad it was.
«Crap, move it, guys,» he barked, as he caught sight of Jacob and Enzo carrying Johnny.
Wade kept the door open for everyone to rush in, but before closing it, he stuck his head out, checking left and right to make sure no one had seen a thing. In the parking lot, there were his Ferrari, the McLaren, and the scooters, with the usual guard patrols and the lookouts on the roof of the house.
In the parking lot, there were his Ferrari, the McLaren, and the scooters, with the usual guard patrols and the lookouts on the roof of the house [https://img.wattpad.com/2841336196212de54ec03f90cc0b080e21a1a396/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5a5134615931626e4a5775624e413d3d2d313439383433323430342e313830633865356535366139366336303136313134383530353933382e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Once the door was shut, Wade bolted up the stairs. He climbed, breathing hard for a second, swallowed, and then pushed open Johnny and Samantha's bedroom door.
«Samantha! Johnny's been shot!» he said, as soon as he stepped in.
Samantha had been sitting by the bed, scrolling through sewing videos on TikTok, and the second she heard Wade's words, she tossed her phone on the bed and rushed over.
«What?» she asked, as she closed the distance between them.
«Move,» Wade snapped, making way.
Meanwhile, Jacob and Johnny had made it to the big gray leather couch in the center of the living room, and Johnny was laid out on it, with the Cobra's throne looming behind him. Johnny, always so proud and full of himself, now looked pale. It was like something inside him had cracked. It was a vulnerability no one had ever seen before. Nobody.
Jacob was right there, panting, trying to catch his breath. His chest was rising and falling, and every so often he'd look away from his dad and glance at the throne.
Johnny opened his eyes slowly. With effort. Then he turned his gaze to his heir. His hand lifted just enough, signaling him to sit by the armrest of the couch. Jacob got the message instantly. He leaned forward and sat next to him on his left.
«T-that... little spider... got me... at long last...» the Cobra boss muttered, managing a half-smile. «I... underestimated... him,» he added, coughing between words.
Jacob then pulled off his father's bulletproof vest, now useless, and placed it on a nearby shelf as Samantha came rushing down the stairs first. Jacob's mom wasted no time and rushed to her dying husband, stopping in her tracks, hands covering her mouth. Her hands were shaking so much that Samantha had to press them against her lips. Her heart clenched tight.
«Johnny!» she gasped, staring at her husband, his shirt soaked in blood.
The rag was completely soaked in red by now. So Samantha headed to the kitchen and grabbed another one. Then she rushed over to Johnny and Jacob, who was still holding the rag on the wounds.
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«S-Samantha,» Johnny barely whispered, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath. «Y-you're the one who... made our clan big... K-keep doing it... Along with... Jacob...» he kept saying, as Samantha put the new rag on him.
«The hell ya sayin'?» his wife replied, tilting her head at him.
Behind her, Wade and Jacob's guys were dealing with the mess. Bruno had his mouth half-open, leaning forward, while Enzo was clenching his teeth, staring at Johnny and Jacob.
On the other side, Manu was rubbing his shaved head, and Oliver was nervously chewing on his thumb. Wade, though, looked the most chill. He had his arms crossed, almost like he had already accepted the situation they were in.
Samantha then looked up and turned to Jacob's guys.
«The fuck ya'll doing just standing there? Call Dr. Jung!» she shouted, her voice rising as her eyes darted between the four, gesturing with her hand.
Bruno was the first to react to the boss's wife's order. He pulled out his phone from his jeans, unlocked it, and moved a little to hear better. After a few seconds, he found the doctor's number in his contacts and dialed it. Oliver stepped away too and joined him.
«You think he'll make it?» Oliver asked instinctively, but Bruno shot him an annoyed look.
«Shut up, Ollie. Just shut up,» Bruno snapped while touching his little mustache.
The call went through, and Bruno listened to the beeping sound for a few more seconds.
«Not now, not now!» he cursed, the beeping still going.
Samantha and Jacob turned at the sound of his voice. They both knew it wasn't good. Samantha shot up, trying to keep her emotions in check, but her head was spinning. She couldn't think straight. Everything was hanging in the balance.
«That coward won't answer!» Bruno yelled, pulling the phone away from his ear.
«What do we do... what do we do?» Samantha cried out as she started moving frantically. Then she turned back to Johnny, who was now settling his head more comfortably on the pillow. «The ambulance, there's no other way!» she yelled, grabbing her phone and dialing the emergency number, heading toward the window.
But then she heard, «No, Samantha,» and it froze her in place, her blood running cold. Her eyes widened as she recognized the voice. Johnny's.
«I'm... I'm a Cobra, and I wanna... I wanna die like one...» the clan leader whispered, locking eyes with her as he sharpened his gaze.
Johnny's words froze everyone in their tracks. But it hit Jacob the hardest. It was like a punch to the gut.
What? Jacob thought, his mouth falling open as he glanced at his mom. Why? he kept wondering, looking back at his father, who now had an oddly calm expression on his face.
Jacob's eyes started to widen, and his lips trembled. His muscles shook, and he couldn't control them.
«No, Johnny! No!» Samantha screamed, only to be grabbed from behind by Wade, who lifted her up slightly. «Let me go, Wade!» she shouted, trying to break free. «Let me go!» she repeated as she turned a little but Wade didn't listen.
Then Johnny turned his gaze to his heir, who had been silent the whole time. He wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.
«Jacob... The future... of our clan is... is in your hands now...» Johnny managed to say, his voice cracking.
«What... what ya sayin'?» Jacob mumbled as his green eyes started to water.
He tried to hold back the tears, but a few slipped down his face and dripped into his mouth, which made Johnny smile weakly.
«Don't... Don't cry,» the Cobra boss replied, barely touching Jacob's shoulder. «Y-you're... a man... now,» he continued, as Jacob kept his eyes down. His lips were tight, his chin trembling. «You'll be... you'll be the new boss of the Cobras,» Johnny went on, as Jacob slowly lifted his head.
«No, I can't... I'm not ready,» Jacob whispered, shaking his head.
But Johnny shook his head slightly too and locked eyes with Jacob. The blue of Johnny's eyes and the green of Jacob's met for just a moment. Neither of them moved. It was a long, intense moment like Johnny was passing on all his criminal knowledge and skill with just that look. Then Johnny blinked and stretched his neck toward Jacob.
«Always... Always consult... C-consult your most... trusted... guys. Their... judgment will be... priceless...» Johnny barely managed to say, forcing himself to lift his head a little from the pillow.
Meanwhile, Samantha elbowed Wade and broke free from his hold.
«I won't let your damn honor code take you away from me!» she shouted, grabbing her phone and dialing the ambulance again.
Wade barely touched his stomach and stepped forward as Johnny smiled slightly at the scene. Jacob's uncle passed in front of Enzo, who glanced at him out of the corner of his eye while watching the moment between Jacob and Johnny.
«W-Wade... » Johnny said again as his brother took a step toward him. «The clan... The clan... has to stay... united... » Johnny struggled with all his strength to say.
Wade nodded, accepting his role with a sense of duty.
«I'll take care of everything. I promise, » he replied, pulling his hands behind his back.
Johnny then turned one last time to his son, who had wiped his tears with his burgundy shirt.
«Avenge me... son... Avenge me... » Johnny finished with a smile, holding his arm out, then letting it fall, his eyes closing.
I'll make him regret ever being born, Dad... Jacob thought, his mouth open as he watched his father take his last breath.
«NO!» Samantha screamed again, grabbing at her red hair.
Jacob stood up and stared at his dad's figure, now even more pale. The tears on his face had dried up, and he stood tall.
Then Enzo stepped up to his right. Jacob glanced over, feeling his presence. He leaned in a little, checking out Enzo's serious expression. Enzo's dark brows were furrowed, and his black beard, neatly trimmed, added a harsh edge to his face. He gave a small nod and Jacob then turned his gaze toward the throne. It was his. It was his time now.
Soon after, the ambulance arrived, but it was too late to save the situation. With Johnny gone, would Jacob be able to live up to his name?